Irrationality

B"H

As soon as I start searching for sociological literature about "Society structures within Chassidic groups", I am having a hard time. There are so many people who think that they have something to say about "Chassidim" but most of those authors only know the subject from other books and others might have had a brief conversion with a Chassid. And then there are those who have lived for a while with a certain Chassidic group such as Satmar.
Very nice but this is not what I am looking for. Actually there are a few interesting studies about chassidic society made by the Brandeis University and that's about it.

What is the chassidic society and why do thousands of their members decide to follow a rebbe and a certain ideology ?

I don't have problems with the chassidic ideology at all, as I follow their teachings and many customs myself. However, I cannot imagine myself following one rebbe and accepting only his decisions and no one else's.

The first chassidic group trying to missionize me was, of course, Chabad. After many shiurim and Shabbatot I was asked to participate. Not only once but several times. When I refused to become a member, the Chabadnikkim were disappointed. Although I did explain all my reasons for being independent. I also studied with Breslov but they somehow did never try to missionize me. Further time I spend with Satmar but there the women only emphasized to me how important it is to be haredi. "One cannot be really religious without being haredi".

My last missionary attacks I "suffered" from Belz. As I know quite a few Belzer Chassidim, the "attacks" are still going on but so far, I always escaped their attempts. I cannot see myself joining any group and following a particular rebbe. But I do wonder how other people can do that. How can they follow a certain ideal ? The reasons are probably very different between those who were born into a chassidic group and those who decided to join from the outside.

A few months ago, I asked a friend of mine who is also dealing with the subject of "Chassidut", why a rebbe needs his Chassidim and why the Chassidim need the rebbe. One could claim that the rebbe is the Zaddik and the group needs him in order to draw itself closer to G – d. On the other hand, there are many opinions in Chassidut (see the Peshis'cha movement) that each Jew has to make his own effort in order to get closer to G – d. And each Jew has his own power to do this and thus, he doesn't necessarily needs a Zaddik, as each of us could be a Zaddik.

My friend, however, answered that in chassidic groups exist a symbioses: The rebbe needs his Chassidim and they need him. As a matter of fact, without this there wouldn't be any chassidic groups.

I would like to give two more examples for my theories:

The Chabad Center in the Jerusalem Mall Ben Yehudah is quite famous. The center has a soup kitchen and offers Shiurim on a regular basis. A few young Chabadnikkim run the center and whoever wants to join and live there is welcomed but has to accept the Chabad rules. I am not sure if I should call this "brainwashing". Brainwashing might be the wrong word, as there are actually people staying in the center who otherwise don't have a place to go. So they keep the Chabad rules in order not to be kicked out.

The Chabadnikkim in the center have their firm timetable. When to get up, when to pray, breakfast, Talmud study and so on. The timetable is so tight that there is no time for personal matters. Everybody needs some time for himself. To think, to relax, whatever. However, the Chabad timetable in the Ben Yehudah center does not allow a free minute. Everything is organized.

The second example I would like to mention is the Chassidut Toldot Aharon.

As far as I could find out, the Toldot Aharon Chassidim have a general meeting every year on the day of the Yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch. Then, their Rebbe (Rabbi David Kahn) gives a Drasha and reads the internal laws of the group, the Takanot.
All Toldot Aharon members are obligated to fulfill those Takanot and if not, they are not considered to be part of the group. There is no discussion about this fact. And every year at this general meeting they have to sign the Takanot anew. Sometimes it happens that their Rebbe adds a few new laws.

When you see the women of Toldot Aharon in the streets of Mea Shearim or elsewhere, you always see them with other women from the same group. They might talk to an outsider but they would never become friends with someone not being part of Toldot Aharon. Not even with the women from Satmar. And this takes place although Satmar finances Toldot Aharon.

About two weeks ago, the Toldot Aharon Chassidim had another general meeting in their Beit Midrash. As far as I heard, newcomers into the group do not always have to sign all the Takanot, as there is an opinion that no one from the outside would be able to keep everything unless he is born into the group.
But I cannot confirm if this is really true or not.

How can people follow the rules of a rebbe and a society ? Is the Halacha not enough ? If not and you want to be chassidic so follow the basic opinions of the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, the Chozeh of Lublin, the House of Kotzk or Peshis'cha.

We always look at the chassidic groups without realizing that we are basically doing the same. Everybody follows society rules and none of us is free from everything. Every society has its structure and rules.

This reason still doesn't make me understand why the Toldot Aharon members are not allowed to have friends from the outside. Each of us has to do his Tikkunim and in order to do this, you have to open up to other Jews. Even the Maharal of Prague writes in his commentary on the Pirkei Avot that a Jew is not alone in this world and thus has to fulfill his tasks.

The official reason for the Takanot is to avoid the destruction of the group. New strange ideas could have a great impact on the members and let the group fall apart.
When my friend and me go to the Tish of their split off Avraham Yitzchak, we do realize that many of those women become more and more modern. Becoming slightly more modern does not automatically mean to leave the group. Why then do they need all the rules to be cautious ? Is it more a dictatorship ?
The word "dictatorship" might be wrong because each member has the freedom to decide whether he wants to be a member or not. Of course, I admit that people who want to leave those groups might face extreme difficulties but eventually they could leave.

Why do they have to sign the Takanot and what does makes them signing at all ? Because he doesn't have another choice, as he was born into the group ? Does being born into a chassidic group mean having a home ? And do the Toldot Aharon members want to live without their Takanot at all ?

A secular friend of mine once said that all these Haredim follow the rules and the rebbes because they have nothing else in life and are unable to make their own decisions. She might be right concerning the newly religious.

Despite all the Takanot and internal rules of each chassidic group, one thing is very obvious. The members always find their own individual way to be a little more modern and to develope their own freedom.

One of the most important things for the Toldot Aharon and Avraham Yitzchak women seems to be jewellery. If a wedding is taking place, the groom obviously has to provide at least two new rings for the bride as well as a new watch. The young girls like silver or copper watches and shiny earrings. They really like to show off a little when they are with their friends or at the Tish.

Society pressure, rebbes, Takanot….
Chassidic society will continue its way and hardly any members are going to rebel. And maybe the Takanot or other rules are more a problem for us then to the Chassidim themselves.
The Chassidim always find a way around to ease the rules and let's be honest, some close their door and do it their own way.

Any changes towards modernity can only start from the inside and even if, it is a very slow process and needs plenty of patience. The Toldot Aharon women asked for music lessons at the girls' schools and have not yet succeeded. But don't undermine their effort, as already making such a demand is a great advance.