Back when I was serving as a Chabad emissary at Oxford University, the great British philosopher Isaiah Berlin, who had befriended me, once told me that while he admired my work bringing Jewish students closer to their tradition, he was utterly opposed to the large menorah I erected in the city center each year. “My cousin” — by which he meant his relative, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson — “is a missionary. But this is not our country, and we have no right to impose our religion on its citizens.” Sir Isaiah was voicing the discomfort felt by some with Chabad’s high-profile Jewish outreach.
Indeed, for all its outstanding work, and even as it slowly assumes a position of mainstream world Jewish leadership, the Chabad–Lubavitch movement surprisingly still arouses suspicion, even among many of those it serves. The refrains are common: Aren’t Lubavitchers a little bit too idolatrous in their hero-worship of the Rebbe? Haven’t many crossed a line in their messianic zeal and insistence on the Rebbe as the messiah? And aren’t they contemptuous of non-Jews and American law, as evidenced by the recent Agriprocessors trial?
I am necessarily defensive on the subject. Chabad has been the love of my life since I was 10 years old. I gravitate toward its passion for Judaism, its emphasis on love for every Jew and its members’ preparedness to spread their movement’s message throughout the world, often at great personal sacrifice.
That does not mean that in the intervening period I have not come to see some of Chabad’s shortcomings. I would prefer that there was less pressure toward conformity, however subtle, in a movement in which people dress alike and often think too much alike. And I wish that Chabad more fully embraced the Rebbe’s own outreach to non-Jews in spreading the light of Jewish values. This, in particular, is a sore point with me since my own falling out with the Chabad leadership in Britain centered around the thousands of non-Jewish Oxford students who had joined my L’Chaim Society.
But none of this has diminished my enthusiasm for the Chabad movement, which I view as the great hope for the Jewish future. And it is high time that Jewish officialdom got beyond its suspicion and showed some real appreciation for Chabad’s work.
Yes, Chabad messianism is deeply misguided, and many within the movement regard it as a source of embarrassment. But it is mostly benign. For me, the people in Chabad who believe the Rebbe is the messiah do so largely as an expression of deep emotional attachment to the memory of a leader who was irreplaceable. The messianists cause discomfort, but they advocate no changes whatsoever in Jewish law or practice. So are they really bothering anyone, or is this just another cudgel with which to knock a movement whose tremendous growth has fostered no small amount of resentment?
To be sure, the Rebbe-as-messiah notion does not appeal to me in the slightest, and I personally welcome an emphasis on the Rebbe’s humanity rather than his saintliness. I never tell stories of his alleged miracles. It was his righteousness as a man that inspired me. And the Rebbe struggled far more than his followers are prepared to let on. He often spoke of his predisposition toward melancholy. He loved his wife deeply and never fully recovered from her loss. The deaths of Israeli soldiers made him heartsick, and toward the end of his life he feared that short of the advent of the final redemption, his work had been in vain. But human frailty for me is not a liability but a virtue.
The Rebbe-as-man is far more compelling than the Rebbe-as-superman, and I predict that in the next few years Chabad scholars will go beyond the myth, and we will see portrayals of the Rebbe that capture him in all his flesh. Rather than be diminished, his universality will be established by this change. He will cease being the Rebbe of Lubavitch and will instead become Rebbe of the Jewish world.
And why? Because what the Rebbe understood more than anyone else is that ideologies are perpetuated through charismatic leadership.
To most people today, Judaism is simply not compelling. So we keep searching for ways to make synagogues and Jewish classes more interesting, forgetting all the while that it’s not the subject which is boring but rather that many of the teachers seem lifeless.
The Chabad model of charismatic leadership is the single most important ingredient in its success. While most Jewish kids are playing Nintendo Wii at 13, Chabad youth are on the streets of Sydney and Los Angeles asking people if they are Jewish. Do you know what it takes to ask someone, when you are a foot shorter than they are, if they would like to put on tefillin or light a menorah? It’s torture. But you get beyond your shyness, and after doing it for a couple of years, what emerges is a bold and confident personality that is ready to go out to, say, Baton Rouge, La., and erect a menorah right there in the heart of Dixie.
If you can plant the flag of Judaism in some far-off corner of the world where you look funny to most of those watching, let’s just say that by that time you have a pretty sturdy identity, and it is inspiring to all those around who struggle with who they are nearly every day. That is something that the Rebbe understood, even as some of Oxford’s greatest minds missed it.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is the founder of This World: The Values Network and the author, most recently, of “The Blessing of Enough: Rejecting Material Greed, Embracing Spiritual Hunger” (Hospitality House) and “The Michael Jackson Tapes: A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul in Intimate Conversation” (Vanguard Press).
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>>...He will cease being the Rebbe of Lubavitch and will instead become Rebbe of the Jewish world...
WoW! I've read many of your articles about Chabad and I think i this one, you've really found a balance.
I can see that the missionary work of the Chabad youngsters would, all going well, give them some strength of identity: I imagine ths same is true for Mormon missionaries.... but how and why is it a good thing and for whom to be putting up menorahs right there in the heart of the public square anywhere?
I don't agree. Chabad's priorities unfortunatly have been reshuffled - perhaps not its leadership but many of the groups. its passion for Judaism, its emphasis on love for every Jew is now underneath the Yechi with Yechi being the ultimate most important - thing that has to be said at every turn - feeling injustified when ppl don't cooperate with that ideal. I do agree with you though that the Rebbe as man and human is what is fascinating - but this is not what many lubavitchers in the chabad world have chosen to focus on today. And that is the tragedy. That should be the GREATNESS of chabad - but it is not. I see this movement as one in deep crisis - unable to move on since they have been unable to correctly cherish and memorialize their leader.
RABBI CHAIM BRUK ARRIVED IN MONTANA, AFTER VISITING FOR SEVERAL YEARS WHILE STILL A STUDENT. HE HAS MOVED TO MONTANA, MARRIED, HAS ONE DAUGHTER, AND HAS BEEN A COHESIVE FORCE TO ENABLE THE FEW JEWISH COMMUNITIES SPREAD ALL OVER MONTANA TO MOVE FORWARD, WITH GREATER STRENGTH. LIVING IN WHITEFISH MONTANA, A SHORT SIX HOUR DRIVE, FROM THE RABBI CHAIM'S HOME, IN BOZEMAN MONTANA, HAS NOT STOPPED, HIS MANY VISITS TO OUR COMMUNITY. YES, HE SET UP THE FIRST MENORAH, IN HELENA, AS A UNITING EVENT, TO ALL THE WIDESPREAD JEWISH COMMUNITIES, TO JOIN TOGETHER. NOW, THE MENORAH LIGHTING, IS A STATE WIDE CONGREGATIONAL EVENT, IN HELENA, WITH CHABAD, JUST ONE OF OUR MEMBER GROUPS. PERHAPS, IN LARGER CITIES, CHABAD, HAS HAD, A DIFFERENT APPROACH. IN MONTANA, CHABAD, HAS SUPPORTED, THE ENTIRE POPULATION.
If you think about the difference between yourself and some street criminal you would realize that this criminal's perception of you may be neither accurate nor relevant. So as long as you understand that the level of righteousness makes such difference, you will agree that people on the lower level can only see the reality based on tools available to them.
