B"H
When a chassidic group splits, it first looks like a real tragedy. Suddenly two relatives (mostly two sons) of a former rebbe claim leadership. One son doesn't want to accept that his brother will be the next rebbe. Especially today, the rebbe position is also connected to power and unfortunately, many people think that only they are the right one to handle everything.
But I also heard other opinions. Some chassidic groups might even be gaining something positive from a split. Maybe a totally new rebbe and a new established group help certain members of the former group to find new opportunities and satisfaction ?
This article is about the famous split of the Chassidut Toldot Aharon. The split might have been a tragedy, but I am sure that many members also gained something positive from it.Rebbe Aharon Roth was the founder of the Toldot Aharon. His father, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov, also worked as a greengrocer. Born 1894 in Ungvar, he started studying Torah and Talmud at a very early age. At the age of 22, he married Sima who was the daughter of Rabbi Yitzchak Katz of Budapest. Rebbe Aharon Roth eared his living as a religious teacher who accepted all students. Even those who were thrown out of Yeshivot. Thus, he built himself up a small group of followers.
In 1925, he moved to Jerusalem where he acquired a new group of followers. Due to medical reasons, he returned to Satmar in 1929. There the self – appointed rebbe was not welcomed by other Chassidim and was seen as a competitor. He was forced to leave Satmar for Beregszaz (Beregovo) where he established a new Yeshiva with the name "Shomrei Emunim". Eight students studied with him and the yeshiva was supported by Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapira of Munkacs.
All those years, his students from Jerusalem were still in touch with Rebbe Aharon Roth. In 1939, he left for Jerusalem where he established a very closed society called Toldot Aharon. He was an extreme strong opponent of Zionism, emphasized ecstatic and urged his followers to live according to his Takanot (laws).
Rebbe Aharon Roth died on 6 Nissan 1947 and is buried on the Mount of Olives. Rebbe Arele, the name by his Chassidim called him, was the author of many books such as "Shomer Emunim" and "Shulchan HaTahor".
It was right after Rebbe Arele's death that his chassidic group split for the first time.
His son, Rebbe Avraham Chaim Roth, claimed the new leadership but the members didn't want him as the new Rebbe.
Instead, they chose Rebbe Arele's son in law, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kahn, as the new Rebbe. Rabbi Avraham Chaim was not too pleased about the decision and founded his own group,
the Shomrei Emunim (Guardians of Faith). Later, he moved to Bnei Brak whereas he still has a community in Jerusalem (the Shomrei Emunim neighbourhood). Whoever wants to go to a Shomrei Emunim Tish must be patient. The Rebbe comes only sometimes to Jerusalem. Their synagogue is in Mea Shearim Street and the Rebbe is very popular among his followers. The Tish is also quite popular and as soon as there is one, many Mea Shearim Chassidim participate. The synagoge is rather small but has a beautiful Aron HaKodesh.
Until today, the Shomrei Emunim members don't have too much contact with the Toldot Aharon. Furthermore, they are also not members of the Edah HaCharedit and much more open to the outside world.
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kahn became the new Rebbe and led the Toldot Aharon until he passed away in December 1996. The Toldot Aharon members always see the same problem occurring: A Rebbe dies and a newcomer is planning to make changes in the group policies. Many of the Toldot Aharon members seem to be happy with their group and even with the Takanot. To them it means more than only an identification. It is their life and this is how they want to be and how they chose to be.
They don't want changes.
Rebbe Avraham Yitzchak Kahn
Rebbe Avraham Yitzchak Kahn continued the extreme way of former Rebbe Arele. And this is exactly what the members demanded. The next problem occurred when he died and a new Rebbe had to be appointed. Of course, the oldest son, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kahn, thought that he is going to take over leadership. However, even before his father died, the group members already understood that Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov is less extreme and might bring about some changes. He had studied with the Vishnitzer Rebbe and wasn't too anti - Zionist in his ideas. Today, he even meets members of the Agudat Israel. Two years ago, he went to a Simcha of the Knesset member Israel Eichler who belongs to Chassidut Belz.
