Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Third Tammuz (Gimmel Be'Tammuz) in Chabad


B"H

Today we are celebrating Rosh Chodes Tammuz (the beginning of the Jewish month Tammuz).

For Chabad (Lubavitcher) Chassidim, Tammuz 3 (this upcoming Thursday) is an extremely important date because …

Some time ago, I spoke with a Chabad – Meshichist about this date.
Meshichists are those within the Chabad group who believe that the seventh and last Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, is the Meshiach.

Actually Tammuz 3 is the Yahrzeit of Rebbe Schneerson, as he died in June 1994.
In Judaism, anniversaries (Yahrzeits) of someone's death are celebrated with a memorial service, a meal, many guests and speeches about the deceased. Thus, his soul is rising to a higher level.


The last Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

As soon as I mentioned the word "Yahrzeit" to the Meshichist, he almost fainted. Chabad – Meshichists believe that the Rebbe has no Yahrzeit and never died. Instead Tammuz 3 is the day when Rebbe Schneerson became invisible. He is still around but just in another dimension where we cannot see him.

I found the reaction of the Meshichist quite amusing but I also asked myself how people can really believe such claims. How far do people go in order to believe something ? Do they just react this way because they want to believe it ? Maybe in order to escape the crucial reality where Rebbe Schneerson died in June 1994 and since, Chabad has been without leadership.

Link:

"The Rebbe is alive" - Psychological Aspects of Chabad Messianism

6 comments:

  1. I think these guys belong with the xtians who believe their leader died and "rose from the dead" or some such drivel. How do so many people get sucked into such things? Many of them are troubled to begin with. I lived in an area some years back with a huge population of fanatic xtians. Almost every one was a reformed alcoholic, drug addict, wife-beater, criminal or what-have-you. While I admire people who strive to better themselves these people seemed to use their new-found "religion" as a shield to excuse their bad behavior (most just operated secretly). NOT ALL are like this, but there sure are a lot of them!

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  2. B"H

    Regarding many Baalei Teshuva:

    I guess that many Jews becoming frum are looking for a "father figure". They may be the only religious one in their secular family and thus don't really have a family. Then they start looking for an approach, a direction, a group, whatever you call it.
    I heard Baalei Teshuva Meshichistim claiming that the Rebbe appears to them in their dreams.

    Lubavitch makes it extremely easy for newcomers. Anyone can join and, as far as I know, when you study with Chabad, you decide that you want to join the group, then you are in.
    Other groups give you conditions, a trial period. In other word, they give you hell.
    However, although Lubavitch makes it easy, as a newcomer you can only be accepted until a certain point. Meaning, the real Lubavitchers who have been like that for generations, wouldn't make a Shidduch with a newcomer. There is a great behaviour difference between them and the newcomers.

    Why go people for this ?
    Because it is so easy but don't forget that many other chassidic groups also have plenty of people who join them. Belz, for instance or the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak or the Toldot Aharon. But even Satmar ...

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  3. its a cult, not much diffrent to JC.

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  4. B"H

    In the course of time, I have heard hundreds of opinions about Chabad and have met countless Chabadnikim. I once studied with Chabad for approx. three years but never became a member.:-) In fact, I started making my way through other chassidic groups as well which Chabad didn't appreciate ! I was told that other chassidic groups, such as Satmar, have nothing to offer.
    Well, it depends what you look for.:-)

    In the meantime, I have collected so much material about the group and need to put it in a certain order in order to publish it on the blog. Including the "MALACHIM" by the way !

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  5. The Meshichistim missed a big opportunity, they should have made a cyborg or at least a hologram.
    Chassidim say that several chassiduses did not participate in the sin of the golden calf. When the Satan showed Jews the clouds in the form of Moshe Rabbeinu on a burial stretcher, the Breslovers said big deal so we will have a dead Rebbe, Amshinov said Big deal so the Rebbe is late, Boyan said we can't crown a little calf, a child as our Rebbe, and Chabad said Yechi Adonainu the Rebbe is not dead!

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  6. B"H

    It is a real pity that the last Rebbe didn't appoint a successor. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi is probably turning around in his grave in case he sees from soemwhere what happened to the once well accepted Chassidut Chabad.

    Although I learned some TANYA, I have never come across the statement that Lubavitch would only have seven Rebbes. I didn't even know that it says so but people told me that there is such a claim.

    However, Rebbe Schneerson should have cared about the future of the group. I don't think that Barry Gourary may have been a possibility after all what he seemed to have done with the books from the library but someone should have been appointed.

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