Thus it would be more interesting to read how other zadikkim see the Lubavicher Rebe.
Rabbi Boteach begins this article by referring to two contentious issues: the Rebbe as messiah and Chabad contempt for non-Jews and American law as evidenced by the Agriprocessors scandal. However, having stated those issues, he dedicates the rest of this article to the rebbe-as-messiah issue, completely ignoring the Agriprocessors scandal and its implications. Now I know that there are those who would claim to separate Agriprocessors from Chabad, but that would be disingenuous. The Rubashkin family have been strong financial supporters of Chabad. The have created a veritable Chabad enclave in Postville, Iowa; one that not only produced and distributed kosher meat but also Chabad ideology. While scripture may proclaim that "From Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Eternal from Jerusalem," in the state of Iowa one could claim, "From Postville shall go forth the teachings of Chabad and the word of the Rebbe" for it has been out of the Postville Agriprocessors based Chabad community that Chabad had sent out its emissaries throughout the state. Chabad and Agriprocessors were joined at the hip. Nor should it be forgotten that when the kashrut of Agriprocessors was first being challenged, it was Chabad which stood by it, proclaiming that there is no connection between kashrut and the immoral practices of this company. Unfortunately the social abuses of Agriprocessors is but a reflection of the blatant disregard that Chabad has taken onto itself for any law other than Jewish law, and even there, they play fast & loose according to their desires, and any people other than Jewish people and even there, they have come to show gross disrespect for the Conservative and Reform co-religionists, claiming that their brand of Orthodox Judaism is the only legitimate expression of Judaism.
When one first visits some Chabd Houses, the Rabbis do NOT tell you what they really think of the Rebbe. This is dishonest.
1. Why won't CHABAD open up its books to its donors, not to mention the IRS?
2. In his edicts, Schneerson claimed the right to overrule Talmudic law. That makes him non-Orthodox.
e.G., Lighting a menorah in a public square is non-halachic. The halacha is that it may be kindled WITH A BLESSING only in a residence (bayit), defined as where one sleeps.
It is the Reform and Conservative rabbis that are angered by Chabads outreach!
I very much doubt that Lubavichers who erect menorahs in public places--or on top of their cars--think they are fulfilling the mitzvah or that they do it with a blessing. Every one I've seen is topped with electric bulbs. So who is injured by the practice?
I'd be interested in m. bender specifying where in his "edicts," Schneerson claimed the right to overule Talmudic law. Could be true. I just am asking for a source for the comment.
"Yes, Chabad messianism is deeply misguided, and many within the movement regard it as a source of embarrassment. But it is mostly benign." Benignly misguided? Really?
If misguided, how is it benign? It seems, rather, a symptom of a deep pathology.
Is it just a cute affectation? A mild confusion? Doesn't look that way from the outside.
The Rebbe of Lubavitch cannot possibly become the Rebbe of the Jewish world. He never saw fit to set foot in the Land of Israel. There was no doubt, not in 1948 nor in 1990, that Israel has risen up as the most dramatic story of the Jewish world. Surely, the Rebbe could have found the moment to come here - and to be with us and to demonstrate that he is part of this drama. Never have I heard a convincing explanation as to why even a visit was never possible. I was always suspicious that the Rebbe would have come if he were invited as "the Rebbe of the Jewish world" - as a king.
As an American living in the UK I can tell Rabbi Boteach that the main feeling among many Anglo-Jews is that Lubavitch is too American. Parades of cars with menorahs on top and huge menorahs in public bus stations goes against the place of Jews as a religious minority in an officially Christian kingdom. Approaching total strangers and asking if they are Jewish is incredibly 'unBritish'. The Brits don't even approve of Christian missionaries 'harrassing' strangers. To Anglo-Jews, most of whom have Orthodox afilliation, speaking of the Rebbe as 'Rebbe of the world' is about the same as calling him Moshiach, or sounds too similar to the claims of the Pope as supreme head of the 'universal' church.
Chabad are effective fundraisers, using hype, technology, nuclear disaster victims. They are effective at using children. They are comfortable validating the intermarried. They accept everyone and their donations.
The L'Chaim Society was inspired by their example, still is.
EXAMPLES: Schneerson allowed women to wear wigs in shul on Shabbas- forbidden by the Talmud. His Hasidism customarily start davening shacharit on Shabbas later than the range of the permitted time. The Talmud forbids clapping and dancing in shul on Shabbas and Yom Tov- Hasidim do this. More to the point, authentic Judaism is NOT about charismatic leadership. It is about the words of Torah. "Rabbinic authority" refers to the authority of the TEXT, not the person interpreting it. "Rebbe"-style Judaism - a la Chabad- mimics the magisterium of the Catholic Church, where an elite (e.g., the Pope) through intuition rather than the rational exegesis of the public text, claims to be able to read the mind of God and thus can dictate to others what the faith consists of. The Torah was given to the Jewish people as a whole, not an exclusionary black-hat hierarchy.
I knew Si Isaiah Berlin reasonably well and worked with him as a colleague for five years at Oxford. Ir is, with due respect for his sense of himself as Jewish and his services to Israel, difficult for me to imagine him declaring that Great Britain was not "our country." He came to Britain as a very young man, reached the highest levels of its culture and society, and did not--after all-leave it for either the US or Israel, when he had ample opportunities to do so. He was quite aware that not all of his British interlocutors were philo-Semitic and had a very acute eye for the anti-Semites amongst them. Nonetheless, he strongly identified with Great Britain and I had the impression that he did think of it as his country. Possibly, others who knew him might have a different view of thisand a judgement of this sort has to balance complex and even contradictory pieces of evidence.
This article does not address the underlying cause that for the most part, the reality is that most Jews are leaving the fold, and are not interested in Judaism. It is typical of the author to promote himself and his organizations, even though I personally think Chabad is embarrassed by the author and to the level of filth that he has associated himself with.
But not Boteach or Chabad address the problems with Orthodox Synagouge Judaism, the long boring services, the politics, the role for women that many women cannot accept, the rote rituals.
Until these issues are fixed most of the outreach success will be in the campuses with non Chabad organizations, and some of the social organizations that foster dating amongst Jews.
The author is way off the mark as usual.
To M Bender: Thank you for your reply to my question. Gut Shabbos
Chabad is extremely dangerous to the Jewish People for a number of reasons: First of all, its messianism it's not just 'picturesque', it's a violation of one of the basic tenets of Judaism. And yes, it does changes Jewish law. Second, the idea that one man - e.i. the Rebbe - has some sort of closer relationship with God than others, it's almost Catholic. Third, for all the 'niceness' of some emissaries, Chabad is a fundamentalist movement, and as cuch it carries the germ of extremism and violence. Fourth, The idea of Chabad "love for all Jews" is deeply misleading. Chabad does not accept the legitimacy of other Jews, like reform or conservative. I've seen many chabad rabbis invited to reform congregations to speak, i've never seen the opposite. Fifth, Chabad systematically hides its true, monopolistic agenda. I encourage everybody to go and check Chabad internal chat forums to see what Chabadniks REALLY think, not what they tell us. Sixth, Chabad's attitude to the State of Israel, Zionism, the Shoa, will simply disgust the enormous majority of the Jewish people. I suggest for people to read the letter of the Rebbe about the Shoa where he suggests that the Shoa was a good thing, like 'the amputation of the sick part of a body'. Seventh, Chabad's methods of operations - being mafia-style tactics in Russia or disregard for the law in the US is a disgrace for the Jewish People. True, Chabad 'infiltrates' where the 'establishment' is weak, rather than embrace that dangerous sect, the establishment should learn from its mistake and shape up. God help us if the Rebbe of Lubavitch becomes the Rebbe of the Jewish People... well, a sort of Pope, that's how Catholic Lubavitch is...
