Williamsburg, NY – In a blockbuster exclusive for Israeli Hebrew magazine Sha’ah Tovah, Rabbi Moshe Friedman agreed to a full-length, hardball interview.
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He is popularly known in the chareidi Satmar community as Reb Moishe Gabeh, for the role of gabbai which he held for dozens of years to the late Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, zt”l, He is also well known outside of chassidic and chareidi circles in the U.S., with many senators and politicians flocking to his door throughout the year, especially before elections.
Rabbi Friedman is revered in some Satmar Chasidic circles, and reviled in others for alternatively adhering to the true will of the Beirach Moshe, the late Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, zt”l, or cynically flaunting it to tear Satmar apart.
As the Beirach Moshe’s decades-long gabbai, or personal assistant, Rabbi Friedman consistently refused requests to be interviewed about his relationship with the Satmar Rebbe, or his alleged machinations that turned each of the Beirach Moshe’s two sons into Satmar Rebbes in their own right.
The interview takes the allegations head-on, respectfully challenging Rabbi Friedman to come clean on the big questions on the minds of so many Chasidim, Satmar and otherwise, for so long.
It becomes immediately clear how he gained such immense influence. His ability to penetrate deeply into a matter, to analyze all sides, to define the crucial points, and to present his conclusions persuasively — in addition to his huge knowledge of Torah and chassidus — made him the natural confidant of two Satmar rebbes and conferred on him exceptional status in the Satmar empire. Until today, his opinions and views are constantly sought.
Reb Moshe didn’t attain his unique status by inheritance or connections, but only because of his own personal qualities. One doesn’t have to be his devoted supporter or be connected to the Satmar world, to appreciate that he is a self-made man.
Read below excerpts of the explosive first-ever interview in the Sukkos edition of Sha’ah Tovah.
Q: Satmar has become two courts. Won’t it reduce their power?
A: “Who cares? Satmar, Baruch Hashem, is big enough for two chassidic courts. In fact, each of the two courts are big enough to be divided into another few courts.
Q: So what you’re saying is that, Baruch Hashem, Satmar became two courts and it’s a good thing?
A: Of course it’s good that there are two chassidic courts. Without a doubt.
Q: Are you saying that the truth is that it’s impossible to run a chassidic court that has more than 10,000 families? Do you think that such large courts can be run?
A: It’s pretty obvious.
Q: Even though everyone would prefer a united court, but if it was already divided into two, they should be happy about it?
A: I see it as a ‘l’chatchila’ and not a ‘b’dieved’.
Q: You mean, from the start they should have separated?
A: Yes.
Q: If the chassidic court divided into two, and there are now two chassidic courts with two rebbes, can the community live in harmony with each other? Maybe it won’t work out?
A: They won’t really be together. But they’ll live fine as they are, not like in other places where they ended up fighting all the time. I don’t want to mention names.
Q: When the controversy occurred, the community said you had a hand in it. Is that true?
A: (smiles) They have to blame it on someone, so they blame it on me. Maybe there was someone who didn’t like what was happening, and one always has to find a scapegoat. Let them blame me. But to tell the truth, it was the rebbe himself.
Q: The rebbe zt”l?
A: Yes, the Berech Moshe.
Q: And you had no part in this?
A: Someone had to carry out what the rebbe said. So I did it. The rebbe, the Berech Moshe, couldn’t decide for years how to divide the rebbeship: should the rebbe from Williamsburg be in Kiryat Yoel, and the rebbe from Kiryas Yoel should be in Williamsburg, or the other way around. In the end, he decided that the rebbe would be Williamsburg.
Q: They claim that the rebbe wasn’t healthy when he made the decision.
A: Nonsense. At the same time that they said that the rebbe wasn’t healthy, they also said that he wanted to appoint the second son rebbe. So was he healthy or wasn’t he healthy?
Q: What eventually occurred is what he wanted?
A: Of course. All the time they said he wasn’t healthy, he ran tishen, he davened, he received Jews and did everything that a rebbe does.
