CS

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  • in reply to: Gog umagog #1506020
    CS
    Participant

    Tonight is koach Nissan, a very poignant, difficult, soup searching day in lubavitch. Halevai Halevai Halevai that we were the ones who cared about bringing moshiach the least/ most superficially.

    Its time to rejuvenate and refocus on bringing moshiach again…. By learning and educating more about the times of moshiach, so we care more, so we do more. If everyone will join us that would be amazing. Maybe enough to finally bring him here.

    in reply to: Age discrimination in shidduchim for younger boys #1505852
    CS
    Participant

    Hi I had a relative in the same boat. Once he turned 21 shadchanim and girls families took him allot more seriously and bh he got engaged to a wonderful girl! He also matured allot within the year which helped im sure.

    in reply to: Age discrimination in shidduchim for younger boys #1505853
    CS
    Participant

    I think you need to ask yourself why you feel youre ready now and what you have to offer as far as showing you are a responsible frum boy. My relative thought he could marry a really good girl without making major effort because there are more girls than boys. Once he saw a girl and get family won’t just say yes, and if he wants a good girl he needs to make effort, he started taking his own responsibilities such as being consistent with Minyan, kovea itim etc allot more seriously, and he found his match rather quickly when he reentered the parsha at 21.

    in reply to: Age discrimination in shidduchim for younger boys #1505854
    CS
    Participant

    In Chabad bochurim generally do smicha before marriage. As my relative isn’t a learner type, he hadn’t done smicha. I think if he would have and also been consistent with Minyan etc the girls would considered him much more seriously. Incidentally, I know of another boy who was 20, not in Yeshiva as he wasn’t learning well, but serious frum boy who showed up to Minyan every morning, learned every day and worked. He got married at 20.

    in reply to: Moshiach Here #1497160
    CS
    Participant

    “If someone yearns for Moshiach, but does mitzvos because Hashem commanded, is he a kofer?”

    No. It takes allot to be a kofer and we should never throw around the term lightly. However its not ideal as per the mashal. Laskern also addressed it well.

    The reason why I mentioned the kofer part is because toi was telling off litvishechossid, and said he should just do Torah and mitzvos, implying he shouldn’t care when moshiach comes, and I was also pointing out that yearning for moshiach is a central tenet of Judaism.

    Np toi. I was just pointing out what is wrong with that quote. Not trying to get into discussion with you as we mutually agree that certain prerequisites are missing for that.

    in reply to: Moshiach Here #1496030
    CS
    Participant

    “Your part is to do mitzvos, learn Troah, do massim tovim, and have emunah and bitachon. Ad kan”

    And also yearn for it as we say I davening everyday and part of the yud gimmel ikrim.

    How and why should you yearn for it if it’s Hashem’s business?

    A) because Hahem Himself wants to see we care. And why should we care?

    Because that’s the end goal its the point of all our Torah and mitzvos until now!

    “Nisave HKBH liyos Lo Yisborach Dira Btachtonim.”

    An example (not mine):

    If a worker who makes iphones says he loves his job so much that he doesn’t want /need to get paid is a very praiseworthy worker.

    But a worker who says he loves the motions of his part of the process and he doesn’t even care if it ends up as a working iPhone is quite dumb, because that’s the whole point of it

    Someone saying he loves serving Hashem so much he doesn’t need rewards or gan Eden is like the former.

    Someone who says he loves doing Torah and mitzvos and doesn’t care if that brings moshiach today or not is like the latter. And more only that but can risk being a kofer cvs. (As the Rambam says, “vchol mi sheeino.. Michake lvioso is not only kofer in Toras Moshe, but in all Neviim) Because ymos HaMoshiach are not just a reward they’re the whole point of Creation – Hashem wanted that this world which is the lowest and farthest from appreciating G-dliness, should get to appreciate it and live it up.

    So

    in reply to: Consulting the Igros #1484507
    CS
    Participant

    “As to wondering who made this up, I’m with you on that one. So, I can declare, just like you, that it’s weird and funny. That’s where I get off.”