I have read of the late Rabbi Schneersohn and have met his followers over the years. As much as I do admire him and his work as they have helped so many; I am disappointed in the rudeness that some of the Chabad rabbis are towards others especially women. Chabad at first was not sexist or chauvanistic but a purveyor of peace and harmony within the community whether Jewish or not. However, from the Chabad here in Sonoma County, I found the young Rabbi to be very rude when after a service he interrupted me speaking to his wife when she asked a question at the Kiddush directed to me. This happened on more than three occasions. This is not like the Chabads I've been to before. I even brought this up.
Chabad is sometimes perceived as the real Judaism by the less than traditional Jews. Those Jews are largely unschooled in Judaism or Jewish history. They have always been fodder for evangelical Chabad Judaism. While the Hasidim may outlast most Jewish communities, that does not indicate hope for Jewish survival. The Hasidim tend to be less than cosmopolitan. They are in fact, conservative and separatists when it comes to its dealings with the rest of the world.
Boteach is not correct when he says perceptions of Schneerson will become more realistic. Quite the opposite. As times passes the myths will build (just look at Jesus and his myth machine). The Rebbe, unlike Jesus, will be seen by a small group as a great miracle worker much like the Baal Shem Tov. His true influence in reality is limited to his flock of sheep.
I wanted to add this to my prior comment. Rabbi Boteach I use to have alot of respect for. But when he associates with those of questionable character, I wonder about him. If he wants to be the "Guru" of the rich and famous - that's fine but I believe you lose something of your "soul" when you do that. The likes of the late Michael Jackson and of his brother who supported Al Queda's view of Jihad (I know what it is like to lose loved ones via Islamic terrorism) speaks volumes of creating a distance of association instead of being of a celebrity status.
when a small working Jewish community like ours which has traditional & progressive services.gets an uninvited shaliach setting up in the same town .and disturbs the "shalom bait" of a community that has worked well for over 40 years .
chabbad has lost its ethics .
canberra ACT australia
In my edition of qoran, bible, and torah only these words wld appear: There is god! And IT wld not, hopefully, punish anyone who wld speak in ITS name. People love to fire god and replace IT with hired speakers. Don't be fooled because bns of people say god speaks thru them. If u do u'r rendering god deaf,dumb and blind. He, she, or it, if extant, can speak, hopefully, for self!
IT wld not punish anyone for not believing in IT. It loves everybody. As an aside, santa is very democratic:s/he'l visit everry igloo, tent, mudhut, shanty, and most importantly, every palace. And not to mention each hobo habitat: doorways, cardboard boxes, park bench. Now, can anyone beat these news? That's indeed good news! But i got even better news: US finally wld create a state for jews only by sending away all pal'ns to greener pastures of ancient akkad, sumer, and assyria. USA needs to kill a few more mns of iraqis, tho, before it can transport pal'ns and maybe some syrians.
US wld have set up a state for jews only long, long time ago but some white jews were livid ab the plan. Most white jews actually abhor very thought of an orthodox rule in expalestine! To end: i am skipping this christmas; probably next one too. So, happy '11 christmas to u! tnx
Just as there are Jews for Jesus, there can be Semites for Schneerson. Hymie Z. is obviously one of the latter.
Despite the fact - as M. Bender's erudite remarks noted- that Lubavitch is non-Orthodox, because of its violation of Halacha.
As such, it should be considered, at best, right-wing Reform.
Moreover, the correct English spelling is ChaBBad, because there is a daggesh in the acronym Chet-bet-dalet. But, then, correct Hebrew has never been Lubavitch-Chabbad's forte!
I notice that many of the critics of Chabad exhibit a rather mean and self righteous spirit. Chabad is composed of fallible humans as we all are and in judging so harshly their critics reveal something sour in their own makeup. In the Torah we also learn of those Jewish leaders of that time who wanted to get rid of Moses because they thought they knew better than he. It is a wide spread social disease that so many clever people would rather criticize from afar rather than get into the arena themselves and show us what they can accomplish. What is stopping all the critics from joining together and showing us all how much better than can run things? Aren't these some of the same people who cannot even keep their own children Jewish?
Shneerson was a charismatic giant and an intellectual dwarf. His writings show a real difficulty with concepts, ignorance of sources and mental confusion. The Judaism he concocted was just a superstition quagmire that still have his followers terribly worried about the state of their mezuzahs. His late death was mourned by a large part of the Jewish people due to its extreme lateness.
M Bender -- all of the points you make about minhag Chabad apply to most other Chasidic groups, who seem to follow a Kabbalistic tradition about the best times to pray. All Diaspora Ashkenazic groups allow women to wear wigs on Shabbos, although some rabbinates object to human hair sheitels as immodest. Judaism may not be about charismatic leadership, but Hasidus has tended to be. I asume you are using charismatic in its correct theological tense of divinely conferred powers. Back in the 1970's the Rebbe himself complained in an official Chabad publication that he objected to turning the message of Chabad into a cult of personality.
I've always seen anti-semitism as the world's deep jealousy that Jews have the precious gems of Torah and a special relationship with G-d. After all we became like his bride when receiving the Torah. Judging by most of these comments, this form of anti-semitism (or anti-chabadism) seems to stem from a jealousy of Chabad that they had the holiest figure in their presence, much like King David and Moses. The fact that they live with him still today only attests to his great infinte power and impact he made on the world.
M Bender and Osvaldo are spot on.
Bottom line: Chabbad functions as a cult, as Hymie's hysteria demionstrates. Which is why it refuses to be transparent about the financial records.
Btw, Schneerson prohibited the signing of Hatikvah.
It is written..."She is a tree of life to them that lay hold of her and happy is every one that retaineth her" Prov.
The tree of life which is a great and mighty tree, is it not called the Torah because it shows and reveals that which was hidden and unknown, and all life from above is comprised in it and issues from it? Is it not true, that all that takes hold of the Torah takes hold of all above and below?
So, if this is true, and I know it to be----All who do this retain her will know truth and her from the beginning which is Wisdom, entering in through the pillars of faith. The G-D of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
In response to M Bender:
1. Why won't CHABAD open up its books to its donors, not to mention the IRS?
First and foremost, the IRS doesn't need Chabad's permission to look at "books". Chabad is and always has been in compliance with all US laws. I don't even know where this nonsense is coming from. Second, which Chabad are you talking about? Chabad is a movement, not an organization. The Crown Heights Chabad doesn't "own" all the little Chabad shuls around the world - each shul is financially independent, and must raise its own funds locally.
