Q: Can you justify the motives of two groups of chassidim who are in conflict with one another?
Rav Avigdor Miller: You mean the Satmarer and the Lubavitcher?
Q: Yes, I had that in mind.
Rav Avigdor Miller:
When it comes to this we have to know that we are talking about two groups of devoted Jews. There’s no question that the Lubavitcher are devoted Jews and there’s no question that the Satmarer are devoted Jews. I wouldn’t listen to any one party who says that the other one is not. There’s no question that both groups have among them people who are full of love for their ideals, people who serve Hashem. And therefore before we enter this subject, I’ll say – and I’ll say it briefly with the greatest caution.
And we’ll say as follows. Whatever they do, that’s their business. Whatever their motives are, it’s their business. We ourselves, outsiders, are not fully aware of the motives of one or the other and therefore we keep our mouths shut. If we would be aware, we would see that it’s not as empty as you think. Everybody who is a frum Jew has some motive for what he does. And therefore we say as follows: Yivoreich es Beis Yisroel – Hashem should bless the Beis Yisroel. Only we hope that He will bless them in such a way that they will bless each other too. We hope the time will come when everybody – RECORDING ENDED HERE, V’CHAVAL AL D’AVDIN
FROM TAPE # 475 (September 1983)
Courtesy of: Toras Avigdor 5014-16th Avenue Suite 488 Brooklyn, NY 11204
