The Women's Section

B"H

It is all the fault of the weather change in Israel. During the day it is still hot but the nights are already chilly. Even if don't feel it too much, the winter season is approaching and we notice the signs such as being tired all the time or suffering from colds.

It also happened to me last Shabbat; I was so tired that I fell asleep at Rabbi Mordechai Machlise's Shabbat table. However, when I walked home, I already saw from far away the Toldot Aharon members in their Synagogue streaming.

I had already expected it, as last Wednesday night, something bigger was going on at the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak Synagogue in the Mea Shearim market. Then I knew that also the Toldot Aharon Rebbe is likely to be back from his trips abroad. Every year, countless chassidic Rebbes from Israel travel abroad. They go on cures in Austria or Switzerland and then continue to the UK or the US in order to collect donations for their groups. So does the Toldot Aharon Rebbe, Rabbi David Kahn, and so does his brother, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kahn, the Avraham Yitzchak Rebbe. Both are back and I suppose that everyone else is also back home in Jerusalem or Bnei Brak, as the high holidays are approaching.

Except for Breslov or Chabad, all chassidic Synagogues have separate entrances for men and women. The women mostly enter in the back of the building. For female newcomers to the Tishes it sometimes is hard to find out where the Ezrat Nashim (the entrance to the women's section is). Who can you ask ?
Usually not the male Chassidim although it really sometimes depends. In case you don't have a clue, just wait for the next woman to pass by.

The Toldot Aharon Synagogue normally has two women's entrances. As in other chassidic Synagogues, the Ezrat Nashim (women's section) is on the first floor. If women have an overview over the men's section on the ground floor depends on the Mechitzah (the separation wall). In some Synagogues you can find Mechitzot made out of metal and others have wood. A few groups like Karlin – Stolin, Ruzhin – Boyan, the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak or the Toldot Aharon have huge glass windows and thus, the women are able to see everything what is happening downstairs. The men, on the other hand, cannot see the women upstairs, as from their side, the windows look like mirrors.

However, there are exceptions at the Avraham Yitzchak and the Toldot Aharon. During the morning service, they do put the metal Mechitzah over the glass windows and the reason is that due to the sunshine, the men would be able to see the women upstairs.

Last Erev Shabbat, Rebbe David Kahn gave his first Tish after almost two months, and, as you can surely imagine, the Tish was packed. There was no way finding a seat on the metal benches and even downstairs in the men's section, there wasn't a place to stand anymore. Totally sold out, so to speak. For this reason and my being tired, I didn't stay for too long but I will do so next Shabbat.

Hundreds of women and young girls were occupying the metal benches upstairs and it was extremely hard to even find a place to stand and have a look at the Rebbe. Finally I had a look and Rebbe Kahn just started eating his chicken soup.

Soon all the high holidays are coming up and especially in Mea Shearim one can find lots of action. Tishes and celebrations everywhere and I am going to be extremely busy with visiting all those places.