2. In his edicts, Schneerson claimed the right to overrule Talmudic law. That makes him non-Orthodox.
This is simply false. Let's go through your uneducated examples:
"Schneerson allowed women to wear wigs in shul on Shabbas- forbidden by the Talmud."
Really? Forbidden by the TALMUD?! They had wigs 2000 years ago? You're just throwing noodles at a wall hoping people here are too stupid to catch you on it. Quote me where in Talmud it says that women cannot wear wigs. Better yet, open up your Shulchan Oruch, and show me where it forbids wearing wigs. Orthodox women can cover their hair any way they wish. Some do so with hats, others with cloth and others with wigs. There is not a single shred of halachik validity to your viewpoint.
"His Hasidism customarily start davening shacharit on Shabbas later than the range of the permitted time."
Where do you get this nonsense? I've spent a month in a Chabad yeshiva. Chabad hassidim daven at appropriate times like everyone else. This is just outrageous slander.
"The Talmud forbids clapping and dancing in shul on Shabbas and Yom Tov- Hasidim do this."
This prohibition was instituted after the destruction of the second temple, and applies at ALL times, not just Shabbos and Yom Tov. It also extends to playing any music instruments, anytime. It was also repealed long ago. I really want to know, who filled your head with this rubbish? Shabbos and Yom Tov are special times to express joy. Why would you have a problem with Jews expressing joy in a halachik manner?
"More to the point, authentic Judaism is NOT about charismatic leadership."
Tell it to Moses or David or the Maccabbees. "Authentic" Judaism is all about leadership. For 2000 years we're waiting for a single man - Moshiach - to lead us to redemption. Maybe you heard of him?
"Rabbinic authority" refers to the authority of the TEXT, not the person interpreting it.
Actually, the TEXT places authority of deriving law in the hands of the Rabbis. I'm not sure why you are even bringing this up. The Lubavitcher Rebbe did not poskin (rule on law).
"Rebbe"-style Judaism - a la Chabad- mimics the magisterium of the Catholic Church, where an elite (e.g., the Pope) through intuition rather than the rational exegesis of the public text, claims to be able to read the mind of God and thus can dictate to others what the faith consists of."
I hate to break it to you, but prophets are a Jewish concept. Not that the Rebbe was a prophet, but I just want to point out that the basis of your argument is nonsense, once again. And again, throughout history, Jews have had towering leaders of Torah study who led the people. The Lubavitcher Rebbe was such a person - a Talmud Chochem, a Gaon, a Rebbe. There is nothing new in such a concept. To compare Chabad with the Catholic church is sick.
"Lighting a menorah in a public square is non-halachic. The halacha is that it may be kindled WITH A BLESSING only in a residence (bayit), defined as where one sleeps."
Most public menorahs are not halachik, but no one says a blessing on them. They are mere public symbols to reawaken the Jewish neshamah and reinvigorate Jewish pride, so that perhaps a Jew who sees one might light a real, halachik menorah in his home. Chabad distributes hundreds of thousands of menorah kits complete with menorah and candles to Jews every year, for free.
"The Torah was given to the Jewish people as a whole, not an exclusionary black-hat hierarchy."
And who is taking the Torah away from you? You seem so bitter and angry. Why? What did Chabad do to you? What did the Rebbe do to you? Your anger at Chabad so strong that you're willing to make up facts and accuse impeccable, deceased Jewish leaders of terrible things, without any evidence.
The fact that Chabad's approach has brought hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Jews to Torah observant Yiddishkeit seems not to resonate in all your analysis one bit. Why is that?
To Arnaldo:
"Shneerson was a charismatic giant and an intellectual dwarf."
You're just pulling that out of your rear.
"His writings show a real difficulty with concepts, ignorance of sources and mental confusion."
Have you considered that the ignorance and confusion is yours? Millions of people continue to receive guidance from the published writings of the Rebbe. Heads of state, world-renowned scientists and military strategists consulted with him over issues of enormous complexity. The Rebbe had degrees in engineering and was studying mathematics at the Sorbonne in France when WWII broke out.
"The Judaism he concocted was just a superstition quagmire that still have his followers terribly worried about the state of their mezuzahs."
The unspecific nature of this drivel makes it impossible to respond to, except to say that it is the custom of G-d fearing Jews everywhere in the world to check the validity of their mezuzahs regularly (every 3 years is one custom).
"His late death was mourned by a large part of the Jewish people due to its extreme lateness."
Pure hatred. Sick. Get some help.
Avigdor, my friend, you show such anger and hatred your self, to Arnaldo.
You are both learned in the scriptures, is it not written in Isaiah 41......"Present your case," says the LORD. "Set forth your arguments," says Jacob's King.
I did this and they took it off.... The scriptures were given to the people....we all were to be a nation of priest. We need to draw closer to G-D, for he is our shepard, we shall not want.
We have to realy look at what we do today. G-D has not turned, and we have been still walking in error. So why do the Rabbe not want change....???? We do so much in the physical, that the spiritual meaning is not absorbed as it should be. We keep our rituals so close to our hearts and pass them down like they are our god. Our customs and rituals....mean more than what G-D realy says about them. It is written....Isaiah 1....When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; bring offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.
Did you read it? "THEY HAVE BECOME A BURDEN TO ME"
Can any of you show me that G-D has turned this around? No! So you take what I put down here off. I give G-D'S words, you give us yours.
It is written...Isaiah 1.....When you stretch out your hands. I will hide my eyes form you.
What does G-D tell us in Isaiah? It is written....Listen to the teachings of our G-D. the above verse is ....Hear the word of the LORD. Not the words of men. Let G-D enter your hearts and minds put sin out, draw close to him, that is my message to you.
for it is written in Isaiah 1.....wash yourself; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
Think! We are the people...that worship the G-D of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...are we? or have we taken the side road that the father-in-law of Moses lead us down?
It is written....Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the G-D of Israel, says: 'Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the river and worshiped other gods."
So there you have it....ask your self.....are we not to let them in?
G-D has...DNA...the Creator of All Mankind....Jeremiah 31...
It is written Jer.31....Behold, the day-sssss(days in all generations, for time is to contain man NOT G-D!).....days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. Remember the prophet Obadiah....was an Edomite who embraced The One True G-D.
Isaiah speaks of the planed long ago that G-D set for all of us.
It is written Isaiah 25...verse 1 tells that ....O Lord, thou art my G-D; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wounderful rthings; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and true.
For it is written...Psalm 111....He provided redemption for His people; He ordained His covenant forever holy and awesome is His name.
And let go back to Isaiah..1...it is written....And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people, a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
The Dwelling place of the LORD---this---mountain---is on high---the hidden part in Ps. 51. One must clime the mountain putting sin out as they go up to the mountain of the LORD. Did you see the words above--------
I am so sorry...the chapter in Isaiah is not 1 it is 25 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people, a feast of fat things.....
All-People----the LORD of host. A host can house many diffrent people. O yes, and did G-D give eve a wig or ruth, or other woman....we need to rethink and draw close to G-D, putting sin out. One of our sins might me that we think, we are a better people, we know more than another race of people about G-D and what He wants. We give more to the world than any other like the atom.
