Chabad messianism

Chabad messianism is a term used to describe the beliefs of many followers of Chabad who believe that their late leader Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson will be the Messiah. Adherents to this belief are termed Meshichisten.

According to David Berger and others "the overwhelming majority of Lubavitch chasidim believe that the rebbe is the Messiah." However, Sue Fishkoff notes in her book about Chabad that "No one can know precisely how deep Chabad messianism goes. When Berger and other critics claim that it infects the majority of the Chabad movement, they have no greater statistical backing than do those who suggest it is on the decline." According to Fishkoff, "Messianism was more widespread during the rebbe's illness. Since he died, it's been decreasing, but decreasing much more sharply among the emissaries than among Lubavitch communities." In Crown Heights, she describes a significant number of residents holding Messianic views while the administrative leaders do not.

History of Messianism

Before Schneerson's death in 1994 a significant body of Chabad Hasidim believed that he was soon to be crowned as the Messiah - an event that would herald the Messianic Age and the construction of the Third Temple. Books and pamphlets were written containing purported proofs for the Rabbi's status as Messiah, some of which Schneerson opposed, but some he also encouraged on occasions.

After his stroke in 1992, followers routinely sang the song "Long live our master, our teacher and our rabbi, King Messiah for ever and ever" in his presence - a chant that he often encouraged. During the later years of his life Rabbi Schneerson's teachings were interpreted by many to mean that he was claiming to be the Messiah. His death in 1994 did not quell the messianist fervor. Believers found new rationales to explain the belief that Schneerson was the Messiah despite having passed on. Some argued that he had in fact not died at all and was still physically present in a concealed state. Others argued that though he had died, Judaism does not rule out the possibility of the Messiah returning from the dead.

The development of this messianism and its impact on Chabad in specific — and Orthodox Judaism in general — has been the subject of much discussion in the Jewish press, as well as within the pages of peer-reviewed journals.

Early developments

One of the earliest proponents of the idea of Schneerson as the messiah was Rabbi Avraham Pariz. As early as 1952 Pariz printed a poster proclaiming him as the messiah. When word reached the United States that the poster had been seen around Tel Aviv Schneerson forbade its distribution.

Again, in 1961, in a letter dated Tamuz 5721, Pariz, wrote of Schneerson as having near God-like essence:

Within the holy body of the Rebbe, 'Atzmus Ein Sof baruch Hu' [the essence of infinite God] resides. This tells us that whatever the Rebbe says or writes, 'Atzmus Ein Sof baruch Hu' is saying and writing, so to speak.

During Schneerson's life

According to research by Rachel Elior, the expectations that the Rebbe was the messiah built slowly through the 1980s. While she argues that the messianism of Chabad can be traced back to the 1950s and the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, she cites evidence that the 1980s saw a upsurge in messianism. People would write letters addressed to Moshiach instead of the Rebbe, conversations centering around the Rebbe's true identity became more prevalent, and as the Rebbe became more and more fixated on the issue of Moshiach, the fervor grew. Elior argues that the development of Chabad Messianism was in response to the holocaust and constituted an attempt by Schneerson to offer an explanation and purpose in the face of such destruction offered "eschatological certainty and messianic purpose - what appeared to be the only rational response from a theological point of view."

According to Paul R. Carlson, Schneerson became more direct about the messianic age during the Gulf War of 1991. Schneerson was quoted in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency as telling his followers that it would "herald the coming of the Messiah" quoting from the medrash Yalkut Shimoni: "Humble ones, the time of your redemption has arrived." This message was immediately taken up by the followers with full page advertisements in the press declaring that the messianic age has arrived. Other evidence for this included the fall of communism and the mass immigration of Russian Jews to Israel. Carlson cites Rabbi Chaim Bergstein in the Detroit Jewish News as saying "I'm not saying he is or isn't Mashiach, but there is no one as learned ...in this generation."

During the late 1980s Chabad rabbis across the United States started declaring the coming of the messiah was imminent and that it would be Schneerson. One Rabbi Asher Zeilingold told the press that he "expect[s] the messiah to come at any moment" and that Schneerson "soon will be recognized by God as the saviour."

Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo brought up the issue in 1984 by publishing a booklet declaring Schneerson to be the Messiah. Schneerson responded by writing "It has come to pass that because of his [Wolpo's] activities ... hundreds of Jews have stopped learning Chassidus, and now oppose the Baal Shem Tov and his teachings in actuality."

Anthropologist Vanessa Ochs spent the year of Schneerson's death living among women in the Chabad congregation in Stamford Hill, London. She writes that:

Before his death most of the women I encountered said they believed--or at least hoped--that their Rebbe would not die, but would rather emerge - "rise up" was the expression they used--as the Messiah. In the streets outside 770, I was told, women danced through the night with their tambourines, singing to greet the Rebbe as Messiah, despite his physical death.