The full 10-page article appears in Sha’ah Tova’s holiday supplement English and Hebrew edition which is on display in many NYC supermarkets.
i dont get it, he sounds very unreasonable, he fails to explain WHY is to courts better then one. . is it because we now have more places to go each night on chol hamoed? or is it because there is a second court for the other son (Zalman Leib)?
some how this fails to fall with my common sense. . one court with great achdus would be a “L’chatchila” two with crazy fighting is not even a “B’dieved”. .
what do you think?
If you read the entire article, this guy comes across as a brilliant but machiavellian manipulator who was able to pull the strings with a high level of precision and achieve his agenda while staying in the background. Everyone has their own opinion, but the idea that the rebbe himself supported the separation of the chassidus in the manner it is split today is laughable. As a practical matter, they really don’t have the option any longer of unscrambling the egg.
Very sensible, Satmar was totally out of control, now with two separate courts both rebbes have more control on their people, and the people have a selection of 2 to choose from..
Time will tell
Even Moshe Rabeinu needed Yisro to advise him on how to divide the leadership. Most Satmars don’t get involved in arguments about this, but to those who have: how could someone support the idea of forcing them to follow the opinions of the son whose rulings they didn’t agree with? The only way to save the Rebbes from being overwhelmed and spread too thinly is to have two. Have some rachmanus on Moshe Rabeinu for once!
I once heard a phrase describing him as “ha’mamlich m’lochim v’lo ha’meluchoh.
As an outsider reading the above words of the Rebbe’s Secretary he seems to come across like the current chief of staff of President Obama, Rahm Emanual, a guy who likes it MY WAY or the HIGHWAY, the rebbe at his advanced age of course could not fight with such a chief of staff and the rest of the story is history.
They are such wimps. Mishpacha did Aron, so now they have to run and do Zalman Leib. Cheap journalism
it doesnt matter what the rebbe wanted, you can’t force thousands of satmar chasidim to be under one rebbe, if any one rebbe fights for the right to control those people then he is not worth of being called a rebbe. The zalman’s people should be with Zalman and aron’s with aron. How about a kidush hashem through displaying some brotherly love?!
Anybody wanna buy a bridge? Moshe gabeh is trying to sell the Willie Bridge. I’ll give him that the Berech Moshe was healthy and sane when he decided to give Zalmen the rebbistva. But it was Moshe who pressed on him for years. Moshe gabeh knew that he would be persona non grata with R’Aron in charge and that with Zalmen as rebbe he would still yield power. Nobody ever said Moshe gabeh is stupid.
there can not be two kings with the same crown
Reb Moshe is a wonderfull person. Interesting how a person in his position all these years and no ego, when you went with a kvital to the Rebbe Z’L he made you feel special.
I don’t think he ever hurt someone personaly he just did what the Rebbe told him to do. He risked his and his family life many times just for working for the Rebbe.
When the fight began he was ready to take the heat on himself so no one can blame the Rebbe.
A truly amazing person.
Where can I order online the Shaah Tova, I cant get it in my area(monroe)
Yep. its the same old Mosha Gaba than 15, 10 and 5 years ago, the same leis with same ‘Pashtes’..
At the same time that every yid, every rabbi and every men involved in chinuch understand that ‘Achdus’ is the best thing and this ‘Macloika’ is the worst thing ever for our community, will Mosha gaba understand that this is a “lkatchila”.. Just bcs he want that Rabbi Zalmen should be the rabbi, and since he saw that the older brother Rabbi Aron is a big rabbi him self he is saying that 2 courts is the best.
I still remember whan he was saying “i will make Arom like Srulcha from visnitz (before he came back..) Times has changed. Mosha Gaba wants 2 khiles. NICE.
