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How can someone become a baal teshuva and a Chosid (shtreimel type)?
Same way you get to Carnegie Hall. Practice, Practice, Practice.
I was at an aufruf this past shabbos where one of the (very MO) chosson’s relatives showed up in veisse zoken.
“How can someone become a baal teshuva and a Chosid (shtreimel type)? “
Find a Chasidic rabbi and learn with him. Most are very approachable. Where do you live?
I think there are probably lots in Woodmere- Aish Kodesh. Correct me if Im wrong, I think the Rov was YU and became Chassidish and has many BT followers.
If you want to be a chosid just for the shtreimel then just buy one, if you want to be a chosid for what chasidus represent then you got to do some learning and BTW while chitzoiniyes (outwards) like levish (clothing) is importent its meant to get us to the pnimiyes (inwards).
Deiyez- PLEASE use spellcheck!
The same way some bal teshuva beocome lubavitch. That is also a chasidus. Happens to be that BT’s are the ones who really are emesdik and a true chossid of the Rebbe. I admire all BT’s no matter what affiliation they chose to have.
One of my rebbeim is a talmid of the Rov of the Aish Kodesh shul in Woodmere.
He became chasidish at YU partially under the influence of one of the Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbi Reichman. I don’t know about the Aish Kodesh Rov, even his name escapes me at the moment.
ItcheSrulik; The fact that some family members are (Very) MO, while others dress in “Veisse Zocken” (White socks, on rolled up pants.) is heartwarming and very healthy. First off, it shows that where family is concerned, there are no barriers. The most Chassidish will attend the simchas of the most modern. Secondly. It exposes the children (of all sides) to a different culture than their own and it helps them adjust well emotionally. In my (extended) family, it’s been like that for the past 37 Years and I see the (good) results of that exposure. In our family we have B”H the entire range from Very Chassidish to MO. And everyone respects the tradition of the other.
While talking about Belz, whats your toughts on “The Treveling Chasidim” in the Mishpacha last week?
Msseeker- your post couldn’t be more wrong!
I, As a Chassidish woman, came across many BTs and even some Gerim/geroyes who joined our circle and community.
Some people do like Chassidim after all….
Msseeker- Im just wondering what exceptions you find in Bobov and Belz?
I don’t understand the OP’s premise. What are the prerequisites for being a Chosid that can’t be filled by a Baal Teshuva?
Msseeker- they all have young kids/no kids yet.
I do know one family(geirim), they became very frum, belonging to a Chassidus. The kids SEEM to be doing fine. But I wouldn’t know as a fact.
With Shidduchim you’re right, but I don’t think they’ll have it easier in a more modern surrounding.
The rav of aish kodesh is rav moshe weinberger and personally i think he’s incredible
smartcookie: Chasidim are very insistent on yichus when it comes to shidduchim. Unless joining a chasidishe kehilah that has baalei teshuvah (such as Rabbi Weinbergers community, Boston in Boston etc), its something to look into. Differing backgrounds can really be challenged at the shidduchim stage in chasidishe circles.
The old line always was, Chasidim look for yichis in a shidduch and hidur in an Esrug, while Yeshivish people seek hidur in a shidduch and yichus in an Esrug (that other fruits havnt been mixed in etc) .
And I do think, the shidduchim are easier in a non-Chassidish place.
I dont understand this question. Lubavitch has tens of thousands of B’Ts. Thousands of which are yireim, shleimim etc.
No problems finding shidduchim amongst other Lubavitch B’T’s
I think BTs are better off in more modern circles anyway because their Derech isn’t as extreme as the Chassidim.
no problem finding shidduchim amongs other Lubavitch B’T’s
That’s exactly it. They’re not accepted as part off the “reall” thing. It dosent seem as if the person the OP is talking about is seeking a new “BT” culturer. In other chasidessen they’ll at least be completly accepted, just shiduchim when their liniage is researched, will be difficult.
In the Yeshivish world I can tell you of two cases I’m personally familiar with. One boy who became Frum at 15.. married a Rosh Yeshivas daughter (and that RY carries a world famous family name). Another family, where the parents became Frum once married, their daughter married a RY’s son. I know both cases from close by
yochi – Chabad is not chassidish, they’re a different world altogether (personally, I think they’re the religion closest to Judaism, as Rav Shach said).
