Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Toldot Aharon Rebbe

The present Toldot Aharon Rebbe David Kahn

Someone sent me this picture today. I do like it because I have never seen the Rebbe that close. Even though it is "just" a picture.

Posted by Miriam Woelke at 2:12 PM
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13 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 18, 2009 at 2:10 PM

    He looks rather sad, doesn't he?

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  2. Miriam WoelkeJune 18, 2009 at 2:30 PM

    B"H

    Many times I noticed that he puts on a rather melancholic expression.

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  3. AnonymousJune 19, 2009 at 7:04 AM

    Where did you get such a wonderful, close-up picture? I posted it on facebook, and within 20 minutes three friends copied it to their pages.

    The Belzer Rebbe is someone I've never seen smile. I know that I'm probably wrong, but I've always gotten the impression that he's a little uncomfortable being Rebbe. It's probably that I just don't know that much about him. The Stoliner Rebbe never really seemed comfortable. I've been to the tisch a few times. He tends to stay tucked away in the mountainside in Givat Ze'ev and doesn't even visit Yerushalayim often. It's only in the past year that he spoke in public on a weekday for the first time in his life.

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  4. Miriam WoelkeJune 19, 2009 at 9:00 AM

    B"H

    I didn't know the picture was from Facebook. I am one of those rare ones, quitting the unnecessary site some weeks ago.:-) Someone private sent it to me.

    How did you get hold of the picture ? I find it a kind of unique and I think that we will hardly find another close picture.

    The Karliner Rebbe was very lively last Chanukkah. I am not sure but I think that I met his wife at the Ezrat Nashim. The female members of the Rebbe family have a special part at the Ezrat Nashim. I already found that out after walking right in on Chanukkah. I came in, saw a relatively free space and walked over without knowing that this is the Rebbe's family.
    If the women I spoke to was the Rebbitzen, then she is a really really nice lady.
    Very modest, not arrogant and extremely friendly.

    I've never paid too much attention if the Belzer Rebbe smiles. I have just been wondering about how is is treated all the time. Like a real king with all the people around him and serving him.

    He didn't have much of a choice. He was the only one in the family and his whole life was a Rebbe's life. Even as a young child.

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  5. AnonymousJune 19, 2009 at 9:13 AM

    Yes, just like the Stoliner Rebbe. From 12 years old.

    I was actually asking you where you got the Toldos Aharon Rebbe's close-up. I posted it on my facebook page after I saw it on this site.

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  6. Miriam WoelkeJune 19, 2009 at 9:22 AM

    B"H

    I admit that I am not really awake this morning. Maybe I should go back to bed.:-)
    Someone private sent me the picture. I have to ask him where he got it from. It is a great picture and there are not many of that kind.

    The Karliner Rebbe seems to be the only Rebbe today who ever got divorced. I was surprised when I read this and a Karliner told me that the Rebbe was too young when he got married. He made a mistake and is now happily married. He has one child with his first wife but is neither in touch with the Ex nor with the child.

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  7. AnonymousJune 19, 2009 at 9:24 AM

    I hate to say it, but I actually get depressed when I look at the Belzer Rebbe. But even with that expression Toldos Aharon Rebbe's face I see years of experience, compassion, and understanding. I love to watch him dance too. There's one person in this world that puts me in a good mood just to look at his face, and that is the Bobover Rebbe, Reb Halberstam. I was at one of his gabbaims' house once, and he had a beautiful picture of him smiling on the wall. I'm going to try to get one, and put it up in my house.

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  8. AnonymousJune 19, 2009 at 9:30 AM

    Funny how in Israel they call him the Karliner and in America the Stoliner.

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  9. Miriam WoelkeJune 19, 2009 at 9:41 AM

    B"H

    In Jerusalem, people always refer to Karlin as Karlin. Only when you really want to emphazise something then you add Pinsk or Stolin.

    With the Belzer Rebbe you have to take into consideration that he is very ill. He hardly eats at the Tish and has special Challot made for him. Either our bakery does it (without yeast) or he eats something like crackers because he has a very severe digestion problem.

    The Toldot Aharon Rebbe didn't want to become Rebbe in the first place but was asked by the Chassidim, as the majority didn't want his older brother Rebbe Shmuel Yaakov.

    I can tell you that the TA Rebbe is a very modest man and when you see his apartment, you would never think that a Rebbe lives there.

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  10. AnonymousJuly 3, 2009 at 5:49 AM

    Coming from a Stoliner family, I feel the need to clarify some of these comments:

    1.The Stoliner Rebbe never really seemed comfortable. I've been to the tisch a few times. He tends to stay tucked away in the mountainside in Givat Ze'ev and doesn't even visit Yerushalayim often. It's only in the past year that he spoke in public on a weekday for the first time in his life.

    ---
    the Rebbe has spoken several times during the week. He is most definately NOT uncomfortable being a Rebbe and he used to visit Yerushalayim every fourth Shabbos and lately he cut back because it's simply too draining.
    ---
    2.The Karliner Rebbe was very lively last Chanukkah. I am not sure but I think that I met his wife at the Ezrat Nashim. The female members of the Rebbe family have a special part at the Ezrat Nashim. I already found that out after walking right in on Chanukkah. I came in, saw a relatively free space and walked over without knowing that this is the Rebbe's family.
    If the women I spoke to was the Rebbitzen, then she is a really really nice lady.
    Very modest, not arrogant and extremely friendly.
    --

    Sounds like u met the Rebetzin as many ppl have a similar experience. She is so approachable, easy adn sweet. The Rebbe is not necessarily lively at tish. Chanukah and Purim are the exceptions. But he's warm and genuine.

    ----
    3.The Karliner Rebbe seems to be the only Rebbe today who ever got divorced. I was surprised when I read this and a Karliner told me that the Rebbe was too young when he got married. He made a mistake and is now happily married. He has one child with his first wife but is neither in touch with the Ex nor with the child.
    --

    the Rebbe wasn't too young. It was a mismatch. He doesn't keep up with his ex for obvious reasons but his son is in close contact with him and the Rebbe was sandak at this son's son's bris.

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  11. Miriam WoelkeJuly 3, 2009 at 8:47 AM

    B"H

    It is a pity that the Stoliner Rebbe doesn't give a Tish in Jerusalem more often.

    I always thought that the Avraham Yitzchak are my favourite Tish but since I saw Karlin - Stolin on Chanukkah, I know what a real Tish is.

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  12. AnonymousJuly 6, 2009 at 8:30 PM

    The Rebbe used to come to Yerushalayim for many years for every Shabbos mevarchim. Now, it's only special occasions (R"H, 5th night of Chanukah and Shushan Purim) as well as certain other Shabbosim. The rest of the time, the crowd goes to Givaat Zeev where I'm sure e/one would be thrilled to host you!

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  13. Miriam WoelkeJuly 7, 2009 at 10:49 AM

    B"H

    I still feel sorry for the Chassidim in Jerusalem and I think that each of them would be happy to see the Rebbe more often.

    I know a Kaliner Chassid who I mostly see at a Jerusalem library. He writes articles and is very helpful when I am having a question. He English is not too good but his Hebrew and Yiddish is.:-)

    ReplyDelete

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