Who Says You Have to Attend Every Fair

It is told that there was a long-standing dispute between two great leaders of Chassidus. One was Rav Boruch of Mezhibuzh, the grandson and heir of the Baal Shem Tov by blood. The other was Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad and author of the Tanya, who considered himself a spiritual grandson and heir of the Baal Shem Tov as a talmid of the Maggid of Mezritch, the Baal Shem Tov’s successor. Their disagreement was holy and ran deeper than we can understand. Who can claim to know the true reasons behind their machlokes?

Rav Shneur Zalman once travelled to Mezhibuzh, davened at the tziun (resting place) of the Baal Shem Tov, and then went to visit Rav Boruch. Their dispute was well known, and Rav Boruch openly challenged some of the practices of the founder of Chabad, among them the custom not to recite Veshomru in the Friday night davening before Maariv.

“Why do you not recite Veshomru in the Maariv of Shabbos?” asked Rav Boruch. “And where does it state that one must recite Veshomru?” replied Rav Shneur Zalman. (Neither the Shulchan Aruch nor the Rema rules that one recites it.)

Rav Yosef of Yampola, who was present, stepped in to defend his mechutan, Rav Boruch. “Surely your honor knows that in Heaven there is a great gathering, like a festive fair, when Bnei Yisroel recite Veshomru. How can you ask where it says that one must recite it?”

Rav Shneur Zalman was not shaken. “And who says that you have to attend every fair? Some you attend, and others not.”