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מי היורש של האדמו"ר מבאבוב? השאלה הזו היא שיחת היום ברחוב החרדי זה כבר קרוב לעשור. שתי חצרות מתגוששות סביב השם והנכסים, ששוויים עומד על 200 מיליון דולרים. לאחרונה פסק ביה"ד כי אחיו של האדמו"ר המנוח הוא היורש החוקי, אבל הסולחה עוד רחוקה
אלי מנדלבאום

צילום ועריכה: אלי מנדלבאום

הקרב על החסידות

כמאה אלף יהודים דתיים מתגוררים בברוקלין, ניו-יורק – אבל כבר עשור שאת שיחת היום בשטיבלך המקומיים (וגם מחוצה להם), כובש סכסוך עמוק שקורע את חסידות באבוב ומפלג אותה לשתי חצרות.

כמה רבבות חסידים מונה החסידות שהוקמה בגליציה, נעקרה בשואה - וניטעה מחדש בברוקלין. קרבות הירושה סביב הנהגת החסידות לא היו מביישים את טובי התסריטים הפוליטיים, מאז פטירתו בשנת 2000 של ה-מנהיג המיתולוגי ומשקם החסידות לאחר השואה, האדמו"ר שלמה הלברשטאם.

PHOTOS: Rebbe of Bobov-45: We Will Assume The Distinction Of ‘Bobov-45′

Only Chassidim who had gotten entry tickets beforehand were permitted to att the gathering
and the three thousand seats filled up quickly. Buses transported Chassidim  all major neighborhoods, and the dais was filled with illustrious members of the Chassidus and with the revered offspring of the Bobover Rebbes zy”a.  In attance were many notable grandchildren of the Kedushas Tzion: Rabbi Professor Abraham J. Twersky, Sassover Rabbi Shlomo Freshwatter, and the Sorvosher Ruv Rabbi Burech Duvid Halbershtam , Pokshevitzer ruv, Rabbi Yecvhiel Halberstam among others.

After that, the Gabbai libais Bobov R’ Simcha Pinchos Strohli introduced the event with an explanation of its purpose, the Rebbe of Bobov-45 began his riveting lecture. Following is a synopsis of its main points:

“Now that we find ourselves in a situation there are two paths that we can take, I want to discuss the matter. Rosh Chodesh Elul, shortly after the Borerus regarding ‘Bobov’ was issued, I said that we will hear the Gedolei Yisroel about the right thing to do, as per da’as Torah. I asked the kehillah not to immerse themselves in this matter.  I wanted Ellul should look like Ellul, with the tzibur immersed in torah and Avodah. We assigned the dedicated askanim who went around to the homes of Gedolei Yisroel and revered Rabbanim to ask their opinion in regards to obeying the verdict.

“Now I want to share with you what the Gedolei Yisroel said. The actual Borerus was incomprehensible to them, and every one of the gedolim used a different turn of phrase – several said that it is biased, others said that it is actually a distortion of halacha, while several used even harsher deions. There were even several amongst them who said that it is permitted to go to court to obtain a stop-order.

“One of the most renowned poskim in Eretz Yisroel, HaGaon R’ Mel Shafran shlita, told me in conversation that “It is permitted to go to court to request a stop-order against the Borerus.” I asked him if I may publicize these words in his name, and he clearly replied that I may definitely do so, and that his words could even be recorded and publicized.

Other Gedolei Yisroel told us to turn to a 3^rd party Beis Din, considering that doubts regarding the viability of several Borerim that sat on the Borerus had been revealed, and we received a hazmanah (i.e. summons) this Beis Din summoning several of the dayanim, as well as an ikul (i.e. stop-order on the borerus verdict).

“Since we have such widespread support against the Borerus, maybe it would be proper not to obey the Borerus that the Borerim issued. On the other hand, I fear that by not obeying, we will a michshol (i.e. stumbling block), and going to court could result in chilul Hashem. Nowadays, when the status of Batei Din in the diaspora is so weak, our disregard of the Borerus could cause the Batei Din to be even more degraded. There will be those who will say that in Bobov, the Borerus was not upheld, which means that one is not required to listen to Beis Din at all. This could chas v’sholom lead to transgressions. People will not realize that in our case, there was a specific heter, and they will allow themselves to follow our lead by going to court. This is extremely undesirable.