    Thank you haleivi for your comments. I’m still happy to answer any questions including that one, just wasn’t able to to on the other thread because it became more of a bashing one with tons of different questions on different topics thrown in before one was resolved completely so I had to recusr myself. I also don’t think this thread is the right place to discuss due to the mocking tone. If you’d like to understand please see the stump the Rabbi site and click on the video that addresses this very question. Hope this helps.

    in reply to: I See Joseph Everywhere #1476667
    CS
    Participant

    Good memory neville. Was an honest mistake.

    in reply to: If you had one era to go back in time… where would it be? #1471631
    CS
    Participant

    Well luckily for us, we about to go back to that and even better. Kimei tzeischa meieretz mitzrayim arenu niflaos and Vlo yikanef od Morecha. Torah chadasha meiIti teitzei with the coming of moshiach which is happening soon!

    CS
    Participant

    They will see Hashem just like us so the truth will be obvious.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1471269
    CS
    Participant

    Now for my final post on this thread iyh. Heres a summary:

    The Rebbe took two FACTS and made a chiddush by putting one as a reason for the other.

    Fact one: Hashem reveals Himself to the world through Tzaddikim. “Atzmus Umehus areingeshtelt in guf.”
    Some mekoros of this idea:
    1) The Rebbe’s five: R Yitzchak called Hevaya bheichal kodsho, a malach called by Hashem’s Name while doing His shlichus, Moshe rabbeinu using Hashem’s pronuon by Vnosati Esev, Rashbi’s face being likened to The Face of Hashem
    2) Nefesh Hachayim 1:4 hagoh- same words pretty much verbatim
    3)Medrash tehillim 90:1
    4)
    כי רועה ישראל חשוב כאלוקים ממש כי יושב על כסא ”
    השם בארץ … והיינו כיון שהגון חשוב כאלוקות

    ההשפעה הבאה מרוח קדשו של צדיק הדור אשר השכינה שורה בתוכו וממנו יומשך קדושה ”
    “לכל דורו והוא מעונו של הקב”ה ששוכן בקרבו

    Both of these quotes are from the Heilige Chasam Sofer (al Hatorah). The first is from Parshas Matos on the Posuk VaYimosru MeAlfei Yisroel the second is from Parshas Ki Tovo on the Posuk Hashkifah MiMeon Kodshecha. (Whis as he says there refers to the Tzadik Hador who is the Maon Kodhso of HKB”H)

    Fact two: We can go to Tzaddikim with requests for brachos, although to ask the sun for brachos would be AZ.
    Sources:
    1) שות מנחת אלעזר סימן סח
    2) Tzaddikim being alive after their passing- NEFESH HACHAIM 4:21, also Tanya Iggros Kodesh
    3)Tshuvos Mahram Shick, Orach Chayim, 293

    So the Rebbe just said the REASON why its ok to go to a Rebbe for brachos is BECAUSE we, Hashem and the Torah are all one, and Hashem is revelaed through the Rebbe.

    Now I wanted to know why people would never question the Nefesh Hachaim for saying the EXACT same thing as what theyre all upset about, but feel the Rebbe they can question if he is a gadol. I said this makes no sense because:
    1) He made this statement before he became Rebbe AND never retracted it (just remember the NH said the same thing, and lots of other sources, no need why he should retract it.)
    2) Spent the rest of his life as a complete tzaddik
    3) Was accepted as such by the majority of gedolim, (and I wont address the minority because I don’t want to go there, and anyway unless you say you specifically follow those one or two on every issue in your life (which i am almost sure you don’t, and choosing them davka here to hate on chabad is exactly that, sinas chinam.)

    So who is anyone else to say that its “problematic”?

    Other sources on the importance of connecting to a tzaddik and how hashem’s hashpoah comes through the tzaddik:
    Sefer Hamitzvos 7 (connecting)
    Tanya Perek Beis (hashpoah through)
    darshos haRan 8 (and even after passing)
    Noam Elimelech https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/chabad-shluchah-please-explain-why-davening-to-betten-a-rebbe-is-okay/page/7/#post-1466838

    NO ONE DAVENS to the Rebbe, just asks for brachos to be brought down from what Hashem has alloted.

    To understand more, there’s a need to learn the concept that NOTHING is a separate entity from Hashem (that would otherwise be the opposite of achdus Hashem cvs), it can only look that way, and our job is to REVEAL how everything is one with Hashem. by a tzaddik this is revealed. (See Shaar Hayichud vHoemuna which is Tanya section two for more on this)

    AZ is something that thinks its a separate existence or power from Hashem, and serving it, is treating something like something separate and having power other than Hashem.

