"The Rebbe is Alive" – Psychological Aspects of Chabad Messianism

B"H

About 50 people showed up for the lecture in the Feldman Building of Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Institute for Advanced Studies) given by Professor Yoram Bilu (Anthropology and Psychology). The lecture was supposed to explain the psychological aspects of Chabad Messianism.

As Prof. Bilu, I am also making it very clear that not every member of the chassidic group Chabad (Lubavitch) is someone who believes that the seventh and last Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson is the Meshiach. Those who do are being called "Meshichistim".

Chabad itself is split into different fractions, and the Meshichistim are the most aggressive group of all. Just look at the violent incidents between them and the non – Meshichistim when it comes to the former house of the Rebbe, 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights / Brooklyn. Officially, 770 is run by the non – Meshichistim but the majority rules and the building is totally under Meshichistim control. According to their ideology, Rebbe Schneerson didn't pass away in June 1994, but he became invisible. We are not able to see him because he now lives in a higher spiritual world / dimension. There, the Rebbe still exists and when the time is right, he is going to reveal himself as the Meshiach.
Although the Rebbe is invisible, he still rules over the life of a Meshichist, Chabadnik, us, whatever you like. The Rebbe is always around, even if we don't see him. He is still alive ("Chai veKayam") – according to the Meshichist ideology.

The seventh and last Lubavitsher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson


In his introduction, Professor Bilu emphasized that he is not a Judaic expert but would like to concentrate on the Chabad Meshichistim.
Why do they act this way ? The goal was to examine certain psychological ways of behaviour. And by the way, some Chabadnikim were actually part of the audience. Among them at least one Meshichist, as his "Yechi Adonenu …" Kipa showed.

In the beginning, Bilu tried to explain why people run after different religions and sometimes end up in an extreme. His analysis was that many people with all kinds of problems like to join such groups. Not every religious person has problems but when you look at many newcomers, you can notice a certain trend. Some people think that religion will give them all the answers and solutions they have been looking for. A new life, a meaningful life and sometimes courage and hope for a better future.

As I have already mentioned, according to the Meshichistim, the Rebbe is still alive and is going to reveal himself soon; hence, becoming visible again. There is a tiny group in the US proclaiming the Rebbe not only as the Meshiach but also as "G – d". This, however, is even for most Meshichistim too far off.

In 1951, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson became the seventh and last Rebbe of Chabad (Lubavitch). Thus, he became a successor of his father – in – law Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak was the first one, putting more emphasis on a Messianic ideology. Until then, Chabad had been just a normal chassidic group as everyone else but later ended up in all this Messianic ideas. After his father – in – law had passed away, Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson stated that Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak would have the potential of being the Meshiach. Later he claimed that the soul of Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak has entered his body and united with his soul.
Until his death in June 1994, the Rebbe never changed his Messianic group emphasis. He kept on encouraging his Chassidim singing "Yechi Adonenu Morenu veRabbenu Melech HaMeshiach LeOlam vaEd". Even though after his stroke in 1992.


770 Eastern Parkway / Brooklyn: The house of the last Lubavitcher Rebbe.

According to the Meshichistim: In the time of the Third Temple, 770 is going to fly over to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and unite with the new Temple.


Prof. Yoram Bilu said that he had interviewed different Meshichistim from Kfar Chabad (near Rishon LeZion) and from Bat Yam (near Tel Aviv). And, as usual, the comparison between the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Elvis Presley was made, as both have followers claiming that their particular idol is still alive and never died.
And, how else could it be, the Christian Meshiach J. was also mentioned.
At this point, Bilu showed that Chabad is in a much easier position today by using the Interet and is thus able to spread its Meshiach ideology within seconds around the globe. And this is exactly what Chabad exploits for itself: today's technology. Posters, gigantic posters of the Rebbe for Meshichistim, the Rebbe's face can be found on souvernirs, e.g. on watches. The Rebbe is always "around". Even the summer camps for the kids are full or posters. The Rebbe is always close and superior and ruling everything. There is just no escape and someone from the audience stated that this rather reminds him of George Orwell's BIG BROTHER. The Rebbe sees and hears everything and is never far away. And all this neverending and being constantly reminded is an important psychological aspect to keep up the Meshichist's ideology. However, the non – Meshichistim are not much better and also know how to use technology and the mass media for their own purposes.
After his death, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson is the absolute superstar. A brand name selling well and, at the same time, he still draws people closer to Judaism.

