Rabbinic Malpractice in Chabad Lubavitch Today. |
Messiah Watch International Rabbi Moshe Yess, Webmaster at your service |
OPINION |
BS"D I have decided to blow the whistle in this opinion article. Whistles are blown to alert people to a problem and/or to get their attention focused on an important matter. That is what I am doing here. Additionally I personally feel that it is presently a moral necessity to boycott any further financial donations to that sector of Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbis who are not actively and publicly addressing the topic of Judaism's King Messiah to their communities based on Rabbi Schneerson's teachings and directives regarding this issue. Why am I suggesting this rather harsh course of action? Read further and you will see for yourself. I have been associated with the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic Community since 1977. As a professional Jewish music concert performer (my former, full time occupation) I have literally travelled the world many times over and performed on 5 continents for Chabad Lubavitch Rabbis who entrusted me with addressing their congregations through the original music I composed. I know their territory first hand from having been a guest in their homes worldwide. The Rabbinic malpractice events (which I saw and personally suffered from) that began around 1993 were the sole factor that made me take a stand and successfully (thank You, God!) wiggle my way out of that formally noble endeavor of an occupation. I want you to know I have deeply agonized over the decision to go public with this opinion. Bashing the behavior of certain Rabbis is not my favorite sport. We are required by Jewish Law to respect our Rabbis. But no Jew...Rabbi or otherwise... is above the Law...no Chabad Rabbi is above his Rebbe, Rabbi Schneerson...and similarly no Jew....Rabbi or otherwise....is allowed to deceive anyone (even through ommission) let alone take money on false pretenses. Were that but the entirety of the problem. "How dare I open my mouth against any Rabbi?" you may ask. To whit I respond...that I was designated by Rabbi Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, (in his own Holy handwriting) as one who works for the needs of the community. See this letter which demonstrates this. And in that capacity I now speak. (that's me ---much, much younger--- to the left -----being given a dollar to give to charity by Rabbi Schneerson) From 1951 until approximately 1988 Rabbi Schneerson administered, created, and implemented the greatest renaissance of Orthodox Jewish observance in Jewish history. He created institutions that trained and ordained Rabbis. These ordained Rabbinical graduates were thereupon sent on life long Rabbinical emmissarial assignments to all corners of the globe...literally. There are even some in Nepal! From 1951 until approximately 1988 Rabbi Schneerson architected 10, worldwide Jewish religious educational campaigns. These campaigns were the marching orders of his Rabbinic underlings. Until 1988 I was truly proud to have been associated with the 100% commitment and selfless involvement of these Rabbinical emmissaries in fulfilling Rabbi Schneerson's directives worldwide. From 1951 until approximately 1988 Chabad-Lubavitch was Judaism's foremost outreach organization. It greatly repaired the spiritual decimation brought on by the Holocaust and Jewish assimilation. Judaism does not seek converts from other non-Jewish groups. But we do go and get our own back into the fold. If one reads the discourses of Rabbi Schneerson starting around 1988 and onwards...one will see that Rabbi Schneerson began to redefine the emphasis of the duty of his Rabbinical emmissaries who were and are answerable to Rabbi Schneerson. Step by step...with each subsequent discourse one can see Rabbi Schneerson educating his Rabbinical emmissaries to the imminence of the King Messiah event promised in the Jewish Bible, the Torah. Until about late 1993 all was pretty much on track. In what was to be (for the meantime) his last address to his Rabbinical emmissaries given at the International Convention of his emmissaries held in Brooklyn, NY, towards the end of 1991 Rabbi Schneerson made it plain as day what their duties were. Here is just a short summary quote:- "Every shliach [Rabbinical emmissary] should realize that he is responsible to explain the above concepts [regarding the imminence of King Messiah's arrival] to all the individuals in his city. He must convey to them, in a manner which they can understand and relate to, the imminence of Mashiach's [Judaism's King Messiah's] coming and the need to study about Mashiach [King Messiah] and the Era of the Redemption. Please note the word "must" in the above directive. Is there any ambiguity regarding their assignment? Prior to Rabbi Schneerson's reported "passing" in 1994 I had no qualms with these Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbinical emmissaries. Now I do. Big time! Why? If one wears the uniform of a Rabbinical emmissary representing Rabbi Schneerson (with all the prestige and respect that comes from being associated with his greatness) one better walk Rabbi Schneerson's talk. Otherwise that Rabbinical emmissary is an out and out fraud. If you were formerly a Rabbinical emmissary who now disagrees with Rabbi Schneerson...then dump the Chabad uniform...take Rabbi Schneerson's organizational name off your shingle and trek on your own as an independent Rabbi. Period! Be what you want...but don't pretend to be what you ain't! It gets worse. With the reported "passing" of Rabbi Schneerson his Rabbinical emmissaries found themselves in a most difficult situation. They have had 8 years now to get this right. Instead they have chosen to dig in and rebel. I will articulate it now:- 1) Rabbi Schneerson had identified himself as Judaism's King Messiah. 2) Approximately 1,000 of these Rabbinical emmissaries had signed into Law a Formal Jewish Legal Proclamation stating such to be true in 1991. 3) A most important actualization of a Sacred and Prophetic Jewish commentary had manifested via the 1991 Gulf War. That Prophetic commentary stated (put simply here) that when a war involving Iraq and an Arab neighbor and a superpower occurs...then... in that year.... Judaism's King Messiah will reveal his existence. In 1991 Rabbi Schneerson revealed himself as Judaism's King Messiah! Prophecy comes from God by definition. Chabad-Lubavitch had nothing less in its hands than Divine Corroboration to the truth of Rabbi Schneerson's statements about him being Judaism's King Messiah. 4) Then in 1994 the "death" occurred. And with it the division of Rabbi Schneerson's formerly unified army of Rabbis into 2 camps. Camp A) Those who had read and understood his instructions...especially an essay entitled Zeh Yiteinu...in which Rabbi Schneerson explains the need for and purpose of Judaism's King Messiah to "die"...what he does while "dead"..... and why such a "death" is part of the process of his ultimate revelation....and specifically not the "end of the game" for Rabbi Schneerson as King Messiah. This camp of affirming and loyal Rabbinical emmissaries resides mainly in Israel with similarly minded Rabbinical emmissaries being scattered sparsely about world wide Camp B) Those who failed to study these sources and chose not to follow and obey Rabbi Schneerson's directives. They had decided instead to dump their leader's agenda and create their own agenda of Rabbinical emmissarial duties derived from Rabbi Schneerson's discourses prior to 1988. In other words they retreated from specific orders given to them. This in English is called treason and cowardice. This "anti" group of Rabbinical emmissaries reside primarily in the USA, the UK, South Africa and Australia. 5) Why did the camp B "anti" group behave as it did? They were formally on easy street. Now they faced the difficulty of teaching about a resurrected King Messiah for Judaism...something which seems Christian and yet which is entirely Jewish and 100% Kosher. No fewer than 13 Sacred Jewish Sources teach about a resurrected Messiah for Judaism including the Talmud which is as mainstream as Judaism gets. They are listed in part at this website. Additionally...promoting a resurrected King Messiah for Judaism was felt as uncomfortable....and perceived as a threat to their donations. So they decided to avoid the matter and the above cited marching orders from Rabbi Schneerson...here they are again:- "Every shliach [Rabbinical emmissary] should realize that he is responsible to explain the above concepts [regarding the imminence of King Messiah's arrival] to all the individuals in his city. He must convey to them, in a manner which they can understand and relate to, the imminence of Mashiach's [King Messiah's] coming and the need to study about Mashiach [King Messiah] and the Era of the Redemption. Please note the word "must" in the above directive. Is there any ambiguity regarding their Rabbinic emmissarial directives? The omission continues to this day amongst this "anti" Chabad Rabbinical emmissarial group. Were such an ommission to hamper solely their own grasp of Judaism I would stay still and be quiet. But these Rabbinical emmissaries are paid money by their communities on the presentation and assumption that these Rabbinical