He is 100% right very few can handle more then 500 people let alone 10000 people
A kehilah that has 500 families has 500 problems and you need to work 24-7 to take care of that
In the previous generation theere were many rebbes who were capable of running big Chasidism and they were noting in size compared to now
I can’t see one rabbe today besides maybe the blezer rebbe who has the capacity to run 10000 people
Bobov and satmar and viznitz should be grateful for the split the arguments should be against the fighting not against the split
Its not like the old days in Satmar when there was a chasidische court. The shtetle is gone. The Rebbes today are not like those of yesteryear.
He is right that more courts would be better, we need more leader. We need people who we could go to not just figureheads.
Satmer did lose some of its power because of the split, but all in all the split is a good thing.
Here is why:
1) Compation is always good, this has been proven time and again. People behave much batter if there is check and balances; and they produce much batter results.
2) It the long run, this split will reduce “maclokes” that’s has been going on in Satmer for many years.
Since the passing of the “Divroy Yoel Zt”l” there were 2 types of satmer Chasidim.
1) Who believe that its batter for “Yidishkiet” If the rabbe and the Chasidic are above (almost) everything; doesn’t have to explain anything, etc. (like most Chasidics, and the Ahronim).
And 2) who believe its batter if it’s more like a “Kahila” (Zalonim).
That’s why there were so many fights. But now, in the lung run everyone will go there own way.
I am NOT a Satmar – far from it. I read the interview. There is THE one MAJOR question which was asked from him, but he DID not answer it! The question was: People say that the Berach Moshe made the split when he was not of sound and mind (in later years). He did NOT answer this! He just said that if so, at the same time the other side “wanted to appoint the second son Rebbe”..! Does anyone understand this answer? Either this is just a plain typo – or he was just Stam saying words which did’t make sense!
This is what r’aron said on his brother when he became rav in Israel !!!
“וויל איך דא זאגן פאר אלע אנ”ש וואס וואוינען דא אין עיה”ק ירושלים, תושבי ארצינו הקדושה, דער טאטע זאל זיין געזונט האט ממנה געווען מיין חשוב’ן ברודער אלס רב און ראש ישיבה בקהלתינו הק’ דא, נישט אזוי גרינג האט ער דאס מחליט געווען אוועקצושיקן א קינד אין די מרחקים אהער ביז קיין ארץ ישראל, נאר ווייל ער האט פארשטאנען כולו נאה כולו יאה, די כתר הרבנות אין ירושלים עיה”ק, וואס ער איז די גברא דמרא סייעי’ הן אין גדלות בתורה, און און הן אין גדלות אין יראה, און גדלות און אלע ענינים און די געוואלדיגע השלמה וואס א רב האט, און וואס א רב דארף צו האבן, כדי ער זאל קענען מרומם זיין קהלתינו הקדושה. מיין חשוב’ע ברודער וואס איז געקומען אהער, די קורצע תקופה וועס ער וואוינט שוין דא, האט באוויזן גדולות ונצרות, אויפצוהייבן קרן התורה והיראה, הן וואס איז נוגע בעלי בתים אין הרבצת התורה, מיט שיעורים פאר בעלי בתים, און וואס איז נוגע אין די תלמוד תורה, פאר בחורי חמד, פאר כולל אברכים, און חינוך הבנות, און אלעס וואס איז נוגע פאר א קהילה נאה וחסידה, מיין ברודער דער גברא דמרא סייעי’ מיט זיין סייעתא דשמיא, מיט זיין חכמה, און מיט זיין ישרות, און מיט זיין מדות טובות, וואו ער איז נושא חן כעיני אלקים ואדם, וואס מ’זעט עס וואו מ’גייט און וואו ער שטייט, הן וואס זענען חברים אין קהלתינו, און הן וואס זענען אינדרויסן וואס זענען נאנט, קרוים למחנינו, ווען מ’קומט אין בארירונג מיט מענטשן, און זיי זעען זיינע גרויסע מעלות, זיינע גרויסע פעהיגקייטן, איז עס באמת א גרויסע כבוד פאר קהלתינו הק’ אז ער איז מכהן פאר וכבוד, רב אין אונזער קהילה.
everything might be true but machloikas is user even if competition is good and all other benefits, a l`catchile it cant be!
