CommandedWar:ThreeChaptersintheHistoryofSatmarHasidismDavidN.Myers*Rel - PDF document

CommandedWar:ThreeChaptersintheHistoryofSatmarHasidismDavidN.Myers*Religion,ithasbeennoted,speaksthelanguageofviolenceasoftenasofpeace.ThisarticleexploresthepronouncedroleofmilitarylanguageandamartialoutlookinoneparticularlyintriguingandunlikelybranchofJudaism,theSatmarHasidicmovement.Widelyknownforitspostureoftheologicalquietism,SatmarHasidism,undertheleader-shipoffoundingrabbiJoelTeitelbaum(18871979),hasfrequentlyengagedincombativestruggleagainstitsfoes,especiallyZionism.ThisarticlehighlightsthismartialimpulsebyexaminingthreeepisodesinwhichtheTeitelbaumfamilyandSatmarHasidimwereengagedinconflict,exemplifiedbythepublicationofaseriesofbooksundertheCommandedWar.Rangingoveracentury,theseepisodesrevealthewayinwhichthepervasivelanguageofwaremergedoutofasenseofthegraveperilsposedbymodernity.TheyalsoillustratehowthemartiallanguageofSatmarturnsovertimefromafocusonexternalenemiestoafocusoninternalrivals.HASIDISMWASaJewishpietistmovementthattookriseinEasternEuropeinthelateeighteenthcentury.Itsoughttorestoreasenseofthevibrancyofspiritualexperiencethathadbeenneglected, *DavidN.Myers,DepartmentofHistory,UCLA,LosAngeles,CA90095-1473,USA.E-mail:myers@history.ucla.edu.TheauthorwouldliketothankProfessorRaananBoustanandthereadersofthisarticlefortheirinsightfulcomments.ThanksalsotoLindsayKingforhervaluableresearchassistance.JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligion,pp.1doi:10.1093/jaarel/lfs101©TheAuthor2013.PublishedbyOxfordUniversityPress,onbehalfoftheAmericanAcademyofReligion.Allrightsreserved.Forpermissions,pleasee-mail:journals.permissions@oup.com at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from accordingtoitsadepts,bytheelitistcultureofTorahstudythatwastheprideofEasternEuropean(andmorebroadly,Ashkenazic)Jewryforcenturies.AsagainstalifetimeofTorahstudy,accessibleonlytoafew,HasidismdevelopedanewtheologicalsystemandritualregimenthatenfranchisedhundredsofthousandsofJews.Thenewpietistswereencouragedtoseekouttheever-presentGodinalldomainsoftheirlife,andtodosowithenthusiasm,whichwasafoundationaltenetofHasidicbeliefandpractice.TheguidingforcebehindtheriseofHasidisminitsfirststageofdevelopmentwasYisraelbenEliezer(17001760),apoorfaithhealerandmysticfromthePolishregionofPodolia.KnownastheBaalShemTovorBeShT(MasteroftheGoodName),thehealerappealedtobothlearnedkabbalistsandsimpleJewswithhismysticallybasedmessageofspiritualelevation.Hissimplepietisticcharismainspiredadevotedcadreofdisciples.Itwastheserabbinicfollowerswho,fromthelateeighteenthcentury,spreadthenewritualpracticesandconceptualinno-vationsoftheBeShT,aprocesshastenedbythedismantlingoftheKingdomofPolandinaseriesofthreepartitions(1772,1793,and1795).ThedisciplesgainedtractioninJewishcommunitiesinotherpartsofPoland,Galicia,Belorussia,Lithuania,andlaterHungary(Assaf).WhataidedtheminspreadingthenewHasidicmessagewastheemergenceofanewmodelofrabbinicleadership:therebbecharismaticleaderbelievedtobepossessedofgreatspiritualpowers,includingtheabilitytointercedewithGodonbehalfofhisadherents.rebbesestablisheddynasticthroughoutEastandEastCentralEuropeinthelateeighteenthandearlynineteenthcentu-ries,eachofwhichcontaineditsowndistinctiveteachings,ritualvaria-tions,music,sartorialnorms,andlore.Totheoutsideobserver,Hasidicappearanceandcustomsmayappearuniform,but,infact,therearescoresandevenhundredsofgroupswiththeirownvariationsBobov,Bratslav,Lubavitch,Sanz,Slonim,andSkvir,tomentiononlyaveryfewallrootedinthediscretelocalesinwhichtheBeShTfollowersandtheirdescendantssettledthroughoutthenineteenthcentury.Fromacontemporaryperspective,oneofthelatestandmostsignifi-cantHasidiccourtstobeestablishedwasSatmar,namedaftertheRomanian(andformerlyHungarian)cityofSatuMare,wherethegroupsfounder,RabbiJoelTeitelbaum(18871979),leftaprofoundimprintaschiefrabbiinthe1930s.AlthoughTeitelbaumattracted ForabriefsurveyofarangeofAmericanHasidicmovements,seeBelcove-Shalin(199513). JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage2of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from legionsofdevotedfollowersfromthattimeandearlierperiodswhenhelivedinthecity,theoverwhelmingmajorityoftheJewishcommunitywasdeportedandmurderedatAuschwitz.ItwaslargelyintheUnitedStatesaftertheSecondWorldWarthatadistinctivebrandofHasidismknownasSatmarcanbesaidtohavetakenrise.Infact,itwasonAmericansoilthatthisbranddevelopedintoaSatmarKingdom,asithasbeencalled,anempirethatincludeswhatisassumedtobethelargestgroupofHasidicJewsintheworld.TeitelbaumembodiedoneofthegreatironiesofHasidism.HavingemergedasanupstartmovementseekingtoupendestablishednormsofJewishbehaviorinthenameofspiritualrevival,HasidismbecometheguardianoftraditionalJewishobservanceoverthecourseofthenineteenthandtwentiethcenturies.Forhispart,RabbiTeitelbaumwouldgainrenownasoneoftheleadersoftheuniquestrainofharediorUltra-OrthodoxJudaismthattookriseinthenortheastcorneroftheAustro-HungarianEmpireinthelatterhalfofthenineteenthcentury.Tothoseoutsideoftheharediworld,Teitelbaumwasaradicalwhoseextremisminbothpoliticalandreligioustermscasthimbeyondthemainstream.Meanwhile,tohisfollowers,hewasthegreatguardianoftradition,aleaderwhoinsistedonthemoststringentandpunctiliousobservanceofJewishritualasameansofassuringboundarymainte-nanceagainsttheconstantlyencroachingforcesofspiritualpollution.AnotherseemingironyinformedRabbiTeitelbaumsreligiousper-sonality:theco-existenceofhistheologicallyrootedpoliticalpassivityandhisfiercelycombativepersonality,markedbyanunrelentingcom-mitmenttodobattleagainstevil.Onthefaceofit,thenotionthatRabbiTeitelbaumhadamartialsidetohimor,forthatmatter,thatSatmarHasidismpossessedamilitaryhistory,asthetitleofthisarticleproposeswouldseemtostraintheboundsofcredulity.Afterall,thereneverwasaSatmararmynorasenseoftheimportanceofmilitaryservice.Onthecontrary,RabbiTeitelbaum,likemanyharedirabbisinhistime(andinIsraeltoday),encouragedhisfollowerstodowhateverwasnecessarytoavoidconscriptioninthearmiesinwhichtheywerecalledtoserve(e.g.,theAustro-Hungarian,Hungarian,Romanian,American,andIsraeli).Andsimilartoanumberofothertraditionalist TheHebrewtermharedi,whichconnotesasenseoftremulousfearorawe(ofGod),willbeusedhereinsteadofthetermUltraOrthodox,whichislargelyeschewedbyharediJewsthemselves.OnRabbiTeitelbaumsadvicetofollowerstoavoidmilitaryserviceintheAustro-Hungarianarmy,seeGelbman(1994:306308).GelbmanistheauthorofacomprehensivebiographyofRabbiTeitelbaum,ofwhichninevolumeshaveappearedtodate. Myers:CommandedWarPage3of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from rabbis,heurgedhisfollowerstoremaininEuropeduringtheNazirisetopower,duringwhichtimetheyweretoputtheirfateinGodshandsratherthanengageinarmedresistanceagainstthosesworntotheirdestruction.Thisstanceofpassivityamountedtoadistinctiveandasweshallsee,selectiveformofJewishquietisminTeitelbaum(Ravitzky1990Sacks1992:71).Unlikethemoreindividualisticversionofquietismassociatedwiththeseventeenth-centurySpaniardMigueldeMolinos,TeitelbauminsistedthatsubmissiontoGodinthefaceofpoliticalorotherexternalchallengeswasrequiredoftheJewishpeopleatlarge.ThisviewwastextuallygroundedintheThreeOathsmentionedintheBabylonianTalmud(Ketubot111a),asfollows:One,thatIsraelnotascendthewall(oftheHolyLand);one,thattheHolyOne,blessedbeHe,adjuredIsraelnottorebelagainstthenationsoftheworld;andone,thattheHolyOne,blessedbeHe,adjuredtheidolatersnottooppressIsraeloverlymuch.NotwithstandingthefactthattheseOathswereembeddedintheTalmud,theauthoritativecompendiumoftheJewishOralLaw,mostrabbiniccommentatorsandmodernscholarshaveregardedthemasaggadicandnonbindingthatis,asnothavingtheauthorityofenforceableprinciplesof,orJewishlaw.Andyet,asAviezerRavitzkyhasshown,atrailofrabbisfrommedievaltomoderntimeshasinsistedonelevatingtheOathstoamorebindingstatus,asakindofcodeofexilicconductthatdemandspoliticalsubservience(Ravitzky1996:212).ThisunderstandingfiguresprominentlyintheHasidicmove-ment,someofwhosecurrents,asGershomScholemfamouslyargued,neutralizedthelong-standingmessianicimpulseinJudaismthatsoughtaphysicalreturntotheHolyLand(Scholem1971:176202).Inthisregard,JoelTeitelbaumwasquintessentiallyHasidic,forhetransformedtheOathsintoakeypillarofhislegalandtheologicalworldview.DrawingonthesecondOaththatenjoinedJewsfrom SeetheaccountofoneformerSatmarHasidwhoreportedthattheRebbesaid:StayinEurope.Ha-Rebbeamar:tisharube-Eropah.AsimilarimpulsetowardpassivitycharacterizedJoelTeitelbaumsfellowHungariantraditionalist,theMunkaczerRebbe(HayimElazarShapira),whoenjoinedhisfollowersnottofleetheRussianarmyintheFirstWorldWar.Nadler(1994:243).OnthecomplicatedquestionoftraditionalistrabbisleavingEuropewhiletheirfollowersremained,seeFarbstein(2007:102109).Classicalrabbinicalliteraturedistinguishesbetween,nonlegal,homilecticalmaterial,,whichconsistsoflegallybindingmaterial. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage4of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from rebellingagainstthenationsoftheworld,hedemandedpassivesubmis-siontoGentilehostsuntiltheadventofthemessianicage.Likewise,hewasamongthemostadamantoftwentieth-centuryJewsinmain-tainingthatthefirstOaththatIsraelshouldnotbreachthewall(ofEretsYisrael)invalidatedtheunderlyinglogicandpurposeofTherefusaltoacceptpoliticalsubmissionandtheconcomi-tantarrogationbyhumanbeingsofthedivineprerogativetotriggerthereturntoEretsYisraewereamongZionismsgravestsins,asTeitelbaumarguedvigorouslyinhiscontroversialanti-ZionisttreatisesVa-YoelMosheh)andAlha-geulahve-alha-temurahTeitelbaum1959;cf.Nadler2004Andyet,thecalltopassivityhardlymeanttheabsenceeitherofmartialimageryorofadeeplyingrainedcombativenessinSatmarHasidism.Onthecontrary,RabbiTeitelbaumregardedhimselfashavingembarkedonadangerous,butnecessary,battleagainsttheforcesofmodernity.ThisbattlewascastinstarkManicheanterms:goodvs.evil;lightvs.darkness;and,perhapsmostrecurrently,purevs.impure.Obsessedfromchildhoodwithpersonalcleanliness,Teitelbaumtransposedhisownhygienicimperativeontothelifebattleinwhichhewasengaged(cf.Gelbman,1994:145).ThisrequireddailyvigilanceagainstthethatthreatenedtheSatmarwayoflife,whichwasoftendescribedinatavistictermsasderekhYisraelsava,orthepathoftheElderIsrael.Theaimofthisarticleistoshednewlightonthetraditionofmili-tarisminharediJudaism,mindfulofitsintersectionwithaco-existingcurrentofquietism.TheparticularprismthroughwhichthistraditionisexploredistheTeitelbaumfamilyofHungary,adistinguishedrab-binicfamilythatspawnedgenerationsoffollowersfromtheearlynine-teenthcenturytothepresent.Thearticleexploresthreehistoricalepisodes,allofwhichinvolvedtheTeitelbaumfamilyinanimportantwayand,atthesametime,featuredtheappearanceofabookundertheCommandedWar.Tobesure,thetitlehasampleprecursorsintheannalsofJewishliterature.Andyet,ratherthantreatthethree