Avigdor Buddy,
we haven't heard from you on this blog since you were defending Chabad luminary Rubashkin and Agriprocessors- and then the plethora of ICE indictments came through, with convictions on almost all charges!
Briefly,
you claim that the prohibition on clapping and dancing ... was "repealed long ago." I ask you: by WHOM? On whose authority? What bearded fool of your acquaintance has the blasphemous gall to claim to be able to override the Talmud?
Secondly, If someone went around wearing a white sheet and a white hood with two slots cut out for eyes, and claimed to be Afrocentric, would you believe him? Of course not. Yet take a look at how the Haredim- and esp. Lubavitch and other hasidim- dress: like morticians. Did Moses dress that way? Isaiah? Hillel? Akiva? Rambam? The Vila Gaon? Never! But 18th century Polish nobility – quintessential anti-Semites- did. Since when does dressing funny by wearing centuries-old regalia constitute proof of religious bona-fides in Judaism?
In halachic terms, Lubavitch ia not “Orthodox” but deformed Judaism. Chabad claims that the Zohar overrides the Talmud, and whatever brain fart Schneerson had, automatically supersedes both. This is not Judaism, this is papal authoritarianism! What makes Schneerson THE Rebbe? He may be a Rebbe, or an individual’s Rebbe, but THE Rebbe? He is not my Rebbe. What vote of international Jewry awarded him this title?
Just look and see how we insult and disrespect one another as Jews, as the " nations" (the goyim) sit back and watch us. How sad.
melvin farber, my friend, please never call me your buddy, like, your poor so called friend Avigdor. For I felt no friendship in your words to him. I understand, it is hard to see some one so devoted, a blind man, make him your friend.
Avigdor, melvin farber's buddy and my friend....you should think about what he said. It's true. Would both of you make fun of someone that is dressed in green from head to toe along with a hundred or more others all in green. Say they told you they wear this color for G-D is life, and green is the color of life. Then you walk away, and come up to a group in blue and they tell you, their better than the green, for their thoughts are higher than this earth, blue is the colore above. Your walking now and thinking about the two, and you come along and find yet, yes another group. This group are all in purple. One comes up to you and states you look upset my buddy how is this? You tell of the groups that you just passed.... and he smiles and nods his head, yes , yes , we know in a long voice. We have had to put up so long with them, thinking their so close to G-D more than us. When in fact, the world knows the sky only looks blue to the eye, but purpple is the hidden color, we are the ones, good buddy, come be our friend. Then you see all darkness around you....for the so, many colors blind you.
Come read, and hear the words given Isaiah from G-D, come says a little voice, reaches out and takes you by the hand to lead you to the words of Isaiah. You tell the little voice, your blind you can not see. In a soft voice , you hear, open the eyes of your heart and your mind toghther will see.
Isaiah 49....Listen, O isles, unto me; and harken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my G-D shall be my strength.
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, through Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my G-D shall be my strength.
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nations abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. Please my friends, we need to see....please read the rest. Pray, ask G-D to open your eyes....in this chapter of Isaiah 51...G-D says....Awake, awake, stand up,
Does that mean you think, you were sleeping on the job, you servants of Israel our G-D.??? Job 33 The Spirit (the LORD called me from the womb) made me (flesh below sin) but the breath of the Almighty gives life.(above . and it is written above in Isaiah...and He shall chose thee. Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages. These are the children that are in Isaiah 9...a child is given Us a son is brought forth, of birth to begotten...
We are in the womb, do you hear the call, will you go fotht to be called son of G-D like David...read Ps. 2 the DECLARED DECREE to be obeyed by all of us. the covenant...Ps. 51...our inward parts, the hidden part...our true foundation that all mankind have rejected do to mankind not weeding out sin form the earth.....sin brings death.
I was initially taken in during an impromtu visit to 770 with how welcoming and nice all the chabadnikkim seem. After getting involved with the shluchim here in my little corner of the antipodes, getting to know more about them over a number of years, and having spent time in a chabad ladies' seminary, I am deeply disturbed and concerned by them, their warped ideology and their reach. I have had a shaliach who I was formerly quite close to advocate the burning down of the refomer shuls and justify the recent murder of homosexual jews in tel aviv as "G-d's punishment" for their "unhalachic lifestyles". I am treated like a terrible apicorus for being modern orthodox and not wearing stockings. The shaliach's wife was diagnosed with such a severe vitamin d deficiency due to cleaving to her fundamentalist interpretation of tznius that her body couldn't take any calcium and she developed severe thyroid issues, leading to her 2cnd trimester miscarriage. Do you think those old dead rabbis who argued so much about the hebrew word for thigh would have clung so hard if they knew it would kill Jewish babies? They won't teach their children (our ours!) about the existence of dinosaurs lest they get the idea that the world is more than 5770 years old and if their children do find out 'hafs vshalom!' they say that dinosaurs were 'made by angels/made from plastic by those evil goys' to test our faith. Since our local shul got a chabad rabbi the membership numbers are in free fall and the shul is now in debt. You may tell me to run and hide from these fundamentalists who are creating un-ending pain and ruptures in our formerly quiet little town but we only have one shul and one jewish day school. They are taking over. They are the borg. I hear from my reform friends that all our former congregants are running straight to them - last week we had 20 (older) people on shabbes, and they had 80 (all families with children). I am not ready to let these under-educated, ignorant zealots take my religion from me yet! I don't see why nobody else seems to notice how insidious and devisive they are? Even the most reasonable and educated chabanikit that I am friends with from seminary will not deny that their dead rebbe is the moshiach. They go to his grave and pray to him! The only other people I know who pray to a dead Jew are called Xtians. I pray that Chabad is honest with themselves and realises that they're not Jewish anymore - they have created a new religion.
Boteach begins his article by repeating an old lie for the umpteenth time: "Back when I was serving as a Chabad emissary at Oxford University". Well, I am from Oxford, I have family and friends at the university, I vividly recall the aggressive land-grab when Boteach arrived in Oxford in the 1980s and immediately alienated the existing Jewish community by refusing to work with them (they, btw, *did* have strong ties with the university); and I can tell you that this clownish egomaniac NEVER HAD ANY OFFICIAL TIES TO THE UNIVERSITY. ABSOLUTELY NONE. He was just another fly-by-night snake-oil salesman trying to leach off a well-known and respected name. He continues to restate this self-aggrandizing lie and, amazingly, never gets called on it.
In the same opening sentence he goes on to state that Isaiah Berlin "befriended me". Translated into honest English, that should probably read: "I once asked Isaiah Berlin a question and he barely deigned to answer it, wondering who the hell I was." Is there any point asking Boteach not to speak ill of the dead, who conveniently cannot set the record straight (at least not before another of his lies has travelled several times round the world)?
"thousands of non-Jewish Oxford students who had joined my L’Chaim Society" ... Translation into honest English: "I somehow got hold of the university database and sent out "free" membership to all students so that I could fraudulently claim them as members and use the absurdly inflated figure for further publicity.
question for the commentators- Have you ever heard of these two words: Likkutei Sichos?
If you haven't then how can you comment on what Lubavitch stands for?