By 1992 Chabad Messianism was gaining wide publicity. As the health of their leader deteriorated some Chabad followers became more vocal and explicit in their messianism. Time magazine journalist Lisa Beyer reported on the issue that year, noting that the followers in Kfar Chabad were expecting Schneerson to reveal himself as the Messiah imminently. She reported that Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz had openly declared that Schneerson should reveal himself as such, and arguing that even if he were to die "the leader's death would not disprove his Messianic potential."

By late 1992 a movement to crown Schneerson as "King Messiah" had gained prominence within the Chabad movement and a major rally was organised in Crown Heights where the Rebbe was to be crowned under the leadership of senior Chabad rabbi and youth movement director Shmuel Butman. He organised the rally on January 30, 1993 that was billed as Schneerson's coronation ceremony. Before the rally Butman informed the press that "This will be the coronation of the rebbe as Melech haMashiach (King Messiah)." The rally was held on January 30, 1993 and was attended by 8,000 in New York and countless others via satellite link-ups around the world. Butman was forced to backtrack during the event, announcing that Schneerson's appearance did not represent his acceptance of the role of Messiah. He told the 8,000 assembled followers (plus many more around the world watching via satellite) that the event "is not to be interpreted as a coronation."

As Schneerson lay dying in the Intensive Care Unit of Beth Israel Medical Center, some 2,000 followers gathered outside in Stuyvesant Square. Many could be seen singing and dancing - anticipating the end of days. Others were prayerful, some could be seen stroking the wall of the hospital as though it was the Western Wall.

After Schneerson's death

Schneerson's death lead to a rethinking of the theology of messianism within Chabad. While the funeral was attended by a few dozen extreme messianists who danced throughout the procession and argued that his death was a required part of the process of him returning as Messiah - most messianists were taken aback. The Washington Post reported from the funeral that the death had left Chabad stunned and in crisis:

Within three days of Schneerson's death The Forward was reporting that the movement was splitting over the death with some claiming that he was alive and some claiming that he would be resurrected:

There are some in Crown Heights who say they don’t believe the Rebbe is dead, and others who say that his resurrection is imminent. Some of these resurrectionists, who critics within the movement say are straying far from traditional Judaism, have even taken to sleeping near the Rebbe’s grave in a Queens cemetery, hoping to be the first to see their Messiah rise from the dead.

There was no effort to appoint a successor - no individual was designated in the will. When asked by a reporter if Krinsky would assume the mantle, he refused answering "heaven forbid". Within months however, messianism had regrouped and soon became a minor force within the Chabad movement. Many Chabad followers preferred to refer to the Rebbe's passing as a mere transition. In time Schneerson's passing began to be known as "Gimmel Tamuz" - the Hebrew date of his death.

Rabbi Schneerson's collected speeches from the last two years of his life were collected into pamphlets and published during his life under the title Besuras Hageula. These especially were distributed by the messianists after his death to bolster the case that he was the still the Messiah. These contained some of the strongest comments by Schneerson that the messianic age was imminent. Such evidence - along with other sources and a rabbinic decision declaring Rabbi Schneerson to be the messiah signed by over 250 rabbis - was used to bolster the case for belief in his return.

A group of messianists took out a full-page ad in the New York Times in 1996 entitled "The Third of Tammuz is not the Rebbe's Yahrzeit"; in 1998 another Times ad proclaimed that Schneerson

. . .was born to change the world in which we live and lead it to the ultimate redemption as predicted by the prophet. . . Moshiach’s presence and achievements are already manifest. The complete redemption and transformation of the world is imminent.

A messianist publication elucidated the theology as early as 1995: "Since the Third of Tammuz, we are no longer able to physically see the Rebbe King Moshiach. The Rebbe remains physically alive just as before, it is only to our eyes that he is concealed. Therefore, we call this a day of concealment, and many refer to this as the "last test." Just as we know that there is a G-d though we may not see him, so too the Rebbe King Moshiach is here even though we do not see him."

Full size replicas of 770 Eastern Parkway have been constructed in Kfar Chabad and in Jerusalem. Other replicas or near-replicas have been built in New Jersey, in Los Angeles, Melbourne, Milano, Rio and Buenos Aires. David Berger cites a senior chabad mashpia in Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Yishvam Segal describing the messianist posiiton of the Rebbe in the world:

We messianists believe that Lubavitch is Jerusalem, the House of our Rabbi in Babylonia [770 Eastern Parkway] is the Temple, and the Rebbe is the Ark of the covenant standing on the "Even HaShetiya" in which the divine being and essence rests.