ThisstrongreadingoftheOathprovidedasharpreformulationofalong-standingprincipleguidingJewishcommunallifeintheDiaspora,rootedinthird-centurySassanidBabylonia:namely,thatJewsmustacknowledgeandrespectthefactthatthelawoftheKingdomisthelaw(inthewell-knownAramaicphrasedinadi-malkhutadinaThethirdOathassertsthatGodmadeavowwiththenationsoftheworldthattheywouldnotoppresstheJewishpeopletoomuch,theviolationofwhichcouldbeseenasgroundsforbreakingthesecondOath.ForadiscussionofRabbiTeitelbaumsunderstandingoftheThreeOaths,seeRavitzky(1996:63ff,232).Forfurtherdiscussions,seetheessaysbyLamm(1971:3853),:1982:135152),andKaplan(2004:165178). Myers:CommandedWarPage5of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from episodes(andbooks)asisolateddotsthatonlycoincidentallyconnecttooneanother,thisarticleseekstodemonstratethatwhengroupedtogether,theyrevealthecumulativeweightofaharedimilitarismthattypified,speltsuccessfor,and,mostrecently,hasbeenturnedagainsttheTeitelbaumrabbiniclegacy.Atthesametime,bytracingthesethreeepisodes,wegainalongueduréeperspectiveonthepathofthefamilymostfamousscion,JoelTeitelbaum,whosurvivedthedevastationofhiscommunityinEuropeduringtheNazieraandbuiltupanempirecenteredinNewYorkCityanditsenvirons.Inchartingthispath,weseethecentralityofamartialoutlookstrategy,rhetoric,andtempera-intheriseofaSatmarkingdom.Thedeploymentofamartialsensibilityremindsusofarathersimpleandunsettlingtruth:Violencehasalwaysbeenendemictoreli-SoMarkJuergensmeyeropensacollectionofessaysdevotedtoViolenceandtheSacredintheModernWorld.ThevolumetitleechoesRenéGirardshighlyinfluentialLaviolenceetlesacré(Girard1972).ForGirard,symbols,myths,andrhetoricofviolenceinreligioncanservetoair,control,anddefusetherealfeelingsofviolenceandhostil-itythatliebehindattemptstocarryoutviolentactivitiesJuergensmeyer1991:1,3).ButthecaseofSatmarHasidismleadsustothinklessofthisaspectofcontrollingviolencethanofanotherofGirardskeyclaims:hisviewofthemimeticdesirethatanimatescom-petition,rivalry,andviolence,oftentimesamongthosewhoseemtobeclosestinoutlooktooneanother.InthecaseoftheSatmarHasidim,ourcasestudiessuggestthatthedesiretomaintainstrictlyregulatedboundariesofpurity,orinGirardslanguage,toacquirethemantleofpurity,wascouchedinwar-likelanguageandthatoverthecourseoftime,thislanguagealmostinescapablybegantobeusedbyonesegmentofthegroupsferventbelieversagainstanothercampofinter-nalrivals.ItisinthissensethatonecanspeakofthemilitaryhistoryofSatmarHasidism.Ofcourse,SatmarHasidimarenotaloneamongJewsinthisregard.Infact,thereisaratherlonghistorytorabbinicmilitarism.Thiswaslargelyatheoreticalmilitarism,withoutsoldiersorbrigades,becauserabbinicJudaismtookriseinthepost-Templeconditionsofstatelessnessthatis,afterthefailedrevoltagainsttheRomansthatledtothedestruc-tionoftheSecondTempleinJerusalemin70CEandafteranotherfailedrevoltagainsttheRomansbyBarKochbaandhisJewishfollowers135CE).Therabbisavowedaversiontomilitaryactivismfollow-ingthetwomilitarydebaclespromptedadecidedstanceofsubserviencetowardsovereignpowers,quiteincontrasttoJewsinbiblicaltimesfor JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage6of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from whomwarwasaregularandrealcomponentoftheirlivedexperienceandGodanactivepresenceintheirbattles.However,theabsenceofactualarmiesdidnotpreventthesagesoftheMishnahandTalmudfromengagingindiscussionsofwartheoryfocusedonthedistinctionbetweenacommandedwar(knowninHebrewasamilhemetmitsvahmilhemethovah)andadiscretionarywar(milhemetreshut)(MishnahSotah8;BTSanhredrin20A,29B).Theirmedievalsuccessors,atanevenfurtherremovefromthedaysofactiveJewisharmies,alsodebatedthedistinction.Buttheyusuallyhadinmindwarsfromtheancientpast.ThelegalscholarAryehEdreiobservesthatforthelaterrabbis,(t)heBiblicalwarisnowtreatedallegorically,relatingnottomilitarybattle,buttothewarofTorahmilhamtahshelTorahEdrei2006:194,Ravitzky2006:3).Whetherallegoricalornot,thelanguageofwarhasbeenaconstantinJewishhistory,fromantiquitytothemodernage.TheBibleisrepletewithmartialimagery,includingthefamousreferencetoGodintheSongoftheSea(Exod.15:3)asishmilhamahmanofwar.ourowntime,theBrooklyn-basedChabadmovement(ofLubavitcherHasidim)isrenownedforitsTzivosha-Shem,itsarmiesofGodwhosesoldiersareengagedinabattletoreviveJewishidentityinchil-drenandprovidethemwithaJewisheducationthroughinformalandentertainingprogramshttp://www.tzivos-hashem.org(n.d.);cf. Noteworthyinthisregardisthegreatmedievaljuristandphilosopher,Maimonides(11351204),whodiscussedthetwocategoriesofwarinhisauthoritativeworkofcodification,theMishnehTorah.Acommandedwar,hedeclared,istheoneinwhichakingengagesinordersave(thepeopleof)Israelfromanenemythathasattackedthem.Adiscretionarywar,bycontrast,istheoneinwhichakingseekstoexpandthebordersofIsrael,ortoenhancehisgreatnessandprestigeMishnehTorah,LawsofKings5:12).ItisstrikingthatafiguresuchasMaimonideswoulddevoteanyattentiontothishypotheticaltopic,giventhepotentialtoangerorcausemisunderstandingamongGentilehosts.Atonelevel,itwouldseemasifhisdiscussionhadlittletodowiththeconditionsofhistimeandmorewithhisdesiretoestablishnorms,safeguards,andlimitsforthemessianicfutureinwhichpoliticalsovereigntywouldberestoredtothepeopleofIsrael.Atthesametime,Maimonidesnotionofwarwasforgedinaspecificcontext.NoahFeldmanhasanalyzedthewaysinwhichMaimonideswartheoryborecleartracesofcontemporaneousdebatesinthesurroundingMuslimworld.EvenwiththeevidentpowerdifferentialbetweenJewsandMuslims,Maimonidesposedsimilarquestionsaboutwar(e.g.,aboutthedistinctionbetweenidolatersandtoleratedminorities)tothoseframedbyIslamicphilosophers.Feldman(2006:99100).Itisimportanttonote,asRobertEisenhasarguedinarecentbook,thatthethreemainstrandsofpremodernJewishintellectualculturerabbinics,philosophy,andmysticismcontainwithinthemabundantsourcesthatspeakthelanguagebothofpeaceandviolence.SeeEisen(2011).Meanwhile,forapairofdiverseviews,seeElliottHorowitzsculturalhistoryoftheJewishembraceofviolenceinHorowitz(2006)andReuvenFirestone(2012),whoarguesforatwomillenniahiatusinJudaismfromtheideaofaholywar—fromantiquityuntiltheadventofmodernZionism.Inanearlierarticle,Firestoneprovidedanarrowerfocus,morerelevanttoourconcerns(Firestone2006:954982). Myers:CommandedWarPage7of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from Fishkoff2003;cf.HeilmanandFriedman2011).Andoverthecenturies,numerousrabbiswrotebooksundertherubricofcommandedwarobligatorywar.Inmostinstances,thewarstheyimaginedweretobeconductednotagainsttheGentileworld,butagainstotherJewsor,asintheearlyfifteenth-centurybookMilhemetmitsvah(1438)ofR.ShlomobenShimonDuran,againstaformerJewturnedhostilewitnessagainsthiserstwhileco-religionists.Thiskindoflanguage,itmustbeemphasized,isnotuniquetoJudaism.ThehistoriesofIslamandChristianityarefilledwithcallsforholywartobeundertakenbyarmiesoftheirfaithful.TheCrusadescommencedasamovementtoliberatetheHolyLandfromthehandsoftheMuslimwhocontrolleditinthelateeleventhcentury.Farfromdisappearingfromview,theCrusadesbecame,accordingtooneinsightfulMuslimobserver,anorganizingprincipleofWesternattitudestoIslamintothemodernage.Itiscurioustonotethepersistenceofthismartialimage,andinavarietyofsettings,fromthelong-standingAmericanorganization,CampusCrusadeforChrist,foundonuniversitycampusestothelanguageinvokedbyformerPresidentGeorgeW.Bushinreferringtothewaronterror.”Bythesametoken,Islamicmovements,pastandpresent,haveoftenextendedthemeaningofthewordbeyondtherealmofpersonalstruggletoconnoteawiderandmoreaggressivebattleforthefaith.Indoingso,theyhaveagitatednotonlytoremovethepresenceofnon-Muslimsfromdaral-IslamrealmofIslamicfaithful),buttocarrythebattleintotheheartofthenon-Muslimlands(knownasrealmofwardaral-harbAsinthecaseofJudaism,sotoointhecaseofChristianityandIslam,themartialimpulsehas,frequentlyenough,beendirectedagainstwaywardmembersofonesownfaithtradition.Werecallthatthe,fromwhichthewordderives,wagedviolent InthewordsofMuhammadAsad,(W)hatOccidentalsthinkandfeelaboutIslamtodayisrootedinimpressionsthatwerebornduringtheCrusades.AsadwasbornLeopoldWeiss,aJewfromLemberg,beforeconvertingtoIslamandspendingthebulkofhisadultlifeintheMuslimworld,includingasPakistansfirstministerplenipotentiarytotheUnitedNations.Seehisautobiography,Asad(1954:5).TheCampusCrusadeforChristisanorganizationfoundedin1951thatseekstoadvanceitsbywinningpeopletofaithinJesusChrist,buildingthemintheirfaithandsendingthemtowinandbuildothers.CampusCrusadeforChristInternationalataGlanceRegardingPresidentBush,henotedinapressconferenceonSeptember16,2001,that:thisisanewkindofanewkindofevil.Andweunderstand.AndtheAmericanpeoplearebeginningtounderstand.Thiscrusade,thiswaronterrorismisgoingtotakeawhile.http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010916-2.htmlSee,forexample,Cook(2005:20).Cooknotesthatamongthevarioususestowhichthetermwasappliedweregreaterandlesserjihadsthatis,nonviolentorspiritualandviolentormilitary. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage8of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from campaignsagainstfellowMuslimsintheMiddleAges.Meanwhile,theSpanishInquisitionwasoneofthemostnotoriousofinternallydirectedtoolsofwar,aimed,asitwas,againstChristianheretics(i.e.,conversosnotJews.Andofcourse,theReformationbeganasanintramuralChristianprotestbeforefuelingthepassionforbattleamongwarringChristiannationsintheThirtyYearsWar.Morerecenttimesproffermanyexamplesofthisinternallydirectedmartialspirit,bothinwordanddeed.Totakebutoneillustrativecase,theBritish-CanadianChristianFundamentalistT.T.Shieldsissuedalarationofwarin1926.HismaintargetwasthattravestyofintellectualandculturalnoveltiesthatpromptedthedenialofdivineinspirationandauthorityoftheScriptures.Inparticular,itwasChristianmodernismthatsoenragedShields,especiallyitsrepudiationoftheessentialDeityofChrist...reducingHimtothelevelofamanPriest2005:69101;Shieldsn.d.Itwasinthisveryperiod,albeitinaverydifferentcontext,thatRabbiJoelTeitelbaumwaswaginghisownwaragainstBornin1887intheHungarianUnterlandinthenortheastquadrantoftheAustro-HungarianEmpire,Teitelbaumwasraisedinahighlychargedreligiousenvironmentthatproducedanewkindoftraditionalist,antimo-dernist,harediorultra-Orthodox,Judaism.Hisfamilyhistory,extendingbacktotheearlynineteenth-centuryHasidicleader,R.MosheTeitelbaum(17591841),knownastheYismachMoshe,wasmarkedbyfrequentandoftenbittercombatwiththosebelievedtobedeviantsfromthetraditionalpathofTorah-trueJudaism.TheTeitelbaumswerenotaloneaswarriors;theyinhabitedaJewishmilieuinHungaryrifewithfierceintra-Jewishdisputationandrecrimination.ButtheywerefirstamongequalsinmanifestingadistinctlymilitaristicversionofHasidismthatwasdirectedagainstvariouscirclesofenmityintheirmidstGentiles,butevenmoreso,fellowJewsofdifferentpersuasions:reform-ers,traditionalistsofcompetingcamps,andZionists.Indeed,whiletheirwarswerenotwagedbyarmedsoldiers,asinbiblicaltimes,neitherweretheymeretheoreticalabstractions,astheyhadbeenforthelateantiqueandmedievalrabbis.Harshrhetoriccastigatingonesenemiesinbooks,broadsides,andsynagogueswascommonandattimesspilledoverintophysicalviolence.Recallingthemultipleconnotationsofthetermjihad,wemightcontrastthisapproachtoamorespiritualistHasidisminwhichthebattleagainstevilwaswagedinternally,withinanindividual. AgoodreflectionofthislatterapproachisofferedbyR.SholomNoahBerezofsky,theSlonimerRebbe.InhiscommentaryontheTorahportionKiTetseh.BerezofskyarguesthattheconstantstruggleinwhichtheJewmustengageisthatdirectedagainsttheevilinclinationwithinhim.In