Big Brother is watching you

B"H

I have to admit that I really enjoy the talks with different Chassidim. It doesn't matter if it is Belz, Gur, Vishnitz, Dushinsky or Avraham Yitzchak. Everybody knows each other and each of them wants to be the best informed about the other groups. Vishnitz, for example, loves to emphasize that everybody else has his roots in Vishnitz. First I thought that this is just another exaggeration but then I realized that there is actually lots of truth in it.

Furthermore, countless chassidic groups today are related to each other. The Rebbes like to marry off their children to other Rebbe's kids. Thus, they gain something from each other. One famous example is the Vishnitzer Rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Yehoshua Hager, in Bnei Brak. One of his daughters is married to one of the two Satmarer Rebbes, Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum, and another daughter is married to the present Belzer Rebbe, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach.

But how can that be ?
Two daughters from one family married Rebbes whose groups are officially "enemies".

Sometimes even the so – called enemies are more moderate with each other than one might think.

When Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum gave a Tish in Jerusalem at his visit last August, the Belzer Rebbe sent a delegation. The background of the Machloket between Satmar and Belz comes from the 1980ies.
Then, the Belzer Rebbe decided to leave the anti – Zionist umbrella organization Edah HaCharedit and instead join the Agudat Israel. People say that the main reason for this decision was simply money. Chassidut Belz suffered a lot during the Holocaust and only a few years later, the former Rebbe, Rabbi Aharon Rokeach, passed away. At that time, his nephew R. Yissachar Dov was still a child and therefore wasn't able to take over leadership. For years, Belz was without a Rebbe. Today Belz has money but years ago, Belz needed the money from the Israeli government. And this you only get when you are not in the Edah but rather in the Agudah with its Knesset party "Yahadut HaTorah (including groups such as Gur and Vishnitz)".

As expected, the members of the Edah HaCharedit saw in Belz the big traitor running over to the Zionists. Additionally, Chassidut Belz founded its own Hechsher (kosher certificate) called "Badatz Belz – Beit Din Zedek Belz". Thus, Belz became a competitor to the Edah and its Hechsher "Badatz Edah HaCharedit – Beit Din Zedek Edah HaCharedit".

I asked some Belzer Chassidim about their today's relationship to the Edah, to Satmar and Toldot Aharon. I received plenty of different opinions. From very liberal to still hostile. One opinion was that the event took place a long time ago and some of the Rebbes have died in the meantime. So, everything is different today.

When Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum came to Israel last summer, he made peace with Satmar's old rival Zanz – Klausenburg.
But why doesn't he do the same with Belz ?
Very simple. Politics.

A Chassid from a different chassidic group told me the following:
Since the two sons of the last Satmarer Rebbe, Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, have been fighting out their war about leadership, too much politics are involved. Both sons, Rebbe Aharon as well as Rebbe Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, see themselves as the new Rebbe.
As the followers of Rebbe Zalman Leib in Williamsburgh gossiped about Rebbe Aharon's wife that she could never be a worthy Satmarer Rebbitzen anyway, as she studied at the Hebrew speaking haredi school Beit Yaakov, Rebbe Aharon wants to be careful in his doings. If he made peace with Belz, the followers of Rebbe Zalman Leib would have another subject to gossip about. And who knows if Rebbe Aharon's Chassidim would agree to such a peace ?

When I speak to Chassidim, I am immediately told all the different politics involved. Each of them looks at the other group and everybody just knows anyone. They like to look at the other groups and find their mistakes and faults.

After Shabbat, many Chassidim ask me about the Tishes I have been to.

Who is getting married to whom ?
Everybody is interested. This seems to be the daily interest of a Chassid.

The historical knowledge of the Chassidim about Chassidut is just incredible. When you grow up in chassidic society, you learn all the connections very easily. Whenever I ask something, I am getting the story with the whole background. Afterwards my head is hurting due to the flow of massive information. Including chassidic stories and further details I have never even dreamt about.

Some weeks ago, when I went to Mea Shearim for Shabbat lunch, the family spoke about the latest weddings taking place. Even the kids knew what was going on and whatever takes me a long time find out, the kids know and remember right away.