    Sources outside of the Rebbe about looking at the image of a tzaddik to arouse Yiras Shomayim:
    1)Kav Hayashar (16th century)

    Concept of mimutza hamechaber vs hamafsik and the need for tzaddikim through which we connect to Hashem

    @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay

    Anyhow there’s many many more sources I am sure, because chassidus never makes things up, just emphasizes the ideas, brings them out of hiding, and elaborates. If you want to ask something else, feel free on another thread. Just do me a favor and stick to one question at a time. Otherwise, its impossible to address properly.

    On why we obssess over our Rebbe and how the Rebbe helps me serve Hashem better:

    @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay

    @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay

    As requested:
    Rebyid 23: why not Moshe Rabbeinu himself
    https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/chabad-shluchah-please-explain-why-davening-to-betten-a-rebbe-is-okay/page/3/#post-1462840 #1

    Rso: https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/chabad-shluchah-please-explain-why-davening-to-betten-a-rebbe-is-okay/page/7/#post-1467089

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1471157
    CS
    Participant

    “Are you proposing the above as sufficient positive evidence to substantiate your proposition? Or is it merely sufficient for one who is already a Chabbad Chassid (such as yourself), whereis a non Chabbad Chassid (such as me) should accept the proposition based on a leap of faith?”

    Look, technically I should tell you that by looking at the Rebbe’s neshama, you can see who he is etc. The problem is that we are not holding at that level. Tzadikim can see who is holding where, and who is a Neshama of Atzilus here in this world, but I havent reached that point, and assuming that neither have you.

    So the best evidence we have of who a tzaddik is, is from what we can discern, speech and action (body language as well), also where his interests lie etc.

    The neshama can sense when someone is completely batul to Hashem and you can get a glimpse through stories of people’s encounters. Also learning the tzaddiks Torah can reveal allot. Both of these are available. There is a great book called My Story, that came out last year, about people’s encounters with the Rebbe. Its available to be bought and read.

    By me, simply learning the Rebbe’s Torah shows who the Rebbe is. The miracle stories and open ruach hakodesh just add atop of that.

    in reply to: Why Was Woman Created? #1471053
    CS
    Participant

    BTW the Bgashmius example I have of lyofi is from gemara and I gave it a another example. However the Rebbe explained the second one.

    in reply to: Why Was Woman Created? #1471054
    CS
    Participant

    To answer the tu bav questions:

    The girls all said the bochurim should choose for lofty reasons. Then they divided into groups:

    The pretty ones felt that since they were spiritually beautiful, this radiated and was reflected physically as well. That’s why they said they were beautiful as a maala.

    The yichus ones were advocating the fact they came from fine families gave them fine values which they would in turn imbue their kids with.

    The ugly ones is a thing on its own – gotta run but if you want to hear I’ll write up

    in reply to: Why Was Woman Created? #1471051
    CS
    Participant

    “Ain haisha ela lyofi” a woman was created for beauty. She’s the one who brings beauty to the world and that’s her role b gashmius and bruchnius..

    Bgashmius she serves Hashem this way by uplifting her husband with her beauty and opening his mind to serve Hashem better. (Acc to gemara – 3 things open a man’s mind… A beautiful woman)

    Bruchnius she doesn’t just do the plain act of the mitzvah, rather she infuses it with ahavas and yiras Hashem, does the mitzvos with excitement, bhiddur, and influences her family to do the same.

    A woman is more emotional and she infuses get mitzvos with emotion, beautifying them and granting them the two wings of Ahava and Yirah to fly up to Hashem.

    Ain haisha ela lbanim – a woman’s good qualities aren’t only left for her, but she infuses her kids with the same. A woman transmits her qualities to her children.

    (My example) if a mother has yiras shomayim, she’ll quickly grab her childs yarmulka up if it falls, transmitting to get cold that its very important to constantly wear a yarmulka. And so to with everything. Whatever she is passionate about, she implants that passion in her kids. If she is Aidel, she imbues her children with aidelkeit and mentschlichkeit.
    Etc.

    in reply to: Why Was Woman Created? #1471052
    CS
    Participant

    One more, very much a favourite among the women:

    Eizuhi isha ksheira osa rtzon baala.

    Normally a woman accomplishes her role by being batul to her husband – taking his spiritual instructions and leadership, and running the home according to his wishes and standards.