Myers:CommandedWarPage9of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from UponassumingrabbinicalpostsinvariousHungariantownsandcitiesinthe1910sand1920s,JoelTeitelbaummadeamplyclearfromtheoutsetthatheintendedtofollowinthefootstepsofhisforebearsindoingbattleagainstevilforces,which,thoughoutsideofhiscircleoffollowers,werewithintheJewishfold.HischieftargetswereJewsoftwokinds:first,whowereattemptingtointroduceinno-vationsintoJudaismthroughamixofreligiousreform,seculareduca-tion,andassimilationtoGentileculture;andsecond,Zionists,whobelievedinthepowerofhumanagencytoeffectareturntotheances-tralhomelandandthusviolatedinflagrantfashiontheThreeOaths.Inbothcases,Teitelbaumwasanimatedbyhislife-longquestforpurity,whichAllanNadlerdiagnosesasobsessivecompulsive().Asageneralmatter,religiousfundamentalists,ofwhomRabbiTeitelbaumcouldbeconsideredone(givenhispersistentinstincttoreturntothefundamentalsofJudaism),placegreatemphasisonpurityandmoreover,tendtodividetheworldintorealmsofpurityandimpur-ity(Antoun2001:73).JoelTeitelbaumsconcernforpuritybeganearlyinlifeandwasreflectedinhisfastidiousattentiontopersonalhygieneforexample,hisrepeatedwashingandbathroomvisitsasanessentialprerequisitetoprayerorhisreportedpracticeoftradingfoodfortoiletpaperinBergen-Belsen(Gelbman2006:82).Theboundarybetweenthepersonalandthetheologicalbecameblurredforhim:puritymeantalign-mentwithholiness;impuritymeantpassingovertothesitraahra(theevilandimpureothersidediscussedintheJewishmysticaltradition).Thislinkbetweenthehygienicandthetheologicalyieldeditsowncuriousbiopolitics.Forindeed,maintainingpuritywasakeyimpetusbehindRabbiTeitelbaum’sdesiretocreate,afterhecametoAmerica,aself-standingSatmarcommunity,removedfromthealluresandseduc-tionsofapollutedurbanenvironmentsuchasNewYorkCity.Theresultofthislong-standingaspirationwastheformalincorporationinMarch1977ofKiryasJoel,NewYork,todayavillageofovertwentythousandresidents.TheimpulsetocreatethevillagewasareflectionandfulfillmentofthepurityobsessionthatnotonlyanchoredRabbiTeitelbaumsworldviewbutischaracteristicofreligiouslyinspiredenclavecultures,asMaryDouglas(n.d.)hasdescribedthem.Thestruggletopreservepurityrequiresconstantvigilanceandreadi-nessforbattle.RabbiTeitelbauminheritedthismartialimpulsefromhisrabbinicancestors,addedhisownstringentpiety,andbequeathedittohisheirs.Atonelevel,thisprocessoftransmissionhasbeensuccessfulin fact,Berezofskyquotesateachingofhispredecessor(andfather-in-law)thatadayinwhichaJewhasdonenothingtoupsettheevilinclinationisnotconsideredadayinhislifen.d.:127). JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage10of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from perpetuatingastrongsenseofgroupcohesion.Atanotherlevel,ithashadavarietyofdeleteriouseffects.Itmustberemembered,asMaxWeberobserved,thattheprocessoftransmittingdynasticandespeciallycharismaticauthoritywithinafamilyoftenprovestobeexceptionallydif-ficult(Weber1968:4865).SuchhasbeenthecasewiththeposthumouslegacyofJoelTeitelbaum,whodiedin1979.Hisnephewandsuccessor,R.MosheTeitelbaum,whodiedin2006,neversucceededincommand-ingthefullrespectoforcontrolovertheSatmarcommunity.Meanwhile,Moshessons,AaronandZalmanLeibTeitelbaum,internalizedthemartialimpulseoftheirgreatunclebuthavelargelydirecteditagainstoneanother.Theirbattleoverleadershipisconductedinawiderangeofforumsinparallelandcompetingsynagogues,yeshivahs,cemeteries,newspapers,andrabbinicalopinions,aswellasinregularlitigationinNewYorkstatecourts.TheanimatingcombativenessisaTeitelbaumfamilytrademark,employed,inthisinstance,togaincontroloverthegrowingSatmarnetworkofinstitutionsandproperty.Thetaskofthisarticleistosituatethatcombativetendencyinanextendedcontextualweb.Itdoessobytracing,inserialfashion,threeinstancesofcommandedwarassociatedwiththeTeitelbaumfamilyoverthecourseofacentury,notingboththegalvanizingandcorrosiveeffectsofthemartialimpulsethathasbeensoinextricablylinkedwiththelargestHasidicgroupintheworld.THEFIRSTCOMMANDEDWAR:THEBATTLEAGAINSTSTATUSQUOEvenmorethantheHungariancityofSzatmárfromwhichtheSatmarHasidimtaketheirname,thetownofSziget,sixty-fivemileseast,wasanearlyprovinggroundforthemartialimpulseinHasidism.ItwastherethatthesonoftheYismachMosheandthegreat-grandfa-therofJoelTeitelbaum,EliezerNissanTeitelbaum(17851854),settledin1834toserveasrabbioftheJewishcommunity.HisappointmentwasgreetedwithdismaybyasubstantialnumberofthetownsfivehundredorsoJews—thoughnotprincipallybyreform-mindedagainstwhomhisfatherregularlyinveighed.Rather,opposi-tioncamefromfellowHasidim,membersoftheKosovsectwhofavoredadifferentcandidatefortherabbinicpost(NetzerandSzalai:1920).ConstantcontroversydoggedEliezerNissan,whoopted SeealsotheentrybyMichaelSilberonSzigetMarmaiei(n.d.)intheYIVOEncyclopediaofJewsinEasternEurope Myers:CommandedWarPage11of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from toleavethepositionaftersixyearsfortheGaliciancityofDrohobycz.Eighteenyearslater,hisson,YekutielYehudah(180883),knownastheYetev(orYitav)Lev,reclaimedthepositionofrabbiofSzigetfortheTeitelbaumfamily.WhereashisfatherchosetoeschewtheincessantbattleinthefractiousworldofSzigetJewry,theYetevLevwasareadycombatant,eagertodefendtheboundsofpietyagainstalltransgressors.Ashisgrandsonwouldinalaterperiodandelsewhere,theYetevLevsoughttointroduceamorerobustritualregimen(e.g.,dressnorms,etc.)soonaftertakingofficeinSziget.Itwouldbeanunderstatementtosaythathewasreceivedwithlessthanuniversalacclaim.Hissupportforanewritualslaughtererwhomethisexactingstandardsledlocalbutchers,accordingtoafamilylegend,tothrowarockthroughthewindowofhishomewiththeintentofdoinghimseriousbodilyharm(Teitelbaum1982:144).Infact,thethreatshefacedintownweremany,includingfromhisputativeallies,fellowOrthodoxandevenHasidicJewswhofearedanddislikedthepowerandparticularformsofstringencyoftheTeitelbaumfamily.Indeed,infightingbetweenHasidicgroups,betweenHasidimandnon-Hasidictraditionalists,andbetweentraditionalistOrthodoxandmorefreethink-ingJewsassociatedwiththeStatusQuocommunity,wasendemicintheHungarianUnterlandinthelasthalfofthenineteenthcenturySilber1994:124ff;Lupovitch2003:123ff).Thiscultureofcontentionandcombatgainednewforceinthe1860s.InDecember1867,theJewsofAustriaandHungarywere,atlonglast,formallyemancipated.Ahalfyearearlier,agroupofOrthodoxJewsorganizedanassociationoftheirowncalledtheShomreiHa-Dat(GuardiansofReligion)Society.AfterapprovingthebylawsofthisneworganizationinMarch1868,theliberal-mindedHungarianMinisterofEducationandReligionJosephEötvöscalledforthecreationofanewnationalbodytorepresenttheentireJewishcommunity,especiallyinitsrelationswiththestate.HeconvenedacongressinDecember1868withpreciselythisaim.AsJacobKatzhasshowningreatdetailinAHouseDivided,ratherthanfosterunity,thecongressexposeddeepandirrecon-cilableriftsbetweenthecompetingsectorsofHungarianJewry(Katz1998).Disagreementaroseatvirtuallyeveryturn,whetheroverelectingacongresspresidentordeterminingifthesixteenth-centurycodeofJewishlaw,theShulhanArukh,shouldbeauthoritativeincommunalaffairs.Onthefaceofit,theriftwasbetweenliberalandOrthodoxcamps.TheformersucceededinpassingaseriesofregulationsatthecongressintendedtogovernJewishcommunitiesthroughoutHungary.Thelatter,whosemembershadsoughttoasserttheirindependenceevenbeforethecongressthroughShomreiHa-Dat,vehementlyopposedthe 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regulations.InadirectrebuttalofEötvös,theyappealedtotheHungarianparliamentfortherighttobeexemptedandtocreatetheirownnationalorganization,whichwasgrantedin1870.ButthenewlyapprovedOrthodoxorganizationdidnothavelongtocelebrate.IttoofounditselfplaguedbybitterdivisionbetweenmoremoderateandconservativefactionswhatwemightcallincontemporarytermstraditionalistOrthodoxy.Aclearsignoftheworldviewofthetraditionalistscanbegleanedfromanassemblyheldearlier,in1865,inthenortheastHungariantownofMichalowce(Michalowitz).Animatedbythespiritoftwofiercedefendersofthefaithwhoprecededthem,theYismachMosheandthefamousGerman-bornHatamSoferofPressburg(MosesSchreiber,1839),thedelegatesissuedanine-pointresolutionthatbeganwithabanonsermonsinanylanguageotherthanYiddishandcon-cludedwithasweepingprohibitiononchangetoanyJewishcustomoranytraditionalsynagoguepracticeGuttmann1977:264Katz:7785;Silber1999:39,5059).WhilesomenotableandmoremodernOrthodoxrabbisinHungarydidnotsigntheMichalowcedec-laration,thesignatoriesdidincludetheYismachMoshesgrandson,RabbiYekutielYehudahTeitelbaum,theYetevLevofSziget.ForagoodnumberofthesignatoriesoftheMichalowcedeclaration,includingtheYetevLev,thenewlycreatedOrthodoxorganizationof1870didnotgofarenoughinseparatingitselffromtheliberalJewishmainstream.Asaresult,Sziget,undertheleadershipoftheYetevLev,didnotjointheorganization,insistingthattraditionalistsshouldnotbetakingordersfromacentralizedorganizationrunbydubiousauthor-ities(Katz1998:205).ThisdecisionbecamethesourceofconsiderablecontroversyinSziget,pushingtotheforeasetofabidingtensions:first,thosebetweentheOrthodoxleadershipandthenewlycreated,moderatefactionofJewsassembledundertherubricStatusQuo;andsecond,thosebetweenHasidicandnon-Hasidictraditionalistsintown,aswellasamongdifferentHasidimthemselves.Indeed,theunderlyingbeliefofthearch-traditionalistswasthatthemodernworldwasfullofunre-strainedhostility,danger,andpollutionthatmandatedongoingbattle.ItisinthisworldofenmitythatacalltoarmswassoundedinSziget,whichbringsustothefirstandmostwell-knowninstanceofcommandedwartobediscussed.In1888,avolumeentitled(CommandedWar)waspublishedthatbroughttoaheadthestormycontroversythathadroiledthecommunityforyears,includinginthelastyearsofthelifeoftheYetevLev.Asnoted,theYetevLevrefusedtoaccepttheauthorityofthecentralOrthodoxorganizationinHungary.Afterhisdeathin1883,thequestionwasreopened,withthe Myers:CommandedWarPage13of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from YetevLevssupporterseventuallylosingouttoRabbiKalmanKahanaandhisfollowerswhoagreedtoaccepttheauthorityofthecentralorganization.Clearly,thefractiousspiritthathadriventheHungarianJewishCongressin186869wasaliveandwellinSziget.Infact,in1887,agroupofHasidic(e.g.,Kosov)andnon-HasidicJews,allextremelypious,strainedagainstandfinallybrokefromthegripofthemainstreamOrthodoxestablishmentintown(consistingofbothKahanaandTeitelbaumfactions).ThenascentStatusQuogroup,whichsoughttostrikeabalancebetweentheharedipresenceinSzigetandthereform-mindedNeologfaction,joinedinwiththisbreakawayfaction.Thesestrangebedfellowsthebreak-awayharedimandtheStatusQuo—cametobeknownasthe(SpanishJews),largelyowingtothefactthattheHasidimamongthemusedtheminhagSefaradprayerrite,althoughtheywerenotofSephardicprovenance.Inframingthebattleagainstthesetwoallies,theeditorofannouncedonthetitle-pagethattheOrthodoxcongregationwasfightingagainstthosewhoriseuptodestroyandabrogatealltheregulationsthatsagesandrighteousmenoverthegenerationshavesetinplaceMilhemetmitzvah:TitlePage)(Figure).Thevolumeinquestionactuallyconsistedoftwomainparts:(1)Aforty-five-pagesectionentitledMiktavgalui(OpenLetter)con-taininglettersfromrabbisthroughouttheUnterlandopposingtheeffortsoftheStatusQuotogainanyfooting.AmongtheletterswasonefromtheYetevLev,whilehewasstillalive,towhichweshallreturn.