Continuing with my arguments to OrthodoxRabbi:
The Rambam is not open to interpretation when that interpretation clearly misrepresents what he says. Among the Rambam’s criteria for Chezkas Mashiach are:
1. A king of the House of David will arise – the Lubavicher rebbe was not a king. We don’t currently have a king, so no one can be considered bechezkas Mashiach until we do. The statement מאן מלכי רבנן – which Lubavichers have cited to overcome this problem – is an Aggadic statement and does not count in Halocho. Can one of the Rabbonon nowadays decide to break down your fence and lead his retinue through your property? No, of course not. A real king can.
Furthermore, as mentioned, we have no proof that the Lubavicher rebbe was a descendant from the House of David, other that his and his father-in-law’s claim. And that obviously has no weight in a non-Woke world.
2. Delves in Torah and is occupied with Mitzvos as was David – that’s something we can’t know, so we’ll have to wait for a higher authority to rule on that when the time comes.
3. He will force all of Israel to go in it’s [the Torah’s] path – he may indeed have wanted that, and encouraged it, but he didn’t (couldn’t!) force people. The argument, which I have heard numerous times in Lubavich circles, that since nowadays we can’t force, encouraging is the equivalent, does not hold water. In fact, even in the Rambam’s time there was no possibility of a Jewish king forcing all Yidden to keep Torah and Mitzvos.
4. He will wage the was of Hashem – waging war is something kings of yore (and dictators of today) did. The Lubavicher rebbe didn’t wage any wars.
So how can anyone claim that the Lubavicher rebbe is bechezkas Mashiach on the basis of the Rambam. And please don’t quote me other Rishonim or Achronim because official Lubavich policy was, as I have written in the past, that the Rambam is the final word in determining these things as Mishneh Torah is a sefer Halocho.
To make my view absolutely clear: I would not be attacking Lubavich regarding their claim as to their rebbe’s candidacy for Mashiach SO vehemently if they were to say, “Our rebbe is the greatest tzaddik of the generation, and he is the most worthy to be Mashiach.” I would definitely disagree with the claim, and argue with it. But I wouldn’t be as incensed as I have been for the past nearly-thirty years due to the distorting of the Rambam. That together with the claim – and I have heard/read it many times! – if the gemoro can say Daniel is Mashiach even though he is not alive, we can say the rebbe is Mashiach even though he is no longer alive. That’s like saying if the gemoro can say you’re allowed to cook on Yom Tov, we can say you’re allowed to drive a car on Yom Tov.
And if, by any chance, you have read this far, and you are wondering when my blood pressure started rising over the issue of Mashiach, it was around Gimmel Tammuz 1994.
As I have written, I have had a close association with Lubavichers over decades, and I clearly remember many occasions pre Gimmel Tammuz when dyed-in-the-wool Lubavichers would be attampting to convince non-Lubavichers (both frum and frei) that the Lubavicher rebbe is Mashiach with the following argument:
“There has to be someone alive in each generation who is worthy of being Mashiach. Look around and tell me who is more worthy nowadays than the rebbe. There isn’t anyone else who comes close, so he is obviously this generation’s candidate.”
Of course, I disagreed with that, but what really got me worked up (I still am, in case you haven’t noticed) is that IMMEDIATELY post Gimmel Tammuz the argument changed:
“Mashiach does not have to be someone who is alive. The rebbe is Mashiach!”
or:
“As long as there are people who are alive when the rebbe was alive, it is still the same generation, and the rebbe is still the most likely (only likely?) candidate of our generation.” Note: even nowadays there are people still alive שיחיו who were born before the war, so, for example, R Chaim Ozer, or countless other gedolei Yisroel, would be considered part of our generation, and any one of them could be a suitable candidate for Mashiach.