The centrality of 770 to messianist thought is explained by Chaim Dov Keller. Since one of Maimonides preconditions that a true messiah must fulfill to become "Moshiach Vadai" - "certain messiah" is to rebuild the temple, the messianist must view 770 as the temple to justify their beliefs, since otherwise he failed one of the conditions and thus cannot be the messiah. Similarly, another of Maimonides conditions was that "all Israel" be returned to the Holy Land - messianists argue that Chabad adherents constitute "all Israel". The messiah must have "fought the Lord's wars" - Schneerson's predictions of the collapse of the USSR in the 1980s fullfil this criterion in messiant thinking.

Expressions of Messianism

There is a wide range of degrees of messianism within Chabad. The terms michichist and anti-michichst are loosely used with many of the later still taking the position the Schneerson is the Messiah, but that he died so the term is potentially misleading. There is considerable dispute regarding the relative strengths of the various factions which is discussed below.

Anthropologist Simon Dein has noted: "Lubavitchers held that the Rebbe was more powerful in the spiritual realm without the hindrance of a physical body. However some have now claimed that he never died. Several even state that the Rebbe is God. This is a significant finding. It is unknown in the history of Judaism to hold that the religious leader is God and to this extent the group is unique. There are certain Christian elements which apparently inform the messianic ideas of this group."

Some of main streams of thought within Chabad are set out below:

• Some express the belief that Schneerson was the best candidate for the Messiah in his generation, but now say that people were mistaken to believe that he was the Messiah. Rather, he could have been the messiah if God willed it to be so, but it was not to be. As such, the Messiah will come nonetheless in the person of some other great leader.
• Some emphasize the belief that the classic meaning of death does not apply to a truly righteous person such as Schneerson. In this view Schneerson never "died", and is still alive in some way that ordinary humans cannot perceive. According to this view, the Rebbe would later be revealed as Messiah. Many Chabad Hasidim refuse to put the typical honorifics for the dead (e.g. zt"l or zecher tzaddik livrocho, "may the memory of the righteous be for a blessing") after Rabbi Schneerson's name. They rely upon the Rebbe's statement that the world has entered a new period in its history and that, contrary to what has happened in the past, the leader of the generation will not be hidden "even through burial", but that he would remain alive until the revelation of the Messiah.
• Some argue that one leader in every generation has the potential to be the Messiah and that since Schneerson is still alive (in their view) he remains the only possibility in this generation.
• Some elements within Chabad go further still describing Schneerson as the greatest man who ever lived and/or perfect. They view Schneerson as godly to the extent that he is a part of God and is God "clothed in a body".." The prevalence of this position within Chabad is disputed, but certainly exists to some degree. This group is sometimes referred to as Elokist, though they view themselves as Messianist.."
• A small number." of Chabad adherents have gone so far as to call Schneerson God. The first record of this was in 1996 when the words "our rebbe" were substituted with "our creator" in a messianist publication. These last two groups of people have been ostracised both by the official Chabad movement and by many messianists. Some well known examples include Meir Baranes and Ariel Sokolovsky.

A central source-book of Chabad messianism, Al ha-Zaddikim, collates many proofs for Schneerson's mesianic status and argues that it is permitted to kneel before a Rebbe, to pray to him and ask for interventions from him, since "bowing to a man devoid of ego and annulled to the will of God is no different from bowing before God himself."

Prevalence of Messianism

The prevalence of the various views listed above amongst Chabad supporters is disputed. According to David Berger in his book The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference and other observers, very few Chabad adherents will say that "the Rebbe was/is not the Messiah". Some will say that "he might be", but a very large number will say that he certainly is the Messiah. Indeed this appears to most observers to be the mainstream position - the difference between the Messianists and the anti-Messianists being over whether Schneerson is dead or not. Berger argues that: {{cquote|"...the major institutions in the three primary population centers of Crown Heights, Kfar Chabad, and Safed are either dominated by overt believers in the Rebbe's Messiahship or suffused by that belief."]] He notes that in the movement's largest Yeshiva Oholei Menachem, the administration ordered that Yechi be recited. He said that the chief rabbi of Kfar Chabad was "one of the first signatories of a 1998 halachic ruling requiring belief in the Rebbe's Messiahship" as did 250 other Chabad Rabbis.

In a sworn affidavit, in a case regarding the control of 770 Eastern Parkway, Rabbi Sholom Kalmanson argued that while "most Lubavitchers believe that the rebbe is the messiah, others believe that while the scenario is possible, it should not be a public position. A very small minority have abandoned the notion that the rebbe is Moshiach.""

Berger notes in a recent article for Yated Ne'eman that he is"unfamiliar with a single public declaration formally affirming that Lubavitch chassidim should not accept the belief that the Rebbe is the Messiah."

