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Mishpacha Article of Satmar Rebbe
Mishpacha Article of Satmar Rebbe
Rav Aharon
Teitelbaum, Shlita
A Memorable Visit to a Legendary Court
Although he stands at the helm of one of the most powerful chassidic groups in the world,
commanding a vast array of communal organizations and institutions, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum
of Satmar has remained an active Rav and a full-time Rosh Yeshivah. From the village of Kiryas
Yoel to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg, Mishpacha views the varied institutions and
initiatives spearheaded by a Rebbe who is unafraid of failure; in conversations with chassidim
and gabbaim, fascinating stories and anecdotes paint a vibrant picture of the scion of a royal
family, the beloved nephew of the great visionary, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, ztz”l. And in a quiet
room, the Rebbe speaks, his keen insight resonating in his carefully chosen, concisely worded
message. A glimpse of greatness; a visit to the Satmar Rebbe’s legendary court
by Rabbi Yitzchok Frankfurter Two gabbaim of the Rebbe are in charge furnished. A long rectangular table Street, which stands above the renowned short minutes everything has been clearly abandoned his beloved yeshivah and its
here on this late Tuesday evening. One occupies most of the tight space, which Shul of Sighet on the ground floor, to meet understood and resolved.” talmidim, but merely took on the additional
I reflect with Reb Chaim Shlomo that
S
hould you nonchalantly pass by gabbai, Reb Shmiel HaCohen Friedman, a seems to serve as both a conference area his chassidim who seek his counsel. role and mantle of a Rav, while remaining
this modest Brooklyn brownstone noted talmid chacham, is preoccupied with and a dining room. The door to the room The line of chassidim in front of in the relatively short period of time since a full-fledged Rosh Yeshivah. Now that he
on Hewes Street in the heart of the writing the kvittlach for the chassidim. He opens to an antechamber where a crowd the Rebbe’s door moves quite rapidly. his coronation, the Rebbe has established serves as Rebbe as well, he is still both a
Jewish neighborhood of Williamsburg, is sitting at a desk, listening attentively to of approximately twenty to thirty people, A chassid is with the Rebbe for about a himself as a strong and charismatic leader, full-fledged Rosh Yeshivah and a Rav.” I
chances are you’d hardly take notice a middle-aged man who is reciting a list including a small number of women and minute or two, and then leaves with a which has not gone unnoticed by the am later to learn that others, including Rav
of it, let alone imagine that this simple, of people that the Rebbe should pray for, children, are speaking in hushed voices; glow of serenity. The speed with which chareidi world at large. Reb Chaim Shlomo Chaim Leib Katz, the Sardiheler Rav, and
three-story nondescript structure serves with mention of some special requests. As all patiently wait to enter the Rebbe’s inner the Rebbe sees his chassidim is far more seems unimpressed by this observation. Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen of Lakewood,
as a satellite headquarters for the spiritual the man speaks, Reb Shmiel transcribes his chamber in order to gain a private audience akin to what I’ve seen in Gur, than in any “How can one not be an admirer and shlita, have made similar observations in
leader of one of the largest chassidic requests on a small piece of paper, which with him and to receive his blessings. The other place, especially Skver. When I ask a chassid of the Rebbe?” he asks me. “Do public speeches.
movements of the world. But nothing the man will hand to the Rebbe during his gathering is relatively small in relation to Reb Chaim Shlomo about the Rebbe’s you know any other Rebbe like him? When Reb Chaim Shlomo continues: “This
here is as it appears at first glance. The audience. The second gabbai, Reb Chaim the countless followers that this Rebbe has. hurried style, he confirms that the Rebbe the Rebbe first became the Rosh Yeshivah Rebbe spends each day from seven in
minute you turn the knob, ascend a Shlomo Fisher, an exceptionally bright Yet there is a sense of purpose, anticipation, is not one to engage a chassid in lengthy of Satmar,” he proceeds, “he became fully the morning till seven at night davening,
steep semicircular stairwell, and enter young man who serves as the primary and spirituality in the air that seems to conversations. “His answers are concise involved with the talmidim of the yeshivah learning, and teaching at the yeshivah.
the inner chambers of the second-story gatekeeper of the Rebbe, joins me for a sweep me in. The Rebbe travels each and to the point. Many times a chassid while delivering many shiurim during the Contrary to the customs of other Rebbes,
dwelling, you are greeted by a multitude spirited conversation. Tuesday evening from his primary home in thinks that he will need hours with the week. Later, when he became the Rav of on Friday night he doesn’t conduct a
of startling revelations and fascinating The narrow room in which I speak Kiryas Yoel, in Orange County, New York, Rebbe. He subsequently learns that the the kehillah and got involved in rabbinical tisch for the chassidim, but immediately
surprises. to Reb Chaim Shlomo is rather simply to this second-story apartment on Hewes Rebbe has a very quick mind; in a few issues such as kashrus and the like, he never following Maariv he makes Kiddush for
The Rebbe along with his talmidim, checking romaine lettuce to be used as maror at the Pesach Seder
A Glorious History
The Satmar Chassidus which was founded and led by Rebbe The twenty-first of Kislev 5705 (1944), the day that the Divrei Other Satmar communities sprang up in London, Manchester, have said or done in this situation?” That was his guiding light to
Yoel Teitelbaum, ztz”l, (1887–1979), traces its roots to Rav Moshe Yoel crossed the border into Switzerland and was saved from the Montreal, Buenos Aires, Antwerp, Bnei Brak, and Jerusalem, everything he did.