emmissaries represent Rabbi Schneerson. Therein, in my opinion, lies 1) the misrepresentation, 2) the fraud and most important of all....3) denying their communities access to Judaism's Sacred Sources on a resurrected King Messiah for Judaism! I recently submitted an article spelling all this out (in no uncertain terms) to the Beis Moshiach Magazine. The article I submitted...followed by the rejection it received (along with the magazine's reasons for rejecting it)..... and my subsequent reply to that rejection are now provided here below for your consideration. I believe that you will shake your head in disbelief...as I did...at what, in my opinion, is the apex of disloyalty to Rabbi Schneerson, incompetence, and evil presently afoot...which, to myself, constitutes Rabbinical malpractice manifesting itself as Spiritual injury done to their communities through omission of and denial of Sacred Jewish information which these Rabbis are being supported for to provide. Submission:- Explosion In last week's editorial you described how "Reb Chaim Yitzchok Cohen of London, England, a Moshiach activist, is an example of one on the front lines of this battle." Your last line of that editorial comment was what caught my closest attention. You stated, "As it appears, it is the foot soldier who is going to gain the victory of the complete Redemption, not the principal in his ivory tower." [A reference to a local Chabad "anti" Rabbi in high political religious position.] It is my heartfelt belief that the time has come to stop pretending, to stop sweeping matters under the carpet, and to address matters truthfully, bluntly, and publicly. There is too much at stake here to do otherwise. We face a true crisis and evil emmisarial behavior within the realm of holiness. Before I begin, allow me to state why I even feel qualified to make the shocking statements that will soon follow herein. When my youngest son was born, I requested a bracha [Blessing] for him from the Rebbe MH"M [Rabbi Schneerson, King Messiah.] When it arrived, I discovered that the Rebbe MH"M had written in his holy handwriting the words "osek b'tzarchei tzibbur" (one who works for the needs of the community) after my name. It is in that capacity that I write these words. For some 18 years I jumped on airplanes and went around the world doing concerts for the shluchim [Rabbinical emmissaries.] At each concert I told the audiences that the local shliach was working 100% for the Rebbe and that the audience should assist the local shliach in all ways possible. At the time those words were true; today they are not. We have an intolerable situation today in Chabad. I describe it now as a log jam. The Rebbe MH"M identified himself as Moshiach Tzidkeinu [Judaism's Final Redeemer]; the Rebbe MH"M identified himself as a navi [a Prophet]. The Rebbe MH"M stated as a clear and certain prophesy, "Immediately to the Redemption. Behold! There! Moshiach [King Messiah] approaches," etc. If we lived in a perfect world (free of a yetzer ha'ra [evil inclination]) one would have expected that these epochal words (which constitute nothing less than the most important announcement in Jewish history) would have motivated an emergency world meeting of all the shluchim [Rabbinical emmissaries] to craft a definitive plan of action for Chabad-Lubavitch as a united organization. Such was not to be the case, however. In retrospect, we can clearly see now the Rebbe MH"M's foresight regarding the present crisis. The Rebbe MH"M dismantled the formerly private empire of the shluchim [Rabbinical emmissaries] and deputized every chossid [follower] (with or without ordination) with these historic words: "Perhaps there will be 1, 2 or 3, individuals who will know what to do and how to do it." If that were not enough we were further deputized and empowered by the Rebbe MH"M's words, "Everyone is a shliach [emmissary]." The old order of "Shpitz Chabad" [the self presumed "elite" of Rabbi Schneerson's group] and the "formal shluchim society" had been dismantled as a "members only, closed group," and a new order of opportunity and duty was placed upon the shoulders of the likes of us who closely studied those sichos [the Rebbe's discourses], watched the events of 5750 thru 5754 [1990-1994], who have reviewed the audio and video tapes countless times to be 100% certain that we saw what we saw, heard what we heard, and grasped the implications and explicit directives those events conveyed then and convey even more so today after 8 years have passed, and allowed their meanings to sink in. Rabbi Leibel Groner [one of the Rebbe's personal secretaries] came to Montreal in 5754 [1994]and stated "Any shliach [Rabbinical emmissary]who is not doing the ikker shlichus [essential Rabbinic emmissarial duty] is, by Halacha [Jewish Law] no longer a shliach.