Reply To: Clarification to mod and DaMoshe

Yb

“1] for the last 2 thousand years yidden NEVER looked for ‘candidates’ . Full Stop.
The few instances some looked and FELL for [bogus] candidates, it invariably resulted in DISASTER.
This whole idea of ‘looking for candidates’ is UNHEARD OF in normative yahadut , and is a newfangled notion, introduced by habad in the last 60 years AS A TOOL for the tolerance / acceptance of “the one Asher habad hafets biyekaro”.
This is CRYSTAL CLEAR to any unbiased observer.”

This is an interesting point that it never came up in history. I know there was speculation about the third Lubavitcher Rebbe as well (same name also), but I’d like to look into this point more to see if it’s accurate. I don’t think Moshiach candidacy is necessarily unique to lubavitch Chassidus- I could be wrong- I don’t remember other names outright.

The premise I’ve always heard is that if the Rambam put the criteria for the Moshiach candidate in a Halacha sefer, then it’s meant for us to act on it.

As an aside, at the end of the day it’s how you view The Rebbes integrity as a person. If indeed he was a tzadik every observable moment, taught Torah etc, and led thousands back towards Hashem etc etc etc, then the logical thing at least to me, is to believe that when he did say these atypical statements, it was not for self promoting purposes (which anyone who came to The Rebbe felt that he highlighted their potential- not the opposite), rather this was his shlichus, and therefore his mandate to share.

Now, someone unfamiliar with The Rebbe may hear the Moshiach stuff and think in the opposite direction, especially if encouraged by their personal Torah leader. But let’s not kid ourselves that there is a one and only litvish leader, there were many with different extremes on how they related to the Rebbe. And the one often quoted did not only view the Rebbe negatively but started controversy with other Torah leaders too- let’s not pretend that this is something limited to the Rebbes personal integrity.

At the end of the day, lubavitch knows the Rebbe most intimately, and we make this judgment call of character to accept the Rebbe as our Rebbe, and therefore listen to what he says. It’s really that simple. A liar or imposter and a authentic Torah leader are worlds apart in character and teaching etc. And the thousands who are Lubavitcher Chassidim attest to the Rebbes integrity by their choice to be lubavitch.