History - and maybe the end of an era!

(L-R) Reb Aron Leib Steinman shlit"a and Reb Yoel Kahan, shlit"a

Reb Yoel is tough to ignore once he's in front of you. You can say all you want behind his back, but he's a major presence, and Reb Aron Leib seemed to be quite enthralled by him - judging from the big smiles here in the picture. I also don't think RALS is a major Kano'i when it comes to Chabad, or any other matter, so this may not have been a major "kibbush" for Lubavitch. The Satmorim hate him for allowing bochurim no longer in Yeshiva to join the NaChal HaCharedi. Others have other issues with him, but I've heard from Lubavitchers that learned in Ponovizh in the 50s - and I may have mentioned it here already - that "Reb Aron Leib iz ah Tzaddik." And if they can say that then there's nothing more to add. The zealots want to know who let him in. They want heads to roll here. Better shmireh at the door would've avoided this major bizoyen for them, they say. This is an unforgivable crime, they say, and those responsible need to pay!

אולי יש לומר בדרך אפשר that what bothers them most is the end of legacy of Reb Lazer Vaboylniker. After all, many, many people see his split from the Agudah - which they see as solely based on the AI in Israel not distancing itself from Lubavitch that time - as his greatest accomplishment. To them building the Shas party and setting policy in Israel has no real meaning, only bashing Chabadskers is really important - as far as his public life is concerned. Once in a while, if really necessary to win an argument with a Chabadsker or a Gerrer, they might point to askonus and inyonei haKlal, but for the most part it's the fact that he "stood up" to Chabad despite it not being popular (huh?) and despite the fact that nobody else would do it. So if a few short years later Chabad is welcome in the homes of Roshei Yeshiva blocks from his home then the legacy is dead. You might look at this meeting and say that Chabad is no longer a threat since Gimmel Tammuz, and you may not get an argument from many people - even Lubavitchers, but that's only because since the Rebbe's passing people are no longer afraid that he'll "farchap" their kids like in the old days. However, the zealots are still just as opposed to the Rebbe and Chabad as ever before, so in that sense nothing has really changed, and the fact that these two elderly yidden met cannot be underestimated.



What "gets me" is how people will do anything to find an excuse for this meeting, ranging to "the anshei HaBayis were asleep on the job, to "Reb Aron Leib is an Ohev Yisroel - he was never a kanoi - and would allow the biggest Rosho to enter his house" to "Chabad is no longer a threat," something even some Lubavitchers would say. Reb Yoel symbolizes the Rebbe to the outside of Chabad world; he's the one that makes it happen and accessible to them. I would say that they're - the zealots, that is - reading this all wrong; somebody needs to give the Bnei Berakkers a lesson in public relations. Here they have this golden opportunity of showing the world that even the Lubavitchers recognize that the true Gedolei Yisroel are in their camp, and that the world Jewry is dependent on them and their daas, and they blow it! Instead of hemming and hawing and trying to find a good excuse they need to raise the flag of victory and sing "Didan Notzach!" That would beat the Lubavitchers at their own "game" and make them come out looking like winners.