Likkutei Sichos is a collection of appx. 40 volumes of the Rebbe's speeches and discourses. In these works the Rebbe outlines the attitude of a chassid. In these books the Rebbe shows deep and profound scholarship, quoting from all parts of Torah. Usually the Rebbe will take a short piece from the Torah or Rashi or Talmud and then bring to light a powerful new understanding which is consistent in all parts of Torah, and then he will show how this new understanding has a practical and powerful lesson on how we should live our lives. Anyone who is versed in Torah learning and has concerns about Lubavitch, needs only to learn Likkutei Sichos and his concerns melt away. Most people who have issues with Lubavitch have never spent two seconds learning the Rebbe's teachings, and are clueless to how profound and scholarly they are. Some of the Rebbes more advanced teachings, are studied by Talmudic scholars for vast lengths of time and can take years to fully grasp the complexity of what the Rebbe was saying. (Such as the maamor "Gadol Yiye" in Meluket Hey")
Most people don't have a clue. The comments seem to indicate an overall ignorance about Lubavitch and its philosophy.
Hidden behind the public menorah lightings and free food is one of the most sophisticated mindsets in all of Judaism.
question for the commentators- Have you ever heard of these two words: Likkutei Sichos?
If you haven't then how can you comment on what Lubavitch stands for?
Likkutei Sichos is a collection of appx. 40 volumes of the Rebbe's speeches and discourses. In these works the Rebbe outlines the attitude of a chassid. In these books the Rebbe shows deep and profound scholarship, quoting from all parts of Torah. Usually the Rebbe will take a short piece from the Torah or Rashi or Talmud and then bring to light a powerful new understanding which is consistent in all parts of Torah, and then he will show how this new understanding has a practical and powerful lesson on how we should live our lives. Anyone who is versed in Torah learning and has concerns about Lubavitch, needs only to learn Likkutei Sichos and his concerns melt away. Most people who have issues with Lubavitch have never spent two seconds learning the Rebbe's teachings, and are clueless to how profound and scholarly they are. Some of the Rebbes more advanced teachings, are studied by Talmudic scholars for vast lengths of time and can take years to fully grasp the complexity of what the Rebbe was saying. (Such as the maamor "Gadol Yiye" in Meluket Hey")
Most people don't have a clue. The comments seem to indicate an overall ignorance about Lubavitch and its philosophy.
Hidden behind the public menorah lightings and free food is one of the most sophisticated mindsets in all of Judaism.
You state I will not let them take my religion from me.
Let them take it....for G-D tells us in Isaiah..1 But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
For you shall be ashamed of the oaks in which you delighted; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen.
For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water,
the strong shall become like tinder and their work like a spark; they and their work shall burn together with no one to quench them.
elia, my friend, it is your G-D you will not let them take, from you. Ps. 51...desire the desire that burns in the heart of G-D for us all. read Ps.51.
Religion, is man controled.... Isaiah 1..Why do you seek further beatings? Why do you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they have not been drained, or bound up, or softened with oil.
I havenot heard that G-D has turned these words around yet, have you.
So do not fret about religion, fear G-D and put sin out.
It is written ...Isaiah 1.......Listen to the teachings of our G-D. Set Me As A Seal Upon Your Heart.
Israel, G-D needs know one to interpert his words...they are very clear and were given to all people, it is G-D that enters our hearts and minds teaching us the truth and to know wisdom, that is given from him alone.
40 Volumes of the Rebbe's speaches and discourses...hummm.
Does the Rebbe know, The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. for this is written...in..Psalm 23. It is written in...Genesis 49...But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,.....
Great is our LORD and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit. It is written in Psalm 147. Mankind,,,,does not have this...for if they did have G-D'S understand they would of ----TURNED as the Jeremiah was sent by G-D and told them as many other were sent. YOU WALK IN ERROR....TURN.
Israel, my friend, you talk of memories----YOU STATED---THE HIDDEN, MINDSETS IN ALL JUDAISM ----was to you the free food, it was the most sophisticated mindsets in all of Judaism.
Let me make a point of what you said , my friend, I am in no way making fun of your good time. Iam glad you loved it.
But nevertheless...it will help me show you something to think about.
Memories of family grip our hearts they are able to weave themselves into the tapestry of our lives. Keep in mind the thickly woven tapestry ovet the holy of holyies and remembering that in Ps.51 the desire of G-D to place in our inward parts---truth and Wisdom. and what is written of the law that G-D will write on the ones that did not give their will to G-D.
OK, lets begin. In short if this memories were not of rituals and customs that G-D wanted than they were false memories. Sins of memories so to speak. And what of the affect to our everyday thoughts and behaviours would.....these ....sins of memories have???
Think...false memories could have many and varied behavioural consequences; our lives help mold us, does it not? Just like "real" memories, we are tols many reasons why we do things and why our passed was so bad, these stories of the passed become like real memories. We need to reach forward to the present and dramatically change how we think and behave. FORWARD.com is trying to help us all do that, I think that is why G-D put this name on them. Every thing has a reason under the sun. And G-D knows. a little fun there about FORWARD.com, but one never knows. The powers of false memories. Memory are what makes us who we are, we embrace the memory of our family, th cluture and religious rituals for it tells us who we are....we know, you my friend love --free-food. teasing you my friend, in fun ok. With out it we tell our selves we would be lost like someone who lost everything. Amnesia who can't remember who they are, or achieve even the simplest of tasks.
The flipside of this is G-D is telling us the memory of the past---one we could do without. The temple was destroyed and the thickly woven taspestry was destroyed with the temple...think about it..
Remember Lot's wife. Salt in scripture carries a two-fold signification. The positive is --it flavor---which makes things -good. As G-D is good, season Him through all you do and say makes things -good. Now the negative attribute that of it's use in making sonething --barren or without worth--to much salt in our lives. To much in looking like Lot's wife. We are not to turn back and want what the past held for us. We live now today, we need to look forward to the path G-D has prepared for us in this generation. That is why G-D created ----generations---. Each generation has been seasoned, by G-D. Too much is no good. G-D has set us forward working stronger over time navigating our lives towards Him alone. To find G-D, you need two things---you and G-D. to please G-D you need to do one thing----put sin out--- G-D cares about you heart and mind what you let in. Not what wig or whatever you put on. G-D gave us a covering...it is him, we need nothing else.
Navigat your lives towards Him...for it is written..Isaiah 25..You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter form the storm and a shade from the heat. Why do we need 40 VOLUMES OF THE REBBE???
For it is written...Psalm 18...As for G-D his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is -----flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.
Remember the woman in Genesis had not 40 volume or a Rabbe..and she seen G-D and was the first that is written that gave G-D an name. the male named all the what? But it was the woman, that named her G-D that she seen in the hidden part. Ps. 51. Man was both male and female---they were to lead together. One has lead us...and we walk in error. together we are to travel...being lead...by our One Teacher, our G-D. I can't seem to remember right now...you must look it up sorry. But it is written...G-D covers my head in the day of battle. This is all you need...for a covering. He is the G-D that provides.
This is a fabulous article, thank you Rabbi.
