Shabbat Chatan with Toldot Aharon - שבת חתן עם תולדות אהרון

B"H

To say it in very few words:
I had a great time.

Whoever wants to continue reading, is welcomed to do so.

After the usual Shabbat dinner at Rabbi Mordechai Machlise's house, I went straight to the chassidic Tish of the Toldot Aharon. Many times before I have mentioned it already: The Toldot Aharon are seen as the most extreme chassidic group in Mea Shearim. The secular Israeli press loves to refer to them as some kind of outlaws in society.

Due to their closed society and their strict internal laws, one might think that they are weird. Anyway, if you know them a little better and actually speak to them, you find out that they are very nice people. People I very much learned to respect. And people who chose to live in such a closed society. They made up their own rules and are happy with what they have.

At my arrival at the synagogue, the doors to the Ezrat Nashim (women's entrance) were still locked. So far, we were only a few females waiting. One woman suggested that we should move over to the second entrance but at the same moment, a Chassid walked in and unlocked the doors. As the Toldot Aharon keep a very strict standard of modesty laws and men and women are absolutely separated. Thus, we females had to move over to the left side while the Chassid passed us on the right side.

However, the Ezrat Nashim was packed and all the little girls where there as well. I only found a place to stand right behind the glass Mechitzah in the second room. Immediately I spotted out a young man I had never seen before. His face was very young, he had blond hair and was unbelievable tall. I asked a Toldot Aharon woman if this is the grandson of Rebbe David Kahn who is getting married next (this) week. She nodded and right after we started a great conversation. A few minutes later, a second woman joined and we were talking without any breaks. Mostly about private matters but they also explained me different things about wedding customs.

And right away they invited me to come to the synagogue the next morning for the "Aufruf" and Shabbat Chatan celebration. I had planned this anyway but was happy that they mentioned that people from the outside can participate as well. There wouldn't be a problem.

Their synagogue service starts at 9:00am on Shabbat but due to my laziness, I only made it at 10:00am. I walked in, sat down, looked through my Sidur (Nussach Sepharad) and could hardly keep my eyes open. I almost fell asleep again. A woman sitting next to me noticed my struggle finding the precise page in the Sidur (although I almost got it), and showed me the right prayer. Another woman sat down next to me and she was great. After a few minutes, we started a great conversation. The Rebbe took a few minutes break anyway and we used the time to talk. In the meantime, she explained me different Hungarian prayer customs, as I wasn't used to them. "Come more often and you will get used to the Hungarian rites", she proposed.

The Ezrat Nashim filled up because everybody wanted to see how the sweets were thrown onto the children downstairs at the men's side. As I know a few women already, we all said "Shabbes" to each other. The woman next to me kept on explaining me things. Among others she told me that the actual custom of throwing sweets at the boys downstairs has its roots in the idea that a groom is sinless. All his sins are forgiven. We do the same. We get rid of our sins by throwing the sweets at the boys. I didn't know the root of this custom.

As I had never been to a Shabbat morning service at Toldot Aharon, I was impressed how different the synagogue looked. When the Tish takes place, it looks totally different. However, in the morning, all the metal benches are gone and replaced by wooden tables and benches. The Bimah stands in the middle.

Rebbe David Kahn has the custom to read the whole Torah portion himself. There are "Aufrufs" but it is only him reading. One of the women gave me a Chumash (Torah) so that I could follow the Torah reading. But honestly, I wasn't able to follow. I heard the Rebbe reading but could not understand his words. Maybe it was a bad acoustic or I am simply not used to his accent. I was only able to figure out a few words. Then my neighbour told me that there is also a Bar Mitzwah. The little boy named Mendel was very proud standing next to the Rebbe. His Streimel looked brand new. My neighbour told me that they never give brand new Streimels to the kids but only to a groom. Mendel's Streimel might look new to me but was actually second hand. They just made it look new.
Later on the sweets were flying around and before I left, I also got a little plastic bag of sweets.

I was invited to participate in the meal afterwards but because I was told earlier that there will be another Shabbat Chatan next Shabbat, I refused to go. I told them that I would rather join next time. I didn't feel comfortable and didn't want too much at once.

The wedding is taking place this coming Wednesday. To be honest, I forgot the Chassidut where the bride comes from and have to inquire again. It was a very tiny chassidic group I had never heard about before.

The next wedding will be between a regular Chassid and a bride who has her roots somewhere in Karlin - Stolin. Not totally, but somehow she is connected to Karlin - Stolin.

However, the wedding of the grandson of the Rebbe this Wednesday, will be divided between Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh. The Chuppah will be in Jerusalem and the rest in Beit Shemesh.
I was invited to also come over to Beit Shemesh: "You cannot just leave without seeing everything. Especially not without the Mitzweh Tanz between the Rebbe and the bride."

This is true. I would love to see the Mitzweh Tanz but I am not sure yet, if I will make it to Beit Shemesh.

I had a great time and very much enjoyed talking to the different Toldot Aharon women. They were very friendly and extremely helpful.