Response to Unorthodox Jew blogsite and its mistakes about Hassidim and Kabbala

by Rabbi Dovid Eidensohn

     The Unorthodox Jew blogsite end of January has an article beginning, "Make no mistake, Chassidism is not part of authentic Judaism." In the article all Kabbalists are referred to as non-authentic, as Kabbala is not part of the tradition from Sinai. Thus, the Zohar, Ari z"l are not "authentic." He writes, "there is no known link of mesorah or chain of events, going back to that time, from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochoi to the Ari z"l." Chassidim, he maintains, are not authentic Jews, because they rely heavily on Kabbala. He writes that since Kabbala was not at Sinai,  this would "eliminate the Zohar or Kabbalah from effectively being part of Judaism."

The author of the blog then proceeds to enlighten us that "Chassidim, have their entire canon (or myths) based entirely on the writings of the Zohar, and the rantings of an unlearned bal agalah or horse and buggy driver, known as the Baal Shem Tov or the Besht. The Besht, being the very first Forest Ranger, hanging out with the animals in the forest and talking to the trees, set a precedent for today's rebbes who hang out in their ghettos with their animals . " Also, "The Vilna Gaon called the Besht a heretic and a lunatic, and considered that movement outside of Judaism. Rabbi Aaron Kotler refused to let Chassidim into Lakewood. When he ultimately relented under great pressure, he forbade them to wear their shtreimels in the bais medrash."

I studied in Lakewood under Reb Aharon Kotler. I remember clearly that his son-in-law, a Chosid, who married his adopted daughter, sat up front of the Beit HaMedrash right in front of Reb Aharon (who sat facing everyone else) wearing Hassidic clothes. I remember clearly seeing Reb Aharon welcome his best friend, the Chassidic Rebbe of Kupishnitz, with such love and affection. This is what I saw. I also heard from reliable sources that Reb Aharon was once asked by a student why he so respected the Kupishnitser Rebbe, and treated him so wondrously. Reb Aharon answered that the purity of this rebbe was what the goal of every Jew is. Everyone knows that the entire Agudas Israel founded by the Chofetz Chaim was filled with Hassidic rebbes such as the Gerrer Rebbe who was very close to the Chofetz Chaim and his disciple Reb Elchonon Wasserman. Reb Elchonon was very close with the Slonimer Rebbe and would go on Shabbos Shalosh Seudose to hear his talks.

Reb Aharon did not let Chassidic students in under pressure. Litvishe Yeshivas in Europe such as Kaminets, with Reb Baruch Ber, had Hassidic students. Reb Baruch Ber was careful to respect these students and their rebbes. He once wrote to a rebbe that he wanted more such students, but the rebbe said that these were all that he had of the caliber to learn by Reb Baruch Ber. This is from the recent book on Reb Baruch Ber HaRavv HaDomeh LiMaloch. Reb Baruch Ber would quote his rebbes, not Hassidic rebbes, but he then would say that he did not quote Hassidic rebbes because he never learned from them, but he respected them. This was meant to encourage the Hassidic students not to be bad that they never heard Hassiduce from Reb Baruch Ber.

We now turn to the issue of Kabbala. The UOJ blog considers it outside of authentic Judaism because it didn't come from Sinai. He considers Kabbala a Hassidic abberation. But this is completely wrong. Reb Aharon Kotler once quoted the Vilna Gaon who compared himself with the Shaagas Aryeh. Both knew the entire Torah by heart. But "he and I in niglo. I and him in Kabbalo." The main effort of the Vilna Gaon was Kabbala. He wrote many books on Kabbala and his students were great Kabbalists, such as Reb Chaim Vollozner. The great Kabbalist Reb Menachem Mendel of Shekelov was a Litvak known as "the third generation from the Gro," because he studied Kabbala under a student of the Gro.

Kabbala is mentioned clearly in the Talmud in masechta Chagiga perek Ain Dorshim. The passages in the Sefer Yechezkel about visions are clearly Kabbalistic. Therefore, at Sinai the revealed and hidden law were revealed to Moshe. In Chagiga we find open study of Kabbala, the maaseh merkovo, the maaseh beraishis, and these are quoted by Rambam in Mishneh Torah. In Rambam's time, before him and after him, there were those who studied Kabbala in the style of the ten Sefiroth and other concepts found in Lurian Kabbala. However, in those days all was hidden. Ramban's Kabbala in his commentary on Chumash is not revealed but only hinted. The Lurian Kabbala, following by only a few years the revelation of Reb Moshe Kardevero, was a public revelation of Kabbala, one that has continued to this day. The Ari z"l lived in Tsefas together with the Radvaz and Rabbi Yosef Karo who were the leading Niglo authorities and poskim in the entire world. The entire community was filled with Torah and great scholars who studied niglo and nistor, and nobody considered the Ari z"l to be outside of the pale. The opposite was true. They all wanted to learn his Kabbala, but he resisted with all of his might, because he only wanted Rabbi Chaim Vital and maybe a tiny group, but the pressure was too much and he had to admit others.

All Orthodox Jews embrace Kabbala. The Sefardim and Taimonim have glorious Kabbala traditions, and even simple people read the Zohar. Lithuanians follow the Gro who was a mighty Kabbalist. Hassidim follow the Besht who was a mighty Kabbalist. All of this is authentic Judaism.