Rav Yirmiyahu Kaganoff shlita, a poseik in Eretz Yisroel, has recently written some interesting words about a not so well known Polish gadol who lived in Baltimore, R. Michoel Forshlager z"l, in two installments.
In the second part, the following is stated
"in Sochatchov they did not allow the bachurei yeshivah to attend the tishin of the rebbe, since this would take away from their single-minded goal of growing in learning."
Sochatchov, a leading, and influential Polish Chasidic dynasty, was known for placing great emphasis on limud haTorah.
This is in contrast to what I heard a while ago from Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, mashpia at Yeshiva University, and Rabbi of Cong. Aish Kodesh in NY, in one of his lectures. He said there, in a talk about the Chasidic Shabbos, that as opposed to what outsiders might think, by Chasidim there was no thought that attending a tish could be a problem of bittul Torah (you can hear it here, at app. 18:50). Obviously, that was not correct. At least not in Sochatchov. And I suspect that Sochatchov was not the only place with such a position.
Moral of the story - caveat emptor - buyer beware. Be a critical consumer. Not everything that is stated out there is accurate.
P.S. I read a while ago of a similar thing in another Chasidus in the past as well (Sanzer?).
While Klausenberger bachurim were not allowed to attend events, such as brisim, that the rebbe attended, however, all tishin were allowed. I would add that there was so much Torah said by these tishin that anyone who attended would be considered learning.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone would consider that learning... Especially a die-hard litvak.
Deleteווי אזוי פאלט א ליטוואק אין בודאפעסט אריין? שלום עליכם
DeleteThe question is if they considered it bittul Torah in Sochatshov, why did anyone go to the tish? Why have the tish at all?
ReplyDeleteאלא מאי they did not consider it bittul Torah and the reason the bochurim didn't go was not because it was bittul Torah but rather that it would take away would take away from their single-minded goal of growing in learning, as you quoted.
I believe I heard that in Ger they wouldn't allow the bochurim to learn Sfas Emes, you had to wait. I'd assume for similar reasons. Unless you think that in Ger they consider learning Sfas Emes to be bittul Torah.
Cute pshetl, BFG, I think R. Weinberger would like it. :)
DeleteI guess you didn't like it.
DeleteI wonder then how you would explain why only bochurim were not allowed to go but everyone else, including many talmidei chachomim did go?
Is it only bittul Torah for the bochurim?