A Chabad rabbi in Rechovot cited by David Berger argued in a messianist publication that "everyone knows that all Lubavitch Chassidim, despite the differing opinions, believe that the Rebbe is Melech HaMoshiach. This is the most open secret of the last decade."

Some well known Chabad adherents are known to be messianists. The reggae performer Matisyahu had been quoted as saying: “He was definitely one of the candidates, if there are any candidates. I believe and I see how it could be.” On another occasion he has been recorded singing the Yechi. [2]

Schneerson's messianism or divinity is not advocated in any of Chabad's official literature.

According to Zalman Shmotkin, director of the non-messianist website chabad.org "People don't actually believe the Rebbe is the Messiah. They say they believe, but really they want, they hope, they pray. But believe this no." Of those who agitate for the belief that the rebbe was or is the messiah, Rabbi Shmotkin, the Chabad spokesman, said Chabad-Lubavitch leaders have “repeatedly condemned them in the strongest possible terms.”

Journalist Sue Fishkoff notes that the idea that most Lubavitchers are messianist is "a claim Lubavitchers say is patently absurd. Here everyone is treading on thin ice, for no one can know precisely how deep Chabad messianism goes. When Berger and other critics claim that it infects the majority of the Chabad movement, they have no greater statistical backing than do those who suggest it is on the decline."

Berger responds that many Chabad messianist are coy about their beliefs ostensibly not to scare people away. He notes that even Menachem Brod, the leader of the moderates in Israel will not say that Schneerson is not the messiah.

Many of the major institutions of the Chabad movement are controlled by messianists. Berger argues that "that the major institutions in the three primary population centers of Crown Heights, Kfar Chabad, and Safed are either dominated by overt believers in the Rebbe's Messiahship or suffused by that belief." He notes that in the movement's largest Yeshiva Oholei Menachem, the administration ordered that Yechi be recited. He said that the chief rabbi of Kfar Chabad was "one of the first signatories of a 1998 halachic ruling requiring belief in the Rebbe's Messiahship" as did 250 other senior Chabad Rabbis.

According to Berger and others even the most anti-messianist Chabad followers do not currently claim that the Rebbe is not the Messiah. The most senior openly anti-messianist rabbi is Yoel Kahn. Kahn does not however argue that Schneerson is not the Messiah, but does argue that he is dead. In a 2003 proclamation by Kahn "messianists" are condemned for saying Schneerson is alive but not for describing Schneerson as the Messiah. A pamphlet produced by the anti-messianist camp including Menachem Brod makes a similar point

A report in Israeli daily Haaretz in February 2007 confirms Berger's assertions about messianism in Tzfat and in Crown Heights. The article describes daily rituals of tending to Schneerson's chair and praying for his long life in the synagouge at 770 Eastern Parkway, and quotes students in Tzfat and 770 who appear to hold extreme messianist and even Elokist viewpoints.

Prevalence of Elokist thought

The number of Elokist Chabad adherents is thought to be small. Berger notes that "very few chassidim actually pronounce the sentence, "The Rebbe is the Creator", though the number is not as negligible as one might imagine." In an interview with the Jerusalem Post in 2001 Berger explained that in the view of some elokists:

The supremely righteous, of whom the Rebbe and Moses are the chief exemplars, annul their own essence to the point where their entire essence is that of God. It is permissible to bow to them with this understanding. For this reason, the Rebbe is omniscient, omnipotent, and entirely without limits. He is ‘indistinguishable’ from God. Because he is a transparent window for pure divinity, a ‘man-God,’ ‘when you speak to him, you speak to God.’"

Response to Chabad messianism

Schneerson's response

On Simchat Torah 1984, in response to reports that certain people were publishing material and singing songs with this content, the Rebbe publicly stated at a festive gathering that those involved were starting a new war against Chabad (i.e., Lubavitch chassidism) and all its Rebbeim, even including the eventual messiah, and that he should never have to speak about it again.

In 1985, a year later, Schneerson gave a long talk about moshiach in general and the leader of the generation being the moshiach. Stating "I will not be troubled if one will translate 'Moshiach' literally, i.e. the righteous Moshiach, since that is indeed the truth. The leader of the generation is in fact Moshiach of the generation." This, coupled with the Rebbe's frequent statement that ours is the "Last Generation of galut (exile) and it is the first generation of Geulah, the redemption" is one of the arguments put forward that the Rebbe is the messiah. The logic behind this is that if the leader of the generation is the messiah, and this is the last generation, then it follows that he is the "final" redeemer.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s the Rebbe's talks became increasingly focused on the topic of Moshiach, that Moshiach was about to come, and what was needed to accomplish this. These talks would often take on a sense of urgency. On one occasion, during the rebbes talk at the International Conference of Shluchim, he stated "the work of the Shluchim has already finished, and the only task left is to welcome moshiach".

