Dancing for Meshiach

B"H

The last Chanukkah candle was lit last night, and it is always nice to see all the lights shining together. It gives you a feeling of having something completed. For the past eight days, all our bakeries were full of Sufganiot and sometimes you could hardly buy anything else. At least in Jerusalem.

Last night it seemed that the whole city center of Jerusalem belonged to Chabad. They lit the Chanukkiot at Zion Square and in King George. Jaffa Road, near Zion Square, was full of Mitzwe Tanks and further Chabadnikkim were dancing while waving the yellow Meshiach flags in King George (right at the corner of Jaffa Road).

When I walked towards the group of Chabadnikkim dancing for Meshiach, I saw a friend of mine participating. He is anything but a Chabadnik but who knows. Maybe the whole situation has changed.

My friend is in his fourties and used to serve in an army unit until he got fired. His greatest challenge is to get up early in the morning and he mostly fails this mission. The army fired him because he hardly showed up after a while. Then he started working for different security companies where he still could not get rid of his problem. He very much likes doing nothing during the day and instead he just walks around. Jerusalem is full of soup kitchens and no one has to starve to death. My friend knows all of them including the weekly menu.

About a year ago, the unemployment office was fed up with him and sent him to work for another security company. This kind of force helped my friend to get back to himself. Suddenly his self - esteem grew and he had some money to spend. But unfortunately, this didn't last too long and this time it wasn't even his fault. His employer stole 1500 Shekels (approx. 380 $) from his salary without saying a word or giving any reason. My friend became frustrated and he doesn't really have the ability to fight for something. So he kept quiet and left the company.

This was last summer and since he lost his tiny apartment and stayed with a friend. But also the friend couldn't spend any more time with him and eventually my friend moved out. I don't know if he then found Chabad or Chabad found him.
He moved into one of the Chabad Centers and now he has a place to sleep and daily meals. Last week I saw him with a new kipa on his head saying "Melech HaMeshiach". He told me that Chabad gave it to him and that he wouldn't take this too seriously. He laughed and made fun of it.

A few days later, on Shabbat, he didn't show up for the meals at Rabbi Mordechai Machlises' house. This is rather unusual, as my friend used to come every Shabbat for years. Me and some friends made a joke that Chabad doesn’t let him away anymore.

Last night I saw my friend dancing to a Meshiach song with other Chabadnikkim in downtown Jerusalem. They, not him, were waving the yellow Meshiach flag with the blue crown in the middle.
My friend looked rather displeased and I could see that he doesn’t have much of a choice but participating in all the Chabad activities if he doesn't want to loose his bed. However, there was another tiny change: He wore a black hat.
My friend looked almost haredi and only his blue pants disturbed the picture. But never mind.
I went up to him and said HELLO. Very briefly, as he seemed to be quite embarrassed.

This morning I spoke to another mutual friend of ours and he said that Chabad is at least giving him a roof over the head and food. The rest is unimportant.

I don't really know how to judge the situation. Of course, our friend has a roof over his head and enough food but what he lost is his personal freedom. He cannot just make a spontaneous decision and go out. Instead, he has to live according to the Chabad rules or he might be thrown out of the center. I do see the point that Chabad is not a shelter for the homeless but on the other hand, one should not loose his freedom.

Maybe Chabad will change his life and get him to find a goal in life. Even if he doesn't stay with them.
On the other hand, I cannot help myself thinking that Satmar is right. Once, a friend of mine from Chassidut Satmar told me that if a Jew wants to become religious, he should do it because he wants it and not because he is forced to. And especially Chabad would only missionize Jews and don't really give them a choice.