The Edah HaCharedit still considers Chassidut Belz as a kind of an enemy. In the early eighties, Belz had left the Edah and joined the Agudat Israel. A catastrophe in the eyes of Satmar and Toldot Aharon. Belz was accused of being a traitor joining a religious Zionist party. As many of us know, there was a serious war going on after Belz split from the Edah. Satmarer Chassidim even burnt Belzer school buses in New York. The situation today is quiet but as there are two Badatz (Beit Din Zedek) Hechsherim (kosher certificates), one from Belz and one from the Edah, war continues. No one eats from the other's Hechsher.
Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kahn claimed the new leadership after his father died but the members were afraid of changes they didn't want. The members asked Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov's younger brother, Rabbi David Kahn, to become the new Toldot Aharon Rebbe. He would stick to the old extreme ways, as he haid studied under the famous Satmarer Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum. This was the way, the group members preferred.
Of course, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kahn wasn't too pleased and asked the Beit Din Zedek of the Edah HaCharedit for a clear decision. He was sure about himself winning the case, as the famous Beit Din Zedek member, Rabbi Meir Brandsdorfer, was on his side. The Edah however asked Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov to organize elections. Each group member should make a personal vote and thus decided who the new Rebbe is going to be.
As we all know today, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov lost and his brother, Rabbi David Kahn, became the new Rebbe of the Toldot Aharon. He still is the present Rebbe.Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov didn't accept the decision and left the group with about 200 families in order to found his own group,
the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak. Officially, both brothers and the group members are very friendly with each other. You can ask whoever you want and everybody will tell you the same. "We have nothing against each other", so the members.
The facts you only realize when you look into the details. One example is that Rebbe David Kahn supports the Satmarer Rebbe, Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum, whereas his brother supports the second Satmarer Rebbe, Rabbi Zalman Leib Teitelbaum. Someone told me that Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum has more money at hand. Money, the Toldot Aharon need for support. But I am not claiming that everything is only about money, as the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak also depend on financial support.
Personally I like to visit both Tishes of the groups. If there is a Tish, of course, I also go to the Shomrei Emunim.
People always ask me about my favourite Mea Shearim Tish which is definitely Avraham Yitzchak with its Rebbe Shmuel Yaakov Kahn. The Rebbe is energetic and has a very warm personality. He dances and loves his Chassidim participating. Although his group is an Edah member, he is not too anti - Zionist, as I already mentioned. The members took over Rebbe Arele's Takanot (internal laws) but from what I see, they are more open and not so extreme. It is always nice talking to the women of the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak. Because the Rebbe studied with the Vishnitzer Rebbe, he introduced some Vishnitzer customs into the group. The women basically dress the same as the Toldot Aharon women but do sometimes wear a head cover with colours. Whereas the Toldot Aharon women mostly wear black head covers (Yasameh) on weekdays and the white one on Shabbat or holidays. The Avraham Yitzchak women do have white head covers with colours.
The Toldot Avraham Yitzchak seem to be much more open and I can talk to them about anything. Maybe it is just me and my feeling but at the Toldot Aharon Tish many women seem to be much more reserved and I always formulate my questions carefully. At least I start carefully and then see how the woman responds. They are also friendly but more reserved. I have to add that I have also had my strangest experiences with the Toldot Aharon women. Twice I met very open - minded woman and we wanted to talk much more. Unfortunately, for different reasons, the conversations haven't taken place so far.
I especially remember the very young woman who came up to me and asked if I still remember her. A few weeks before, I had seen her at the Tish with two other friends. One could see that they just got married and the three looked like in a kind of shock. I can only speculate about the reason; shaving the hair or the husband.
However, I hardly remembered her looking so sad and a few weeks later she just sat down next to me and wanted to talk. Totally out of the blue. I didn't know how to start the conversation and she looked desperate. Eventually we didn't talk because there were too many women around. It was the most difficult situation I have, so far, faced at a Tish. If you ask me about what is going to happen when I see her again, I honestly don't know what to answer.
The bottom line is that there are chassidic group members who sometimes do want changes and join a rebbe splitting off. In the new established group they see a new chance and even a different life. Away from the old ways and see something new. But there are also the fundamentalists seeing any kind of change as a threat to the group and their personal life. They even might be afraid of changes in customs. It really depends on the personality of each member.
The present Toldot Aharon Rebbe, Rabbi David Kahn, in the middle. His brother, the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak Rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kahn, to the far right.
Homepage of the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak:http://toldosay.com/index.htm