In the early 1990s, Hasidim became more vocal about Rabbi Schneerson being the Moshiach, even submitting a petition to him asking that he reveal himself as the long-awaited messiah.

In 1991 at a gathering, when some chassidim started to sing a song proclaiming him to be the messiah, the Rebbe remarked that it was strange that he should remain sitting there. He complained that he should have stood up and left the room, his only deterrent being a desire not to disrupt the brotherly atmosphere of a farbrengen.

After Rabbi Schneeerson's stroke in 1992, which left him partially paralyzed, it became customary for chassidim to recite the Yechi chant after prayers and at general prayer gatherings for his recovery. whenever he was present he encouraged this.

In the fall 1992, on Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Schneerson was brought to a window constructed on the upper level of the synagogue at 770 Eastern Parkway overlooking the main sanctuary. Chassidim sang the full version of Yechi, and he made encourageing motions with his left hand (his right side had been paralyzed by the stroke). On certain occasions; the rebbe made increasingly big signs of encouragement such as on Rosh Chodesh Kislev 1992 (5753); when the rebbe moved his hand back and forth with extreme energy.

Haredi response

The response of haredi gedolim to messianism both before and after the death of Schneerson has been universally negative, though they differ on the appropriate response and remedy.

Elazar Shach

Rabbi Elazar Shach objected to the call for "forcing" the Messiah's appearance, and idea advocated by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

Shach was the first major Jewish leader to openly criticise Schneerson and Chabad over Messianist fervor was Rabbi Eliezer Schach, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponevezh yeshiva and leader of Lithuanian Judaism. Schach repeatedly and bitterly attacked Schneerson and his followers on a number of issues, among them messianism, describing Schneerson himself as "insane" an "infidel" and a "false messiah". (See: Eliezer Schach: Opposition to the Lubavitcher Rebbe.)

When certain elements in Chabad actually identified Rabbi Schneerson as the possible Messiah, Rabbi Elazar Shach advocated a complete boycott of Chabad, its institutions and projects by its constituents.

Aharon Kotler

Rabbi Aharon Kotler (1892-1962), founder of the Lakewood Yeshivah in New Jersey, was severely critical of Lubavich, in part because of the extreme emphasis on messianism evident even at that time.

Aharon Feldman

Rabbi Aharon Feldman, dean of the Ner Israel Rabbinical College penned a public response to a question from a student asking how orthodox Jews should relate to chabad messianists in 2003. He made a clear distinction between what he termed the "Mishichists" and the "Elokists". He rules that it is forbidden to associate with Elokists under any circumstances due to their heresy and they cannot be counted for a Minyan. He rules it is also forbidden to support the mishichists in any way that lends credence to their messianic beliefs though they are not strictly heretics. He adds that even a messianist should not be given any public office since their judgement is compromised by their false beliefs.

. . .it is clear that [messiansits] are ignorant of Torah, thus, it is impossible to rely on their decisions in Torah matters. . .One who believes that amongst all those who have ever lived, the late Rebbe of Chabad is the best candidate to be the redeemer shows that he lacks any understanding of Torah values. The rulings of such a man cannot be relied upon in any matter of Torah, and a fortiori he cannot serve as a leader or Rabbi."

Elya Svei

Rabbi Elya Svei, one of the rosh yeshivas of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, said in his eulogy for Rabbi Elazar Shach, "Another area in which Rav Shach took the sole initiative and responsibility was in the less than popular task of protesting Messianic proclivities within Lubavitch. Rav Shach assumed the responsibility of decrying this perversion. Rav Shach started to fight this battle alone. He illuminated the truth so that others could also see the posed threat and follow his lead."

Yehuda Henkin

Senior American Posek, Yehuda Henkin in a responsa to Gil Student ruled that messianists are merely foolish and need not be shunned but he was more stringent regarding the Elokists:

However anyone who has even a spark of confusion about the boundaries between his Rebbe and God. . .is an apostate. His shechita cannot be consumed, he cannot be counted for a Minyan and his testimony [in a Beit Din] and his rabbinic judgement is unsound."

Zev Leff

Rabbi Zev Leff was asked if the Lubavitcher Rebbe is Moshiach. Rabbi Leff answered, "The Lubavitcher Rebbe is no longer alive. The Rambam says very clearly that if someone claims to be Moshiach and he dies before he builds the Temple and brings all Jews back to Eretz Yisrael, then it is clear that he was not Moshiach. So according to the Rambam the Lubavitcher Rebbe cannot be Moshiach... Also, even if people will claim to have found sources that seem to say that Moshiach can be somebody who died and will come back from the dead to become Moshiach, those sources are not obviously what the sources means because for 2,000 years one of our objections to Christianity across the board was that the concept of a dead Moshiach who comes back to be Messiah is not a Jewish concept."

