Skverer Chassidus

The Skverer Chassidus is a chassidic court that originated in the Ukrainian city of Skvira. Today, the chassidus is led by Rabbi David Twersky, who resides in New Square, New York.

History of the Chassidus

The first Rebbe and Rabbi of the town of Skvira was Rabbi Tzvi, a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov. After his passing in 1848, his son-in-law Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky, the seventh son of Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl (1730-1778), was chosen to be the town's Rabbi. Unlike his father, Rabbi Yitzchak was a reserved person who refrained from giving public drashos, a practice that his successors also followed. His main approach was focused on dveikus in thought rather than expressing through speech. However, contrary to chassidic custom, Rabbi Yitzchak studied Jewish philosophical texts. Rabbi Yitzchak passed away in 1837.

He was succeeded by his son Rabbi David, known as "Reb Dovid'l." Like his father, he was known for his extraordinary tzidkus and kedushah. He too continued the family tradition of silence even more strictly and was quoted as saying "We remain quiet, and remain quiet, then we rest a little and continue to remain quiet." In 1914, Rabbi David left Skvira for Kiev following the Bolshevik Revolution, where he remained until his passing in 1919. This marked the end of the chassidus in the town of Skvira. Rabbi David was among the admirers of the Rebbe Rashab and would only sign a kol koreh if the Rebbe Rashab told him to!

Rabbi David's son, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef (1900-1968) married the granddaughter of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach of Belz. After World War II, he immigrated to the United States but upon encountering the materialism and decadence there, sought to build a rural residential complex for his chassidim away from urban centers. Therefore, he established a community in Rockland County, New York, and called it New Square. This was the first shtetl in the United States.

After his passing in 1968, his son Rabbi David Twersky inherited his position.

Today, Skverer Chassidus numbers more than ten thousand families, with approximately half living in the shikun.

Connections with Chabad

The previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, frequently encouraged Skverer chassidim, particularly the kollel yungeleit, yeshiva bochurim, and Talmud Torah students, to study the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, emphasizing that in earlier times, the chassidic courts would determine halacha solely based on this Shulchan Aruch. Consequently, his son, the current Rebbe, directs and instructs that the Shulchan Aruch HaRav be studied in dozens of batei medrash, kollel halacha, and yeshivos that he established.

When the Rebbe sat shiva for Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, the Skverer Rebbe sent his firstborn son Rabbi Aharon Menachem Mendel, son-in-law of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, as his shliach.

On 3 Tammuz 1994, the Skverer Rebbe came to 770.

Inspired by the Skverer Rebbes, Rabbi Yehoshua Leifer, a moreh tzedek in Skverer shikun and son-in-law of Rabbi Moshe Neuschloss, av beis din of the shikun, published a new illuminating edition of the Shulchan Aruch HaRav in 1993 with sources and references, as the first sefer of the Oz VeHadar Institute that he established. Similarly, Rabbi Yair Lunger, one of the rabbonim of the kollel center in Skverer shikun, established the "Knishta D'Bei Rav" Institute, which has published the "Shulchan Aruch HaRav HaMevuar" and "Kuntres Acharon HaMevuar" on hilchos Shabbos. In 2001, Rabbi Zundel Shimanowitz, Rosh Kollel of Toldos Yaakov Yosef Skvira in Brooklyn, published the sefer "Biurei HaShulchan" on the Shulchan Aruch HaRav.

A few years ago, a family that previously belonged to Skverer Chassidus but wasn't observant arrived at the Chabad House in Cozumel, Mexico. Following their visit to the Chabad House, the entire family became baalei teshuva, and today they are fully Chabad. In Sivan 2022, the shliach to Cozumel, Rabbi Dudi Caplin, met with the Skverer Rebbe, who was impressed and said that only the Rebbe could reach all types of Jews, and even requested to participate in the Chabad House activities in Cozumel.