    However what if the husband wants something that isn’t in line with what Hashem would want of them? What is she to do then?

    So here comes the second way of reading the maamar chazal : she can osa – create – the will of her husband.

    A woman can, in a feminine – gentle way, with her subtle influence, change her husbands will to be in line with what Hashem wants. And this is her task in those situations.

    in reply to: Why Was Woman Created? #1471050
    CS
    Participant

    There’s actually a few ways to wholesomely understand it.
    The girls would actually start by saying (brought in same gemara) bachur sa na einecha – raise your eyes, and don’t look at a girl for her exterior. Sheker hachein vhevel hayofi. So how then did the girls themselves say ein haisha ela lyofi?

    Anyhow here’s in very short – I’ll be happy to elaborate on any.

    in reply to: Why Was Woman Created? #1471048
    CS
    Participant

    Lots although to address the op I would need to live it up with the pesukim. I definitely can- I went to a marriage class where the speaker did exactly that in a beautiful way – but I haven’t seen everything she said inside although the hashkafa is right on. I can always find out though. If that’s OK I’ll be happy to post that.

    in reply to: Why Was Woman Created? #1471049
    CS
    Participant

    Looking at this thread, here’s some things I have seen inside:

    When I was in high school I heard of the whole tu bav story and heard the women would say ein haisha ela lyofi.

    Now I realized I must be missing something, because if the gemara says it, its true, but why would the women demean themselves in such a way? Especially we say in eishes chayil sheker hachein vhevel hayofi? And weren’t the people of that time on a much higher level than being so shallow?

    So I looked into the Rebbe’s sichos to find what I was missing. I found it bh.

    in reply to: What do you think of “The Becher?” #1470840
    CS
    Participant

    The Geula process has already started unfoldiNg. Things have really picked up this year. Moshiach will be here by then so if I would afford it id buy him a valuable becher he can donate to be used towards the beis Hamikdash or keilim.

    in reply to: Minhag Hamakom #1470835
    CS
    Participant

    Important clarification : to the best of my knowledge, the Rebbe’s response regarding women driving only applied to women who had moved to a community where women didn’t drive, not merely visiting.

    I remember hearing this together with another story that one woman drove anyway I guess because she figured it can’t be that bad if our Rabbanim pasken that its fine. End of story : unfortunately she was involved in a bad car accident r”l.

    The Rabbanim who don’t allow women driving base it on the fact that a woman isn’t meant to be “out there” in the world like a man. I don’t know more as it isn’t our shita in lubavitch but that’s what I recall hearing.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1470839
    CS
    Participant

    Moshes rabbeinu, the first Rebbe, said, I stand between tog and Hashem… And so does every Rebbe. This is how:

    1) makes my connection to Hashem stronger:
    A) by the Torah he teaches
    B) by showing a dugma chaya of living an existence which has no other desires other than what Hashem wants. This is our potential, revealed, and that inspires us to reach that in our own level.

    For example, when I see the Rebbe cry over Hashem and his children still remaining in golus, that inspires me to care, and to devote my life to getting us out of golus.

    Another example: it can sound like personality suicide to give up everything you want and have no other life then what Hashem wants. By seeing the Rebbe’s living example, u see that such an existence is really who I am, abs far from being a depressing existence, it is the best thing I could ever do for myself. The more I get in touch with the real me, my neshama, the less limited I am by the normal limitations of the world.

    Hashem to me:
    1) every generation and individual has a specific mission. A tzadik can tell you what Hashem wants you to devote your life to. Which areas you should use your talents. Where your are meant to live etc. Personal guidance from Hashem via the tzadik.

    2) a tzadik can bring down brachos from Hashem and tell me where I need to improve in general, and also to make the brachos happen in reality.

    Hope this helps.

    I do not want to take any other topics in this thread as once a thread gets so long, it is easy to misconstrue things that are said due to missing information and or context spread out over the thread

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1470838
    CS
    Participant

    @avrammd
    I think we both are saying what a Rebbe is or isn’t. For some reason you are misunderstanding me. I hope to clarify for the last time iyh what the role of a Rebbe is. This would apply to all chassidim/ talmidim of tzaddikim by definition of Tanya.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1470836
    CS
    Participant

    Rso its not circular reasoning, just one point out of many. Truth is there should be nothing left controversial as all questions have been answered with various sources, and no counter sources have been brought that have not been addressed.

