Rebbe

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Rebbe (Hebrew: רבי also rebbi) is a title that may be given to a Rabbi in Orthodox Judaism, particularly within Hasidic Judaism.

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Terminology and history

The word Rebbe is an Ashkenazi pronounciation of the Mishnaic Hebrew word Rabbi (pronounced "Rabbee" in today's standard Hebrew) meaning "my master" or "my teacher".

The early teachers of the Mishnah (in early Greek and Roman times) had the title Rabbi, for example Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai. Rabbi Judah haNasi was simply called "Rabbi".

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Usage

The word Rebbe as used today could have three definitions:

Religious Jews when speaking of their main teacher of Torah, such as their own Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi that taught them Torah, would refer to him as "my Rebbe, Rabbi so-and-so".
Orthodox Jewish male students of yeshiva and earlier education refer to their religious teachers as "Rebbe" (and in third person either also "Rebbe" as a proper name or "the rebbe" depending on location).
The leader of a Hasidic sect or dynesty. It is this definition that the remaider of the article will discuss.

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Distinctions between rebbe and rav

A rebbe is distinct from a 'rav' (a word usually translated as Rabbi, who is a leader of an Orthodox Jewish community, either Hasidic or non-Hasidic) in that a rebbe need have no scholarly attainments, and as such is not necessarily qualified to pasken halakha (decide points of Jewish law). It is not uncommon for a Hasidic Jew to have a rebbe and to go to a rav for a ruling on an issue of religious law. Interestingly, there have been a few female rebbes, among them the 'Maidl fun Ludmir' (the Maid of Ludmir).

Hasidim use the term to denote someone that they perceive not only as the religious leader of their congregation, but as their spiritual adviser and mentor. A rebbe is someone whose views are accepted not only on issues of religious dogma and practice, but in all arenas of life, including political and social issues.

There may be non-Hasidim who use the concept of a (non-Hasidic) rebbe in this context and would also use this term. Example: "I will ask my rebbe, Rabbi so-and-so, for advice about this personal matter."

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Hasidic Rebbes

The first and greatest Hasidic Rebbe, according to Hasidism, was its founder Israel ben Eliezer, known as the Ba'al Shem Tov ("Master [of the] Good Name"). His disciples who rose up or were selected for positions of leadership and their successors have thereafter been honored with the same title, Rebbe. The title gradually came to suggest a higher spiritual status.

Each Hasidic group refers to its leader as "The Rebbe." A Hasidic leader is also known as an AdMoR (an acrostic for ''Ad[oneinu] Mo[reinu] R[abeinu]'', "[Our] Master, Teacher, Rabbi").

As an example, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the leader of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidim, was referred to as "The Rebbe" by Lubavitch Hasidim. Because of the outreach efforts of Chabad Lubavitch, many non-Lubavitchers also speak of him in this way.

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Relationship of Hasidim to their Rebbe

A Chassidic Rebbe is generally understood to be an exceptionally righteous person (called a "Tzaddik"). According to Kabbalah (and particularly the Chassidic understanding of Kabbalah), the world is sustained on the "shoulders" of several exceptionally righteous people in a generation (Tzaddikim). These people are understood to have perfected their personal service of God to such an extent that they become literally and physically aware of God. These righteous people's perception (of both spiritual and physical, not to mention temporal matters) transcends the apparent boundaires of existence, such that a Rebbe will appear to be able to "see the future," or at least have strong insight into the life and trials of another. Furthermore, a Rebbe is said to be able to affect divine providence.

As a result, Chassdim in some Chassidic circles seek their Rebbe's advice for a variety of concerns: spiritual, physical, and even business concerns. Furthermore, many people seek the blessing (Brocho) of a Rebbe (and a Chassid will specifically seek the blessing of his own Rebbe) for anything from minor (and all the more so major) physical troubles, to grand spiritual concerns. The most famous and common stories of a Rebbe's intervention involves women who successfully seek a Rebbe's blessing for fertility so that they can become pregnant after having been barren for many years.