(2)Aonehundred-pagesectionentitledMilhemetmitsvah(CommandedWar)thatincludedvarioussubsectionsinwhichrab-binicfiguresfromtheUnterlandexpressedtheiroppositiontothebreakawaycommunityandtotherabbinicsupportersofthatcommunitywhopublishedtheirownapprobationsin1887underthetitleOhevmishpat(LoverofLaw).InresponsetotheappearanceofMilhemetmitzvahin1888,theothergroupofrabbis,manyofwhomcamefromoutsideofHungary(suchastherenownedNeTsiVofLithuania),publishedtheirownbookletcalledOhevshalom(LoverofPeace). ThiskindofcuriousalliancewasnotuniquetoSziget.SeeLupovitch(2003:127). JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage14of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from Itisinstructivetonotethedifferenceinpamphlettitlesofthetwogroupsofrabbis.ThemartiallanguageoftheHungarianrabbisanditisimportanttonotethatbothHasidicandnon-HasidicHungarianrabbiscontributedstandsincontrasttothemoreirenicrenderingoftheopposingrabbisfromGaliciaandLithuania.Thismaynotbeacci-dental.Indeed,itwasabattlethattheHungarianswerepreparedtowageagainstthe,themodernizerswhosoughttointroduce FIGURE1.MILHEMETMITSVAH(COMMANDEDWAR)SIGHET, Myers:CommandedWarPage15of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from changeintotheancientwaysofIsrael.AndtheirhomeintheHungarianUnterlandwasadistinctiveincubatorforastrainofJewishtraditionalismthatregardeditselfasinvolvedinafighttothedeath.ThelateIsraelihistorianJacobKatzandhisdiscipleMichaelSilberhaveobservedthewaysinwhichHungarianrabbisimaginedthemselvesasunmediatedcontinuatorsofapure,authentic,traditionalJudaismallthewhilethattheyintroducedanewregimeofbehaviorandstringencyandmadeuseofcommunicationandorganizationalstrategiesthatborethemarkoftheirowntime.Thistraditionalismwasavowedlyantimo-derninintent,butatthesametime,aclearbyproductofamodernandsecularage.Keenlymindfulofthethreateningnatureofthemodernage,thoughnotalwaysoftheirdebttoit,traditionalistsadoptedapugnaciousstancetodefendthepuredomainoffaithfromdangerousinterlopers.ItisthatveryimpulsethatpromptedtheYetevLevtojoinfellowtraditionalistsinwieldinghissword.WhenaskedifaJewwaspermittedtoavailhimselfofservicesprovidedbytheStatusQuocommunity,hethunderedthatitisforbiddentoenjoytheproductoftheritualslaugh-teroftheStatusQuo,foritisanabomination.Infact,thosecalledStatusQuoJewstodaywereyesterdaysNeologs,thatis,reform-mindedmodernizerswhosecunningwasintendedtotripupthelegsoftheremnantsofthechildrenofIsraelwhostillfearGodandarewholeintheirfaithMilhemetmitzvah:3).DozensofsimilaradmonitionsbyfellowHasidicandnon-HasidicrabbisappearedinMilhemetmitsvah,takingtotasktheStatusQuoandcommunitiesfortheirtransgressions.Oneofthedevelop-mentstowhichtheadmonishersstrenuouslyobjectedandwhichtheysoughttopreventwasthedecisionofthosegroupstoseparatethem-selvesfromthemainOrthodoxorganizationinSziget.Ironically,thatlatterorganizationwasitselfborneofthedecisionbyHungarian TheMaharamShik,aleadingHungarianrabbiandadvocateofaseparatistOrthodoxcommunityinHungary,inveighedagainstthemodernizersinhisopeningletterfrom1868intheMiktavgaluisectionofMilhemetmitsvah,1.Atthesametime,itisimportanttonotethatotherpartsofEastandEastCentralEuropefeaturedtheirownpitchedintra-Jewishbattles,asRaphaelMahlerfamouslychronicled().Thetensionsrosetothelevelofmurder,ofRabbiAbrahamKohn,inLemberg,Galicia,in1848.SeeStanislawski(2007)Inanalyzingthisbrandoftraditionalists,JacobKatzassertsthat(t)heclaimoftheOrthodoxtobenomorethantheguardiansofthepureJudaismofoldisafiction.Katz:4).Meanwhile,oneofthebestanalysesofthiskindoftraditionalismremainsMichaelsarticle,TheEmergenceofUltra-Orthodoxy:TheInventionofTraditionSilber199984).ForanimportantcomparativediscussionoftraditionalistOrthodoxattitudestowardnon-observantJewsinEurope,seeFerziger(2005).Andforaseminaldiscussionoflatter-daytraditionalism,seeSoloveitchik(1994:64130). JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage16of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from traditionaliststoseparatethemselvesin1870fromthemoreliberalnationalorganizationcreatedoutoftheJewishCongress.Indeed,thisepisodesuggeststhatitisdifficulttoputthegenieofseparatismbackinthebottle.Onceunleashed,itsdynamicstriggerfurtherdefections,atwhichpointyesterdaysrebelsbecometodaysestablishment.TheYetevLev,whorefusedtoaccepttheauthorityofthenationalJewishorgani-zationinHungary,alsorefusedtorecognizethelegitimacyofStatusQuoritualslaughterersinhishome-townofSziget.Hedidsointhenameofauthenticityandunity,valuesthatobviouslydwellintheeyesofthebeholderandforwhichheandhisdescendentsbelieveditnec-essarytoengageinbattle.THESECONDCOMMANDEDWAR:INDEFENSEOFJOELSELECTIONASRABBIOFSATUMAREAlthoughthesecond,andsomewhatlesserknown,episodeofacommandedwartookplacefortyyearsafterthefirst,itmakeslittlesensetoregardthetwoinisolationfromoneanother.Tobesure,Szigetwasthesiteofthefirst,andSzatmárthesecond,butbothbelongedtothesamemilieuofintensehostilityamongcompetingJewishfactionsintheHungarianUnterland.Inbothsettings,thecentralriftwasocca-sionedbytraditionalistsfearsofmodernizerswhoweretransgressingthehallowedspaceofhalakhicobservance(eventhoughtheactualalliancesforgedbroughttraditionalistsandmodernizerstogetherattimes).AndbothinstancesfeaturedmembersoftheTeitelbaumfamilyasdramatispersonae.Inthefirstcase,theYetevLevwasoneoftheprominentsigna-toriestothefirstMilhemetmitsvah.Moreimportantly,hisstridentoppo-sitiontoforcesofinnovationwhileservingasrabbiofSzigetyieldednotcommunalunity,butnew,sharplinesofsectariandivision.Thesecondcase,asweshallnowsee,revolvedaroundanotherTeitelbaum,theYetevLevsgrandson,JoelTeitelbaum.TheyoungerTeitelbaum,aswenotedabove,wasborninSzigetin1887thatis,intheverytimeandplacethatgaverisetothefirstcommandedwar.YoungJoelwasaspecialboy,possessedofgreatgiftsforTorahstudyandaproclivityforconstantself-purificationtoreadyhimselfforprayer.Inrecognitionofhissonsunworldlybearing,theKedushasYomTovwasoncesaidtohavedeclared:MysonYoelishwasneveraGelbman2006:I,59ff).Clearlyconditionedforalifeofintensepietyandlearning,youngJoelwasalsoequippedforbattle,inthewayofhisforebears.Likethem,hewasuncompromisinginhisresistancetoinnovationsinritual,dress,language,oreducation. Myers:CommandedWarPage17of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from Whatwasnotinitiallyclearwaswherehewouldengageincombat.ItwasnothisfatetoinheritthefamilymantleinSziget.Infact,hisfatherimpartedthesewordstoJoelonhisdeathbed:Yourelderbrotherwilltakemyplace;hewillbecometherabbiofSziget.Idontwanttwokingsservingonecrown,andyouwouldmaketworabbisinSziget.Idonthavearabbinicpositiontobestowuponyou,andsoIwillbequeathtoyouthespiritualpowersthatIreceivedfromtheholyone,ourteacherandmaster,theYetevLev,whoreceivedthemfromourdistinguishedforebear,theYismachMoshe.(Gelbman2006:I:386JoelheededtheKedushasYomTovsinstructionstoleavetown.Itwascustomaryfortheeldestsontoinheritthemantleofleadershipfromhisfatherandfortheremainingsonstoleavetowntomakeroomfortheirbrother,butthatdoesnotmeanthattherewereneverinstancesoftwokingsservingonecrown.SuccessionbattleswerenotuncommonintheHasidicworld,includingintheChabadcourtintheearlynine-teenthcentury(Assaf2011:37ff).Inmorerecenttimes,NewYorkhasbeenthesiteofanumbersuchstrugglesinvolvingBobover,Vishnitz,andSatmarHasidim(ABattleforSuccessionTakesNoHoliday2005ButperhapsthemostcontentiouscontemporaryinstancesoftwokingsservingonecrownasFiguresuggestsinvolvesJoelTeitelbaumsgrand-nephews,AaronandZalman.Theyhavebitterlycon-testedoneanothersince1999forleadershipoftheSatmarkingdom.ThisremindsusthatAmericahasbeenthevenuefortheSatmarmove-mentsgreatesttriumphsbutalsoitsmostself-destructiverifts.Butthatisjumpingaheadtothecaseofourthirdandfinalcommandedwar.In1904,JoelTeitelbaumbeganhisjourneyasarabbi,makinghiswayinitiallytoSzatmár.Soonafterarrivingthere,theyoungTeitelbaum,stillinhislateteens,begantodemonstrateamixofthepiouscharismaforwhichhewouldbecomeknownandhisfamilyscharacteristiczeal.Whenhelearnedofawomensritualbaththatwaslocatednearamenbath-house,heorganizedagroupofsupporterstorazetheoffendingstructureinthemiddleofthenight(Fuchs1980:70).Fromthisearlystageinhiscareer,Teitelbaumestablishedapatternthathewouldfollowwheneverhemovedtoanewlocale:Hewouldimmediatelyseektointro-duceanewregimeofritualstringency,focusinginparticularonmatterssuchaskashrut(dietaryregulations),womensmodestynorms,andedu-cationalpriorities(e.g.,religiousstudytotheneartotalexclusionofsecularsubjects).Similartohisfatherandgrandfather,heoftenfocusedhisattentionontheStatusQuocommunity,whosestandardsofobserv-anceheunrelentinglycondemned.Overthecourseoftime,heexpanded JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage18of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from hisrangeoftargetstoincludemembersoftheNeologcommunity(theHungarianequivalentofReform),aswellasotherOrthodoxJews,espe-ciallyoftheAgudatYisraelmovement.Hisgreatestopprobrium,though,wasreservedfortheZionists,whoseviolationoftheThreeOathshedeemedunforgiveable.Inthisregard,Teitelbaumscombativenessflowedinmultipledirectionsandwasrootedinmattersofobservanceandtheo-logicalprinciplealike.AlthoughitwasinSzatmárthathewouldsolidifyhisreputationasaleadingsoldierinthebattleforthesoulofJudaism,itwasnotthere FIGURE2.ADIVIDEDKINGDOMOFSATMAR:RABBIAARONANDRABBIZALMANLEIBTEITELBAUM. Myers:CommandedWarPage19of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from