Der Alter Menashe's affiliation

Re: CircusTent: דער אלטער מנשה

It came to mind after hearing the song a few times: What kind of Yid was this Alter Menashe? He sits and learns Mi'toch Dachkus, and doesn't seem to be fazed by the fact that he has no idea how to put food on the table, never mind the fact that he has no way to marry off his two fine daughters. He just puts his head back down and continues learning Mit Hislahavus. I imagine Zlate his wife just throws her hands up in despair. So why would I have a problem with people who learn Teyreh MiToch Mesiras Nefesh, and whose stomach rumbles for food? I have no problem, really, zol em voyl bakoomen.

Here's the issue: Meileh the man Menashe has the Gemoroh to quiet his stomach. He can be whisked away to the world of Abaye VeRovo and never realize that he has a family to feed. Aye he has a family to feed and he promised his wife under the Chupah that he'd provide for her? We can leave that issue for another time. He's been taught well, and has faith, he's sure Hashem will provide for him just like he does for all others. Ober Zlate? Vos zol zi tohn? Mer fun di Tehillim un Tze'enoh Ure'enoh ken zi nit leynen, and maybe that's a stretch as well, so how does she drown her sorrow? What does she go back to? Then there's the issue about Menashe's answer to Zlate's question. He`tells her that a "Yiddishe Tochter tohr nit fregen keyn kashes", a Jewish daughter may not ask questions on what G-d does or will do. What about a Jewish man, may he ask? may he question the ways of G-d? Is his learning reason enough to make him more qualified to ask the same questions? I was quite surprised that none of you asked this all important question, especially you who never met a Charedi they liked.

Last but not least, and probably the most defining trait of Menashe's character, is his admonishment, or his telling her that in reality she has what most others don't have, a Ba'al Toyreh, a man of Torah. (As opposed to a Ben Torah?) While other wives need to contend with boors who never went past sixth grade if any school at all, she has a man who fills his life with the study of Torah, and that should suffice for her, although she has no idea what he does when he learns. A Chossid would never speak that way, (although Elkonoh did speak to Chanah that way) and would never "pound his chest" to others. That would leave me to believe that Menashe is a classic Misnaged, a man who's very worried about his Kovod HaTeyreh. Yet, his Emunah is not that of a typical Misnaged, it's that of a Chossid who's been working on his Middos and has rock-solid faith after all that work. So, that's where we stand; we're perplexed, we can't get a clear picture of this Menashe.

Then again, it's only a song.