[an emmissary]" This statement demands a definition of what the ikker shlichus [essential emmissarial duty] was then and is today. And for that definition we see in sichos kodesh, Chaya Sara, Nun-Beis, these explicit words of the Rebbe, MH"M: "Every shliach should realize that he is responsible to explain the above concepts [regarding Moshiach] to all the individuals in his city. He must convey to them, in a manner which they can understand and relate to, the imminence of Moshiach's coming and the need to study about Moshiach and the Era of the Redemption." The fact is sadly that every shliach has not done this ikker shlichus. Moshiach has become a source of embarrassment - if not a four-letter word - to a very large segment of Chabad shluchim. Who suffers? The communities who are being denied (by premeditation and rebellion) what the Rebbe MH"M specifically requested they be informed of! Were that but the end of the matter. These shluchim who have taken up a retro-shlichus and/or alternative shlichus that predates and avoids all that the Rebbe MH"M stated about the ikker shlichus and Moshiach (cited above) - such rebellion poses even greater problems than what immediately meets the eye. They are taking funds from trusting Jews under their rabbinic jurisdiction on the premise that they, the "shluchim", are true emissaries of the Rebbe, MH"M. Not only is that a matter of "lifnei iver" (putting a stumbling block before the blind), but, in fact, it is open and shut fraud and misrepresentation in my opinion ! The first Law of the Shulchan Aruch [Code of Jewish Law] is not to be embarrassed by anything Jewish. For over forty years the Rebbe publicly identified the Friediker Rebbe [Rabbi Schneerson's predecessor] (and himself as an extension of that leadership) as Moshiach. The Rebbe MH"M had no uneasiness in publicly conveying the Friediker Rebbe's reappearance after the Rebbe MH"M assumed the mantle of leadership. One would think that the shluchim in that period of 40 years would have gotten the message. But it was not to be so, tragically. How many concerts have I been to where I was specifically directed to say zero about Moshiach - let alone identification of our Melech [King]! How many communities have I visited where zero is being taught about Moshiach - with or without identification. How dare we stand by and tolerate this! And there are no shortages of the rationalizations which seemingly "justify" this cowardice and deceit. 1) "My community is not ready to learn about Moshiach." (Whose fault is that, Rabbi?) 2) "Teaching Taryag Mitzvos [Judaism's basics] helps bring Moshiach." (Rabbi, you were specifically directed to teach about Moshiach from all classic Jewish sources and specifically from the sichos kodesh! It is not a matter of this or that; do both!) 3) The Rebbe said "Ofen Ha'miskabel." (Rabbi! you have not "ofened" at all, and hence the community has not "miskabeled" solely because of you!) 4) "The Rebbe meant this as a private message for just his Chassidim." (Is that why we saw Yechi [a song proclaiming the Messiah Kingship of the Rebbe] going out worldwide on Chanukah Live world satellite hookup with the Rebbe present and encouraging such activities?) The shluchim have caused a log jam of the Rebbe's Agenda. 44,000 additional Chabad institutions devoid of ikker shlichus will not compensate for the loss of ikker shlichus [essential Rabbinical duty of his emmissaries]. As one designated as one who works for the needs of the community - and on behalf of the communities being held informationally captive by this cowardice, fear of loss of funding, embarrassment to teach plain Yiddishkeit [Judaism] regarding Moshiach's reappearing, and outright rebellion - I am calling upon each and every foot soldier of our Melech [King] to make an explosion of information available to every Jewish congregation on this planet and to, l'havdil, the Gentiles as well. To make a scene! To carry placards in the streets in front of the shuls [synagogues] of these cowards who have our Melech's pictures on their walls, who take money in his name, and who have failed and forfeited their shlichus. To entirely ignore the boundaries of territory and to become guerilla spiritual warriors for our Melech. This log jam must be and will be exploded by the foot soldiers. They have picked up the flag that was abandoned at the height of battle. The Rebbe MH"M does not make mistakes. The Rebbe MH"M will not be a victim of his own supposed "shluchim" [Rabbinical emmissaries.] Your words