thatTeitelbaumfirstmadehisnameasarabbi.Whenhemovedtotown,Szatmáralreadyhadachiefrabbi,JudaGrünwald.Anumberofyearslater,in1910,thetwenty-three-yearoldTeitelbaumwasappointedtothepostofrabbiandpresidingjudgeoftherabbinicalcourtofthesmallHungarianJewishcommunityofIlosva(knowninSatmarandYiddishsourcesasOrshava),somesixtymilesawayfromSzatmár.ThereTeitelbaumwentaboutestablishinghisdistinctiveritualregimeandattractingacadreofdevoteddisciples.Itisimportanttonoteatthispointthathewasservingasatheappointedrabbiofapar-ticularlocalewhoseconstituentsweretheentiremembershipoftheJewishcommunity.Later,hewouldalsocometoserveasarebbe,acharismaticspiritualleaderwhoseeverywordwasdeemedsacredbyhisbandofHasidicfollowers.Throughouthisrabbiniccareer,Teitelbaumhadtobalancethesetworesponsibilities.Meanwhile,aftertheoutbreakoftheFirstWorldWarin1914,hefledIlosvaandmadehiswaytoSzatmár,wherehewouldremainforeightyears.ThereheencountereddifferentcirclesofHasidimBelz,Spinka,andVishnitzmanyofwhomsharedhisvehementoppo-sitiontoZionism,asdidanumberofprominentneighboringrabbisincludingYosefZviDushinskyofChust,laterrabbioftheEdahharedit(HarediCommunity)inJerusalem,andHayimElazarShapira,theMunkaczerRebbe.Onceagain,itwasnotduringthiseight-yearperiodinSzatmárthatTeitelbaumbecametherabbiofthecity.InMarch1920,theincumbent,JudaGrünwald,died,promptingTeitelbaumssupporterstoadvancehisnameasaprospect.Atthattime,hiscandidacyelicitedsignificantopposition,andnotjustfromtheobviousStatusQuoandZionistfac-tions.Asignificantnumberofnon-HasidicOrthodoxJewsknownlocallyasAshkenazimtogetherwithvariouscirclesofHasidim,opposedTeitelbaumaswell.InJudaGrünwaldsstead,arabbifromaneighboringvillage,EliezerDavidGrünwald(norelationtoJuda),wasappointedrabbiofSzatmár.Infact,SzatmárwasnotdestinedtoremaininSzatmárforlong.InAugust1920,aspartofthefar-reachingrealignmentofthemapofEuropefollowingtheFirstWorld,ahugeportionofHungarywastrans-ferredtoothercountriesaccordingtothetermsoftheTreatyofTrianon.AspartoftheTreaty,chunksofnorthernTransylvaniawerecededtoRomania.SzatmárbecameSatuMare.IlosvabecameIrava.AnditwastothatsmallcommunitythatTeitelbaumreturnedin1922,joinedbyagroupoffollowersfromSatuMare.HeservedthereforanadditionalfouryearsbeforebeingappointedrabbioftheJewishcom-munityinthelargercityofCarei(knownpreviouslybyitsHungarian JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage20of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from nameNagykárolyor,inYiddish,asKrule).TeitelbaumsweptintoCareiwiththesamemissionoftighteningupstandardsofritualobservance,aswellasofconfrontingthecitysStatusQuoJewswho,tohisire,deignedtocallthemselvesOrthodox(Teitelbaum1982:37,155164).HistenureinCareiwasinterruptedin1928bynewsofthedeathofthesittingrabbiofSatuMare,EliezerDavidGrünwald.Onceagain,sup-portersofTeitelbaumadvancedhisnameasthesuccessortoyetanotherRabbiGrünwald.Andonceagain,opponentsfromZionistsandNeologstovariousOrthodoxJewslinedupagainsthim.Itwasinthethroesofthisbattlethatasecondvolume,Milhemetmitsvahhe-(TheNewCommandedWar),waspublishedin1929(Figure).PrintedinSatuMare,thevolumewasacollectionofHebrewandYiddishdocumentssometranslatedfromtheHungarian,whichremainedthelanguageofthecommunitycouncilwoventogetherbyarunningHebrewnarrativethattellsthetaleofthebitterdisputeoverJoelTeitelbaumscandidacy.Theself-describedsponsorsofthepam-phletwerethesectofGod-fearersoftheOrthodox(community)ofSatuMareSefermilhemetmitsvahhe-hadash).Thewarthisgroupsawitselfaswagingwasadefensivebattle,intendedtoparrytheattacksofthesectofmodernizerswhoforcefullyopposedJoelTeitelbaum.AlthoughtherewerebothAskhenazicandHasidicJewsincludedamongTeitelbaumsopponents,thefocusinmitsvahhe-hadash,evidentalreadyfromthebeginningofthepamphlet,wasontheliberalcleverlydevisedtopublishmanywanttogaincontroloverthesectofGod-fearers,”aswellastoweakenanddenigratethemSefermilhemetmitsvahhe-hadashPetahdavar).Inparticular,thepamphletnotedthecampaignagainstRabbiTeitelbauminÚjKelet,aZionistnewspaperfromCluj,andthefrequentappealstonon-Jewishauthoritiesinviolationofthelong-standingJewishcommunalinjunctionagainstrecoursetootshelGoyimPartofwhatcomplicatedthestruggletoappointJoelTeitelbaumasrabbiofSatuMarewas,ironicallyenough,hisownresistance.Assup-porterswereagitatingonhisbehalfandforgingasolidmajorityofthecommunitycouncilhisnominationwasapprovedbyavoteof19-5-2onJune11,1928Teitelbaumhimselfwasdemurring.Inalettertocouncilmembers,Teitelbaumthankedthemfortheirvoteofconfi-dence.Forhispart,heprofesseddoubtsaboutassumingthepositioninSatuMareowingtothegreatnessofmydeficiencyinadministeringacommunitythesizeofSatuMare.HeaddedthathewouldbeloathtoleaveCarei,wherehisrelationshipwiththeJewishcommunitywas Myers:CommandedWarPage21of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from markedbypurelove,peace,andtranquilitySefermilhemetmitsvah:7a7b).ItmaywellbethathehadtrepidationsaboutbeingrabbiofalargerJewishcommunity,evenonewithwhichhewasintimatelyfamiliar.WhilehehadaccruedconsiderableexperienceasainCareiandava,hemustcertainlyhavebeenmindfulofthevigorousoppositiontohiscandidacyinSatuMare.Hemustalsohaveknownthathisnomi-nationoccurredinthemidstofadeepeningbattlebetweentheGod-fearersthatbrokeoutintotheopenincommunal FIGURE3.MILHEMETMITSVAHHE-HADASH(THENEWCOMMANDEDWAR)SATUMARE,1929. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage22of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from electionsin1927.Andyet,hisown,atleastpublic,reticencetoengageinbattledidnotdeterhissupporters.Theycontinuedtopresson.Fortheirpart,theopponentsofTeitelbaumturnedtotheRomanianMinistryofReligionforassistance.TheyrequestedthattheMinistryremovetheentirecommunitycouncilanddeclareJoelTeitelbaumineli-gibletobetownrabbibecausehewastooextremeanddidnotknowRomanian.Theresultofthisentreatywastheselectionofanewcommunitycouncil(Direktorium).Unsettledbytheappealtostateofficials,sup-portersofTeitelbaumturnedforadvicetotheheadoftheOrthodoxCouncilinTransylvania,RabbiShlomoZalmanUlmanofBistri(Bistritz).Ulmansentadelegationofrabbistoinvestigatetheepisode.TheinvestigatingcommitteeissuedanopinioninwhichitdeterminedthatJoelTeitelbaumcouldnotbedisqualifiedasacandidateandthatasecondvoteonhiscandidacyshouldbeheld,thistimenotrestrictedtomembersoftheDirektoriumTensionsmountedasthevoteapproachedinearlyAugust.Thenar-ratorinMilhemetmitsvahhe-hadashrecountsthattheopponentsofTeitelbaumtriedtodisruptthevotethroughaseriesoftactics,includ-ingviolence.Ononeoccasion,theirleadersmarchedwithprideandcontempttotheelectioncommitteeheadquarterstothreatenthoseassembledthereSefermilhemetmitsvahhe-hadash:14b).Despitetheupheaval,nearlyeighthundredtax-payingmembersoftheSatuMareJewishcommunityparticipatedinthevote.Fourhundredandthirty-sevenvotedinfavorofJoelTeitelbaum,and331votedagainsthim.Ratherthanresolvethematterdefinitively,thecon-testednatureofthevoteledtoanothervisitbyaninspectorfromtheMinistryofReligion,aswellastoanadditionalinvestigationbyRabbisOrthodoxCouncilwhichresultedinthecallforyetanotherelection.Thethirdelection,heldonSeptember27,1928,yieldedafarmoredecisiveresult:Of780eligiblevoters,779votedforRabbiTeitelbaum,andonedidnot(Sefermilhemetmitsvahhe-hadash:21aWiththisvote,theaffairshouldwellhavecometoanend.Butitdidnot.TheopposingfactioncontinuedtoresisttheappointmentofJoelTeitelbaumbyallmeansnecessary.Thepro-Teitelbaumcamp,meanwhile,solicitedawiderangeofOrthodoxrabbinicopiniontochallengethelegitimacyoftheopponents.Oneoftheauthoritiesdeclaredthatallthatthey(theopponents)havedoneinturningtotheGentiles,whichisnotaccordingtotheopinionofthe(Orthodox)Councilandnotaccordingtotheopinionoftherabbiniccourt,is Myers:CommandedWarPage23of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from Thepro-Teitelbaumforceswerenotcontentmerelytoassembleanarrayofrabbinicluminariesontheirside.TheyresortedtoatacticthatwasusedinpreviousdisputesinvolvingtheTeitelbaumfamilyandthatreflectedthedeepenmitybetweentheGod-fearersandtheTheysoughtandgainedtheapprovalofRabbiUlmanin1929tosecedefromtheSatuMareJewishcommunityandcreateaself-standingOrthodoxcommunity.InthefinalpagesofMilhemetmitsvahhe-hadash,wereadfromaprotocolofameetingofthepro-TeitelbaumfactionthattookplaceonDecember10,1929:Weproclaimandannounceherethatfromthisdayforwardwearedis-tinctandseparatefromtheminordertobeacommunityinourownrightundertheflagoftheOrthodoxCouncilofBistria.WehavenothingtodowiththemasamatterofTorahandinallcommunalaffairs.(Milhemetmitzvah:unpaginated,5pagestothelast)WemightaddapairofpostscriptstothissecondversionofaCommandedWar.First,JoelTeitelbaumdidnotactontheeventsof192829bymovingtoSatuMare,atleastnotimmediately.Andsecond,thesecessionofhisfollowersprovedtobeshort-lived.Ashortageofrevenueowingtothedepartureofasignificantsectorofthecommunitycompelledtheanti-TeitelbaumforcestoseekareconciliationwiththesecessioniststhroughtheofficesofRabbiUlman.NegotiationswereheldonFebruary11,1930,inDej(formerlyDésinHungary)thatresultedinadecisiontoreunitethefactionsandinviteJoelTeitelbaumtoSatuMaretoassumehispositionasrabbi(Gelbman1999:6:8384).Interestingly,thoughhewasstationedinCarei,heviewedhimselffrom1928asthechieflegaldecisoronreligiousmattersinSatuMare(Gelbman1999:86).ButheremainedinCareiuntil1934,whenhefeltsupportfromtheSatuMaretowncouncilwasatlastsolidenough.OnFebruary27,TeitelbaumstoleawayfromCareiintheearlyhoursofthemorning,hopingtoavoidthedetectionanddisappointmentoftheJewishcommunitythere.Oneobservernotedwithsadness:TheJewsofCareiawoketoamostunpleasantsurprise:ourbelovedandreveredrebbe,RabbiJoelTeitelbaum,leftusintheearlyhoursofthemorningwithoutgivingusanyadvancenoticeoranopportunity SeetheopinionofRabbiMenachemB.BraudeinMilhemetmitsvahhe-hadash:1a(thirdsectionofthepamphlet).ThepaginationofMilhemetmitsvahhe-hadashisdoublyconfusing.Notonlydoesnumericalsequencingoccuroneveryotherpageratherthanoneverypage(hencepagesarenumberedhereeither),aswiththeTalmud,buttherearealsothreesequencesofpaginationforthebooksthreesections. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage24of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from topartfromhim;eversinceitbecameknownthatheplanstoleaveus,hisfollowershavewalkedaroundinastateofmourningandperplex-ity.Itpainsusthatwemustpartfromourbelovedleader.(:116117)Ontheothersideofthejourney,thousandsofJewsgreetedTeitelbaumuponhisentrytoSatuMare.Histenureinthatcityisanimportantsubjectworthyofmoreattentionthancanbeofferedhere.ItsufficestosaythatheremainedinSatuMareaschiefrabbifrom1934until1944,whentheNazisinvadedHungaryandlaidmurderouswastetothatsJewishpopulation.Asafinalcodatothischapter,itisnecessarytoaddresstheattitudeofJoelTeitelbaumandhisfollowersinthisepisode.Giventhefamilyproclivityforaggressiveengagementwithperceivedopponents,thedefensiveapproachofthepro-Teitelbaumcampinthiscaseisstriking.Tobesure,hiscampcasttheconflictintheappropriatelymartiallan-guageofacommandedwar,butTeitelbaumsfollowersoftenfoundthemselvesrespondingto,ratherthaninitiating,thesalvos.TheallianceofNeolog,StatusQuo,Ashkenazic,Hasidic,andZionistopponentsdrovetheaction.Evenaftertheelectionresultsweresettledsodecisivelythethirdtime,JoelTeitelbaumdidnotmarchintoSatuMaretoimposehisorder.Rather,hedemonstratedadifferentkindofmilitarysavvy,strategicrestraint,thatreflectedhisrecognitionofthestakesathandinacommunitythesizeandsignificanceofSatuMare.Italsoreflected,wemightadd,hisgrowingmaturationasapolitical,aswellasreligious,Teitelbaumclearlyunderstoodthatdecadesofaggressivecombathadleftscars.AlongwithotherHungarianharedirabbissuchastheMunkaczerRebbe,Teitelbaumhadbeenwagingwaragainstcommunalforceshebelievedtobeimpure.Notsurprisingly,theZionists,includingthereligiousZionistMizrachigroup,wereatthetopofthelist.SomewhatmoresurprisingwastheAgudatYisrael,themovementofstrictlyOrthodoxJewsfromGermanyandPolandthatarosein1912,inlargemeasure,tochallengethegrowingsuccessandboldnessofsecularZionism.RatherthanembracetheAgudahaspartnersinthebattleagainstZionisttransgressors,TeitelbaumandfellowHungarianharedim