No Rebbe, No Chassidim
I am not a chassid, yet my family has its roots in the area that was the birthplace of Chassidus. The name of my family's shtetl, as well the names of the surrounding shtetls can be found within the stories of the Baal Shem Tov.
Chassidus seems natural to me. I feel Chassidus in my blood and in my neshoma. Perhaps I am a chassid in hashkafa, but not in practice.
There was a Rebbe in the town my family comes from, yet this Rebbe did not leave a dynasty of chassidim such as the dynasties of Chernobyl, Rizhin, Ger, Satmar, or Lubavitch. Three years ago I put a kvitel on the gravesite of the Rebbe asking that I be able to understand the teachings contained in his sefer.
After lerning his sefer over and over, I feel a connection to the Rebbe. I will never be able to see the Rebbe with my physical eyes since he passed away in 1800. My only connection to him is through his sefer and through the stories that are associated with him
Breslov continues without a Rebbe.
Lubavitch continues without a Rebbe.
Can one continue without a Rebbe or the Rebbe's chassidim?
If I were to become a chassid, whose chassid would I be?
3 Comments:
dear a simple jew,
i am not a chassid but wish to become one i am only 13 but i learn as much about chassidut as i can and i am faced with a problem. what type of chassid should i be? my favorites seem to be ger and breslov but i am still deciding so good luck! it is god to know that others are faced with the same problems i have!
Anonymous: Since I do not know you, I do not know what derech is in line with your shoresh neshoma. Daven to Hashem to show you the way and may you be matzliach!
R' Moshe Weinberger from Woodmere, NY suggests the best way for baalei teshuvah is just to adopt a general hassidic approach to life, not neccessarily adopting one hassidic sect over another - he says this has nothing to do with minhagim nor dress - rather with hashkafah - this is why he helped to start the yeshivah Derech HaMelech in Yerushalayim
the Satmar Rebbe zy"a taught that the way of the Baal Shem Tov has nothing to do with minhagim nor dress, but rather a way in avodas Hashem (see Zemiros Divrei Yoel on Sukkos)
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