last week, Baruch, were true and prophetic: "As it appears, it is the foot soldier who is going to gain the victory of the complete Redemption, not the principal in his ivory tower." Rabbi Moshe Yess __________________________________ Then came the sub-editors reply to this submission:- From: Boruch <mailto:boruch@bhtech.net> To: Rabbi Yess <mailto:myess@charter.net> Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2002 9:20 AM Subject: letter Thanks for your thoughtful submission. I made some minor changes, thus I am seeking your approval (see attached). There is one more change I may have to make. I am concerned about quoting Rabbi Groner; he is very cautious about being quoted, especially in Beis Moshiach. I have left a voice mail on his machine for approbation. Perhaps, if I don't get his approbation), we can just change it to "one of the Rebbe MH"M's secretaries." By the way, though I am very much in favor of printing your letter, Rabbi Yankel Chazan, the senior editor, may very well veto it (last minute). He is cautious about what he calls "politics, etc." I will try and either go over his head or sneak it in. Please respond as soon as possible. Call me if necessary. __________________________________ Then came the rejection ________________________________ ----- Original Message ----- From: Boruch <mailto:boruch@bhtech.net> To: 'myess' <mailto:myess@charter.net> Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 11:51 AM Subject: RE: Really sorry, but it was vetoed, as I suspected. I tried, fought - but to no avail. It is seen as negative and "the Rebbe always focuses on the positive." Another letter was also vetoed, something that had to do with the Israeli elections. They are very cautious of any remotely controversial. My idea is that the magazine should be a platform for discussion, with fewer restrictions, etc. - let the people decide what is the right opinion, approach, etc., through sincere discussion. Maybe you should provide such a service on your site, emails, etc. Hatzlacha, Moshiach now! Boruch Merkur Art Director BH Tech Design __________________ Then came my response to the rejection:- BS"D Dear Baruch, Thank you sincerely for your efforts. If you will give me the email address I will forward this response to the rejection of my article myself to whomever made that decision. If not you have my permission to forward this response on your own if you so choose. Thank you once again. Regarding the reason(s) for rejection:- 1) Do the Torah and Rashi fail to publicly address the aveiras [sins] and folly of Yidden [Jews] in order to teach the proper way? Were we not told by HaShem [God] about the spies and the Egel Zahav [golden calf]? 2) Regarding "the Rebbe always focuses on the positive." Let us dispel that myth here and now:- (from Menachem Av, 21, 5744) "I am asking of shpitz Chabad [self presumed "elite"] not to act foolishly and add their own explanations and interpretations to my words, e.g. that I really meant such and such etc...I say what I mean, and there is no need for their help. At least they should not do the opposite of helping..." 3) How pathetically arrogant, misguided, self serving and retroactively a throwback to communist "right-think" this rejection is. It does not serve the Rebbe, MH"M, nor is it at all representative of the Rebbe's shita [approach]. 4) This rejection serves solely the self aggrandizement motives of a magazine's market share at the expense of free speech, meeting the needs of the informationally "kidnapped" communities and telling the truth! 5) In short- this rejection is the lowest form of irresponsible and pandering cowardice posing itself as the Rebbe's Chassidus and shita [approach]. What is apparent now is that the Beis Moshiach Magazine serves the needs of the Beis Moshiach Magazine and not the needs of the community. Yet more golus[exile]! Inside Chabad itself...noch [no less]! Shame on the one who made this decision. Rabbi Moshe Yess SUMMARY I personally feel that it is presently a moral necessity to boycott any further financial donations to that sector of Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbis who are not actively and publicly addressing the topic of Judaism's King Messiah to their communities based on Rabbi Schneerson's teachings and directives regarding this issue. The Jewish world and the Gentile world are entitled to the complete and absolute truth! Anything less is not Judaism, not Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidus, and certainly not shlichus [essential Chabad Rabbinic emmissarial duty.] Any comment you have regarding this is most welcome by myself. Rabbi Moshe Yess December 19, 2002 Oregon |
