Reply To: Question of an ignorant, closed-minded Lubavitcher

I he was anointed King of the world it would not be a secret known only to a group that professes to have mastered the esoteric.

No Lubavitcher holds that the geula can happen with a select few recognizing melech hamoshiach.
Therefore, all Lubavitchers (even those who say yechi) still say “we want Moshiach now” and “ad mosai” (“how much longer is golus?”).

So what do they mean when they say the Rebbe is Moshiach? I have never had the patience to explain this on the CR, and still don’t.

As for the belief in Chabad circles that Judaism is not rational because it’s Kabbalah based, well this defies Rambam’s essential premise. If you guys are rejecting Rambam no problem, but then stop learning his works if you deny them.

I have no idea what Chabad belief you’re referring to, but I’ll offer several points on the topic:

1. Chabad, like all Jews, believes that Torah is devided into משפטים עדות וחוקים – aspects of Torah that are rational (don’t steal); aspects that are only rational after they were taught (Shabbos); aspects that are beyond our understanding, we obey them and fulfill them because Hashem commanded (kashrus).

2. Chassidus places strong emphasis (I’m sure others also) that even the rational mitzvos should be done with an aspect of chukim – even though we understand, we are mainly doing it because Hashem said.

3. Chassidus (based on kabbala) actually rationalizes many mitzvos which would otherwise seem irrational.

4. I’m not sure which essential premise of the Rambam you refer to. If this is the premise of Moreh Nevuchim, it definitely isn’t the premise of Mishneh Torah (which is what we learn daily).

Interesting example of the different styles: In the Moreh the Rambam explains that shiluach hakan is because of tzar baalei chayim.
In Mishneh Torah (Tefilla) he writes that this reasoning is ridiculous, as it is obviously a gzeiras hakosuv that can’t be understood.

5. Even if we did argue with the Rambam, this goes back to my point the entire time: Torah isn’t a color war game where everyone supports their team.
It is possible to love the Rambam and learn his Torah, while seeing some elements of Torah differently from him.
כך היא דרכה של תורה