TeitelbaumplayedaleadingroleinagatheringoftraditionalistrabbisinGrowardein,Hungary,in1920thatdeclaredanabsoluteprohibitiononassociatinginanywaywiththebandofZionistsorMizrachimembers,orassistingtheminanywayorstudying,Godforbid,intheirTherabbinicdeclarationisreproducedinGelbman(1994:413). Myers:CommandedWarPage25of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from framedthenewOrthodoxorganizationasaperniciousthreat.antagonisticattitudetowardtheAgudah,alongwiththefiercecon-demnationoftheZionists,contributedtothebellicoseenvironmentinthe1920sinwhichdeclarationsofwarwereissuedandanarrayoftacticsdeployedbyopponentsandsupportersofJoelTeitelbaum.Unlikethefirstwardescribedintheabovesection,thebattlewagedinSatuMarebytheTeitelbaumforceswaslargelydefensive.Bycontrast,thethirdandfinalcommandedwartobediscussedwasanaggressiveinternalconflictinvolvingtheheirsofJoelTeitelbaum,sug-gestingtousthatthemartiallanguageandmaneuversoftheTeitelbaumfamilybecamesocontagiousastobedeployedagainsteachanother.THETHIRDCOMMANDEDWAR:AGAINSTAPUBLICSCHOOLINKIRYASJOEL,NEWYORKFollowinghisliberationfromBergen-BelseninDecember1944,JoelTeitelbaumspentbriefperiodsoftimeinSwitzerlandandPalestinebeforearrivinginNewYorkin1946onRoshHa-Shanah.HesettledintheWilliamsburgsectionofBrooklynwherehesetouttorebuildhiscom-munitywhichhadbeendecimatedbytheNazigenocidalassaultonHungarianJewryinthespringandsummerof1944.Withcharacteristicclarityofpurpose,healsosoughttointroduceanewdegreeofritualstrin-gencyintoWilliamsburg,amixedneighborhoodwitharangeofethnicitiesandvaryinglevelsofJewishobservance.AlthoughWilliamsburgwoulddevelopintoamajorcenterofSatmarHasidism,RabbiTeitelbaumoftenarticulatedthedesiretocreateanenclaveremovedfromtheteemingcityinwhichtheSatmarwayoflifecouldbemaintainedwithoutthreatorinterruption.Alreadyinthelate1940s,heentrustedhiscloseadvisorswiththetaskofseekingoutpotentialsitesofsettlementinthemetropolitanareacloseenoughtocommuteforemployment Forexample,hejoinedforceswiththeMunkaczerRebbeatarabbinicconferenceinCsap,Czechoslovakiainthesummerof1922tothwarttheriseoftheAgudah.Teitelbaumwasthefirstsignatory,aftertheMunkaczerRebbe,ofaproclamationthatdeclaredthatitisforbiddentous,accordingtotheHolyTorah,toassociatewiththeAnaccountoftheCsapmeeting,includingthedeclaration,canbefoundinGoldstein(1935/36:3140).SeealsotheconcisesummaryinRavitzky(1990:4246).Itissomewhatironic,inthisregard,thatboththeZionistsandtheAgudahhadamajorhandinJoelTeitelbaumsrescuefromtheNazisduringtheSecondWorldWar.Teitelbaumwasamongthenearly1,700JewsselectedbyHungarianZionistofficialRudolfKasztnertoavoiddeportationtoAuschwitzasaresultofKasztner’snegotiationswithAdolphEichmann.Meanwhile,AgudahofficialsagitatedonbehalfofRabbiTeitelbaumduringtheWarandhelpedhimsecureentrytobothPalestine(in1945)andtheUnitedStates(in1946).SeetheclassicstudyofthetransformationofWilliamsburgintoatraditionalistOrthodoxcenterbyKranzler(1961 JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage26of46 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purposestoNewYorkCity,butfarenoughremovedtoallowforaself-containedenclave(Gelbman1998).Overthecourseofseveralyears,hisaidesscoutedvarioussitesinNewYorkandNewJersey,hopingtobuysufficientland(atleast150acres)foraself-standingcommunity,whilegoingabouttheirtasksurreptitiouslysoastoavoidarousingtoomuchlocaloppositiontothearrivalofflocksofforeign-lookingHasidicJews.TheSatmarswerenotthefirstJewishtraditionaliststomaketheirwaytotheoutlyingNewYorkarea.In1943,aprominenttraditionalistrabbiwhowasnotHasidic(butanti-Zionist),AharonKotler,establishedayeshivahinLakewood,NewJersey,thatwouldbecomeoneofthelargestintheworld.Kotler,arecentarrivalfromwar-tornEurope,chosetoleaveNewYorkforNewJerseyinordertoisolatestudentsfromtheperceiveddangersofthecityandthenegativeinfluenceoftheexistentJewishcom-munity”Finkelman2002:6182,:314).Interestingly,itwasinAmerica,morethanEurope,thatKotlersseparatistvisioncouldbemosteasilyrealized.AsYoelFinkelmanhasnoted,theabsenceofanestablishedJewishcommunalstructurerecognizedbythestate,asinEurope,allowedforgroupstoassembleandorganizeontheirowninAmericawithoutgovernmentintervention(Finkelman2002:68).WemightaddthatakeyarticleoffaithofAmerican-styleeconomicliberalism,theacquisitionofprivateproperty,haspermittedseparatistgroupsthroughoutthehistoryoftheUnitedStatestotransformthemselvesfromagroupofindividualsintoacollective,ataremovefromtherestofsociety,withrelativeease.Indeed,separatistreligiousgroupshaverepeatedlyfoundreceptiveterrainintheUnitedStates,beginningwiththefirstgroupofEuropeanreligiousdissenterswholaidthefoundationforthecountryextendingtotheAmish,Shakers,Mormons,variousgroupsoffollowersofIndianreligions,anddiversecirclesoftraditionalistJews,amongmanyothers.Incommentingonthehundredsofenclavecommunitiescreatedinthiscountryfromthemid-seventeenthcentury,theeditorofEncyclopediaofAmericanCommunesnotesthat(a)nAmericancontinentfilledwithcomparativelyinexpensiveandunspoiledlandencouragedsuchsocialexperimentationStockwell1998:3).Tobesure,notallcommuneswerereligiouscommunities,butbothsharedthegoalofconstructingamodelsocietybasedontheidealsofintegrityandpuritywithoutthedistractionofmainstreamsociety.Andmanyutopiancommuneswereanimatedbyadeepsenseofreligiousmission.Infact,theethosoffreereligiousexpression,togetherwiththepotentstrainsofeconomicliberalism,havemadesmall-scalecommunitarian-ismalmostasAmericanasapplepie.HaredigroupsnewtoAmericaaftertheSecondWorldWaravailedthemselvesofthistradition.TheAmericanethosofreligiousfreedom Myers:CommandedWarPage27of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from lentthembothasenseofopportunityandentitlementtofoundsepara-tistcommunities.Thus,theprominentEuropeanrabbiMichaelDovWeissmandlestablishedhisTalmudicacademy,theNitraYeshivah,inNewJerseyin1946,andthenin1949,movedittoMt.Kisco,NewYork.Fiveyearslater,theSkvirerHasidicgrouppurchasedprop-ertyinSpringValley,NewYork,withtheaimofcreatinganinclusive,self-containedautonomouscommunity.AswouldbethecasewithKiryasJoel,struggleswiththelocaltownboardandresidentsoverzoningregulationspromptedtheSkvirerHasidimtoseeklegalincorpo-rationasavillage,whichtheygainedin1961.Meanwhile,afterdecadesofsearching,ateamofSatmaradvisersledbyLeopold()LefkowitzandHaimHirschLeimziderbegantopurchasepropertyintheearly1970sinOrangeCounty,NewYork.Bythesummerof1974,thefirstSatmarHasidimbegantomovetotheTownofMonroeinOrangeCounty,aboutfiftymilesfromNewYorkCity(JewishSecttoGotoOrangeCountyJuly21,plannedforeightygardenapartmentsandtwenty-fivesingle-familyhomes(tocontainapproximatelyfivehundredpeople),thisnewcom-munitybecamethesiteofacat-and-mousegamebetweenresidentsandlocalbuildinginspectorsfromMonroe.Thenewresidentslivedinapartmentsinwhichroomsweresetasideforsynagogues,ritualbaths,schools,andevenbakerieswhoseexistenceviolatedTownofMonroezoningordinances.Thosewhodweltinsingle-familyhomesunderstoodthattermtomeandwellingsinhabitedbymultiplefamilieswhowererelated.AstensionsrosebetweenthenewresidentsandMonroeofficials,sotoodidthelegalstakes.SatmarJewsbegantotakestepstosecedefromtheTownofMonroe,promptinglawyersinMonroetoproposeavarietyoftacticsdesignedtopreventsuchamoveGelbman1998:162189).Thetwosidesgrewincreasinglyhostiletowardoneanother,threateninglitigationinbothstateandfederalcourt.Aftermonthsofmutualrecriminationandthreatsinthesummer Mintz(1992:198203).MentionshouldalsobemadeoftheTash(orTosh)Hasidimwhoestablishedin1963theirownvillagesometwentymilesfromMontrealinCanada.InformationaboutKiryasTashcanbegleanedfromaWebsitemaintainedbytheleadingscholarofthecommunity,Shaffir(n.d.),http://www.kiryastash.ca/index.shtmlMeanwhile,theYiddishpressreportedseveralmonthsearlierontheplantohavemorethanonehundredSatmarfamiliessettleinMonroe,NewYork.SeeIberhundertSatmarerfamilyestsienzikharoysfunVilyamsburg,velnzikhbazetsninashtetl100maylfunNyuYork.Theactualprocessofgainingtitleoverthepropertywasadetailedoperationthatbeganinthelate1960sandincludedrecruitinganon-SatmarandnonobservantHungarianJew,OskarFischer,tobethepublicfaceindealingwithMonroeofficialsandresidents.RabbiTeitelbaumschiefadvisorsfearedthatlocalresidentswouldnotselltheirlandiftheyknewthatitsnewinhabitantswereHasidicJews. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage28of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from andfallof1976,adealwasbrokeredbetweenthetwosidestocalloffthelawsuitsandallowtheSatmarcommunitytosecedefromtheTownofMonroe.InMarch1977,KiryasJoel,theVillageofJoel,wasbornasalegallyincorporatedVillageinthestateofNewYork.JoelTeitelbaumsguidingvision,asdescribedbytheprolificSatmarhistorianShlomoYankelGelbman,wastocreateanenclaveofpuritythatharkedbacktothemythicofold:Theideaofashtetlwasasubjectthatneverlefttheagendaduringallofouryearsgrowingup;ateveryturn,onespokeoftheRebbedesiretobuildasettlementoutsideofthecitythatwouldbefourpurecubitsdevoidofanydefectorflawinwhichtheSatmarercoulddevotethemselvestoTorahandaweofG-d,inthepurepathandwayoftheholyRebbewhotaughtus.(Gelbman1998:7)TheestablishmentofKiryasJoelmarked,itwouldseem,therealizationofthatvision:thecreationofaSatmar,evenifitwasahighlyromanticizedversionoftheEasternEuropeanJewishtownthatborethatname.Forindeed,theactualEasternEuropeanwasmoreheterogeneousandlessinsularthanthemythicimageetchedintopopularJewishimaginationbyFiddlerontheRoof.KiryasJoel,whosepopulationis99%Hasidic,isfarclosertothemythicidealofhomogeneityandinsularity.Atonelevel,thecreationofKiryasJoelrepresentsaremarkabletriumphforJoelTeitelbaum,wholostthousandsoffollowersintheHolocaust.NotonlydidhesucceedinreconstitutingaglobalSatmarcom-munityofoveronehundredthousandpeoplefromtheashesofAuschwitz;healsowasabletomarshaltherapidgrowthofhisflockinNewYorkintosubstantialpoliticalpower,asreflectedintheestablishmentofaSatmarmunicipality,aswellasintheregularabilitytoinfluenceelectionsinBrooklynandOrangeCountythroughastrongblocvote.Indeed,theSatmarcommunityatlarge,andKiryasJoel,inparticular,haveeffectivelyleveragedtheirpoliticalpowerovertheyearsintomassiveamountsofstateandfederalsupport.ThishelpsexplainwhytherearenodiscernablesignsofpovertyinKiryasJoel,thoughitisstatisticallythepoorestcommunityinAmericaaccordingtorecentUnitedStatescensusdataAVillagewiththeNumbers,NottheImage,ofthePoorestPlace,April20,2011 ThispointismadeintheessayscollectedinKatz(2007).Inintroducingthevolume,thehistorianSamuelKassowstatessimply:ToseetheshtetlasanentirelyJewishworldiswrong(2).ItisworthnotingtheironythatKiryasJoelrepresentsoneofthemostsuccessfulinstancesofautonomisminmodernJewishhistory.Autonomism”wasastrainofearlytwentieth-century Myers:CommandedWarPage29of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from