“Another  hesitation that I had was that if we don’t obey the Borerus, it will cause the fires of controversy to burn even stronger.”

The Rebbe quoted the mishna that states that ‘it is better to be termed a fool one’s entire life than to be considered a rasha before Hashem for even one hour’. He mentioned an explanation his grandfather as well as other Torah thoughts.

Thereafter, the Rebbe enumerated the reasons why he should not obey the Borerus: a) We have the support of Gedolei Yisroel not to obey the Borerus, b) To uphold the honor of his father-in-law, the Bobover Rav zt”l, whose degradation is painful to all. This is a strong reason not to obey, 3) The humiliation of our kehillah caused by the verdict, and why should we agree to this, especially after all the anguish that this machlokes caused in so many families throughout the years.

“There are two sides before us – one dictates that we obey and one dictates that we should not obey. I plumbed the depths of this matter, together with my brother-in-law, HaGaon HaRav shlita, and we made the decision that we will do what our father-in-law, the Rav zt”l, would have done if he would have been faced with such a situation. It is clear as day that my father-in-law and his grandfathers, the Bobover Rebbes zt”l, would certainly have chosen the path that is closest to peace, as we have seen in their conduct throughout the years.

“Therefore, this is our decision – to go in the path that is closest to peace. This is not a degradation; this is the path of our forbears. This is the Bobover derech. But this only applies if there will be complete peace. I say this to those who are here and to those who are not here. We are taking this step only to attain peace, and only if there will be peace, will the verdict be obeyed…

“We will go with this distinction – 45 – and as I previously said, we do not view this as a degradation and this is not an accompanying title. Rather, it is a random distinction, and we should note that, linguistically, this signifies the path of the Rav zt”l – ‘vanachni mah’ (i.e. a path of humility, signified by the numerical equivalence of the word ‘mah’ which is 45).

In conclusion, the Rebbe spoke about the glory of the kehillah, with its multitude of branches internationally, and its many magnificent mosdos educating approximately 4,500 students.

“We must now proceed with the building of our Beis Medrash, and several millions have already been pledged by philanthropists in our community. We hope that very soon construction will .”

The Rebbe mentioned the gruesome tragedy that took place that day in Yerushalayim and blessed that in the merit of following a path of Shalom and making a Kiddush Hashem, our brethren in Israel should be protected harm.

The Rebbe referenced the words in this week’s parsha: ‘And he moved away there, and he dug another well and they did not fight over it, and he named that place Rechovos, and he said that now Hashem has expanded for us and we have multiplied in the land’. The Rebbe concluded his historic remarks with a beracha that we should always merit going in the ways of our forbears.

After the Rebbe’s speech, the massive crowd instantaneously burst into song and dance, led by the Rebbe and all those seated on the dais.

Thereafter, Harav R’ Shlomo Freshwater shlita, Av Beis Din Sossov-London, and a descant of the Kedushas Zion zy”a, took the floor. He had traveled London to participate in this historic gathering.

Rav Freshwater described in full detail the greatness of the Rebbe and the community, and the magnitude of the decision that the Rebbe had made despite the fact that he could have easily done otherwise.  He described the strong mesirus nefesth that is inherent in this decision.

That evening, immediately after the gathering, the Rebbe ordered all menahilim and gabbaim to make a Kiddush Hashem and switch the signs, plaques and letterheads as soon as possible to incorporate the distinction.

Photos By: Mier Haltovsky – JDN:

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

דריכות בבאבוב: כינוס רבתי בערב קיום פסה”ד | גדולי הדור: “פסק הדין תמוה”

חשיפה ראשונה: יממה לפני תחולת פסק הדין הקובע כי עליהם לשנות את כינויים ל”באבוב 45″, תיערך בחסידות באבוב עצרת ענק ובה תפורסם דעת גדולי ישראל בארץ הקודש המסכימים כי “פסק הדין תמוה” • הראב”ד הגר”מ שטרנבוך שליט”א: הבד”צ לא יתערב בפסק אך מצוה על גדולי התורה והאדמו”רים שבאמריקה להשתדל גם היום לשלום”

חיים יעקב עלבויגן | 17:02 | כ״ד במרחשון תשע״ה

דריכות בחסידות באבוב מאז הוכרז הבוקר כי ביום שלישי בערב יתקיים כינוס רבתי לחסידים, האירוע יתקיים בראשות כ”ק האדמו”ר מבאבוב שליט”א באולם ענק במלון ברוקלין מעריאט, ויורשו להיכנס אליו חסידי באבוב בלבד. הכינוס יתחיל בשעה 7:45, וההמונים ישונעו בתחבורה מאורגנת מבתי המדרש של החסידות בבורו פארק, וויליאמסבורג ומונסי.