Given a Rebbe's physical awareness of God, and the Rebbe's transcendant perception of Godliness, many Chassidim take special care to observe the specific and sometimes minute practices of their Rebbe. Even things that seem mundane may nonetheless be seen by Chassidim as incredibly significant. For example, Lubavitcher Chassidim frequently shape their fedoras to match the way that the Lubavitcher Rebbe shaped his hat. Many Skverer Chassidim (of the Skverer Rebbe in New Square) wear glasses identical to those of the Skverer Rebbe. While Chassidim do not always follow the specific practices of their Rebbe, the Rebbe is able to create practices that may be specific and unique to his Chassidim. For example, R' Areleh, the first Rebbe of Shomer Emunim, told his Chassidim to frequently pause while eating their meals in order to keep them from overindulging (while this practice may be viewed as meritorious even outside of R' Areleh's circle, it is nonetheless a pracitce that is fairly unigue to Shomer Emunim Chassidim (and those Chassidim of the various other brancehs of Shomer Emunim Chassidism).

It goes without saying that a Chasid will usually love his Rebbe like a close family member, if not more so. But the degree and nature of this belief varies depending on the sect. In some sects the Hasidim believe that their rebbe is the "tzadik hador" (greatest and holiest saint of the generation) and would regard any thought that detracts from his perfection and holiness as heresy. Other sects lessen this idealization to some degree or another. Since many Rebbeim are sons-in-law or students of other Rebbeim, it makes sense that they would view themselves as subordinate to those other Rebbeim. Nonetheless, their Chassidim remain loyal to them because of their special loyalty, a family connection, or a belief that a specific Tzaddik (though there may be others of greater spiritual stature) connects best with one's soul. For example, the Kosover Rebbe makes yearly pilgrimages to the Tosher Rebbe. Nonetheless, his Chassidim remain very loyal to him.

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Kvitlach and tish

To date there are generally—although there are quite a few exceptions—two primary characteristics that mark a rabbi as a rebbe. One is reading kvitlach (Yiddish: "notes"). A kvittel is a note with the name of the petitioner, and those who have requests for prayers, and short requests for which the rebbe is asked to pray. The formula in which a person's name is written is one's own Hebrew name, the son/daughter of one's mother's Hebrew name, such as Shimon ben Rivkah, or Simeon the son of Rebbecca. Hasidim believe that rebbes read supernaturally "between the lines" of a kvittle, and in every Hasidic sect there are numerous anecdotes relating how the rebbe saw things that were not written in the kvittle. The kvittle is usually written by the rebbe's gabbai (secretary). Usually, but with some exceptions, a pidyon (redemption) of cash is handed to the rebbe under the kvittle. This is considered to be the conduit through which the blessing is given, and a redemtion for the soul of the petitioner. It is also customary to tip the gabbai.

The second is conducting or feering a Tish on the Sabbath and other occasions.

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Hasidic sects

In Israel, some of the best known Hasidic groups are the Ger, Nadvorna, Vizhnitz and Belz Hasidim, each having their own rebbes. Some of the larger or better known Hassidic groups in the United States of America are the Satmar (founded by Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum), Puppa, Skulen, Skver, Czernobyl, Bobov, and Lubavitch Hasidim. However, a more complete list of Hassidic groups, or dynasties, can be found here.

Some Hasidic rebbes have thousands of followers, or disciples called hasidim, (meaning "righteous ones"), whilst others may have only a few hundred. Some only have a title, but don't have a following beyond their own family members and a few congregants in their synagogues.

Rebbes are usually called by the Yiddish name of the geographic region in which they or their predecessors gained prominence: e.g., the Bobover Rebbe is tied to Bobow (Poland), the Skulener Rebbe is tied to Skuleny (Transcarpathia), and the Bostoner Rebbe is tied to Boston, USA.

Some Hasidim, such as those who are Breslov follow their deceased Rebbe Nachman of Breslav. Similarly, the Lubavitchers remain loyal to the deceased Rabbi Schneerson, who died childless, and his followers continue to follow and venerate him after his passing.

There are a few hundred groups of Hasidim that have sprung up over the generations. As it is impossible to list them all here, only some of the bigger and well known ones will be listed.

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Rebbes of different dynasties

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Rebbes of Belz

Belz

Grand Rabbi Shalom Rokeach of Belz (1779 - 1855), also known as the Sar Shalom.
Grand Rabbi Joshua Rokeach of Belz (1825 - 1894).
Grand Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach (I) (1854 - 1926).
Grand Rabbi Aharon Rokeach (1877 - 1957), also known as Reb Arele, and as the Kedushath Aharon.
Grand Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach (II) (b. 1948).

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