Top Stories - HasidicNews - updated 11:26 PM ET Nov 1

Thursday November 1 3:12 PM ET

Viznitz'e Rebbe expels Mendel, accepts Yisrultche

By JACOB SOFER, HasidicNews.com Writer

BNEI BRAK, ISRAEL (HN) - The Viznitz'e Rebbe in Bnei Brak has made a revolutionary decision to reverse the decade old disownment of his son Yisrultche, as he invited him to return to Bnei Brak and accept the "Rav" position for the community.

Yisrultche's disbarment from Viznitz dates back to about 15 years ago. It started when he got into a conflict with his Mom. She insisted to her husband Reb Moshele, the Viznitz Rebbe, that Yisrultche should leave the Bnei Brak community. There was a lot of controversy around this momentous act of the Rebbe but he did finally give in to the requests by his wife and some Hasidim wanting Mendel to rein the wagon after his father dies. Hasidim managed to prevent him from even gaining access to his dad to discuss the matter with him. He was teased, embarrassed in public and forced to leave the community.

He eventually came to the US, where he was almost instantly accepted by The Reb Moshele's brother Reb Mottele's community in Monsey, NY. This angered Reb Moshelle's people even more and added fire to the already flaming conflict between the two Viznitz sects. He was very honored in Reb Mottele's synagogue in Monsey throughout the years since. Reb Mottele spoke out against his brothers move to ostracize his own son, and strongly defended his decision to accept him in his community.

Mendel's people along with the Rebbe's wife managed not only to keep Yisrultche away from the Rebbe but to keep people sympathetic to his cause away as well. His wife also played a major role, as she was uncharacteristically insistent that her son be expelled and not return or accept any leading position in the community. In a sense, the Rebbe didn't really get any information straight. Whatever he knew was censored by Mendel's people so as to support the decision to expel Yisrultche and promote Mendel.

Yisrultche was outraged about the fact that he couldn't even discuss the matter with his dad. He respected his dad very much throughout the years; he never spoke out in public against him. He argued that all he wants is see his dad and be close to him, even if he would not have any leadership role in the community whatsoever. Apparently he realized that it wasn't really his dad's fault; he was simply being mislead by his Hasidim. People were sometimes amazed at how Yisrultche went to great lengths to honor his dad and accept the punishment and pain handed down by god with love and with the hope that it will be "kapparas Avonos" (forgiveness of sin).

When the Rebitzin finally died in 1999 after years of battling with cancer, Yisrultche's sympathizers hoped the Rebbe would reverse his expulsion, to no avail. Mendel's people held out in keeping the status quo, up to until three weeks ago at which point a wealthy Hasid sympathizing with Yisrultche, managed to buy his way in to a meeting with the Rebbe. He explained to the Rebbe how everything is being manipulated and twisted around, and information withheld and suppressed so as to keep Yisrultche out and Mendel in. The Rebbe was overwhelmed by this and subsequent events that eventually lead to the collapse of the iron wall separating the Rebbe from his son. The Rebbe eventually contacted this son after all those years of exile and invited him back.

Mendel and Yisrultche never got along. Even as kids they would constantly fight each other about anything and everything imaginable. In general, Yisrultche was the pious and radical one, at one point breaking his mothers mirror, and Mendel was the moderate one, more closely representing the Viznitz style and public opinion. When the kids grew older Mendel's sympathizers started teasing Yisrultche tremendously and embittering his life. Their argument to the Rebbe and the public was that Yisrultche would destroy the whole image and culture of Viznitz. They therefore urged that he be totally expelled form the community so as not to have any influence or leadership role within the community.