Stalking Horse or Deciphering the Code

Note: I've already posted on this subject, but since a blogger I highly respect felt it wasn't clear, I'm approaching the subject from a somewhat new angle.

In wars of the past, a device known as a 'stalking horse' was employed. This strategy involved sending an unfortunate horse towards enemy lines. When the horses' approach was detected, of course the opposing army would fire upon it, thereby exposing their positions for future attack.

The 'Bobov Maasehs' (hat tip to 'frummer') are serving as a stalking horse for other chasidusen and other krysen.

How so? When one sits down at a chasena or sheva brochos and the shmuz turns to R' Ben Tzion vs R. Mordechai Dovid, and the two respective shmuzers have about the same connection with either of them that Ayman Zawahiri does with Arik Sharon, they are probably using this machlokes as a stalking horse for their own krys. Especially if one of the shmuzers adamantly maintains regarding Bobov that 'things can't continue like this'.

Unfortunately, in our generation so orphaned even in comparison to the post war generation (or perhaps 'even' should be replaced by 'especially') many krysen can only look forward to apparently mediocre leadership in the current or the next generation. The Rebbe's or RY's children may not have what it takes. Maybe another member of the family or krys does have what it takes, or at least more of what it takes.

Now the 'revolutionaries' in the shmuzer's krys are pitted against the hard line conservatives. The revolutionaries shout "Meritocracy!"(see previous post by Circle). The conservatives rejoin "Never! A son must inherit the leadership". But neither side can afford to say what they mean, because both have to marry off their children. So Bobov becomes the 'stalking horse' for the future of _____________ (fill in the blank).

Why Bobov specifically? Because the race is tighter there. R' Ben Tzion is a son who looks like his father, was groomed by his father, and occupies his father's clerical real estate. Therefore, R' Mord'che Dovid shouldn't have had a chance.

Yet R' Mord'che Dovid is running neck-and-neck. This is a threat to the status quo which casts a long shadow beyond Bobov.

The world is watching.