The weather in Jerusalem is freezing these days. Temperature is below minus and everybody is looking for a warm place or at least a hot bowl of soup. We even wear gloves. However, Shabbat is Shabbat and there has to be some spirituality as well.
My first spirituality portion I already got on the way to the Shabbat dinner at Rabbi Mordechai Machlise's house. I met a Vishnitzer Chassid who I know from the university library. I didn't recognize him right away, as he wore his Streimel. He immediately told me about the Vishnitzer Rebbes and claimed that most chassidic groups actually depend on Vishnitz. Many wives of different Rebbes are actually from Vishnitz, such as the wife of one of the Admorim of Satmar, Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum, or the wife of the present Belzer Rebbe. "And by the way, he said, the Jerusalem Slonim are also related to Vishnitz.
This happens to me all the time. Vishnitz claims that they are the most important group, Belz does the same, let alone Gur. The Chassidim always want me to write about their own particular group.
"Who cares about Toldot Aharon ?" one Belzer Chassid asked me. "Write about Belz".
"Belz ? They are only interested in their money", told me someone from Gur.
The list is long and I try to write about everybody, as I am not someone's private public relation office.
After the usual Machlis meal and their great food, my friend and I went to Chassidut Dushinsky.
"You never give up on Dushinsky", my friend keeps saying.
The problem is that most of the times when we went there, the Tish was closed for women or no Tish took place at all. However, Last night we were lucky. The door to the Ezrat Nashim was open and a Tish took place. We were even very lucky to find a great place behind the Mechitzah and could see everything. The men's side was completely packed with Chassidim and the Dushinsky Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Zvi Dushinsky, was in a great mood. He is rather serious but seems to have a great personal relationship to his Chassidim.
The present Dushinsky Rebbe: Rabbi Yosef Zvi Dushinsky
The Dushinsky Tish only lasts for two hours and we participated in the last hour. Unfortunately, the Rebbe's Yiddish is very hard to understand for me, and thus I didn't understand too much from his Derasha. Only that he was talking about Chametz and fighting and overcoming the Yetzer.
Towards the end, the Rebbe dances with some of his Chassidim (I think only the married ones) around the huge Tish. They do so three times and then he says to each one "Gid Shabbas". I am a real fan of such personal attention of the Rebbes. Most of them great their Chassidim during the Tish and nod with their heads (such as Belz or Toldot Avraham Yitzchak).
After the Dushinsky - Tish we climbed up the hill in Yoel Street. Spontaneously, we decided to go to the Chassidut Kretchnif. It was late and I am suffering from another cold but we couldn' t really do without Kretchnif.
It was already midnight when we climbed up the three floors to the Ezrat Nashim. Only the Kretchnifer Rebbitzen with a few relatives was present. Just the opposite took place downstairs. The Kretchnifer Tish was packed and we even spotted out many guys who had been to Dushinsky before. Including the son of the Kretchnifer Rebbe.
Two things I like about the Kretchnifer Rebbe besides that he is very communicative and personal. I love it when he dances alone and I love it when he dances with his Chassidim. He has a certain elegance in his way to dance which is quite unique. The funny thing is that before, the Chassidim dance unemotionally and as soon as the Rebbe participates, the dance turns into something else. He grabs the hands of the Chassidim, starts running and pulls everybody after him.
When we wanted to leave, the Rebbitzen came up to me and we talked for some time. She is an elderly woman with a great sense of humour. It was the first time ever that a Rebbitzen came up to us and if we have any questions about Chassidut Kretchnif Jerusalem, we can always refer to her.
After we left Kretchnif, we turned in to Mea Shearim Street and walked through the local market. The market is a total Neturei Karta place and we were actually looking for their synagogue. Of course, we didn't expect a building with a huge sign "Welcome to the Neturei Karta". The graffiti on the walls around the market place are always interesting and you can see the signs of the Neturei Karta. "Zionists out" or "Free Palestine".
At 2.00am in the morning, we weren't too successful in finding the synagogue but, instead, found some other interesting ones. When we passed the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak synagogue, an ambulance came around the corner. Well, the Neturei Karta would say: "A Zionist ambulance". Right away two young Avraham Yitzchak Chassidim ran out of their synagogue in order to see what is going on. Maybe throwing some stones or so. However, when there is an ambulance at sight, no one does anything due to Pikuach Nefesh. So, nothing happened.
We had a great time at the Tishes with many different experiences.
Vus machn de rebbes fun toldos aharon und toldos avrahom yitzhak in mexico ?
ReplyDeleteCliff diving in acapulco ? Don't tell me that their hasidim are now going to start wearing large mariachi hats instead of streimels :-)
Why don't you try to get a male friend to go to mishkenot haroim, so we can hear what it's like ?
It would be interesting to know whether they have consciously tried to make themselves into a kind of elite secret society. Apparently, hassidut was like that at the very beginning, in contrast to a 'movement for the masses' which it later became.
You might be interested in the writings of Prof David Assaf, from Tel Aviv University, who is one of the world's experts on hassidut.
Kol Tuv
B"H
ReplyDeleteOnly the Rebbe of Toldot Avraham Yitzchak traveld through Mexico. Probably bought a Sombrero for Purim and had some Tequilas.:-)))
Ten days ago, he was in London but in another 10 days, he will be back.
I thought about taking a male friend with me but this doesn't make such a good impression. Male and female showing up together. Where is the Zniut ? :-)))
Before Chanukkah, the Rebbe of the Mishkenot Haroim was in the States collecting money. So, you know where the support is coming from.
As far as I saw, they really keep themselves secret. At least no national religious and Litvak is allowed to enter.
I know about David Assaf and his books. The greatest books wrote Yitzchak Alfassi who grew up as a Gerer Chassid.
In a few days I might go to the haredi neighbourhoods in Beit Shemesh. Dushinsky and Toldot Aharon are really big there and the sons of the Toldot Aharon Rebbe are all important rabbis there. Head of the Beit Midrash etc.
Miriam