I really enjoy Chabad services and all the many Chabad rabbis I have gotten to know over the years. I have personally witnessed the messianic leanings of some but I would not paint the whole group with that flawed brush.
What I find so interesting is the virulence of the attacks here against Chabad... possibly you have not heard of all the Hassidic sects who are infinitely more insular and harsh. Check out Kiryas Joel... that can be a scary place.
I don't sweat all the hatred I see here towards Chabad... I just know it is because it is more public than other groups and also, I know hundreds of fabulous young Jews who were turned off by reform, conservative, and secular Judaism who found a community and a place to davven with Chabad... which is the point.
Benighted Avigdor:
Here is my reply to your silly rant:
1. First and foremost, the IRS doesn't need Chabad's permission to look at "books". Chabad is and always has been in compliance with all US laws. REPLY: YOU MEAN LIKE THE Rubashkin family? 2. In his edicts, Schneerson claimed the right to overrule Talmudic law. That makes him non-Orthodox. This is simply false. Let's go through your uneducated examples: "Schneerson allowed women to wear wigs in shul on Shabbas- forbidden by the Talmud." Really? Forbidden by the TALMUD?! They had wigs 2000 years ago? You're just throwing noodles at a wall hoping people here are too stupid to catch you on it. Quote me where in Talmud it says that women cannot wear wigs. Better yet, open up your Shulchan Oruch, and show me where it forbids wearing wigs. Orthodox women can cover their hair any way they wish. Some do so with hats, others with cloth and others with wigs. There is not a single shred of halachik validity to your viewpoint. REPLY: Avigdor, “you lie.” Check out Shabbat 64, for the prohibition. The term which is translated ‘wig’ is pe’ah nochrit. The matter is then picked up by the Shulchan Aruch, in the context of wearing a wig in a kosher ‘eruv, but the decision is split. The Vilna Gaon, however, categorically prohibits wearing a wig, even in a kosher ‘eruv. It is the Gemara which governs Jewish practice/ halacha. To claim that whatever Jews - even Orthodox women- happen to do is ipso facto 'kosher', is called Reconstructionist Judaism. . 3. "The Talmud forbids clapping and dancing in shul on Shabbas and Yom Tov- Hasidim do this...." It was also repealed long ago. . REPLY: by whom- i.e., whose authority, was it repealed? 4. "More to the point, authentic Judaism is NOT about charismatic leadership." Tell it to Moses or David or the Maccabbees. "Authentic" Judaism is all about leadership. For 2000 years we're waiting for a single man - Moshiach - to lead us to redemption. Maybe you heard of him? REPLY: leadership, yes, CHARISMATIC leadership, no. All Jewish leaders are subject to Torah Law: even King David, even the Messiah. Charismatic leaders- like Rebbes- claim to be a law unto themselves. That is pagan behavior. . 5. "Rebbe"-style Judaism - a la Chabad- mimics the magisterium of the Catholic Church, where an elite (e.g., the Pope) through intuition rather than the rational exegesis of the public text, claims to be able to read the mind of God and thus can dictate to others what the faith consists of." I hate to break it to you, but prophets are a Jewish concept. Not that the Rebbe was a prophet, but I just want to point out that the basis of your argument is nonsense, once again. And again, throughout history, Jews have had towering leaders of Torah study who led the people. The Lubavitcher Rebbe was such a person - a Talmud Chochem, a Gaon, a Rebbe. There is nothing new in such a concept. To compare Chabad with the Catholic church is sick. REPLY: one more time: leadership, yes, CHARISMATIC leadership, no. All Jewish leaders are subject to Torah Law: the prophets, even King David, even the Messiah. Charismatic leaders- like Rebbes- claim to be a law unto themselves. The authority claimed by Hasidic rebbes is like that claimed by the Catholic Pope. To be sure, however, the organizational structure of Chabad more closely resembles that of the Russian Orthodox Church. . 7. "The Torah was given to the Jewish people as a whole, not an exclusionary black-hat hierarchy." And who is taking the Torah away from you? You seem so bitter and angry. Why? What did Chabad do to you? What did the Rebbe do to you? .
REPLY: Schneerson was a hypocrite and a phony. He claimed to preach “Jewish unity.” Yet Chabad solicits funding from non-observant Jews and then turns around and stabs them in the back: to wit, Schneerson was the behind-the-scene mastermind of the Knesset’s 1989 “Who is a Jew?” legislation and campaign aimed at delegitimating the Reform and Conservative movements- which, Baruch HaShem, failed.
Pure and simple, Schneerson was as much about Jewish unity as Kim Jong-Il is about Korean unification.
BOTTOM LINE: Face it, Avigdor: anyone who believes/obeys in Schneerson, rather than God, is an apikorus! If the sandal fits...
You ask why we need 40 volumes of the Rebbe? It seems you might be unaware of the following:
If G-d only gave us the wriitten Torah without giving over a proper way to interpret it, then he basically did not give us anything. Because anyone can look at a written law and understand it according to his/hers best interest. So of course G-d at Mt. Sinai when he gave the written law to us, he gave us as well the divine means as to interpret his words, as follows:
The Torah (G-d's word) has two parts: The "Torah Shebichtav" (Written Law), which is composed of the twenty-four books of the Tanach [which you seem to have a deep understanding of], and the "Torah Sheba'al Peh" (Oral Law)[which it seems you are completely unfamiliar with].
G‑d told Moses in Exodus 24:12 that he will give him "the Torah and the commandments." Why did G‑d add the word "commandments?" Are there any commandments which are not included in the Torah? This verse (amongst others) is a clear inference to the existence of the Oral Torah.
Originally the Oral Law was not transcribed. Instead it was transmitted from father to son and from teacher to disciple (thus the name "Oral" Law). Approximately 1800 years ago, Rabbi Judah the Prince concluded that because of all the travails of Exile, the Oral Law would be forgotten if it would not be recorded on paper. He, therefore, assembled the scholars of his generation and compiled the Mishnah, a (shorthanded) collection of all the oral teachings that preceded him. Since then, the Oral Law has ceased to be "oral" and as time passed more and more of the previously oral tradition was recorded.
The Oral Law consists of three components:
1. Laws Given to Moses at Sinai (Halachah L'Moshe M'Sinai):
When Moses went up to heaven to receive the Torah, G‑d gave him the Written Torah together with many instructions. These instructions are called "Halachah L'Moshe M'Sinai" (the Law that was given to Moses on Sinai). Maimonides writes that it is impossible for there to be an argument or disagreement concerning a Halachah L'Moshe M'Sinai, for the Jews who heard the instructions from Moses implemented them into their daily lives and passed it on to their children, who passed it on to their children, etc.
Some examples of Halachah L'Moshe M'Sinai are: tefillin straps must be black, a sukkah must have at least two and a half walls, and all the different Halachic measurements and sizes.
2. The Thirteen Principles of Torah Exegesis (Shlosh Esreh Middot ShehaTorah Nidreshet Bahem):
When G‑d gave the Written Law to Moses he also instructed him how one is to study and understand the Torah. Every word and letter in the Torah is exact, and many laws can be extrapolated from an extra (or missing) word or letter, or a particular sequence which the Torah chooses to use. The thirteen principles which are the keys to uncovering the secrets of the Torah are called the "Shlosh Esreh Middot ShehaTorah Nidreshet Bahem."
