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| The late Lubavitcher Rebbe,, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, ZTL (JP) |
I believe that the innovations of Chasidus are in large part responsible for that. These innovations did not exist prior to the advent of Chasidus. And therefore clearly not required in order to fully serve God in the best possible way. Some of those innovations changed centuries old tradition – as in the modification of daily prayer to the Kabalistic interpretations of 16th century Kabbalist, R’ Yitzchok Luria, better known as the AriZal. This is something about which R’ Moshe Feinstein (widely accepted as the Gadol HaDor in his time) was very critical.
I suggested that the Vilna Gaon’s opposition to Chasidus was therefore correct and ended with the thought that it would be best if we could go back to the time before Chasidus existed - and practice Judaism the way our forefathers did – without any of those innovations.
I received a rather strong response/rebuttal from my friend Rabbi Yitzchok Wolf. He is a member of Chabad Chasidus (Lubavitch) who serves as principal of Cheder Lubavitch – one of the major Orthodox Jewish day schools in the Chicago area. Unfortunately he made his comment yesterday - a week after that post was published. Which means that few people if any read it. Nor did anyone read my response to it.
Although R’ Yitzchok has attacked me on several occasions with respect to my critical posts of Chabad, I nevertheless have a lot of respect for him and still consider him a friend. He is a respected leader of Lubavitch community here in Chicago. He was in the forefront of the opposition to Chabad’s hard core Meshichists when that issue was hot here in Chicago - shortly after the Rebbe’s death 25 years ago. This makes him somewhat of a hero to me. His opinion matters. I present his comment in full - followed by an elaboration of my response (modified for clarity):
Only one with scarce knowledge of the history of Chassidim would publicly state "in theory going back to a time where Chasidus did not exist would in my view be a major improvement for our people".
I am sure that if the Vilner Gaon would be alive today he would be himself a Chassid. The Vilna Gaon himself wrote in his Sefer on משלי Mishli that the lack of studying pnimius Hatorah delays the Geula and lengthens the Galus. After the Gaon`s Petira only Chassidim, for some inexplicable reason, began the serious study of Pinimius Hatorah with the publication of the Kdushas Levi, Noam Elimelech, Tanya, Sfas Emes, Meor Enayim etc etc.
Regarding the Cherem against Chassidim, Reb Chaim Voloziner refused to sign onto it. Perhaps, in that zchus, the great Reb Shlomke Zviller said, all Litvishe Yeshivas are traced back to him.
Thanks to the revival of Chassidus and Chassidim after the World War there are hundreds of thousands of frume yidden who would otherwise not be religious. Thanks to Chabad/Lubavitch the Baal Tshuva movement took off and with the rewriting of history everyone is now claiming credit for it.
Reb Harry, your comments are inappropriate but perhaps your thinking is affected by the location you mention in your comments.
My response:
First of all, R’ Yitzchok, I agree that Chasidus is responsible for keeping a huge amount of Jews observant. I haven’t the slightest doubt about that. It was an Eis Lasos - a time for needed action to counter the serious challenge of the Maskilim - Jewish intellectuals that as a result of the enlightenment were enticed away from observance and belief. They tried to dissuade their observant brethren to join them. And were succeeding. But Chasidus via its charismatic leaders (called Rebbes) succeeded in preventing many Jews from following the Maskilim – keeping them observant believing Jews.
But that mission was accomplished long ago. Chasidus is no longer the attraction that keeps the faithful – faithful. The Maskilim are long gone. Although Chabad is very successful in reaching out to secular Jews - that is an entirely different matter. These Jews are not being enticed away from belief and observance. They are Jews that were never observant to begin with - having little to no knowledge of what Judaism is really all about.
In fact with the exception of Chabad, Chasidus has evolved into something that is the opposite of outreach. They isolate themselves and reach out to no one. I would further posit that Chabad is successful at outreach NOT because they are Chasidim. But because of their own charismatic Rebbe, the late R’ Menachem Mendel Schneerson, ZTL. He gave them that mission.
And another thing, R’ Yitzchok, I do not accept your assertion that the Vilna Gaon would be a Chasid if he were alive today. That he studied Kabala does not mean the rest of us should. I don’t think any other Chasidim study it these days. Certainly not as much as Chabad does if at all.
In my view Kabbalah (which is Nistar - the hidden secrets of the Torah) is nearly impossible for the rational mind to fully comprehend . Which is why it should not be studied at all until one is at least 40 years old. And even then only by people with the intelligence and piety of the Vilna Gaon.
There is a reason it’s called Nistar. It is meant to be ‘hidden’ from us because it is not a rational subject and therefore too difficult for the human mind to comprehend. Which is something we acknowledge to God himself several times on Yom Kippur. We are required to study Niglah – the revealed word of God. That is how we can know how to serve Him. But not the Nistar. That resides with God.
Finally, I want to make one thig perfectly clear. My problem is with Chasidus. Not Chasidim. I have no quarrel with Chasidim. This is how they were raised. This is the life they love. People can live their lives anyway they choose as long as they do not hurt anyone or try to impose their views on others. Which is why I can sincerely say (as I did in my previous post) some of my best friends...