Rabbi Leff was also asked the following: "May one eat in a restaurant whose proprietor feels that the Lubavitcher Rebbe is the moshiach, if it is under a widely accepted hashgacha? Furthermore, is it permitted for a person to daven in a shul where the majority of the congregants feel that the Rebbe zt"l is moshiach, and perhaps participate in the recitation of Yechi?" He answered, "The restaurant really depends on who the supervision is and if it is a reliable supervision. Even if the proprietor is not Jewish, certainly if he is Jewish and has wrong ideas about Yiddishkeit, you can eat in that restaurant. On the other hand, to daven in a shul where the majority have crooked ideas about Yiddishkeit and recite things that have no place as part of the davening, better not to daven in a shul like that."

Satmar Rebbe

Following Schneerson's death, the Rebbe of Satmar was said to have commented "Now we have to wait for the real Messiah.

According to anthropologist Robert Eisenberg who studied the relationships between the various Hasidic groups in New York Satmars hold extremely hostile views towards the Lubavitchers in general viewing them as "damaged goods" and "idolaters" on account of their beliefs concerning Schneerson. He notes that following Schneerson's death, the Rebbe of Satmar was said to have commented "Now we have to wait for the real Messiah."

Chaim Dov Keller

One of the first commentators to document the development of Elkoist thought was Rabbi Chaim Dov Keller. In a 1997 article he asks of the Lubavitch movement: "Will it be set back on a true course to reach out and bring Jews closer to HaShem and His mitzvos, or evolve into a huge messianic cult whose purpose is to propagate the divinity and worship of the Rebbe?"

Yaakov Kaminetsky

Yaakov Kaminetsky expressed concern in the early 1980s that Lubavitch's nascent personality-centric thinking could morph into something more objectionable. He advised Bezalel Landau not to publish a few chapters in a book he had written on the Vilna Gaon that dealt with his opposition to Hasidism as such material could split families, pitting husband against wife. He noted that he should keep them in reserve in case "someone was to do an ugly thing" a reference that Kaminetsky's son says refers to the Chabad movement.

Modern Orthodox response

Rabbinical Council of America

In 1996 the largest Orthodox rabbinic grouping in the United States, the Rabbinical Council of America approved the following resolution. The resolution read:

In the light of disturbing developments which have recently arisen in the Jewish Community, the Rabbinical Council of America in convention assembled declares that there is not and has never been a place in Judaism for the belief that the Messiah will begin his mission only to experience death, burial and resurrection before completing it.

Berger felt that the RCA resolution was a very significant turning point for his cause, as he recounts in his book that after the resolution was approved, "the thunder-bolt struck."

Ahron Soloveichik

In June 1996, The Jewish Press published a paid advertisement that included a letter with Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik's signature. The letter included the assertion that Soloveitchik believed Schneerson to have been worthy of being Messiah, that the Chabad position that Schneerson was the Messiah could not be dismissed as heretical, and cited a number of sources to demonstrate that he could be the Messiah. The letter also attacked Chabad's critics, and praised Chabad's works.

Many messianists believe that Soloveichik defended their position and bring him as a source to back up their arguments. Yet the letter caused confusion as this was a reversal of Soloveichik's previous position on the matter. In 1994, Soloveichik had told The Forward that Schneerson "can't be the Messiah - he is not living - a Messiah has to be living. A living Messiah, not a dead Messiah." He had also expressed shock at the idea that anyone could suggest that the Messiah could be from among the dead noting that "that could be possible in the Christian faith, but not Judaism" adding that this was "repugnant to everything Judaism represents."

Berger provides a letter from Soloveitchik to a friend in 2000, that resolves the contradiction between his two positions. Soloveichik writes:

To my great dismay. . . publications affiliated with the Lubavitch movement have persisted in stating that I validate their belief that a Jewish Messiah may be resurrected from the dead. I completely reject and vigorously deny any such claim. As I have already stated publicly. . . such a belief is repugnant to Judaism and is the antithesis of the truth. My intent in signing the original letter . . . was merely to express my opinion that we should not label subscribers to these beliefs as heretics. Any statements in that letter which imply an endorsement of their view were not shown to me at the time I signed and I once again repudiate any such ridiculous claim.