כזכור, בשלהי חודש אב ניתן פס”ד בדין תורה בין שני החצרות בחסידות באבוב, ולפי הפס”ד על הצדדים לקיים את הפס”ד עד יום התשעים שחל ביום רביעי הקרוב. לקראת סיום תשעים הימים הוחלט על כינוס רבתי שיערך ביום שלישי בערב.

בו בזמן, מתפרסם היום מכתב גדולי ישראל הגאונים שרי התורה ראב”ד ירושלים הגר”מ שטרנבוך שליט”א ומרן הגר”ח קניבסקי שליט”א, המגדירים את פסק הדין “תמוה”.

במכתב שכתב הגאון הגדול ראב”ד העדה החרדית שליט”א בעשי”ת לאחד מדייני באבוב, חיווה הראב”ד את דעתו, דעת תורה, על פסה”ד שהסעיר את הציבור החרדי בארץ ובעולם בשלושת החודשים האחרונים, לאחר בוררות שנמשכה והתארכה כמעט תשע שנים. הגר”מ שטרנבוך שליט”א השיב במכתבו שאחר ראותו את שטר הבירורין שכתוב בו שהצדדים הסכימו לפשר הקרוב לדין, תמה הראב”ד האיך הבי”ד נישל את צד האדמו”ר הגרמ”ד שליט”א מכל נכסי באבוב בעוד שפשרה היא “עד שליש”, וגם השאירו הסכסוך בתקפו לנצח, הראב”ד הוסיף כי הוא קורא על כך “דבר שאותו צדיק מסר נפשו עלה ייכשלו בו זרעו?!”, אחרי שהאדמו”ר הזקן רבי שלמה זצ”ל שהי’ מסמל מדת השלום ומסר נפשו עלה, וכהיום הבי”ד השאירו את בית באבוב במחלוקת קשה.

הראב”ד שליט”א מפקפק אם הפס”ד קיים, וכותב דבין כך “מפורש בש”ע שאפילו לאחר גמר דין משתדלים שיוותרו ויהיה שלום”. ומוסיף, שהגם שהפוסקים כתבו שהבית דין שפסקו לא יעסקו בזה, אבל לכ”ע מצוה על גדולי תורה ואדמו”רים דאמריקא להשתדל גם היום לשלום”.

וממשיך הראב”ד שליט”א, שמצוה להשתדל שיהי’ שלום, ויתנהגו קהלות באבוב כמו קהלות אחרות בעולם שנחלקו לאחר מות האדמו”ר זצ”ל ומשתמשים שניהם באותו השם, ולא ניזוק אף אחד מזה כמלוא נימא. ועל ידי זה בית באבוב יישאר עם שלום לנצח. היפוך מדעת הבי”ד שרצו להוסיף היכר לצד אחד, שזה יגרום שבית באבוב יישארו במחלוקת קשה לנצח.

ומסיים הראב”ד שליט”א שהגם שהוא והבד”ץ העדה”ח לא יתערבו בפסק דין, אלא שבקשתו להרבנים והאדמורי”ם שיחליטו על הפסק דין, ויתעסקו להשכין שלום ולפשר בין הצדדים.

על דברי הראב”ד שליט”א הוסיף מרן הגר”ח קניבסקי שליט”א בכתב ידו “שחייבים לעשות כל ההשתדליות ולרדוף בכל כח אחרי השלום וכמבואר במכתבו של ראב”ד הבד”ץ הגר”מ שטרנבוך שליט”א”. וע”ז חתם מרן שר התורה שליט”א את שמו.

