B"H
Honestly, I am getting so mixed up with all "hundreds" of "Redemption Days" in Chassidut Chabad. Their Chassidim celebrate the former Rebbe's birthdays, Yahrzeits and those days, when Rabbi Shneur Zalman (and his successors) were released from Russian jail.
Last Shabbat, Chabad had another internal celebration and one Chabad Rabbi explained me the details:
Shevat 10th is a great day in Lubavitch because the last Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson took over leadership after his father - in - law, Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn had passed away. However, Rebbe Menachem Mendel didn't take over right away but only one year after Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak died.
The Chabad Rabbi explaining me all this was a Meshichist and it didn't surprise me at all when he claimed that the day Rebbe Menachem Mendel took over leadership, he took over leadership over the ENTIRE CHASSIDIC WORLD.
I just imagined the Edah HaCharedit and Vishnitz what say would have to say about this. :-)
Maybe what he wanted to say is that since he became Rebbe, the Lubavitcher Rebbe was the most consulted Chasidic leader. Even the Satmar Rebbe (Rebbe Yoelish) consulted the Rebbe (in the time Satmar and Lubavitch get on very well, that means untill before the Six Days War. The rift was completed in the '80's with the scandal of those hundred Satmar who became Lubavitch). There are plenty of videos of the Gerrer Rebbe or his disciples consulting the Rebbe for a Bracha, an hora'ah or something else. Belz and many other chasidus sent their representatives to the Rebbe, Breslover Chassidim also, and so on.
ReplyDeleteNot ALL the Chasidic world (that is an exageration), but the Rebbe was considered someone very important for many different chasidus, Satmar included.
We all know that the image of Chabad among the other chasidus was detered mainly because of the Kiruv movement (that is seen by many other chasidim as a departure from the official Chabad policy. Some tend to forget that before the Rebbe took the nesius, Chabad was as insular than Satmar) and the messianic belief of some Lubavitchers.
B"H
ReplyDeleteCould be but, unfortunately, the Rabbi I spoke to is extremely extremely Meshichist and it is hard to figure out what he means or if he just lost it.:-)))
You know, sometimes Meshichists cannot think rationaly. For every Lubavitcher, the Rebbe is everything. For Meshichists, everything is the Rebbe.
ReplyDeleteSo figure the result of such belief...
B"H
ReplyDeleteJust a few days ago I overheard a Meshichistim conversation where one women said to some others:
Only the belief of the Chabad Meshichistim in the Rebbe is like fire !
And if fire isnt used for the proper purpose it C"V causes great destruction and death.
ReplyDeleteAs a Chassid who became Lubavitch I can explain what even the craziest Meshichist means.
As explained above the Rebbe had many tzaddikim visit him. There are very few times he ever went to visit a tzaddikim, the only one that comes quickly to mind is when he went to menachem avel the Satmar Rav.
Chabad Chassidus and the legitimate Breslov are the only Chassidus of the Baal Shem Tov today.
The rest of the groups are Chassidim more in a Rabbeinu Yonah HaChasid sense. Very pious, very frum, and very concerned about keeping it that way.
The Chassidus of the Baal Shem Tov was always above kiruv and about connecting to the simple Jews. It happens to be that during the BESHT and Maggid and even the 1st generation of Rebbes after, the simple Jew wasnt machalel Shabbos and Kashrus and going off the derech. Chabad even during the time of the Rebbe Rashab sent a few shluchim to places like Canada where Jews leaving Russia were going and leaving yiddishkeit.
The Rebbe was and still is the Reya Mehemnah. I do not believe that the Rebbe is alive in the flesh hiding in 770. I do believe that a Tzaddik lives forever and his makes an impact on the world forever after his hishtalkus.
The reason for so many internal celebrations is because the Chabad Chassidim and their Rebbeim were under unbelievable persecution compared to their Polish counterparts. The Rebbes were arrested and had death sentences put on them and were miraculously freed from prision. The Rebbe's mother and father were exiled to Kahzakastan for 20 years and werent even at their own sons wedding. If you read the history of Chabad and see what they went through, you would see the reason for the days of celebration that really only number a few. Every Chassidic group commemorates the Birthday and Yahazeit of their Rebbeim.
Its easy to criticize Chabad, its much harder to look into ourselves and see that we lack much in our avodas hashem.
Even the craziest meshichists are frum (not counting the ones that mamash believe that Moshiach is here now b'davka and eat on fast days etc) They have been put in cherim by all standards that I have seen. Compare that to the crazies of other groups. They are rejected, outcasted, and kicked out and they go off the derech.
I used to get offended when the Lubavitcher around me would tell me that the other Chassidim dont learn Chassidus anymore and arent Chassidim of the Baal Shem Tov.
Now I know that its true. Some people might disagree but this is my own opinion and experiences. I traveled the world trying to connect to a Rebbe and his Chassidus. Belz, Skver, Boston, Breslov, and other smaller groups. Nothing had the roadmap. Chabad Chassidus truly is the path to connect to Hashem in an intellectual and developed manner. A Chabad Chassid of 40 years told me if I find something higher to the Source let him know and we will do it together. Moshiach now!