Machberes: Inside The Chassidish And Yeshivish World
By Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Editor’s Note: On Wednesday morning, we received the sad news that Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum had passed away. The following article was submitted earlier this week.
As I write this article, the grand wedding of Bracha Sima Teitelbaum to Mordechai Yehuda Halberstam is scheduled to take place this week in Williamsburg. Tens of thousands are expected to attend. The kallah, Bracha Sima, is the daughter of Rabbi Chaim Zvi Teitelbaum, Sigeter Rav of Williamsburg. The chassan, Mordechai Yehuda, is the son of Rabbi Avrohom Meir Halberstam, dayan at the 18th Avenue Satmar Beis Medrash in Boro Park.
The kallah’s father, Rabbi Chaim Zvi, is the son of Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, Satmar Rebbe residing in Kiryas Yoel. Rabbi Chaim Zvi is a son-in-law of Rabbi Chanania Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum. The Satmar Rebbe is a son-in-law of Rabbi Yehoshua Mosher Hager, zt’l (1917–2012), Vizhnitzer Rebbe and author of Yeshuos Moshe. Rabbi Chanania Yom Tov Lipa is a son-in-law of Rabbi Moshe Halberstam, zt’l (1924–2011), Kiviashder Rebbe of Williamsburg.
The chassan’s father, Rabbi Avrohom Meir Halberstam, is the son of Rabbi Yitzchok Chaim Zeltenreich, Chokova Rav, and a son-in-law of Rabbi Sholom Eliezer Teitelbaum, 15th Avenue Satmar Rav in Boro Park.
Rabbi Sholom Eliezer is a brother of the Satmar Rebbe, thus the chassan and kallah are second cousins. Both are great-grandchildren of Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, zt’l (1914–2006), Satmar Rebbe and author of Beirach Moshe.
The chasunah events commenced with the Shabbos aufruf, ShabbosMishpatim, February 5–6, at the 18th Avenue Satmar Beis Medrash, where the chassan’s father is the shul’s dayan. A brand-new shtreimel was ceremoniously placed upon the chassan’s head before he went to the shul Friday afternoon. On Shabbos morning, a large gathering of family members and fellow yeshiva students of the chassan escorted him, with song and dance, through the streets to the shul, where he was warmly received by the shul’s mispallelim and guests.
The crowded shul erupted in joyous song and shouts of “mazal tov!” when the chassan completed the birkos haTorah during the Torah reading. A grand kiddush followed Mussaf. The Shabbos-afternoon shalosh seudos as well as the melavehmalkah were spirited occasions, with divrei Torah and z’miros, as family members and fellow yeshiva students festively participated.
On Wednesday morning, on the day of the chasunah, the Satmar Rebbe, together with family members and entourage, will leave his residence in Kiryas Yoel and visit and pray at the ohel of the Beirach Moshe and the Divrei Yoel. In the late afternoon, the Rebbe will personally receive his many well-wishers and petitioners, individually, at his residence in Williamsburg.
On Wednesday afternoon, chartered coach buses will bring participants leaving from Kiryas Yoel, and another bus will leave at night to bring participants to the mitzvahtantz.
Those coming from Boro Park with private cars are asked to drive through 14th Avenue, from 53rd Street through 49th Street, and take along those waiting for rides. In Monsey, private-car drivers are asked to pass by the Satmar Beis Medrash there. In order to accommodate private cars, special parking space redesign will be in effect from 5:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. on Kent Avenue from Rodney Street to the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway overpass. Drivers are asked to park their cars at a 90-degree angle to the street in order to maximize the number of parking spaces.
The kabbalaspanim for the chassan will take place in the main Williamsburg Satmar Beis Medrash at 7 Hooper Street. The kabbalaspanim for the kallah will take place at at the Imperial Hall, 712 Bedford Avenue. Following the kabbalaspanim, chartered coach buses will bring the ladies to Kent Avenue, which adjoins Hooper Street alongside the outside southern wall of the beismidrash.
At approximately 6:00 p.m., the kabbalaspanim will transform into preparations for the chuppah, which will take place on a raised platform on the street outside the beismidrash. The raised platform, with its wide staircase, will enable everyone to fully see and follow chuppah events. Sophisticated lighting will be joined with a powerful speaker system, so that every berachah will be clearly heard. At the chuppah’s conclusion, buses will return ladies to the Imperial Hall for the chasunah meal. Men will reenter the beis midrash, where seating will have been reconfigured to fit as many men as will squeeze in. The Rebbe will join the meal right after the chuppah.
Shortly after 9 p.m., the chassan and kallah will enter the beis medrash. At chassidishe chasunahs, the chassan and kallah eat their meal in the yichud room and join their guests only towards the end of the meal. Music and enthusiastic dancing will erupt. Bentching is scheduled for 11 p.m., to be immediately followed by the mitzvah tantz.
The mitzvahtantz will conclude with the Rebbe’s mitzvah tantz, which will enrapture those present in remembering the mitzvahtantz of generations ago. The Rebbe’s mitzvahtantz is expected to last for almost a complete hour. The intense singing and dancing-in-place, for those standing on blanchers (standing bleachers), will long be remembered as another episode in the grand simchas of Satmar.
The week of sheva berachos will be a full week of joyous occasions. The Shabbos sheva berachos, ShabbosTerumah, February 12–13, will be celebrated in Williamsburg with the royal participation of the Satmar Rebbe, grandfathers, and all relatives.
Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum, a’h, was the rav of B’nai Israel of Linden Heights in Boro Park and director of the Rabbinical Alliance of America.