The old Dispute

B"H

Not too long ago, I was sitting at a Shabbat dinner table in Rabbi Mordechai Machlises house in Jerusalem, and someone mentioned Chabad in his speech. A litvishe Yeshiva guy who was sitting right across, smiled sarcastically to himself.
The litvishe haredim do not like Chabad too much and vice versa, but to smile with such hatred in his eyes was terrible. I was stunned but did not say anything.

Now, as Tisha Be' Av is coming up, I could say that Jews need more Achdut and have to love each other. We have to accept all halachic Jews and show respect. Ahavat Israel.

However, as hard as we try, it does not always work. Of course, there is the old dispute between the midnagdim and the chassidim. The midnagdim with their spiritual leader, Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman - the Gaon of Vilna, hated the chassidim. The Vilna Gaon himself never met any chassidic rabbi and just new about chassidut from testimonies and other establishments. Other rabbis came to him and told him about the new chassidic movement which they obviously saw as a great competitor.

However, it was the time when the false Meschiach Shabbtai Zvi died and all his followers were disappointed. No Meschiach but just a complete fake.
The Vilna Gaon suspected the new chassidic movement to continue the ridiculous ideas of Shabbtai Zvi but he was wrong. Had he ever taken the time and spoken to any chassidic rabbis, history might have been very different. Although he was a great Talmid Chacham (his commentary on the Book of Jonah is the best I have ever read), he banned the chassidim, burnt their books and banned them from the communities.
No wonder that the chassidim were glad when he died.

It sounds absurd but the two movements became friendly as soon as the Haskalah and reform movement started. Neither midnagdim nor chassidim want Jews to join the reform or conservative movement who do not recognize the Torah as G - d given and unchangeable.

Another famous dispute between a chassidic group and the midnagdim took place more than twenty years ago. The spiritual leader of the Litvaks in Bnei Brak, Rabbi Schach, had the famous argument with the last Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Shneerson.
Chabad has a long negative history with the midnagdim which already started back in Lithuania. The midnagdim went to the Russian authorities and reported Chabad rabbis, including the Rebbe, as enemies of the Czar. Quite a few times, the Chabad Rebbes were put under house arrest and the chassidim were greatly offended by the midnagdim.

I do not want to mention the difference between the orthodox, conservative or reform, as I do consider reform and conservative almost as a new kind of religion. They changed the Torah according to their own needs, they changed the Sidur which was mostly put together by the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah and the worst is, that they support intermarriage and even consider the children from intermarried couples as Jewish. You have a Jewish father hence you are Jewish. A disaster for Judaism.

So, how are we going to approach the upcoming Tisha Be' Av ? Does it mean we have to have Achdut also with Jews who go against Torah ? Maybe it is a special challenge. But so far, I am anything but friendly with the reform. I think that the foundation of this movement is a real Jewish tragedy.

And what about midnagdim and chassidim ? Can they love each other ?
Many many times I thought about this question, as I myself keep chassidic customs but learned in litvishe Yeshivot, except when I was studying with Chabad.

According to my own experience, many litvishe rabbis do not have a clue about chassidut. They say "the chassidim" but do not realize that there are so many differences among chassidic groups. Even when say speak about Chabad, each Chabadnik is seen as someone who believes in the Rebbe to be the Meschiach.

Concerning the midnagdim / chassidim subject, I think it is most important that people learn about each other. I am sure that the guy at the dinner table did not have a clue about Chabad or any chassidut when he was smiling with hatred, and this should be changed. At least, it would be a start.