As for the topic, I actually went down this path for some time. Now I’m more generally Orthodox, I don’t wear any labels – I’m not chassidish, not chareidi, not MO either.
I happen to only wear a black kippah and generally white shirts, daven with an ashkenazi (hungarian-chassidishe) pronunciation, speak Yiddish also but at home Ivrit, and am pretty strongly not-Zionist (Vayoel Moshe and Divrei Yoel have pretty good spots in my bookshelf).
On the other hand, when the wind is strong, I may wear a baseball cap to prevent my kippah from flying away (let’s not even mention hats!); I have fast internet at home, have a fulltime job in IT, a smartphone with full internet, I’m a vegetarian, don’t drink alcohol and listen to non-Jewish music.
So it was pretty much my own choice to not call myself chassidish any more; I just can’t stand the too strict dress code and I just feel I can’t match what is expected from a chassidishe person. I’m just not anywhere near that level, and I don’t expect to reach that level anytime soon.
However, SHOULD I really want it, I could of course abandon the non-frum dress (baseball cap, sometimes), I *could* wear only chassidishe dress, I could throw out the chassidishe music, I could do away with the smartphone and get a dumphone (ie, kosher), I could (with difficulty) survive without internet.
Oh, right, I forgot – I have three cats at home (saved from death as weakened sick street cats) and would never give them up. Having cats is pretty much a no-no for anyone pretending to want to be chassidish, *especially* in E”Y. Not even chassidish but chareidi altogether…
From a picture I just saw on Aish Kodesh’s website (Rav Moshe Weinberger’s shul) it seems that other the Rav there are no Shtreimel wearers.
Sorry you will have to do your own searching current mod does not like links
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for chassidus, but davka our strengths can become stumbling blocks for BTs.
DB: I don’t think that quote is from Rav Shach. Rav Shach wrote a letter where he says that chabad back in Earope was full of “yeraim…”, and he had respect for chabad chasiddus. He was opposed to the new thing (in a very big way, that he felt avodah zorah was existent) to which others probably said that line
In Pirkei Avos we learn “Asei Lcha Rav Uknei Lcha Chaver”,meaning one can choose a Rav and buy a friend. Chassidus goes beyond clothing. Yes, it looks nice and regal but only do it if you have a Rav who you feel close too and can share any dilemna you have. This is not something to just do.
We have a BT friend of over 20 years. Her husband was a Ger. At the time of their wedding he was close to a member of a large Chassidus. The Ger was dressed in all the Chassidish clothing including white socks. Later he made his wife put on a shpitzel. After the wedding, when the show was over , they were left on their own. He lived two lives and the end they got divorced. He went back to his old ways and she raised the two children.
Today she is alone and very disappointed at the community. She is a fun person with alot to offer and would love to get married. With the response from us Boro Parkers being so blah, she is starting to give up even on being Shomeret Shabbos.
Just go ahead with your change if you have someone to hold your hand 24/365!
I don’t think its more difficult to become chassidish than litvish. I know a lot of baalei teshuvah and there are some that have difficulty integrating into litvishe circles and some into chassidishe circles.
I know of an MO woman that became a yerushalmi (not sure if litvish or chassidish) and recently celebrated the chasunah of a child to another yerushalmi. I know geirim that became chassidish with shtreimlach (men) and aprons (women) and shaved heads (both). I know of someone born to a real kalte litvishe heim who made is way over to the other side. Anybody can be anything they want as long as they put their minds to it. There are some groups that are easier to be a baal teshuvah in such as Boston, Nikolsberg etc.
But I don’t think anybody should feel restricted to those. You go where you feel is the right place for you and make sure that you have a rav who helps you along.
tbt:
that line was great I was laughing for a long time on that one.
msseker: Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Never doing Mitzvos is not better. Aveiros do NOT erase Mitzvos. Do you have any idea about the value of one Mitzvah? One Omain? These things are eternal. I don’t have the time or the Gemora’s here, but there are some amazing stories about this.
However, you make a very valid point. When you bring one to appreciate a Torah lifestyle (and olam haboh), you still have a responsibility to help them throuout. Actually a big responsibility.
Does it really matter…as long as you are following Halacha to the best of your ability, who cares what label you fall under…If you want to be chasidish be chasidish, if you want to be yeshivish, be yeshivish, if you want to be MO be MO…
Do you have any idea about the severity of one aveira b’meizid? One chilul shabbos r”l?
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