I’d like to know whether he feels that dragging the two k’ehilos through the courts and creating the biggest Chilul Hashem in the history of the chassidic movement is also ‘L’chatchila’.
The difference of the 2 Satmar’s in my opinion is that the fan’s of the older brother are what we would call die-hard fans of their leader because of his inspiring motivation and exceptional oratory skills being able to give powerful sermons and speeches, the fans of the younger brother I wouldn’t consider as die-hard fans but rather they are with the younger brother as a “statement” of opposition against the older brother.
clearly ruchnius in our communities in the last 10 years has taken a nose dive, which clearly points to the leaders engulfed in machloikes and their power struggles, while neglecting the pertzes of our generation, people dropping to new lows without fear of answering to a “united” authority.
more importantly whats going on with the yeshives today, caused by “competition” between the factions and the need to be better than the other side, in the meantime were loosing precious souls on a daily basis, hundreds of even average buchirim on the streets, if thats what “lekatchile” means???? i dont wanna finish the sentence.
Just this week the mazkir of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Krinsky, also granted an interview to Mishpacha and the comparison between these two interviews is amazing. It is like two separate planets. Rabbi krinsky’s interview is permeated with the themes of achdus and ahavas yisrael expressed by complete unity among yidden, while this interview stresses the opposite. Scary.
If the Satmar Rebbe wanted this split, he would have divided the assets instead of having the brothers fight.
All those who claim thatR’ Moishe Gabbeh just evolved in the last years of the Bairech Moish and took advantage of his weak mental state to further his own agendas.
Looks like you all forgot the story that happended close to 20 years ago!!! When the Bairach Moishe was still fully competent…
That R’ Moishe Gabbeh was ran over by the car of P. Lef…. ONLY because he was the one constantly taking ALL the heat, swalowing ALL the bullets for all the tough decisions made by the Rabbi.
So before you post your comments go ask those old Satmer Chasidim who remember, you’ll be shocked to find out what this R’ Moishe secrificed for Satmer and for his Rabbi.
I am not satmar. I just have one question. How can two Rebbe’s fight with eachother? especially brothers? and how can they run after kavod and want to be a rebbe. I thought a true leader is humble and runs away from kavod and leadership.
If the rabbi did want it should be 2 kahiles why didn’t he divide the real estate why didn’t he speak to the roshi hakahily or anyone else beside the gabbi before it was divided
What was Moshe Gabei’s agenda with this one?
Totaly nonesense that 1 person cannot lead a bigger crowd!!
Look around there are huge leaders who lead millions!! While they delegate roles I.e. We have 1 president, 52 senators, 500+ congressmen, and local municipality leaders, but in the end there has to be 1 at the top to direct, we also have dayunim, rabbeim, menahalim, kehile board members, to delegate appropriate resposibilities.
Also its seen in sha”s a few places that 1 leader is a bruche and multiple leaders a klule, (reb yoshie ben levi with eliyuh hanuvy) “manhig echod l’dor”. “Loi sisgoidedy”
Especially to take 1 kehile and split it through machloikes and “court” is a churben noiru!! Whose consequences can be devastating.
What’s left for us is to pray “she’yilmedy toyim binah” and stop the sinas chinam and come together like brothers to welcome mushiach bb”u!!
His goal was only Reb Zelman leib should be rebbe with him calling the shots now that the aronim control the Cemetery and the zolis making their own cemetery which brother resting place is in the ohel is the true successor he is changing the tune there is no one successor it is split
I have know Reb Moshe Gabbai for many years. He is an honorable, upstanding person, who many of us should emulate. It is to be said with out question that he puts the needs of the Klal way ahead of his personal needs. He has served Satmar faithfully & loyally for more years than I care to remember and has done so at the sacrifice of his & his families personal life. He is without question the best adviser & confidant a Rebbe can have and without question a worthy representative the community. Reb Moshe you should be well and be able to continue your wonderful work biz a hunderet und tzvonsig.