Wednesday, October 6, 2010

All alone on Rutledge Street




Imagine yourself a young bachur in Williamsburg. Your heart is searching. Your soul aches for something other than Der Rebbe's eynikel's mitzvah tantz at 4am. You roam the neighborhoods looking for the truth. You crack every sefer that you can get your hands on, looking for the one that speaks to you. It takes a while, but you find it!!! Now it's several years later, 1am one late summer night. Your friends are walking down Lee Avenue with their shtreimel boxes in hand, returning from the latest wedding they really didn't want to attend. But they had to, it's their shvigger's second cousin's daughter and you had to waste another night this week. The second one. They missed half a day's work/kolel since they had to be there at the pre-Kabbolas Ponim pictures. They also HAD to wear the shtreimel; after all, which second cousin once removed doesn't?! You feel for them and for their lack in finding a derech. You find your way some years ago. Breslov. Oy, how Reb Nachman spoke to you and knew what was your heart and mind! And OY! how they - your family and friends - laughed at you [or were horrified] when they found out! But you persevered. In a way it was easier because on the outside you stayed the same, so there was no obvious change. Breslov is good in that way; you can stay the same and keep to your old dress, which takes some of the edge off. People can laugh at you and call you names, but that's about it.

So for years you had a little shul to call your own in Willy. It wasn't much but it suited you just fine. There you could get away from all the name-calling and be with friends and like-minded people. There you could learn what you want with whom you want and when you want. In Williamsburg it's especially easy. Those that daven there are likely of the same background and mindset as you are. No need to put up with strange Na-Nach types like you would in Israel. You meet them on your trip to Uman, but then you don't have to see them all year. It makes it easier. The one problem you had was the lack of space for "gein in feld." a.k.a. Hisbodedus. One of the main tenets of Breslovism. It's tough to do when you live in Willy. Where do you go, to the BQE? Fear not, Achi, now there's a place for you. The new shtiebel on Rutledge Street has two Hisbodedus rooms on the roof. See picture above. It's the red ones, I believe. You head up to the roof, close the door and you talk to G-d, just not as loud as you would do in di feld. People might get afraid and upset and call the Shomrim... Good old-fashioned American know-how with some Hungarian thrown in more good measure. Kudos to the guy that came up with that idea.

You're on the roof. Talking to G-d. Down on the street they're talking to themselves...Muttering, that is.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

The idea isn't that new. My father told me that in Warsaw - under the leadership of R' Yitzchok Breiter hy'd - they had several small compartments for Hisbodedus in the local Breslover Bes Medresh.
Compared to the Jewish streets of Warsaw Wmbg looks like the Swiss Alps.

Anonymous said...

boy are you jealous!

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

jealous of?

Anonymous said...

those that joined a chasidus more normal than yours

Anonymous said...

when someone shmads zich, they think theyve saved their life, and shtelled it avek their life on the best oifen, long term. its sad to see someone like your self whose gamble didnt pay off...

mendel hirsch said...

you see, there are many that learn rav nachman but don't 'become' breslev. there those in chabad as well but mostly it shlepps you in. you have to 'become' lubavitch. you can still go the 'learn' but not 'become' model.

Anonymous said...

Hershel, I know you probably won't put this comment up, but here goes....

You miss the point. Chabad always seems to.....

Unlike the Rebbe, Breslov alows chassidim to respect others, and not to make fun of other Rebbes.
Reb Nachman knew he was right so he didn't have to put down other manhigim and he was rodef a lot more than the Rebbe.

That is why 200 years later his zchus is still saving yidden and bringing them closer to the Aybishter. What will happen with Chabad...we will wait and see....

Had the Rebbe started Chabad all on his own, with no ancestry of seven doros of Rabbeim, and no maamarim or sefarim or previous Rabbeim to build on, could he have been as successful as Reb Nachman was and still is ??? Without constantly refering to Nosi Doreinu ?

The Rebbe never promised that his Torah would help bring Moshiach because he thought his life works already had brought Moshiach....

Anonymous said...

The last comment misses the point....

Chabad seeks to bring people closer to Chabad not to the Ribono Shel Olam.....

Ask anyone who has been to a chabad house...when was the last time they sold a success story about a baal teshuva who moved to bnei berak and dedicated his life to serious torah learning......?

If they don't become Chabad...better they stay fray.....

Anonymous said...

Why does Hershel let everyone put down Chabad...

Either you are a closet Lubavitch hater or trying to show us the Chareidi world for the Lubavitch haters they are....

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

or trying to show us the Chareidi world for the Lubavitch haters they are....

Oved mit an alef said...

a"d a chabadnitze or cheder shaini

Anonymous said...

Anon 9;20
"Reb Nachman knew he was right so he didn't have to put down other manhigim and he was rodef a lot more than the Rebbe."
if you think that reb Nachman was not obsessed to bad mouth the "Meforsomim" as he labeled all the tzadikim of his generation, then you don't know Reb Nachmans. Get your facts together before you get on you hate wagon

Anonymous said...

Mendel Hirsch
their are more people learning Chabad chasidus from the the alter Rebbes Torah to the last Rebbe zy"a and don"t affiliate with Chabad at all. With Breslov it is the opposite, you dont have the masses learning Likutie Maharan with being in to the breslov chug,even tough the Breslover Siach Sarfie Kodesh will tell u different that even the Stiepler learned and danced with the Likutie Marhan,

LikeWhatever said...

In reality, the best 'Feld" in Willi is ur local shul. All the trees sway together, the owls hoot to each other, and there is always a darkening gloom.
Just put the Talis over ur head and beg God to give you the perspective necessary to survive the Heimishe insanity.