For instance: One of the rules is: "Anything that was included in a general statement, but was removed from the general statement in order to teach something, was not removed to teach only about itself, but to apply its teaching to the entire generality." An example for the usage of this rule is: In Exodus 35:3 the Torah says "You shall not light fire in any of your dwellings on the Shabbat day." Now, kindling a fire was already included in the general statement that prohibits work on Shabbat (Exodus 20:10). It was removed from the general rule and stated independently in this verse to teach us that it is a distinct form of work and, as such, carries a distinct penalty. Moreover, this lesson applies to each of the 39 categories of work included in the general statement. Thus, there isn't a broad category called "work," rather each type of work is to be viewed as distinct. Therefore, if someone should do several kinds of work while unaware that they are forbidden on Shabbat, he must bring a separate sin-offering to atone for each type of work that he did.
A full list of the thirteen principles can be found in the prayer-book.
3. Edicts (Gezayrot):
The Torah (see for example Deuteronomy 17:8-11) authorizes the rabbis to protect the word of the Torah through making "Gezayrot" (edicts).
For example: The Torah prohibition of eating or possessing chametz (leavened products) on Passover begins at midday of the fourteenth day of Nissan. Our sages added two hours to this prohibition, for they feared that on a cloudy day people would err and eat chametz after noon.
Just like the Congress is constantly enacting new laws and regulations, for the old laws are not always adequate for modern trends and tendencies, so too, the rabbis constantly added gezayrot according to the needs of their times.
Although the Torah commands us to follow these gezayrot, there are distinctions between a rabbinic decree and a Torah law. One of the distinctions is that when there is a doubt concerning a Torah law one must be stringent, whereas if there is a doubt in a rabbinic decree one may be lenient. [In case of an actual dilemma, always make sure to ask a rabbi what to do.]
Until the end of the Talmudic Era (approx. 1500 years ago) there was a central rabbinic authority which issued gezayrot which were accepted by all the Jews. Since that time, different communities have assumed upon themselves various stringencies, but rarely are there universally accepted gezayrot.
For more information see Chabad.org, specifically the writings of the scholar Rabbi Naftali Silverburg.
Once it is understood that when G-d gave us his teachings, he also gave us the tools to understand his words, that no letter in G-d's Torah is extra and every word has a constant relevance to every person in every time period, then it can be understood as well as to what it is the Rebbe was coming to clarify in his discourses.
The tools to interpret G-d's word are not human tools, rather they were given by G-d as well.
If you are concerned as to whether one's interpretation of Torah corresponds with G-d's will, then all it requires is to see if he is using is own tools, or if the person is basing himself on the G-d given tools and Oral teachings which He gave us on Mt. Sinai.
Israel, my friend, I see your mind id full yet your heart has not turned. I know this....for it it turned---you would speak to me of what David seen in Ps.118 that was so marvelous in our eyes. Or Israel, you would of spoken and not been able to hold back any of the words to tell me of the marvelous things, things that Isaiah seen that G-D planed for us long ago.
I do not want to insult or make hurt feelings between us. You study and know so much.
I have found, like David and others the rock, our dwelling place, the hidden part....I know.
Israel, think why G-D named him this, Was it because he was truned and became the mirror image of G-D standing and walking in unity with G-D who brought him forth to be called Israel, a son of the Living G-D.
Something went wrong....we must look, and not with a proud heart and a close mind...so not to see what is right in frount of us.
Error....walks with us now not G-D! G-D is at war with us...the words of G-D do not lie. So many volumes of mankind thinking. A fool remains a fool if he does not see he has been fooled.
The lie and deceit, is all over this earth...we are all worshipping the same god the creature of our hands.
Please, read the lost book of Jasher. I will pray for you my friend.
How did it get lost....the priest then were the writters....and to make something go away was easy....just stop writting and making these books... So there you have it --a lost book. read it.
For it is written of in Joshua 10 and in the book of 11Samuel...why for us to seek it out...the truth will not be hidden, from the one who seeks truth. Ps. 51
m. Bender, Your statement of ----"The authority claimed by Hasidic rebbes is like that claim by the Catholic Pope.
Read this and think please....So clever was the mixture----the merger of paganism and Christianity that ONE man was now looked to by Both pagans and professing Christians as HEAD! POPE was looked to by "CHURCH" as bishop of bishops; while the pagans regarded him as their Pontifix Maximus, whose office he actually held. By this time, and throught the years that followed, the streams of paganism and Christianity flowed to together, producing what is know as the Roman Catholic church, under the headship of the Supreme Pontiff or Pontifix Maximus----the Pope.
The Pope holds the keys to the church...is word is the last and the first...he is all authority. This is what you tell the Hasidic rebbes are like.
Unlike Job of old who did not want to "give flatterind titles unto man" for it is written...Job 32...
Mankind likes control.... I ask you would it not be better to stay right with the scriptures and seek G-D in our hearts and minds Ps.51. Or should we not reject the supposed "authority" of those high offices in which men seek to make themselves "lords over G-D'S heritage"?
And instead of men receiving the glory, should not all the glory be given to G-D?
Psalm 111....Holy and reverend is His name.
To Osvaldo (and all of you other morons): You could be either a) lying. or b) ignorant. I'll have the benefit of the doubt and believe that you're ignorant. 1) There is absolutely NO halachic problem w/ believing that the Rebbe is b'chezkas Moshiach (even after his passing) -See Gemara Sanhedrin, daf 98. 2) 'the idea that one man - i.e. the Rebbe - has some sort of closer relationship with God than others, it's almost Catholic' You sound like a modern day Korach, challenging a Jewish leader and Tzadik as to why he's any better than the rest. remember his outcome? He was wrong. G-d, for some reason, desired that there be LEADERS and tzaddikim, that there be a Moshe. Just look at what all of the geonim and tzaddikim of the Rebbe's lifetime said about him (see the 4 books 'shemen sasson may'chaverecha'), in addition to all that he accomplished for the Jewish people. Just ask my parents who told me that if not for the chesed approach of chabad and the rebbe's call for the Jewish woman taking on a ;eading role in Jewish life, they would have NEVER gotten involved with Judaism. I dont need to prove what Chabad's done, the facts speak for themselves. 3) The Rebbe said the shoa was a good thing? are u insane? The Rebbe CONSISTENTLY told all who asked him that we have no right to give any answers as to why any suffering or pain could happen to another Yid. 4) Regarding zionism, ask any chassidic group what they believe and youll hear the same thing. The difference byt he Rebbe was a love for the LAND and the SAFETY of the Jewish people. But a secular government that desires giving away land, is against Torah (see Shulchan Aruch Shabbos, Orach Chaim 329:6).
Basically, this is all just sad. Learn some chassidus, become a bit more refined (i.e. not comparing tzaddikim with popes. As the Baba Sali once said about a gadol who will remain unmentioned, who attacked the Rebbe about giving candles to girls b4 marriage to light erev shabbos: "A fly should not try and touch the wings of an eagle. All the more so you). I wish you all the best, no hard feelings