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The Revolution of

Chassidut in

Dr. Netanel
Religious Zionism
Fisher

20 years ago, it would have been impossible to imagine a Religious Zionist-Chassidic event; Chassidut
was seen as being too individualistic and Charedi. Today, large annual events like the Tzamah concert are
symbolic of a major shift, as the Religious Zionist community has adopted many of the ideals of Chassidut.
At the same time, Rav Kook has lost some of his centrality in the community, with the spiritual void of
many now being filled by Rav Nachman. How did this shift happen, and what are its consequences?

n the 19th of Kislev each
year, there is a massive
concert called Tzamah
Oheld in Binyanei Ha’uma in
Yerushalayim. It is arranged by Chabad
to celebrate their “Chag HaGeulah,” the
day the first Lubavitcher Rebbe was
freed from jail in 1798. I booked my
tickets months in advance as the con-
cert, which features Ishay Ribo, Evia-
tar Banai and other famous singers, is
always sold out. But the people buying
the tickets are not only the Chabad
Chassidim, but knitted-kippah-wearing
Jews like me. Thousands of Religious
Zionist Jews attend the event, dancing The "Shas HaLavan" has been replaced with sefarim with brown covers. (PHOTO: CHAIM TWITO/YEDIOT ACHRONOT)
and singing to the tunes of Chabad. Torah we heard in our synagogues. On that my soul was yearning for some-
In recent years, the Religious Zionist every yeshivah student’s table was the thing else. I just couldn’t keep listening
community has adopted many aspects “Shas HaLavan” (the “White Talmud”), to classes about Am Yisrael and Eretz
of Chassidut. This is a positive phenom- the complete writings of Rav Kook in Yisrael.
enon, but there are two sides to every their distinctive white binding. As “Wait, what about me?” I said to
coin, and I worry whether our commu- Religious Zionist students, we stud- myself. “Where do I fit into this big
nity now prioritizes the individual’s ied and grappled with questions about picture?” I felt confused, and gradually
spiritual journey at the expense of a building up Am Yisrael, how to repair I stopped going to most of the classes
commitment to the needs of Am Yisrael. an imperfect world, our relationship on Jewish thought, except for those
to secularism and above all – we were given by Rabbi Elisha Vishlitzki, where
20 years ago, it would have been imbued with an absolute and steadfast
impossible to imagine a Religious commitment to building our state, our we spoke openly about character
Zionist-Chassidic event; Chassidut land, and our people. development (though that, too, with
was seen as being too individualistic a Kookian bent).
and Chareidi. Chassidut was barely It was into this milieu that I arrived I then happened to hear that Rabbi
studied in the mainstream of Reli- at Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav as a young Shimon Gershon Rosenberg, known as
gious Zionism. The teachings of Rav student in the 90s. I arrived at Reli- Rav Shagar, was giving classes in Chas-
Kook, “HaRav”, formed the spiritual gious Zionism’s flagship yeshivah with sidut at a nearby local shul. I attended
core of the Religious Zionist yeshivot, excitement and anticipation, but to with a group of “underground” stu-
Bnei Akiva seminars, and the words of my surprise, after a few months I felt dents from Merkaz, and Rav Shagar

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