Toldot Aharon, Toldot Avraham Yitzchak and the Mishkenot HaRoim

B"H

Last Erev Shabbat (Friday night) I went, as usual, to Rabbi Mordechai Machlis for dinner. I was an hour too early because I had been for "Kabbalat Shabbat" at the Karlin - Stolin Synagogue in Mea Shearim. Surprisingly, the Karliner Rebbe wasn't there. He lives in the Jerusalem outskirt of Givat Ze'ev and only comes sometimes to his Jerusalem Synagogue over Shabbat. However, I was still surprised that he didn't show up, as it was Shabbat Chanukkah. Especially then most Rebbes are with their groups in Jerusalem in order to celebrate.

The Machlis meal was very nice. Almost every Shabbat it is so unbelievable crowded but last Friday night, there weren't too many people. Someone mentioned that due to Shabbat Chanukkah, many people are invited elsewhere. And it wasn't only Shabbat Chanukkah but also Rosh Chodesh Tevet (the beginning of the new Jewish month of Tevet). Such a Kedusha (holiness) and I really felt like doing something and not just let the Shabbat pass. Of course, this high Kedusha was also a topic at the Machlis table and although the stove of the family broke down in the afternoon before Shabbat had started, they managed to cook a great meal.

Afterwards I went to three different chassidic Tishes.
First to the Toldot Aharon in Mea Shearim where is was totally packed. No wonder … Chanukkah, Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh together. Not only that the Toldot Aharon women occupied all the metal benches; more and more groups with mostly national religious or yound haredi seminary girls walked in. Those girls usually stay for 10 - 20 minutes and then move on to the next Tish somewhere else.

It was so packed that I didn't succeed in getting even close to the Mechitzah (glass windows) in order to look downstairs to the Rebbe and his Chassidim. Then one of the Toldot Aharon women turned around, saw me, and lifted me up on the metal bench. Suddenly I had a great view and the women said that we are here to see something. We talked for a little while and I asked her if she knew if the Rebbitzen is giving her regular class this week. Last week, it was canceled due to Chanukkah. The women didn't know but pointed over where the Rebbitzen was standing. In the end, I decided not to climb over all those women just in order to ask the Rebbitzen herself. I will find out in a different way.
Rebbe David Kahn ran his Tish as usual but upstairs in the Ezrat Nashim (women's section) it was boiling hot. Obviously someone had really turned on the heating system too much and there was hardly any air to breathe. I would have loved to stay until the end but decided to continue breathing but also seeing something more.

My next stop were the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak in the Mea Shearim market. The same picture: Packed but at least not too hot.

My third stop were the Mishkenot HaRoim. The Mishkenot HaRoim are not a chassidic group but rather an organization although they have a Rebbe. They are part of the Edah HaCharedit and known for their extreme anti – Zionism. Some Haredim even call them "zealots". Unfortunately, I came too late for their Tish. Rebbe Chaim Rabinovitz just said "Gut Shabbes" to everyone and was about to go home. Some other Chassidim were already cleaning up the tables. A little later, I met the Rebbe and about 40 Chassidim outside when then accompanied him to his home.