Teitelbaum, ztz”l, (1759–1841), of Ujhel, Hungary, known by the Nazis, is celebrated to this day as a joyful holiday among Satmar where they continue to have a strong presence. Reb Moshe Aharon Hoffman relates the following story:
name of the sefer he authored, the Yismach Moshe. Himself a chassidim worldwide. The Divrei Yoel was not survived by any children: his three “Before I made my first son’s bar mitzvah I went with my family
disciple of the great Polish chassidic leader Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak At first the Divrei Yoel emigrated to the British Mandate of daughters died in his lifetime, and he never had sons. He was to the Beirach Moshe for a brachah. It was in his later years when
of Lublin, ztz”l, (the Chozeh of Lublin), the Yismach Moshe was Palestine, where he founded a network of yeshivos in a number succeeded by his nephew, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, author of he was already frail and would sometimes repeat something
instrumental in bringing Chassidus to Hungary. He was succeeded of cities. However, he soon came into financial difficulties and Beirach Moshe, who had been the chief rabbi of Senta (Serbian: many times. He started saying over and over that ‘this [pointing
by his son, Rabbi Eluzar Nissan Teitelbaum of Drobitsch, ztz”l, subsequently left for New York City to raise money for his growing Cehta or Senta, Hungarian: Zenta) before World War II. After the to my children] is all the Feter’s arbet,’ meaning that he deserves
who was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Yekusiel Yehuda Teitelbaum institutions. Shortly after his arrival in New York, the State of Israel war, the Beirach Moshe returned to his father’s town of Sighet, no credit for any of it. So I took the chutzpah and said: ‘Rebbe,
of Sighet, ztz”l, author of Yetev Lev. The Yetev Lev was succeeded was founded, which he vehemently denounced. After living in where he set up Jewish religious institutions. After being warned I understand that my wife and I, who are older, are the Feter’s
by his son Rabbi Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum, ztz”l, author New York for a year, his American followers convinced him to of communist opposition to religion in Romania, the Beirach work, but the kids are already the Rebbe’s peiros.’ He became
of Kedushas Yom Tov. stay, largely due to political changes occurring in the Holy Land Moshe fled to America, founding the Sighet beis medrash in the emotional and motioned to my wife who was standing at the end
The Kedushas Yom Tov had two sons: Rabbi Chaim Tzvi concerning the founding of the State of Israel. In 1953 after the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York. In 1966, the Beirach of the room: ‘Do you hear the nonsense he’s saying? If not for
Teitelbaum, the present Rebbe’s grandfather; and Rabbi Yoel death of Rabbi Zelig Reuven Bengis, ztz”l, the Divrei Yoel became Moshe moved to a new shul in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn, the Feter I myself would have been nothing. So everything is the
Teitelbaum, ztz”l, the present Rebbe’s great-uncle. The elder son, the fourth chief rabbi of Jerusalem’s Eida HaChareidis community; and was known as the Sigheter Rav until 1980. Feter’s!’ This is one moment that I will never forget.”
Rav Chaim Tzvi, author of Atzei Chaim, succeeded his father as however, he remained in New York, giving input and guidance After his uncle’s passing, the board of directors of the central Since the passing of the Beirach Moshe, many of his
Rebbe of Sighet. The younger, Rav Yoel, author of Divrei Yoel, was to his followers and colleagues in Jerusalem through personal Satmar congregation, with the overwhelming support of the vast followers chose Reb Aharon to lead them. He has proven to be
rabbi in Urshava, Ukraine, and later in Kruly, Romania, eventually communications and his advisers. majority of Satmar chassidim, asked him to be the new Satmar an exceptionally dynamic and charismatic leader in his own right.
moving to Satmar, where he became the Rav and formed the In New York, the Divrei Yoel established a community in Rebbe. He told them to wait one year before formally crowning The Beirach Moshe would tell his chassidim: “I pray that when
chassidic community of Satmar. He was considered one of the Williamsburg, Brooklyn, beginning in the early 1950s, under the him, and he was formally installed as the new Satmar Rebbe in Mashiach will come that I will return the deposit that was placed in
most respected and influential chassidic Rebbes in Hungary before name Congregation Yetev Lev. The Divrei Yoel’s efforts to rebuild 1980, on the first anniversary of his uncle’s death. my care to the Feter in the same condition I received it.” Though
World War II. what was lost in the Holocaust also resulted in the acquisition The Beirach Moshe steadfastly adhered to the ways of Reb Aharon, too, seeks to emulate his great-uncle and father, he
In June 1944, the Divrei Yoel was one of a group of 1,640 of land in upstate New York during the 1970s, where he spent the Divrei Yoel and would frequently say before he had to do seems to have taken a more proactive leadership role, as he seeks
people who were miraculously released from Bergen-Belsen. his final years and which was subsequently named Kiryas Yoel. something or make a decision: “What would the Feter, ztz”l, to invigorate Satmar Chassidus as never before.