    I’ll be happy to summarise all questions and answers in one post although it’ll take longer than a few minutes, which is hard for me to spare, so I’ll be glad if it’s not necessary or someone else offers.

    in reply to: Minhag Hamakom #1470521
    CS
    Participant

    I remember learning in kvuda bas melech that minhag hamakom only works to up a standard, not lower it. And of course it can’t compromise halacha.

    So if I visit anywhere and my Rabbonim hold its best to wear a sheitel, I keep the sheitel.

    But if I know that the wedding im attending in willi the people there only wear black id probably have to wear black but not sure if that’s a Tznius thing or a minhag hamakom thing or both.

    If I go to a bungalow colony where people wear flip-flops I can’t do that because it lowers my standards.

    And the meah shearim lady would not be able to take off her shawl if that is considered a higher standard is tznius.

    in reply to: Minhag Hamakom #1470522
    CS
    Participant

    BTW regarding women drivers the Rebbe explicitly told people is not our minhag to forbid women from driving but it depends if it’s the minhag hamakom by them. If it is they need to be careful about it there.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1470233
    CS
    Participant

    @non political
    “How do you know this? Better yet, how can anyone know such a thing? You would need knowledge of all the details of someone else’s life including intent.”

    A persons personality is driven by what gives them pleasure. They then desire that which gives them pleasure. They then use their sechel to think about what they want and really understand it. This results in emotions- love or fear etc of whatever the item is. Finally the emotions make the person develop a plan of action to achieve what they want.

    The soul / personality is the sechel and middos.

    A person reveals who they are through the three expressions of the soul: thought speech and action.

    Thought is closest to the soul. It then gets expressed though speech and or action.

    A beinoni struggles with the yetzer hara but never does an aveira. Still, this struggle is apparent and expresses itself through the garments of the soul.

    A tzadik sheeino gamur doesn’t struggle anymore with thought speech and action. Their yetzer hara is permanently drugged. They struggle with feeling – how much they can tolerate bad. A tzadik gamur has transformed his yetzer hara (or more correctly his nefesh habehamis) into another nefesh haElokis, so he doesn’t tolerate any bad at all as his love for Hashem is complete.

    The Rebbe never exhibited any signs of struggle with the bad. What did he cry about? That the shechina is still in gadlus, that Jewish children don’t know Alef beis. What made him happy? Activities furthering Torah and mitzvos.

    Besides there’s a whole mystical side of a Rebbe that can be sensed but I can’t put it into words as I am kind of clueless in that area. But people that met the Rebbe will share of that. There’s tons of personal recollections on jem.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1470236
    CS
    Participant

    @non political
    As for your other well articulated points, you are correct.

    Again the remarks were made in 1950. I’m not aware of any such gathering of rabbis that said these remarks were cvs against halacha. And I am aware of many Rabbonims high regard for the Rebbe. I also am not a Rav myself, I know very little, and I think my Rabbonim would best know what situations are halachically binding etc

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1470075
    CS
    Participant

    @Eli p
    That’s a very interesting answer. Thanks for sharing.
    I wasn’t offended, just disheartened. So thanks for that.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1469732
    CS
    Participant

    The Rebbe once said, that even within the Lubavitcher Rebbeim, each Rebbe had what they stressed, and based on what the chossid koched in, the Rebbe could tell whose chossid it is.

    Then the Rebbe said that his chassidim koch in three things:

    1)What a Jew is
    2) Mivtzoim
    3) Moshiach

    And that’s what our conversations usually revolve around

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1469728
    CS
    Participant

    BTW the reason why sechel and maybe others doubt im mainstream is because mainstream lubavitchers never bring up these topics. I wouldn’t either as they’re really not the things we focus on. Like I said this whole question of this thread I never knew was controversial before.

    However the Rebbe never evaded questions, even uncomfortable ones. Chassidus demands emess, and I feel if we’re being asked we should answer fully, honestly and truthfully. If a chossid can’t do that, they have to examine why. As everything a chossid does should have a firm foundation.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1469724
    CS
    Participant

    @79 thanks allot!


    @joseph
    rso
    I think the next big topic to address is HOW Chabad chassidim are mekushar today. This thread was discussing the concept of hiskashrus itself, and its quite long. That can be opened on a separate thread.

