How far should Public Relation go ?

B"H

How far should public relation go ?
This question came into my mind while I was walking through the Jerusalem shopping mall Ben Yehudah a few days ago.

For a few weeks now, Chassidut Breslov has two stands in the Ben Yehudah Mall. One stand is run by the Na Na - Movement and the second is run by some students of Rabbi Shalom Arush. Before I am getting to my point, surely I should explain the background a little.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (1772 - 1810) was the first and last Rebbe of the Breslover movement. After he passed away in 1810, no other rabbi of the movement considered himself as worthy enough taking over Rabbi Nachman's position. Not even Rebbi Nathan Sternhartz who was Rabbi Nachman's closest student. Despite a missing Rebbe, the Breslover Chassidim and ideology survived until today. On the contrary, as Breslov together with Chabad, is the most growing group in the chassidic world. Thousands of Baalei Teshuva (newly religious) have been joining both movements over the past decades.

Many people say that anyone can join Breslov or Chabad and both groups basically claim the same. Chabad, for instance, likes to hint to the fact that even newcomers have the same rights as the original Chabadnikim. Well, this is true up to a certain point. If it comes to Shidduchim (matchmaking) or higher positions within the group, Baalei Teshuva are always last or lost. A Baal Teshuva won't get a Shidduch offer from someone being born into the group. Hence, having a certain status or coming from a family of original Chabadnikim. But this is nothing extraordinary, as every single chassidic group has the same policy. A Baal Teshuva usually marries another Baal Teshuva.

Today the huge Breslover Mea Shearim Synagogue is well - known. However, also here are tremendous differences made between Baalei Teshuva and the successors of Rabbi Nachman's original followers. The Synagogue is ruled by the original Breslovers and they don't like it too much when "those Baalei Teshuva" join and introduce a "New Age Rabbi Nachman Chassidut". They don't accept the Na Nas and look down on many newcomers joining later. This might have a reason because many newcomers had problems in their former lives. Drugs, crime, outsiders in society, divorced and many kids, whatever. People with all kinds of personal luggage join Breslov and many of the original ones don't see in them honest interested Chassidim. They rather consider them as a burden and look down on them.

A colleague of mine and her husband are such newcomers to Breslov. Her husband studies in the Yeshiva of Rabbi Eliezer Berland. The Rabbi is also a newcomer to the group and, over the years, became very successful. He started his own Yeshiva and brought many people to Breslov. Among the Baalei Teshuva movement, Rabbi Berland has an excellent reputation. His only problem is the mostly missing recognition of the original Breslov followers in the Mea Shearim Synagogue. First they didn't accept him at all. Then there was a dispute about who is allowed to sit on Rabbi Nachman's chair exhibited in the synagogue. Here I am asking the question how that can be ? After Rabbi Nachman died, no one wanted to sit in his chair and now Breslover Chassidim are arguing about it. Are they worthier than the ones in the past ?

My colleague told me that slowly slowly, Rabbi Eliezer Berland is getting accepted by the original Breslovers. However, in the meantime, Rabbi Berland founded his own institutions and teaches Baalei Teshuva. One of his famous students was Rabbi Shalom Arush, the author of the book "The Garden of Emuna". And one of Rabbi Arush's students is Rabbi Lazer Brody.

Now, I see some students of Rabbi Shalom Arush standing in the Ben Yehudah mall offering his books. This bothers me a lot. I discussed the issue with a friend of mine and she sees nothing wrong with offering the books in the mall. To make it clear, only offering the books doesn't bother me. But is every so - called known Breslov Rabbi entitled to make so much public relation for himself ? And if so, why doesn't Rabbi Arush come to sell his books ?

Okay, someone studied a few years under a certain rabbi and decides to found his own Yeshiva. Why not ? But some Breslover Rabbis, and I am talking about those from the Baalei Teshuva movement" seem to exaggerate. Why do they have to be everywhere on the Internet ? Offering their books and their teachings ?

Sometimes it really seems as if the whole Chassidut Breslov only consists of those Rabbis and not of Rabbi Nachman. And would Rabbi Nachman have made so much public relation for himself ? Maybe yes, but he was the Rebbe and this is something else.

You won't find the original followers from Mea Shearim neither in the news nor the mall nor on the Internet. Of course, some public relation is always good and attracts more followers. But the question is how far should each new Baalei Teshuva Rabbi promote himself. To me it sometimes seems a litle too much.

Links:

Chassidut Breslov - Part 1

Chassidut Breslov - Part 2

New Age is everywhere