Atanotherlevel,theformalestablishmentofKiryasJoelraisednewchallenges,notallofwhichwereanticipatedorwelcome.Inthefirstinstance,ittransformedtheRebbesinformalpoliticaloperationintoaformalgovernmentapparatus.Forexample,hischiefmediatorwithcityandstateofficials,whoperformedaroleakintotheJewishcommunalintercessorofpremoderntimesor,LeibishLefkowitz,becamethefirstmayorofKiryasJoel.Inthepast,LefkowitzwouldseekoutfinancialsupportforvariousSatmarinitiativesfrompoliticalleaders.Nowheandhiscolleagueswereinchargeofamunicipalityandrespon-siblefortheprovisionofservicestothevillagesresidents,aweightytaskandasignificantchangeinSatmaraffairs.Furthermore,therapidtransformationofaprivategroupofreli-giousJewsintoapubliclyrecognizedvillagebrookednewentangle-mentswithAmericanlaw,especiallythevauntedprincipleofseparationofchurchandstateembeddedintheFirstAmendmentoftheConstitution.BoththemayorandthemembersofthevillageboardregardedRabbiJoelTeitelbaumwithutmostreverenceandsoughtouthisadviceonvirtuallyallmajordecisionsregardingthecommunitywell-being.Inthatsense,hewasthesupremeauthorityofKiryasJoel,anindisputablefactthatinvariablyblurredtheboundarylinesbetweenreligiousandpoliticalpower.Anothersubstantialerosionoftheboundarylinecamewiththedecisioninthe1980stoestablishapublicschooldistrictinKiryasJoel.ItisatthispointthatweencounterthethirdandfinalchapterinthemilitaryhistoryofSatmarHasidism.ForitisherethatwediscoverdeepdivisionsnotonlybetweenSatmarandotherHasidicgroups,butwithintheSatmarworlditself.Inthisinstance,itwouldseemasifthetraditionofSatmarrhetoricalmilitarismhadturnedinonitself,andintheplacewherethepurestandmostinsularformofJewishlifeenvis-agedbyJoelTeitelbaumhadtakenroot.Meanwhile,thedecisiontoformapublicschooldistrictinaHasidicenclavewasnotpremeditated.Rather,itaroseoutofachainofeventscommencingwiththeestablishmentofasmallprivateschoolforspecialneedschildreninthevillagein1983.Thechiefforcebehindthenewschool,ShaareiHemlah(GatesofCompassion),WolfLefkowitz, JewishnationalistideologythatsoughttogaintherightforJews(a)todeclarethemselvesanation;and(b)tousetheirownlanguageandcontroltheirownculturalandeducationalinstitutionswiththesupportofthestate.Infact,SatmarHasidimweretheideologicaloppositesoftheautonomists,whotendedtobedecidedlysecularinorientation.ButalongwiththeautonomistexperimentintheSovietUnion(Birobidzhan),KiryasJoelhasachievedasmuchoftheautonomistvisionasanyJewishcommunityoutsideofIsrael. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage30of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from wasthefatherofachildwithDownssyndrome.TheschoolwasanearlyattemptatovercomingtheneglectofspecialneedschildreninthecommunitybyprovidingthemwithaccessbothtoJewishstudiesandspecialeducation.Byallaccounts,ShaareiHemlahgotofftoafinestart.Butitsexistencewasshort-lived.Theschoolreliedonspecialedu-cationteachersfromtheneighboringMonroe-Woodburypublicschooldistrict.Thepracticeofusingsuchteacherswasenabledbythe1975HandicappedChildrenActpassedbyCongressthatmandatedthathandicappedchildrenbegrantedaccesstopubliclyfundededucationtailoredtotheirneeds.Thisarrangementlasteduntil1985,whentheU.S.SupremeCourthandeddowntwodecisions,Aguilarv.FeltonGrandRapidsv.Ball,thatheldthattheuseofpublicschoolteachersinparochialschoolsforremedialeducationwasinviolationoftheEstablishmentClause(BoardofEd.OfKiryasJoelv.Grumet).Soonthereafter,parentsinKiryasJoelcommencedlitigationintendedtocreateaneutralsitewheretheirchildrencouldreceivespecialeducationratherthanhavethemattendMonroe-Woodburyschools.Forabrieftime,thisarrangementwaspermitted,butaNewYorkStateAppellateCourtstruckitdownin1988.Asaresult,thechildrenwereinastateoflimbo,withoutformaleducationofanysort,untilagroupofparentsinKiryasJoeldecidedin1989toseekthecreationofapublicschooldis-trictinthevillage.Thesoleaimoftheparents,asreportedintheNewYorkTimes,wastoobtainstatefundstoeducatetheirchildrenwhoarementallyorphysicallyhandicappedwithoutsendingthemtonearbypublicschoolsthattheyfindalienVillageWantsHasidicPublicSchoolDistrict”July21,Thisnewgambit,wonthesupportoftheMonroe-Woodburyschooldistrict,aswellasofahostoflocalandstatepoliticians.Itwassubse-quentlyintroducedintolawin1989bytheNewYorkStateLegislature.ArrayedagainstthenewlawwasarangeofgroupsincludingtheNewYorkCivilLibertiesUnionandtheNewYorkStateSchoolBoardsAssociation.Significantly,anumberofJewishgroupsincludingtheAnti-DefamationLeague,theAmericanJewishCongress,andtheAmericanJewishCommitteelinedupagainstitaswell.WhiletheoppositionofthesemainstreamAmericanJewishgroupsrestedonthedefenseoftheseparationofchurchandstate,therewasanadditionallineofattackfromanotherJewishquarter:Hasidim,bothSatmarsinKiryasJoelandnon-Satmarsoutsideofit.Forthesegroups,thecreationofapublicschooldistrict,intendedforHasidicchildren,withinthecarefullycircumscribed HelpfulinformationonShaareiHemlahandtheensuingpublicschoolcontroversycanbefoundinJeromesexcellentethnographicstudyofAmericanHasidim(:310ff). Myers:CommandedWarPage31of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from boundariesoftheshtetlwassacrilege.Itwouldallowforstreamsofpol-lutedforeignvaluestoflowintothecommunity.Tobluntthethrustofthisdangerousplanrequiredawar,anobligatorywarMilhemethovah),asthetitleofacollectionofopposingrabbinicviewsfrom1995declared(FigureItisimportanttonoteakeydetailinthestory.RabbiJoelTeitelbaum,thetoweringfoundingfatherofSatmarHasidism,wasnot FIGURE4.MILHEMETHOVAH(OBLIGATORYWAR),BROOKLYN,1995. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage32of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from involvedinthislatestbattle.HediedafteralongillnessinAugust1979,leavingbehindnodirectheirstoinheritthemantleofleadership.Themostlogicalsuccessorwashisnephew,RabbiMosheTeitelbaum,knownastheBeirachMoshe,whoheldthetitleofSzigeterRebbe(afterthetownofSziget)andpresidedoverasmallcongregationinBoroPark(Mintz1992:126138).MosheTeitelbaumwasappointedasofvariousSatmarcommunitiesafterthe(seven-daymourningperiod)ofhisuncleandasSatmarRebbeafterthefirstanniversaryofhisunclesdeathin1980(Gelbman2012Despitethefactthathewasthemostobvioussuccessor,itwasclearthathistenurewouldbedramaticallydifferentfromJoelTeitelbaumHelackedtheunquestionedcommandandrespectthatJoelTeitelbaumexercisedoverhisSatmarflock.Doubtswereraisednotonlyaboutthequalityofhismind,butalsoaboutthesoundnessofhisjudgmentMintz1992:131133).Thecircleofdoubtersfoundanunlikelysym-bolicleaderintheformidablewidowofJoelTeitelbaum,Feiga,knownAltaFeiga(OldFeiga).AltaFeiga,whocamefromarelativelyurbanePolishsetting,didnotfitthemodelofatypicallysubservientHungarianHasidicwoman.Shenotonlyhadseriousandlong-standingtensionswithherhusbandssuccessor.Shealsomaintainedcontrol,quiteremarkableforawomanintheSatmarworld,overanetworkofinstitutionsor(e.g.,school,orphanage,mikva,synagogue)inKiryasJoel.TothatfocalpointofoppositionaroundAltaFeigawasjoinedagroupofSatmarHasidimwhorefusedtoacceptthenewpublicschool,preferringtoestablishtheirownprivateschoolforatypicalchildrenunderthenameBnaiJoel(ChildrenofJoel).ThisgroupofdissidentshadalreadyrunafoulofRabbiMosheandhisson,RabbiAaron,whomhehadappointedofthemaincongregationinKiryasJoel,YetevLevde-Satmar,in1985(Gelbman2012).ThedissidentsneverfullyembracedtheauthorityofMosheandevenlessAaron,longinginsteadforthedaysofyoreundertheauthorityofthereveredJoelTeitelbaum;conversely,theywerepunishedforchallengingtheauthorityofthenewregimethroughactsofbanishmentandexclusionfromcommunalinsti-tutionsinKiryasJoel.JustasthemovetocreateapublicschoolfosteredoppositionwithinKiryasJoel,sotooitgeneratedwavesofdiscontentinHasidiccirclesbeyondthevillagesboundaries.ArepresentativesamplingoftheopposingvoicescanbeseeninMilhemethovah,whichcontains282pagesofrabbinicpolemics,sermons,anddiscoursesdirectedagainsttheKiryasJoelpublicschoolschooldistrict,theEnglishtermsthatwereretainedwithcontemptinbothYiddishandHebrew Myers:CommandedWarPage33of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from accounts.Especiallyprominentinthisbookwereanumberofneigh-boringHasidicrabbisincludingRaphaelBlum,rabbioftheKashocom-munityinBedfordHills,NewYork;MordechaiHager,theVishnitzerRebbefromMonsey,NewYork;RabbiAvrahamLeitnerofMontevideoandWilliamsburg;andYechezkelRoth,theKarlsburgerRebbefromBoroPark.AlloftheserabbiswerebornandeducatedinthatregionofshiftingboundariesinEastCentralEurope(Hungary,Czechoslovakia,andRomania)inwhichharediJudaismtookrise.Allsharedanunceas-ingantipathytowardZionism.Andallshookwithrageatthepros-pectofapublicschooldistrictthatthreatenedtouprootfoundationandpillarofourfaithinGodandHisholyTorahandwasaterribledesecrationofHeaventhatwouldbeevidenttoJewsandnon-Jewsalike.Accordingly,theyissuedatotalbanonchildrenbeingpermittedtostudyinthenewschool(Kunteresmilhemethovah13).Inframingthebattleathand,theunnamededitorofthevolumebeganbyinvokingawell-troddenmotifinrabbinic,andparticularlyharedi,literature:thethemeofthedeclineofthegenerationsyeridatha-dorotKellner1996).Thus,hedeclared:Ourgenerationisanorphanedgeneration,theorphansoforphans,adebasedgenerationinthefullsenseoftheword;difficulttimesarepassingoverharediJudaism,forwhich,asaresultofourmanysins,theprinciplesofourfaithandthepillarsofourreligionarebeingloosenedandforgotten.HethenwentontodiscussthesubstantialpowerwhichtherulingfactioninKiryasJoelthoseresponsibleforopeningthebreach),astheschooldistrictwasfrequentlycalledpossessed:accesslargeassemblyhalls,weeklynewspapers,monthlies,openreservesofmoneyKunteresmilhemethovah:1).Bycontrast,theopponentswerepoorandfewinnumber,akintothethreehundredIsraeliteswhorefusedtobowdowntotheidolBaalandsubmittotheMidianites(Judg.7:6).Whatwasrequiredwasabattleforthesoulofthechildawarofholinessagainstimpuritybasedonthesensethattheendisapproaching,whentheforcesofimpuritywillbealtogethereradicatedKunteresmilhemethovah3).Toprepareoneselfforbattle Itisworthaddingafamilialtwisttotheanti-Zioniststory.ThenieceoftheVishnitzerRebbeinMonsey(thatis,thedaughteroftheVishnitzerRebbeinBnaiBrak,Israel),Sosha,ismarriedtoRabbiAaronTeitelbaum,eldestsonofMosheTeitelbaum.RumorshaveaboundedovertheyearsthatSoshaspokemodernHebrewathomeandharboredsympathyforZionism,bothofwhichareregardedasgraveviolationsofcoreSatmardoctrine.Meanwhile,forasearingcritiqueofthepublicschoolfromanunrelentinglyferventanti-Zionist,seethedetailedaccountproducedbyMosheDovBeck,aNetureiKartaleaderinMonsey,NewYork.SeeBeck(1994) JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage34of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from