The Bray of Fundie said...

I forget if it was the Kotzker or the Sokhatchover who said (I paraphrase):
דער קונסט איז צו פראווען פרישות ביי א סעודת שלמה בשעתו און צו פראווען התבודדות אין א בית מדרש געפאקט קאפ אויף קאפ

LikeWhatever said...

The problem with Hungarian Bresslover is that they make everything into a Fargrepter Hagshama. As if in order to speak to God you need a red booth with windows purchased from Cosco.com with a heater, pershed on top of a Willi Inner-Ghetto dwelling so that all blogs get a photo-op.

Heilige Viliamsburger bridder! Der Eibershter hert dich Ibberuhl!

Afileh in der Skverer Shtibel!

Anonymous said...

This is a superbly written post, thanks HT

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

thank you Mr. Anonymous for complimenting

Anonymous said...

Likewhatever
Your point about the Ungarischer breed is well taken, but regarding the booths, we had a report of polish breslaver that they did the Hisboddes booth in Warsaw.

The Bray of Fundie said...

we had a report of polish breslaver that they did the Hisboddes booth in Warsaw.

So? Can't they contribute something new or must EVERY last thing be derivative? Rav Nachman himself was nothing if not a trailblazing innovator.

LikeWhatever said...

Tzig the reason why Anons like this post is because finally the tzig is discussing something relevant. Something real.
People arent really that interested in the Chabad Vs Litvaks debate. Its expired. Old smelly sour milk.

People are depressed. They are searching. Or maybe they really arent and they should be.
Whatever. However, these types of posts give us a glimmer of hope that The search for God and meaning is still dwelling in the hearts of a few wierd souls.

Tzig its time to merge with the ChaBaCu"K movement. Thats where the life is at.

LikeWhatever said...

MR Anon. The Poilisher booths werent exactly purchased on Costco.com with heaters, shlepped up 6 flights with 'grefiks dezined' signs bolted into the brick storefront "Hisbodedus Shtibelach ^ up"

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

it's time to merge with the ChaBaCu"K movement. Thats where the life is at.

only if I get to wear a big knitted yarmulke and sandals

LikeWhatever said...

Tzig if u join the ChaBaCu"ks for the Kippa trappings you can stay in Chabad or Spinka.

ChabaCu'K is a CONCEPT. Its the idea of Yiddishkeit actually having some meaning BEYOND 6 inch Shtreimlich,Tzeilim Hats, Knitted Kippot and Chumros.

Im with Fundie Batche "must EVERY last thing be derivative?"


Oh Well. Its lonely here in the Hisbodedut Booth. Next time they better put up a little weatherproof box where u leave the BB outside while u tlk to God.

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

like whatever

the point is not the derivative, but rather the fact that you're not tied down to your suit from the Right Place or G&G. it's a state of mind. That you can be real and serve G-d at the same time.

Anonymous said...

Oved mit an alef said...

a"d a chabadnitze or cheder shaini


You beat me to it! Good to see this practice has taken hold elsewhere.

Anonymous said...

http://www.gruntig.net/

Kad Yasvin Chazon Ish sung at Farbreingin

Anonymous said...

I don't see a maykeh on the roof. Could be a shul doesn't need one at all, or even a big one.

Are those booths sound proof?


Moshe

Anonymous said...

YOu can see the maykeh between the booth on the right and the door down into the shul.

JacknJill said...

great post.

CR said...

"Are those booths sound proof?"

I'm not sure you even need soundproofing up there. On most roofs the street noise is muffled because you are not in the direct "line of sound". Pretty much all you hear is "white noise" which is can be quite calming by itself

DerLitvak said...

מאמר של ר' שמשון אָסטראַפּאָלער – "טובה הפרישות עם הבריות והבדידות בתוך בני אדם"

An Ailemesher said...

Whatever happened to the chabadnitze?

Question - how many Lubabs here know what a chabadnitze is? I imagine that very few. Shows what has happened to Chabad in the 7th generation.

BTW, I suspect that R. Yisroel Salanter got his idea for a bais hamussar from the Chabadnitze, or hisbodedus shtible.

Anonymous said...

I believe its a few house from the NYC subway, so its impossible to hear your hear your own voice

Anonymous said...

An Ailimesher
the chabad mashpiem as Reb Mendel,Reb Nissen, Reb Yisroel and Reb yoel etc.. did not feel important to emphasize it for the new genaration, so obviously in the avoda of chabad its not important. bBy the historian Chaim Liberman it was important as a historical fact so he wrote a article, now printed in Ohel Rochel. Mashpiem hated Chokrim and Historikar

Anonymous said...

BTW, I suspect that R. Yisroel Salanter got his idea for a bais hamussar from the Chabadnitze, or hisbodedus shtible.

IIRC multiple mussarniks could use a Bais HaMussar @ one time. Not so a Hisbodedus Shteeble.

Anonymous said...

Interesting, the First Belzer Rav Reb Sholom said the Belz Vet Zein A Vinkel Far Toira Mit Yiras Shomayim Biz Moshiach Vet Kimmen! and I don't see the world running to that corner to grab Tora and Yiras Shomayim. People will go to Breslov because Reb Nachman said that people will find comfort in him before Moshiach comes. I'll tell you what. The world is very sick Pshutoy Kmashmaoy like never before people go for special help and people are depressed as always Breslov was known for their collection of depressing people and in today's days Moshiach Times they have a larger collection.

Anonymous said...

400 bitter ,broken men gathered to the tzidik ha-dor ,david hamelech (shmuel 1:22:1) ...and today rabbi nachman of breslov...