So what really happened behind the scenes, and how did it happen that in Elul 5776, Rosh Yeshivah Gerail Steinman honored the Rebbe of Gur, who was celebrating his grandson's wedding, upon his arrival in Jerusalem?<\/p>\r\n
The story began more than ten years ago, when the Rosh Yeshiva and the Rebbe took off for the United States to raise money for the Independent Education Network. The goal was important: to assist the educational enterprise that belongs to all Haredi Jewry (at that time, at least). The historic journey included visits to Jewish communities in the US, Canada, and South America. Even a two-hour jaunt to London was enough for them.<\/p>\r\n
These were the glory days of unity in the United Torah Judaism party. But years passed, and what was was no longer what it was.<\/p>\r\n
Black clouds began to hover over Gur Hasidism and the Lithuanian public, especially against Hazon-Ish 5 and the Grand Rabbi Shteinman, and what began with financial disagreements between close associates ended in a real rift.<\/p>\r\n
In the Knesset elections, on the eve of the Lapid-Bennett brothers' government, Rabbi Auerbach met with the Rebbe of Gur, forming a kind of alliance: the members of the "Jerusalem faction" would vote for Torah Judaism, and in return, Gur's representative in the Knesset, Yaakov Litzman, would represent the interests that were important to them. This alliance, ostensibly, was somewhat disrupted when Litzman gave his support to the improved conscription law several months ago, and ceased to represent the members of the faction.<\/p>\r\n
But Litzman will claim to his credit that in the last elections, members of the faction refrained from voting for Torah Judaism.<\/p>\r\n
Either way, the political conflict has no bearing on the relationship between the Gersh Auerbach and the Rebbe of Gur. The Gersh also arrived tonight to wish Mazal Tov on the occasion of Simchat Beit Gur.<\/p>\r\n
\u2022<\/p>\r\n
But against Hazon Ish 5, the conflict with Gur Hasidism seemed to be extremely deep.<\/p>\r\n
According to information available to Haredim 10, several months ago, senior Hasidic officials began to probe, those more closely associated with the faction known as the "Ashdod faction" in Gur. It is important to emphasize that these elements have recently been at odds with Yaakov Litzman, and some say that they even directly or indirectly assisted in projects that threatened to harm him, including in the struggle with insurance companies - so Litzman was forced to bow down and surrender.<\/p>\r\n
Another turning point in the relationship between Chazon Ish-Gur was when it became known about the Rebbe's illness about four years ago. When he heard about it, the Grail immediately asked to visit him and end the rift. The one who sabotaged the move was Litzman, although there is no official confirmation of this and there will be none.<\/p>\r\n
Recently, several changes have occurred that "contributed" to the historic event that took place at the wedding. One of them - attempts by "Gorish" elements to disrupt the special relationship between the Rebbe and Litzman. According to their version, they did succeed, but elements who are "24\/7" in the Rebbe's environment firmly claim, "They haven't even begun to succeed.".<\/p>\r\n
Let us just remind you: While Litzman was supposed to vacate his seat according to the rotation order of Gur Hasidism, it was the Rebbe who repeatedly asked him to continue in his position, while giving him his full support.<\/p>\r\n
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Let us recall that about two weeks ago, Litzman placed a gun on the prime minister's desk, threatening to resign immediately if the Shabbat was violated during the railway works in Tel Aviv. According to senior Hasidic officials, this was done after consulting with the Rebbe and acting according to his instructions. "Litzman does not move even half a step without consulting the Rebbe and does only what he instructs him," they tell "Haredim 10.".<\/p>\r\n
As proof of the alleged cracks in the relationship between Litzman and the Rebbe, Litzman's opponents cite the following evidence: During the intervening period, the Rebbe left his residence to rest in Austria. The Rebbe asked to stay alone, only with his family, with all assistants and associates being kept away. Even Motti Babchik, Litzman's assistant, who enjoyed a special closeness to the Rebbe, did not stay at the resort but in the Holy Land. This is a sign of cracks, they claim. But there could be another reason for this, related to the Rebbe's desire to rest only with family members.<\/p>\r\n
In any case, when the Rosh Yeshiva wanted to visit the Rebbe, his housekeeper, grandson Rabbi David Shapira, approached Litzman directly. The response was negative. Since then, many have tried to raise the painful issue with Litzman and his assistants, but they have been met with a firm, decisive, and unequivocal refusal.<\/p>\r\n
On Monday of this week, one of the Rebbe's sons, Rabbi Yisrael Menachem Alter, arrived at the house at 5 Chazon Ish Street and invited the Rosh Yeshiva to come to the wedding. Litzman knew nothing about this. According to the testimony of one of those involved in the story, "The one who came to invite the Rosh Yeshiva received an instruction from an opposition figure to Litzman, from within Hasidism, according to which the Rebbe ordered not to tell Litzman about the peace initiative and about coming to the wedding." An instruction that was never given, claim senior Hasidic officials.<\/p>\r\n
Litzman, who was surprised, learned of the arrival of the Rosh Yeshiva at the Beit Midrash only when the car, which had left 5 Hazon Ish Street some time earlier, made its way through the Shaar Hagai area, on its way to Jerusalem. Eyewitnesses said that "he turned white, he was in shock.".<\/p>\r\n
The estimates are that "an opposition coup of the type they tried to carry out this week" will not pass in silence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u2022<\/span><\/p>\r\n From here, where to?<\/p>\r\n Will the participation of the Grail Steinman in the joy, while receiving the honor of kings and in turn giving great respect to the Rebbe, open a new page in the Litzman-Gafni, Agoy-'Degel' relations? It's hard to believe. There is a sign that the Rebbe will pay a return visit to Hzon Ish 5, but it doesn't seem to have any political connection to any of this beyond lowering aggressive tones on the part of both sides, Litzman and Gafni, who know how to mow each other down, when they just want to...<\/p>\r\n Litzman, for his part, is immersed in a strong alliance with Education Minister Naftali Bennett, and even Bennett's failure to attend Simchat Gur's funeral will not succeed in cracking this alliance, it seems.<\/p>\r\n At the same time, Gafni and Degel Hatorah are maintaining a fairly stable alliance with Deputy Minister of Education Meir Porush, who is still holding on to future promises as compensation for vacating his seat in the Knesset in favor of a Degel member, MK Yaakov Asher.<\/p>\r\n And yet, peace between the great men of the generation, the leaders of the Haredi community, is always an exciting historical chapter. Especially during the months of Mercy and Forgiveness.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After years of estrangement, yesterday the Grail Steinman honored the Rebbe of Gur and came all the way to Jerusalem to participate in the wedding celebration, with the two showing great respect for each other. \u2022 How a peace move by Chazon Ish 5 was torpedoed about four years ago, and what, in fact, happened now that led to the moving reconciliation","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[2439,11877,13493,7396],"class_list":["post-311837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-66","tag-2439","tag-11877","tag-13493","tag-7396"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n