Some of My Best Friends…

Founder of Chasidus, Israel Baal Shem Tov (Age of Ideas)

By now it has become a cliché.  Whenever someone exhibits a mild form of antisemitism and is accused of it, they might respond by saying, ‘That is insulting’. ‘Some of my best friends are Jewish!’  That is often seen as a reactive denial of it that is at best an exaggeration of his relationship with those ‘friends’. And that deep down he is an antisemite – perhaps without even realizing it.

I get that a all the time when I preface critical comments that way about various segment of Orthodox Jewry. But sometimes a statement like that is not reactive. 

Lately, I have been highly critical of the world of Chasidim. Especially those who are - what I would call hard core loyalists to a particular Rebbe.  And yet I can say with full sincerity and not the slightest bit of exaggeration that some of the people I most admire in this world are Chasidim. In one case a dear friend who is Chasid of Ger is one of the most caring and giving people I know. The word ‘I’ does not exist in his lexicon. He will go to the ends of the earth to do a fellow Jew a favor – regardless of their Hashkafa – or even their level of observance. And yet he is a dyed in the wool Gerrer Chassid.

 I also happen to be a direct descendant of R’ Shimon Maryles ‘Yaraslover’ - a Chasidic Rebbe who lived in mid to late 18^th century Europe. (One of the more interesting facets of my ancestor’s history is that his father, R’ Yisroel Leib Elbaum was a Misnagid – a fierce opponent of Chasidus. He was so opposed to his son becoming a Chasid that on his death bed he told his son, R’ Shimon’ that if he said Kaddish for him in the Nusach of Sephard that Chasdim use in prayer (by adding “V’Yatzmach Purkonei V’ Koreiv Meshichei) - he should not say Kaddish at all. (His story is cited by Shearim Metzuyim B’Halacha. But I digress.) Point is my Chasidic credentials are impeccable. 

It is with all this in mind that I am going to explain why I believe that the Vilna Goan was right to oppose this movement. His opposition was vehement and inalterable. But with the advent of enlightenment and the Haskalah that followed among our people - which pulled a lot of them away  from observance, opposition to Chasdius waned and eventually they joined forces with the rest of Orthodox Jewry to fight the onslaught of assimilation brought about by the enlightenment. 

I am not convinced however that this opposition disappeared in its entirety.  As R’ Moshe Feinstein wrote in one of his responsa in the Igros Moshe, ‘Who gave Chasidim the right to change the Nusach HaTefilla from Ashkenaz to Sephard? 

What does it matter that the AriZal was the one who modified it? Nusach Ashkenaz was established by the Anshe Kesesses HaGedolah  (AKHG)– the Men of the Great Assembly - dating back to pre Mishnaic times? (The actual Sephardim - Jews of Middle Eastern heritage - have their own Mesorah about the AKHG composition of prayer. It is called Edot Mizrach. But Nusach Asheknaz is the Mesorah of European Jewry.)

The idea of a supreme leader whose opinions are seen as infallible is not a Jewish concept. Especially in our day when there is no prophecy. But this is what Chasidus has evolved into. There are many Chasidic Rebbes. And they are all treated as infallible by their Chasidim as possessing the highest level of  Ruach HaKodesh – the Divine Spirit that enables them to direct their Chasidim best how to serve God. And therefore the blessings their Rebbe dispenses are all treated ALMOST as though they emanated from God Himself. The best knows best what God wants of His people.  

How does one become a Rebbe today? That’s simple. They inherit it. Usually the oldest son. There is no competition. No matter how much or little they know. Works kind of the way a monarchy does. some chasidim actually refer to their Chasidus as a Melucha - a monarchy!

Now people can believe what they wish. Free country. But if one takes a hard look at what is going on in the world of Ger Chasidim right now, one would be hard pressed to see anything remotely resembling Ruach HaKodesh by the current Gerrer Rebbe. In fact I think it probably resembles the opposite. 

These are harsh words. But I see no other way to describe what is happening in Ger. If that doesn’t destroy their claim as purest servants of God, I don’t know what does. There is currently a violent dispute among the Chasidim of Ger.

It appears that R’ Shaul Alter – the former Rosh Yeshiva of what was once Ger’s flagship Yeshiva, Sefas Emes and by  far the more learned member of the Ger dynasty has succeeded in attracting many followers. About 500 Ger families have joined him to date.  In a recent fundraising trip to the US he gave a Shiur to 1000s of people in Lakewood. That kind of adulation does not sit well with the Gerrer Rebbe. Who back in 2019 decreed that anyone that Davens (prays) in the Minyan of R’ Shaul Alter will be expelled from the Chasidim.   

Ever since then there have been many altercations between the loyalists of each – mostly by adherents to the Rebbe attacking dissenters. Recently a Ger couple that decided to leave Ger and join the other community resulted in his 2 teenage daughters running away from their home in what was at first thought to be a kidnapping by the Rebbe’s loyalists. 

How far has this once mighty Chasidus fallen. The Rebbe’s 19^thcentury ancestor, the Sefas Emes is one of the most respected Achroinim in the Yeshiva world –  studied in Yeshivos all over the world. And Ger is not the only Chasidic dynasty where there has been a violent split over who should hold the reins of power. Satmar is another – although things seemed to have calmed down there.

For me all this is a pretty good example of why the idea of an infallible leader who inherits his position is not Judaism. 

Although Chasidism is now an accepted expression of Judaism,I believe that it ought to be re-visited. The ways of Chasidus cannot possible by the ways of Judaism. Even if you discount all of my past critiques of these groups – which I believe are legitimate – the spectacle of violence by observant Jew against observant Jew in service to a Rebbe should be the final blow that finishes off this product. 

I realize of course that there are are hundreds of thousands of Chasidim in the world that would take extreme umbrage at what I am suggesting. and I wouldn’t even blame them. They are not about to reject their Chasidic heritage going back many generations. Which means that things will probably only get worse. But in theory going back to a time where Chasidus did not exist would in my view be a major improvement for our people.