requiredrecallingtheexampleofourforebearsandteachers(who)gavetheirlivessoasnottochangeevenoneiotaoftheoldpath.noticeinthelanguageofMilhemethovahnotonlyacalltobattle,butthearticulatedneedtoengageinactsofself-sacrifice,exemplifiedbytheTalmudicprincipleofyeharegve-loyaavorthatis,thatoneshouldacceptdeathratherthancommitagravetransgression(typicallyunderstoodtobeidolworship,murder,orforbiddensexualacts)Kunteresmilhemethovah:4).Tobesure,modernrabbinicpolemicsoftenresorttoanexaggeratedsenseofcrisis.Nevertheless,thevariousHasidicopponentsoftheKiryasJoelpublicschoolclearlyfeltthatadangerousred-linehadbeencrossed.WegainaclearersenseofthestakesinvolvedinthepamphletswrittenbymembersofKiryasJoelsdissidentBnaiJoelgroupthatwereincludedinMilhemethovah.Inoneofthem,thecaseismadeagainsttheschoolbyemployingthewordsoftheschoolsownsuperin-tendent,Dr.StevenBenardo,anonobservantJewwhoisdescribedasonewhotransgressesagainsttheessenceofJudaismkoferbe-Kunteresmilhemethovah:259).ThepamphletoffersaYiddishsummationofadepositiongivenbyBenardointherun-uptooneofthecasesoverthelegalityoftheKiryasJoelschooldistrict.BenardoenumerationofthesecularfeaturesoftheschoolbecomesthegroundsforvehementoppositiontoitbytheBnaiJoel.Thus,wereadthatthe(1)doesnothaveamezuzahonanyofitsdoors;(2)hasacurriculumsimilartootherpublicschoolsinNewYorkstate;(3)hasbothmenandwomenteachers,anddoesnotsegregatemaleandfemalestudents;(4)doesnothaveadresscode,andbothstudentsandfacultydressinasecularmode;(5)commemoratesnon-JewishholidayssuchasThanksgivingandMartinLutherKingDay(Kunteresaltigubi-meshihiKunteresmilhemethovah:260).Theeffectsofsuchpracticesweredevastating.Theschooldistrict,BnaiJoelpamphletdeclared,isacalamityforpureeducation,adev-astatingblowtoGodswaragainstAmalekKunteresaltigubi-Kunteresmilhemethovah:263).Asaresult,itwas Inanearliersummaryofeventsatthebeginningofthebook,thementionofDr.BenardonameisfollowedbytheacronymforMayhisnamebeblottedout,anepithetreservedforthemostegregiousenemiesoftheJews.Milhemethovah,11. Myers:CommandedWarPage35of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from necessarytomountrelentlessoppositiontotheschoolanditsInfact,theformallegalstruggleagainsttheKiryasJoelpublicschoolwouldcontinueformorethanadecade.Alreadyin1994,thebattlereachedtheU.S.SupremeCourt,whichissuedanopinioninva-lidatingthe1989NewYorkstatestatute(Chapter748)thatcreatedthedistrictbutgaveamplelatitudeandguidancetotheNewYorkStateLegislaturetore-writeitinawaythatwouldpassconstitutionalmuster.Subsequentattemptstore-draftitledtonewwavesoflitigationthatwerefinallysettledinfavoroftheschooldistrictin2002.Althoughmanynon-Satmarandnon-Jewishgroupsparticipatedinthislegalaction,thefightovertheschooldistrict,aswehavejustseen,pittedsupportersandopponentsfromwithinKiryasJoel.Significantly,thestarkinternaldivisionswereonfulldisplayinnon-Jewishcourtsthatis,inarkaotshelgoyimGentilejurisdictionsinwhichharediJewstraditionallydidnotairtheirlegalgrievancesagainstoneanother.ThecultureofcontentiousnesswithintheSatmarworldsymptomatically,theappealtoGentilecourtscontinueunabatedtothisday.Oneoftheearliestandmostpersistentdissidents,JosephWaldman,hassoughtonanumberofoccasionstohavethevillageofKiryasJoeldissolved,mostrecentlyinacasethatwasdecidedagainsthiminFederalDistrictCourtin2011.Meanwhile,twosonsofMosheTeitelbaum,AaroninKiryasJoelandZalmanLeibinWilliamsburg,havebeenengagedinabitterandongoingsuccessionbattleinthecourtsfollowingtheirfathersdecisiontodividetheSatmarempireintotwoin1999andwithevenmorepitchedintensityaftertheirfatherdeathin2006.ThedividinglinebetweenthetworabbisandtheircampshasassumedsignificantinstitutionalformbothinKiryasJoelandWilliamsburg;thetwosideshavetheirownsynagogues,yeshivahs,dayschools,ritualbaths,andnewspapers.Attimes,thetensionbetweenthemhasboiledoverintoviolence.Intheearly1990s,tempersflaredbetweenthemainstreamfactionassociatedwithRabbisMosheandAaronTeitelbaum,ontheonehand,andthedissidentsassociatedwithAltaFeigaandtheBnaiJoel,ontheother,spillingoverintophysical Afterfourattempts(1989,1994,1997,and1999)bytheNewYorkStateAssemblyandSenatetocraftastatutethatwouldwithstandintenselegalscrutiny,theKiryasJoelschooldistrictwasdeemedvalidafterafinalrulingbyOrangeCountyJohnK.McGuirkonNovember13,2002.Thisbroughttoanendthirteenyearsoflegalstruggleconductedinbothstateandfederaljurisdictions.Thesuit,KiryasJoelAlliance,etal.v.VillageofKiryasJoel,wasthrownoutbyFederalDistrictCourtJudgeJedRakoffonNovember11,2011. JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage36of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from altercations,vandalism,andevenallegationsofarson(Mintz1992Atvariouspoints,violencehasalsobrokenoutbetweenthetwogroupsatlargereligiousassemblies,asoccurredattheSimhatTorahcelebrationinWilliamsburgin2005(SatmarFactionsRumbleinWilliamsburg).Morerecently,inJune2010,dissidentsseekingtolayclaimtoaportionofthemainKiryasJoelsynagoguewereforciblyremovedbystatepolicecalledinbythemainstreamfaction(ArrestsLeadtoProtestsinOngoingKiryasJoelDisputeAlthoughnotdirectlyrelatedtothestrugglebetweenthecompetingrabbis,itisworthmentioninghereanotherwidelyreportedeventfromKiryasJoelin2007.Inthatyear,villageresidentTobyGreenbergwassubjectedtoabuseandharassmentforperceivedviolationsofthestrictcodeofmodestyforwomenbywearingadenimskirtandawigmadeofhumanhair.Afterthreateningphonecalls,derogatoryleaflets,andtheslashingofherfamilycarstires,Ms.GreenbergdecidedtoleaveKiryasJoelratherthanheedthedemandsofthecommunitysunofficialmodestycommitteeadha-tseniyesADisplayofDisapprovalTurnedMenacing”December16,Thisepisode,alongwiththeothers,suggeststhatthemilitancyofSatmarishardlyrestrictedtoverbalpronouncements;itcouldanddoesassumetheformofphysicalintimidationandviolence.Furthermore,itisabundantlyclearthatthemartialtendenciesofSatmararenotonlydirectedagainstthoseoutsideofthecommunalboundaries.Intodaysworld,theyaredirectedchieflyatthosetheSatmarfold,asbothsidesseektodelineatebordersinordertoassurepurityandorderwithintheirrespectiverealms.CONCLUSIONThisarticlehashighlightedthreechaptersinthemilitaryhistory”ofSatmarHasidism,asexemplifiedbythreevolumespublishedoverthecourseofacenturyunderthetitleCommandedWarObligatoryWar.EachofthebookstookshapeinthemidstofapointedconflictamongJewsinthefirsttwocases,betweentradition-alistandnontraditionalistJewsinthemain,and,inthefinalcase,atleastpartlywithintheSatmarcommunityitself.Admittedly,theuseofthetermmilitaryhistoryisfigurative,sinceSatmarHasidimmountednoarmyoftheirownintheconventionalsense.Andthecontextsin OntheallegationsofarsoninwhichamaternalconvalescenthomeinKiryasJoelwasdestroyedin1996,seeIntheAshesofArson,TensionsofBitterFactionalismForafullerandcontroversialaccountofawomanwhofledthestrictconfinesoftheSatmarworld,seetherecentmemoirbyFeldman(2012 Myers:CommandedWarPage37of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from whicheachofthethreevolumesappearedweredistinctintimeandconditions.Nevertheless,thethreetitlesmakemanifestapowerfulten-dencywithintheTeitelbaumsofHungaryandtheSatmarHasidicmovementfoundedbyJoelTeitelbaumtoengageinvariouskindsofspiritualwarfareinordertosafeguardthepathoftheElderIsrael.ThisimpulsewasdeeplyrootedinthecultureoftheHungarianUnterland,thelaboratoryofconservativereligiousinnovationintowhichRabbiJoelTeitelbaumwasborn,raised,andfirstwagedbattleagainsttheforcesofimpuritysurroundinghimsecularism,religiousreform,and,aboveall,Zionism.ItisnecessarytoaddthatRabbiTeitelbaumwasalsoknownandreveredforhisactsofcharityandlovingkindnesstowardothers.Inspiredbyhisexample,theSatmarcommunityinbothWilliamsburgandKiryasJoelhasdevelopedanextensivenetworkofhealthandsocialservicestoserveitsownmembers.Moreover,theinternationalSatmarorganizationRavTovdeclaresthatitsmissionistoactastheprotec-tiveshieldfortheglobalJewishcommunitylivingintyrannicalregimes”;itsmostwell-known,thoughalsocontroversial,activityhasbeentosalvagethelastremainingJewsofYemen. FIGURE5.ISHMILHAMOT(MANOFWAR)PUBLISHEDONTHETHIRTY-FIRSTANNIVERSARYOFRABBIJOELTEITELBAUMSDEATH(2010). http://www.unitedjewish.org/who.html(n.d.).TheeffortsofSatmarHasidiminrescuingJewsfromYemenhavebeenbothlaudedandcriticized.Infact,adocumentaryfilmthatappearedin2003,InSatmarCustody,suggestedthattheSatmarcommunityactedcoercivelytoward JournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligionPage38of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from Butnoneofthatcommitmenttogoodworksmitigatesthecombat-ivequalityofSatmar.ItwasdeeplyimprintedinthemovementsDNAfromitsinceptionandhasremainedpotenttothepresent.Aninterest-ingfinalillustrationofthisqualitycanbeseeninasixty-pagepamphletissuedonthethirty-firstanniversaryofthedeathoftheSatmarRebbe.ThepamphletsoughttoencapsulatetheessenceofthesageinthetitleIshmilhamot,ManofWar(Figure).ItcontainedexcerptsfromRabbiTeitelbaumsteachings,culledtoprovideclearanswerstoques-tionsposedbytheeditors.TherecurrentsubjectofthequestionsandresponseswasZionism,castasthesourceofgravestdangerintheItistellingthat,ontheanniversaryofhisdeath,itwasRabbiTeitelbaumsmartialspiritthatwasdeemedsoworthyofcommemora-tion.Thisspiritanimatedhissenseofmissioninstrugglingagainstenemiesthroughouthislife.Likewise,ithasanimatedthesenseofmissionofhisfollowerstothepointthatstrugglehasbecomebothaconstitutiveandcelebratedfeatureofSatmarlife.Aswenotedattheoutset,SatmarHasidimarenotaloneamongJews,norsurelyamongpeopleoffaith,inplacingspiritualwarasapillaroftheirworldview.Buttheyhavenowenteredaperiodinwhichthatdeeplyingrainedimperativehasbeenturnedinward,asoneSatmarHasidfacesoffagainstanother.Thecollateraldamagehasbeensubstantialalready,andthetollwilllikelyrise,especiallyifoneorbothsidescontinuetocloakthemselvesintheredemptivelanguageofacommandedwar.ArrestsLeadtoProtestsinOngoingKiryasJoelDispute.Availableathttp://satmarnews.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/arrests-lead-to-protests-in-ongoing-kiryas-joel-dispute/.AccessedonMarch28,2012.IntheAshesofArson,TensionsofBitterFactionalism.NewYorkTimes,July29. YemeniteJewswhomitbroughttoAmerica(inparttosparethemtheofimmigratingtoIsrael).SeethereviewbyAnitaGatesofInSatmarCustodyGates(2006TheentiretitleishmilhamotyadavloravamanofwarwhosepowersaremanyfromtheeleventhverseofimzemirotthemedievalliturgicalpoemchantedresponsivelyattheendofmorningservicesonShabbatandholidays.Aslightlyinvertedversion,yadavravhishandsshallcontendforhimappearsearlierinDeuteronomy33:7.SeeIshmilhamotyadavlorav Myers:CommandedWarPage39of46 at University of California, Los Angeles on March 1, 2013http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from ABattleforSuccessionTakesNoHoliday.NewYorkTimes,March26.Availableathttp://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/26/nyregion/26rabbi.html.AccessedonSeptember27,2012.n.d.CampusCrusadeforChristInternationalataAvailableathttp://www.ccci.org/about-us/index.htm.AccessedonJanuary26,2012.ADisplayofDisapprovalTurnedMenacing.NewYorkTimes,December16.Ha-Rebbeamar:tish’arube-Eropah.News,May1.Availableathttp://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3538199,00.html.AccessedonMarch29.IberhundertSatmarerfamilyestsienzikharoysfunVilyamsburg,velnzikhbazetsninashtetl100maylfunNyuYork.Algemeyner,May24.Ishmilhamotyadavlorav.Orha-emunah.JewishSecttoGotoOrangeCounty.NewYorkTimes,July21.Kunteresmilhemethovah.Brooklyn,NY:CongregationTiferesYczchok.Mikhtavgaluiimsefermlhemetmitzvah.Sziget:MenahemMendelVider.Milhemetmitsvahhe-hadash.SatuMare:Tip.SatmarFactionsRumbleinWilliamsburg.Availableathttp://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2005/10/satmar_factions..AccessedonMarch28,2012.VillageWantsHasidicPublicSchoolDistrict.NewYorkTimes,July21.AVillagewiththeNumbers,NottheImage,ofthePoorestPlace.NewYorkTimes,April20. 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