Careful what you wish for....

There were calls recently for the disbanding of all Chassidic groups, and for a while I thought I agreed with him, but for very different reasons. "I say all Chasidic movements should be disbanded. They outlived it spiritual and practical purpose. This addiction could be cured," said TA last week, repeating the sentiments he's felt for a while now. This comment was brought on by a story about the fighting that continues between Srool and Mendel Hager, the 2 sons of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Beraq. I'm not sure why he can't see what all others see in this little battle; that is a simple power struggle, no different than a wrestle for control of a major corporation, which Vizhnitz is, with all of its institutions. I thought I agreed because I felt that all groups today are all about money and power, but I then saw that he meant something completely different.

In the eyes of someone who sees Chassidic groups as nothing more than clubs for men to participate in and women to watch, then there's really no point in attaching a name like the Baal Shem Tov to your club, it brings nothing but shame to his holy name. Stop calling yourself a scion of a Chassidic dynasty. Name it something else and continue fighting, but don't drag the Besh"t through the mud just so you can have some entertainment, and your leaders power. You can do the like the Perushim in Yerushalayim, and wear Chassidic clothes and trappings. As a a matter of fact, most people would consider Chassidus to consist mostly of dress and a few Chumros, so those Jews of the Old Yishuv have nothing to feel bad about when it comes to those fields. - Then again, anybody with the minutest knowledge about anything that goes on in the Israeli and American "Yeshivos Kedoshos" knows that power struggles are by no means limited to Chassidic groups. The shame that certain Yeshivos have brought upon Charedi society, and the hypocrisy that's been uncovered makes petty little infighting in Chassidic groups look like child's play. -

However, if Chassidus is not just dress and a Poylishe Havooreh, but a Teyreh and a way of life, where Dibuk Chaverim is integral in keeping its members both spiritually and physically intact, then disbanding Chassidus, whatever that means, would have consquences beyond what anybody of us could imagine. I find it ironic that some of the people that call for the disbanding of Chassidus are the same ones that stand to benefit the most from what it has to offer. They complain about others not being there for them when they're the ones that remove themselves from society simply because they don't feel anybody is intelligent enough or smart enough to enter their little world. I can very much relate the last aspect; where you feel reluctant to allow others into your little world, but that would make me the problem, not the rest of the world, correct? So next time you see a few Jews sitting at a table saying LeChaim and some words of inspiration, why not pull up a chair and join them? You may not agree with everything they say, and you may not share the same opinions about certain sages of yesteryear, but you'll be amazed what a little sit-down can do to your spirits, it'll lift them straight up to the sky.