Norman Lamm

Other Modern Orthodox leaders have also responded to Chabad Messianism. The trend of messianism itself was criticized strongly by Rabbi Norman Lamm, chancellor and former president of Yeshiva University. Lamm argues that Schneerson’s statements could be misinterpreted to create a "distortion" leading to "moral nihilism." Lamm further argued that such open efforts to declare Schneerson the messiah would not have been tolerated before his death: "When he was alive, no one would have dared to discuss this." On another occasion Lamm argued “I do not believe that the rebbe thought himself to be moshiach. But I do think he considered himself a possible candidate." Lamm decried the movement’s over-emphasis on messianism and belief that the rebbe is the messiah but simply concealed from view. "To continue this myth of his being moshiach is utter ridiculousness. It is easy for the messianically-oriented to distort the rebbe’s teachings and say “that the rebbe is part of the God-head. That is completely heretical and quite dangerous. I wonder if this distortion could and should have been avoided by responsible leadership of a movement that has not lost its vitality."

Gil Student

Rabbi Gil Student an orthodox writer and publisher has written and self published a book examining and refuting the theological claims made by Chabad messianists.

In 2002, Gil Student published a book called "Can The Rebbe Be Moshiach? Proofs from Gemara, Midrash, and Rambam that the Rebbe zt"l cannot be Moshiach." A synopsis of the book goes as follows:

During his lifetime, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson of blessed memory, was a highly successful religious leader. His brilliant scholarship and eloquent speaking touched hundreds of thousands of people. Larger than life and presiding in a post-Holocaust world during which Jews returned to the land of Israel in an unprecedented fashion, he was declared by many of his followers to be the Moshiach ("Messiah") for whom Jews have waited for thousands of years. His death in 1994 should have dashed those hopes. However, many of his followers have advanced the position that even today the Rebbe can still be Moshiach.

This book is an analysis of this position within the Jewish tradition. What do the doctrinally binding texts say about a dead man being Moshiach? In a presentation appropriate for both the layman and the experienced scholar, this work demonstrates from dozens of texts that according to the authentic Jewish tradition the Rebbe unfortunately cannot be Moshiach.

Progressive response

Senior Reform Rabbi and humanitarian activist Arthur Lelyveld was also scathing about the messianist trends within the Chabad movement describing the organisation as having a "cult like" atmosphere.

Philosopher Rabbi David Hartman expressed his concern about the developing messianism early on, while Schneerson was still alive, saying that "the outpouring of Messianic fervor is always a very disturbing development."

Anthropology: Comparisons with early Christianity

Some scholars of religion have made comparison with the development of early Christianity: Anthropologist Joel Marcus writes:

The recent history of the modern Chabad (Lubavitcher) movement of Hasidic Judaism provides insight into the development of early Christianity. In both movements successful eschatological prophecies have increased belief in the leader's authority, and there is a mixture of ‘already’ and ‘not yet’ elements. Similar genres of literature are used to spread the good news (e.g. miracle catenae and collections of originally independent sayings). Both leaders tacitly accepted the messianic faith of their followers but were reticent about acclaiming their messiahship directly. The cataclysm of the Messiah's death has led to belief in his continued existence and even resurrection."

Such comparisons are something which makes many Orthodox Jews uncomfortable. Scholar Mark Winer has noted that "The Lubavitcher movement's suggestions that their late rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson is the Messiah, reflect Christian millenarianism"

Some have gone so far as to describe Chabad messianism as halachic Christianity. Judaism scholar Jacob Neusner writes:

A substantial majority of a highly significant Orthodox movement called Lubavitch or Chabad Hasidism affirms that the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who was laid to rest in 1994 without leaving a successor. . . will soon return to complete the redemption in his capacity as the Messiah. Hasidim who proclaim this belief hold significant religious positions sanctioned by major Orthodox authorities with no relationship to their movement."

Defence of Messianism

Some Jewish sources have argued that chabad messianism - at least in the moderate forms - is not anathematic to Jewish Philosophy. David Singer, of the American Jewish Committee, argued that:

The appearance on the Jewish scene of hasidim espousing a version of Second Coming theology is bizarre and disorienting. Still, under current conditions, the religious tremors it has set off may prove a boon for Orthodox belief. . . the messianic fervor of the Lubavitchers. . . is a welcome indication that the religious juices continue to flow in Orthodox Judaism."

Moshe Idel argues that Judaism historically has accommodated the idea of a messiah who rises from the dead. Idel, however, does not promote the belief that the Rebbe is the Jewish Messiah. Directly commenting on Chabad's messianic ideologies, he states that having continued

. . .messianic hopes and speculations ushered in by his predecessor, R. Joseph Baer, which were formulated during and perhaps even triggered by the Holocaust, R. Menachem Mendel developed a rhetoric of more acute messianism, which inspired many of his followers to worship him as the Messiah, even after his death. The depth and breadth of messianic expectations and propaganda at the beginning of this decade stemming from Habad Hasidic circles had no precedence since Sabbateanism, even though their effects on the actual religious behavior of the believers seem, at least for the time being, to be minor."