מכתב הראב”ד הגר”מ שטרנבוך שליט”א המתפרסם כאן לראשונה

 

Decade-Long Bobov Succession Battle Not Over After All

Losing faction decides to ignore beit din ruling aginst it, gathers support of Israeli haredi rabbis to do so.

d at 4:34 pm CST

A day before a beit din (Orthodox rabbinical court) ruled that it has to stop calling itself "Bobov," the faction that lost the Bobov succession battle, Bobov 45, is set to hold a public rally to publicize rulings leading Israeli haredi rabbis that say Bobov 45 can ignore the US beit din ruling against it.

In the haredi world, no beit din ruling is ever really binding – unless it favors you.

Here's the letter of Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, the chief rabbi of the vehemently anti-Zionist Edah Haredit haredi umbrella organization, ruling in favor of Bobov 45 ignoring the American beit din's ruling. Please click to enlarge:

A rogh translation a Bobov 45 source:

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In the opinion of our Torah leaders - Rosh Av Beis Din of Yerushalayim, HaGaon 

R’ Moshe Sternbuch shlita and Maran HaGaon R’ Chaim Kanievski shlita:

The Psak Din in Bobov is “Perplexing” Beis Din left the Bobover community in eternal battle, and this is a call for peace in which both sections of the community would be titled with the same name, as is customary in all other communities.

Recently, a letter written by the great Torah leader, Rosh Av Beis Din of the Eidah Haeidus shlita, to one of the dayanim of the Bobover sect of Hagaon R’ Mordechai Dovid shlita, was brought to light. It expresses the opinion of da’as Torah regarding this bizarre verdict that riled up the general public in Eretz Yisroel and the world over throughout the past three months. This verdict was issued after lengthy litigation that was prolonged for nearly nine years. HaGaon R’ Moshe Sternbuch shlita responded in his letter that after seeing the Shtarei Birurin in which both sides agreed to reach a compromise as halacha dictates, he wonders how the Beis Din could completely cut off the party of HaRav HaGaon R’ Mordechai Dovid shlita all of Bobov’s assets, and why they enforced eternal dissension. In regards to this, Harav Sternbuch says that “Upon the matter to which that tzaddik dedicated his life, his offspring will stumble” – meaning that after R’ Shlomo zt”l, the symbol of peace, dedicated his life to the pursuit of peace, the Beis Din destined all of Bobov to ongoing battle.

The Rosh Av Beis Din shlita wonders whether the verdict remains relevant, and writes that in any case, “it’s written in Shulchan Aruch that even after a case is concluded, attempts must be made that they should give in and there should be peace”. And he adds that “although the poskim wrote that the Beis Din that issued the verdict will not be involved in this, it is a mitzvah for all Torah leaders in America to try to foster peace, even now”.

And the Rosh Av Beis Din shlita continues that it is a mitzvah to try to attain peace. He writes that the Bobover communities should conduct themselves like the other communities all over the world which had been divided after the passing of their Rebbe zt”l and both sides now use the same name, without any of them suffering even an iota of damage. Thus, Bobov will remain peaceful forever. This is the opposite of Beis Din’s opinion, in which they sought to differentiate both sides, embroiling all of Bobov in eternal battle.

The Rosh Av Beis Din shlita concludes that although he and the Badatz of Eidah Haeidus will not meddle with the verdict, he requests that Rabbanim and Rebbeim should arrive at a decision regarding this verdict and they should attempt to foster peace and negotiate a compromise between both parties.

HaGaon R’ Chaim Kanievski shlita added a handwritten message to the words of the Rosh Av Beis Din shlita, stating that: “we are obligated to do everything  possible and to seek peace with all our strength as it is written in the letter of the Rosh Av Beis Din of the Badatz, HaGaon R’ Moshe Sternbuch shlita”. And upon this statement, the Torah luminary shlita affixed his signature.

This letter made a strong impression upon the rabbanim who are involved in the matter and upon the Torah leaders who wish to protect the honor of our rabbanus and dayanus that have been so strongly besmirched in this affair. The words of Gedolei Yisroel shlita, the pillars of Klal Yisroel who have let their voices be  heard with strength, are refreshing waters to parched souls. They fulfill the words  of Chazal that , “Torah scholars promote peace in the world”.