DY:
I revised nothing. You are correct, that austerity was not the hallmark of every chassidus. But the use of the pomp when there were suffering souls who were in desperate need was not a trait found, even in Ruzhin that was known for its open display of malchus.
I have no problem accepting that someone wishes to live in grandeur. However, today’s displays are way beyond anything dreamt of, including the ancestors of those rebbes who have these displays. In the olden days, tzedokoh required the actual handing of money to the needy recipient. While that still exists, a hefty portion of today’s tzedokos are done via other means of transmission. This affords easy opportunities to subsidize worthy causes worldwide, not just the local עניים. To have all the extra trappings when there are those dying of hunger is clearly unfair, and probably borders on an issur. What I would state is that a true tzaddik would be pained by the tzuris of others, not neglectful of them while living it up with royal lifestyle.