We sometimes forget that before Yiddishkeit was represented by the (wannabe) Litvaks and Hungarians there was something Peylishe Chassidus. That's "Polish," for those who have a hard time understanding accents other than their own. Most of them were born out the schools of Peshischa, and later Kotzk and Vorke. This sefer, aptly named "ימות עולם" - from the previous Amshinover Rebbe in New York, Reb Itzikel - gives us a glimpse into what was once a world of Jews, the likes of which G-d Almighty has ceased to create. We've referenced this sefer before, and again, here, and plan on doing so sporadically in the near future, be"H. Ignore the page numbers and the אותיות, they're in no specific order.
Recent news items regarding all kinds of leaders, באבות, and similar people getting into all kinds of trouble got us thinking about the current system, and how many people look elsewhere (outside the leaders of major
yeshivos and
chassidisen) for leadership and guidance BECAUSE they're so disgruntled by the mainstream Jewish leaders whose only claim is a famous last name and garments that are long out of style. Which is why you see Hungarian hats hanging out - front and center - by
Sefardic so-called
mekubalim, by the hundreds! Some of you have told me that it's time to go back to the old system of "
semicha," where in order to become a member of the society of
Admorim you need to be ordained by a current
Rebbe. That would at least keep the charlatans from becoming leaders who take peoples' hard-earned money. Yet, here we see that the
Rebbes themselves, the pure-breds, will have their own problems to contend with... and this goes back a ways...אוי וויי
The above page discusses the Rebbe R' Shmuel Shloime ליינער of Radzin, hy"d, and how he became Rebbe. He was married to the daughter of Reb Yosef (brother of Reb Shimme'le) of Amshinov. Pictured below is the Rebbe (c) with the black beard on the streets of Poland.
