Yeshivos Pushing Agendas

(2nd from Left Harav YY Piekarski, zt"l, R"Y Lubavitch, 4th from left The Skulener Rebbe zt"l, , 5th from left Harav Yaakov Teitelbaum, zt"l.)

When discussing the passing of Reb Eli Teitelbaum, the fact that he learned in Lubavitch was mentioned by me. Which reminds me; did the obituaries mention that fact? I wonder... Anyway; So the talk began as to why his father, a Ruzhiner Chossid, would send to Lubavitch. After all, there were other bastions of Torah like Yeshivas Moreinu Harav Chaim Berlin, and Yeshivas Harav Yaakov Yosef, and Yeshiva Torah Umada- I mean Torah Vodaas, so why send to a place where they probably just learned Tanya all day and kissed the Rebbe's picture, right? Obviously, instead of most people changing their perceptions about what a Lubavitcher Yeshiva was or still is, they instead make themselves happy by convincing themselves that it was Lubavitch that changed, and that they're right for changing their attitude towards Lubavitch. Fine, let them think so.

The point here is this: ALL Yeshivos push their agenda, most of them anyway. Whether it's the Yeshivishe Agenda, The Chassidishe Agenda, or the Zionist Agenda, it's no different anywhere. The reason you may not see it somewhere else is simple: they have nothing to offer. Then there are those that push even if they have nothing (really) to offer. In Spinka we would all travel to the airport to greet the Spinker Rebbe when he would arrive from Israel. Why? why be mevatel the learning of tinokos shel bais rabbon just to welcome him at the airport when the same can be done in the yeshiva? And why Bichlal involve little kids who nothing about the Spinka Rebbe, and are not Spinka Chassidim? Is that why their parents sent them there, to make kabbolas ponims for the Rebbe? I guess if it's an innocent little KP it's ok, after all, what's the worse that could happen, my son will become a Spinker Chossid? Nisht Geferlich.

Those of you who are either alumni of Stoliner Yeshivah in BP, or know those that are, will recognize that the Stoliner Cheder was, and is to a lesser extent, a major "factory" (for lack of a better term) of gaining new Chassidim. DeHaynu, that they managed to build up a whole thriving chassidus mostly on Tzugekummener American/Litvishe kids, most of who's parents never dreamed that their children would become farbrente chassidim of a young bochur who they were told has super powers and knows what they're thinking just by looking at them. Many, many of the Choshuvste yungeleit there are from Litvishe homes, and they were actively recruited to be Stoliners while in yeshiva there. I believe the same goes on today, and rightfully so; any person who sends his child to a yeshiva run by Stoliner Chassidim should realize that there the chance that his son will begin subscribing to their way of thinking, whether they say it explicitly or not. I guess maybe the old Rabbi teitelbaum was thinking that too; if my son becomes a Lubavitcher iz oych nisht geferlich, besser vi a l-----.