Siyum HaRambam in 2003

At the Siyum HaRambam in 2003, Rav Yosef Yisroel Eisenberger, member of the Beis Din Tzedek of Skverer Chassidim and the Skverer Rebbe's shliach, spoke about how on the approaching Chanukah, we follow Beis Hillel's opinion of "mosif v'holech" (increasing daily). Similarly, we see in the celebration of the Siyum HaRambam that each year there is "mosif v'holech" with increasing participants. From this, we also learn regarding the renewed beginning of Rambam that it should be in a manner of mosif v'holech and light until it illuminates the entire world, as the Rambam writes at the end of his sefer, "And the earth will be filled with knowledge of Hashem as water covers the sea."

Siyum HaRambam in 2006

At the Siyum HaRambam in 2006, HaRav HaGaon Rav Aharon Goldmintzer, dayan of the Skverer kehilla and the Skverer Rebbe's shliach, appeared. He emphasized that all those who learn daily Rambam are fulfilling the will of the tzaddik hador. This zechus will stand for us, particularly during the recent difficult period that Klal Yisroel experienced regarding the situation in Eretz HaKodesh, that from here onwards all matters should be according to the Torah's will, and we should be blessed with a ksiva v'chasima tova and a shana tova u'mesuka. In 2008, Rav Shalom Pollak, a Dayan in Skvira, spoke.

Customs of Skverer Chassidim

Skverer Chassidim are particular to wear a tallis katan made of wool that reaches exactly to the neck. In Skvira, they explain that they follow this custom because the Admur HaZaken, author of the Tanya, writes in Siddur HaRav that according to the Arizal, the tzitzis must cover the entire chest area. Additionally, Skverer Chassidim follow many customs according to the Admur HaZaken, who, as is known, wrote the Shulchan Aruch at the instruction of his Rebbe, the Maggid of Mezritch.

Study of Shulchan Aruch HaRav

Starting in 2010, Skverer Chassidim began a daily schedule in Shulchan Aruch HaRav, as part of the halacha study organized by "Chevras Torah U'Tefillah D'Chassidei Skvira" under the Rebbe's leadership. This organization distributes monthly copies of the Shulchan Aruch Kehos edition in booklet format with a daily study schedule printed inside throughout all Chassidic centers. Starting in 2021, the organization "Shearis L'Pinchas D'Shikun Skvira," under the Rebbe's leadership, conducts monthly tests on the study of the Shulchan Aruch HaRav. More than a thousand residents participate in the public examination in the Shikun, with hundreds more chassidim completing the tests in the chassidus's batei medrash in various cities in Eretz Yisroel and abroad. The organization pays regular stipends to all examinees via mailed checks.

Rabbi Moshe Neischloss

Rabbi Moshe Neischloss, Av Beis Din of Shikun Skveer and Av Beis Din of Serdehely, one of the generation's greatest poskim, maintained warm connections with the Rebbe and Chabad Chassidus. He passed away on 27 Adar I 1997. His son Rabbi Yehuda Eliezer Dovid Neischloss, Gaavad Serdehely, dayan and moreh tzedek in the Eidah HaChareidis, and his son-in-law the Rachmastriska Rebbe continue to maintain warm relationships with Chabad chassidim.

Branches

Skvira Boro Park

After the passing of Rabbi Dovid Twersky in 1919, his son Rabbi Yaakov Yosef was appointed as Rebbe. In 1923, his nephew Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky, son of his older brother Rabbi Mordechai Twersky who passed away shortly after their father Rabbi Dovid, moved to the United States and established a Chassidic court in New York parallel to the veteran court in Europe. Rabbi Yitzchak passed away in New York in 1941, and his son Rabbi Dovid Twersky succeeded him until his passing in 2001. Today, his son Rabbi Yechiel Michl Twersky serves as the Skverer Rebbe in Boro Park. The Skverer Chassidus in Boro Park is smaller and less well-known than its senior sister court established after the Holocaust in New Square, New York.

Machnovka

After the passing of Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky in 1837, his son Rabbi Dovid was appointed as Rebbe, and together with him, his brother Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel Twersky served as a kind of Rebbe in Skvira. After his passing in 1886, his son Rabbi Yosef Meir Twersky opened his court in Machnovka. After his passing, his son Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel Twersky (the second) moved to Eretz Yisroel and opened the Machnovka court in Bnei Brak. After his passing, his adopted nephew Rabbi Yehoshua Rokeach (great-grandson of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach [the first] of Belz) was appointed as Rebbe.