 |
| The letter and its signatories (COL) |
That does not mean we do not need to help them out materially. We absolutely should. We must. There are numerous organizations who have started campaigns to help them out. Most of them are trustworthy. I have chose to donate to the OU’s campaign. But there is a God in heaven that we know listens to our pleas. And that is where prayer comes in.
It seems off however that Chabad’s chosen prayers are aimed at Moshiach. They have just released letter asking people to pray for Moshiach as a solution for the Jews of the Ukraine. even though they wrote it a few days before hostilities began.
Now we all believe in the eventual coming of Moshiach. It is one of the 13 fundamentals of our faith as outlined by the Rambam. But as we also know, we have been waiting many centuries for that to happen. But still, even though he tarries, we believe. He will come when God decides we are ready for him.
There have been many times in the past where his coming would have made a massive difference. (Like during the Holocaust for instance.) Many – even great rabbis of the past had thought that in their particular time and situation that Moshiach’s arival was imminent. But as history has shown us, they were wrong.
The point is that we can’t hurry God. It's a bit arrogant to think we can. But Chabad/Lubavitch thinks we can. Ever since - just prior to his death about 25 years ago - their late Rebbe, R’Menachem Mendel Schneerson, ZTL, focused almost obsessively on Moshiach’s arrival claiming it was imminent, there has been an endless focus by Chabad on Moshiach ever since. This letter is only the latest incarnation of that.
As many who have followed this issue know, the idea that their late late Rebbe was Mosiach was almost universally believed by Chabad just prior to his death. But after his passing Chabad had to rethink and revise that idea. How does Chabad reconcile the belief that their Rebbe was Moshaich if he died? Moshiach must come form the living - as clearly stated by the Rambam. I am not going to get into how this idea was re-interpretted to fit their belief, but that is exactly what happened. Lubavicthers started believing that the Rebbe would be resurrected form the dead in a second coming to lead us out of our bitter exile - Galus. Sound familiar?
Long story short, there has been a major split in Chabad since then. Those that occupy their headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights overtly believe in their late rebbe will come back as Moshiach.There are some among them that even believe he never died – and is just ‘waiting in the wings’ to come out and reveal himself as Moshiach. They called what happened ‘Histalkus‘ - meaning his presence on earth has ended. Not necessarily his life.
The mainstream outside of 770 has been relatively silent on this issue for many years. But I suspect that many of them still believe that he will arise from the dead to lead us all out of Galus. They just don’t advertise it anymore. Not only that, they actively oppose to those ‘Meshichsts‘ - claiming that they are actively working to remove control of 770 from them.
I find that a bit difficult to believe. It’s been 25 years. Ad Mosei? They may not like the negative publicity that brings to Chabad. But they are apparently doing little if anything to get rid of them.
My gut feeling is that at some level most if not all Lubavitchers believe the Rebbe will be resurrected from the dead to lead us out of Galus. Or at least in the very strong liklihood that he will. And this latest plea for prayer is just another manifestation of that.
One may ask, doesn’t that undermine their outreach efforts? That is why the letter is written as it is. No where does it say that they believe their late Rebbe is Moshiach. They have written it with built in deniability. But there are signals laced with deniablity that are indicative that they believe it at some level. For example in the way they end the letter.
Many religious leaders from all segments of Orthodox Judaism will end a lecture or speech with a comment about Moshiach coming speedily in our days. But Chabad always adds the word Mamesh. Which translate to ‘actually’.
That sounds innocent enough. But the fact is that the way that word is spelled in Hebrew is the actual initials of the Rebbe’s name: Menachem Mendel Schneerson. (Mem Mem Shin) This is how this letter ended. Yes there is deniability there. But I’m not buying it.
What a sad track this wonderful organization has taken. They have done more than just about anyone to awaken Jews with little background to their Jewish heritage, many of whom have become observant Lubavitchers themselves. And they seem to be more successful at it now then ever – including during the lifetime of their Rebbe who gave them that mission. It’s a pity that they have taken such a steep detour in their mission. Why do I mention it? Because I believe it is the truth and a distortion of Jewish belief that hurts their credibility with much of mainstream Orthodoxy. In my view they should jettison those beliefs speedily and in our days.