Breakaway movement

In protest at Chabad messianism, Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch started a split-off group known as Chabad-Liozna. Deutsch has a synagogue and a few hundred followers in the Boro Park district of Brooklyn. His actions have made him an unpopular figure within the mainstream Chabad community.

Support

A few non-Chabad Jewish figures have expressed their concurrence with the belief that Schneerson is indeed the messiah. Yaakov Yosef, (son of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef) and Aaron Leifer, Rabbi of Nadvorna-Safed, both signed a 1998 halachic decree ruling that the Lubavitcher Rebbe is the Messiah.

The "Yechi" statement

"Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu v'Rabbeinu Melech haMoshiach l'olam vo'ed!" (יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבינו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד) is a phrase used by many Chabad Hasidism to pray and proclaim that the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson will be the messiah. It means "Long Live our Master, our Teacher, and our Rabbi, King Messiah, for ever and ever." The phrase can be seen printed in various settings, notably on pamphlets, posters and small prayer cards. It is chanted by many people at the end of daily communal prayers in Lubavitch congregations, including the main Lubavitch synagogue in Crown Heights, "770". Yechi has a complex and controversial history dating back to the mid-1980s and is often viewed as a litmus test to differentiate the messiansits from the anti-messianists or non-messianists.

Yechi began as the phrase "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu Verabbeinu," ("May our master, teacher and Rebbe live!") to which the response was a shout of "Yechi" ("May he live!"). It appears to be based on the statement made by Bathsheba, the wife of King David "Yehi adoni hamelech David le'olam," ("May my lord King David live forever!") (Kings I 1:31). When used by Lubavitcher Hassidim, it was originally recited in the presence of Rabbi Schneerson after twelve special verses known as "the Twelve Pesukim" whose recitation the Rebbe encouraged in his teachings.

A child honored with reciting the last verse of the Twelve Pesukim would call out the phrase, to which everyone would respond. This was repeated three times. The response would be accented on the second syllable. After three calls, everyone would chant the word Yechi together in a 2-3-2-3 pattern. This was followed by singing "We Want Moshiach Now".

In 1988 Rabbi Schneerson spoke of the importance of declaring the ancient Jewish cry of Yechi Hamelech ("May the king live") as a prayer to express their desire that the Jewish Messiah should come. Later on, many of his followers began to consider this term synonymous with the above Yechi, using it to refer to Rabbi Schneerson himself.

See also

• Jewish Messiah
• Chabad-Lubavitch
• Lubavitcher Rebbe
• Messianism

Notes

1. Babylonia is often used a a surrogate for the entire world beyond the land of Israel in Jewish thought, in reference to the Babylonian Exile.

References

• On the Spectrum of Messianic Belief in Contemporary Lubavitch Chassidism, David Berger
• Chabad and Messianism, Adam Dickter, Haddasah Magazine
• The Once and Future Messiah in Early Christianity and Chabad, Joel Marcus
• Dalfin, Chaim. Attack on Lubavitch: A Response, Jewish Enrichment Press, February 2002 (ISBN 1-880880-66-0)
• Fishkoff, Sue. The Rebbe's Army: Inside the World of Chabad-Lubavitch, Schocken, 2003 (ISBN 0-8052-4189-2)
• 2002 Irresponsible Slander, Prager, Dennis, Moment Magazine.
• The empty chair, Yediot Aharonot, Neta Sela, 02.12.07
• Lubavitcher Rebbe as a God Haaretz, Saul Sadka, 02.14.07
• Waiting for the Messiah of Eastern Parkway New York Times, Jonathan Mahler, 09.21.03
• Cuff 9 in rabbi row, Daily News, Melissa Grace 12.16.04

Further reading

• The Jewish Messiahs: From the Galilee to Crown Heights, Harris Lenowitz, University of Utah, 2nd ed. (Oxford, 2001).
• Salvation or Destruction? The Meaning and Consequences of Lubavitch Messianism, Kraut, B., Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies - Volume 20, Number 4, Summer 2002, pp. 96-108.
• Jewish Messianism Lubavitch-Style - an interim report, William Shaffir, Jewish Journal of Sociology 35 (1993) 115-128.
• The Messiah Problem: Berger, the Angel and the Scandal of Reckless Indiscrimination, Rabbi Chaim Rapoport (Ilford, 2002)

External links

• Beis Moshiach Magazine, Chabad website
• Chabad.net, Messianist website
• Chabad.info, Messianist website including video clips
• A "Psak Din," or ruling in Jewish law, signed by over 200 Rabbis, stating that the Lubvicher Rebbe is the Messiah.
• Chabad and Moshiach