Not only the posters guarantee that the Rebbe continues to "live", additionally his letters are available as a 29 – volume – collection and are being called "Iggeret HaKodesh". The "Iggeret HaKodesh" are handed out to everyone'. Whoever has a question, no matter of what kind, can write it down on a piece of paper, put it into the "Iggeret HaKOdesch" and then look at the sentence it stuck onto. This sentence should be the answer and people not understanding the context, are advised to go to a Chabad expert on this matter in order to get an explanation. The "Iggeret HaKodesh" turned into an automatic reply of the "invisible" Rebbe.

Prior to his death, people had to send him their questions by mail and had to wait a long time for the answer to come. Now, everybody can communicate with the Rebbe; in case he puts the small note into the "Iggeret HaKodesh". The non – Meshichistim don't use the "Iggeret HaKodesh Method" not as often as the Meshischim. They do but much less and not like one of Meshichistim consulting his "Iggeret Hakodesh" if the Rebbe allows him to answer the questions of Prof. Bilu.

Furthermore, there are plenty of Chabadnikim (especially Meshichistim) seeing the Rebbe in their dreams. The Rebbe, on his part, is talking to those people. According to Bilu, most people seeing the Rebbe in their dreams are totally sane. Of course, there are always some with a few mental mental problems but not too many in this case. The majority is normal and this is what makes it so hard to understand the phenomenon. One explanation would be the virtual world; the Rebbe appears on millions of posters and is always around. And, as I said, there is no escape.
In Christianity, mostly women and children have their visions; in Chabad, more men see the Rebbe than women.

When Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson died, many of his Chassidim referred to his death as a catastrophe. It just couldn' t be that the Rebbe is no longer in this world. Was this the reason why many couldn't grasp the idea of the Rebbe being dead. Were they afraid of being left behind or alone ? How should the group continue to exist ? However, Chabad is not the only Chassidut without a Rebbe, as the same happened to Breslov. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov died in 1810, and since, the group has been without a real leadership. Nevertheless, Breslov survived.
But Chabad is different because while the Rebbe was still alive, many Chassidim had already believed that he is the Meshiach or at least that he has the potential of being the Meshiach. And then he passes away and a dead person cannot be the Meshiach.

The conflict between the Meshichistim and their counterparts can be quite violent. Until today, the Meshichistim in 770 keep up the Rebbe's daily life. Three times a day, he used to come down and go to pray. The Meshichistim still open the doors so that the Rebbe "can pass through". Additionally he is being called up to the Torah. Sometimes a table is set up with Dollar bills on it and someone is handing them out just like the Rebbe did. Don't forget the claim of the Meshichistim that the Rebbe still lives in 770. They even published a video where we witness the Rebbe's call to the Torah. His Chassidim step aside and suddenly we see this white shadow appearing looking similar to the Rebbe. It goes without saying that this is a computer animation (photoshop ?) and the Rebbe here is no real at all. The Chabad ideology of the "Yesh" and "Ayin" allows the thesis the Rebbe moves around between our material and y=th upper spiritual words. For us, this idea of the Rebbe only disappearing and that he now moves through invisible dimensions just seems so ridiculous. Someone from the audience asked why still so many people seem to join and go fot this idea. Prof. Bilu's explanation was that the born Chabadnikim are born into society anyway and know everything from childhood on. Additionally, today's Baalei Teshuva (born Jews becoming religious later on in their lifes) are extremely vulnerable to those ideas. Prof. Bilu admitted that there is no perfect answer and he himself just presented a brief overview.

The event was quite successful although I knew most aspects beforehand. However, the topic should also make us think of how and if further chassidic groups use the Internet and all kinds of mass media for their own purposes ?