    Btw rso I find you quite ironic. First you ask me if I know of anyone else who is a tzadik gamur of Tanya, I respond no and I’d love to know of another, as there is no reason to be unique in that regard. You respond that feivel thinks his Rebbe is one, and then refuse to give his name. Do you get the irony here?

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1469694
    CS
    Participant

    @NP
    “Which Gedolim (past or present) are on record endorsing that a Rebbe is mahuto v atzmuto mamish areingishtelt b’guf ? Can you cite a credible example of even one?”

    Honestly, I never heard of that sicha being viewed as controversial before this thread. I happened to have learned that year of the Rebbe’s sichos many many times so I knew where to find it. On this thread, one person was mentioned as having called that the opposite of avodas Hashem cvs, so thats where I picked that up from. So being honest, as I do try to be, I’m going to make a distinction here between me and you so you know exactly where I stand.

    For me: I know, as all Chabad Chassidim know, that the Rebbe lived his entire life as a Tzaddik Gamur of Tanya, and accomplished incredible things. Every time we learn a sicha of the Rebbe, Kal Vchomer a Maamar, it lights up our neshama and gives us renewed energy to serve Hashem. It sets our sights and goals higher.

    It’s true that an individual can go off, no matter how great they are, but no one goes from being a Tzaddik gomur to an oved…. in a snap, and then back again, unless they are mentally unstable.

    For example, Shabsai Tzvi started off as a bright student and looked like a promising Torah leader. If yoshke lhavdil was the student of R Yehoshua ben Prachia, he did too. (Both of them though were not at the level of a tzaddik gamur as when it came down to it, they showed ego/ crassness. The first by refusing to listen to his teacher, and the second by his crass comment which showed his world view.)

    However, he went on to think he knew better than his teacher. He continued down a spiritually destructive path until it ended very sadly.

    However, The Rebbe lived his entire life desiring nothing but what Hashem wanted. Before he went to cheder he was already picturing how the Geula would look. He never took one action, word and we can assume thought against Hashem. So since he is known to us as such, this controversial statement will remain that, controversial to others, but we accept it as the truth.

    Now it could be for other communities, to say such a thing would lead to the opposite of avodas hashem for them because they don’t understand/ learn achdus Hashem in the light of Tanya. So for them, it can be a statement their Rebbeim feel is assur.

    For example, Satmar is known for their anti Zionist protests as part of their avodas Hashem. For one of their bochrim to engage in it is considered a good thing. But if a BMG Bachor would participate, I would think his Rosh Yeshiva would scold him roundly for the bitul Torah because that’s not his path in avodas Hashem and he’s just wasting time.

    Similarly the Breslov on their Simcha trucks. I dont see a chareidi wide condemnation against it, because we see where its coming from and they focus on simcha. But we probably would scold one of our own bochrim for spending his afternoon on one.

    So what I’m saying is two points:

    1)I’m really not interested in how many people were for it not for it etc. because the Rebbe is known as a tzaddik gamur and never did anything against Hashem, so this must also be truth.

    I’m glad I know now all this information so I can be respectful in other communities to their views, such as with my BY students.

    2) If you want, you can present here a list of Gedolim who said this is explicitly against halacha, and I think you’ll see its the minority. And it’s fine they dont endorse it, you dont find Lakewood gedolim endorsing anti Zionist protests, and we all have a different view with how to approach Zionism, yet we understand that this is a legitimate thing for Satmar to do even if it isn’t for us. Am I making sense?

    From your posts it is clear to me that you are a sincere person. You know very well that the objection to this chiddush is not only from one Gadol. I’m very surprised you would claim such a thing.

    “Also it seems to me, although I could be wrong, that there is a halachic “due process,” like by the gemara they hashed out their proofs for their opinions, and then voted on the final halacha.”

    There are many examples post chazal where there is closure in halacha and dayos. For example:
    1) Turning on a incandescent light bulb is chillul Shabbos
    2) The Zohar HaKadosh is authentic

    Right but that doesn’t address what I wrote.

    fixed-79

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1468916
    CS
    Participant

    @non political
    OK but there are also plenty of times where a yachid reveals a chiddush which is a valid path in Avodas Hashem. Shivim panim laTorah.

    Also it seems to me, although I could be wrong, that there is a halachic “due process,” like by the gemara they hashed out their proofs for their opinions, and then voted on the final halacha.

    So, your example doesn’t seem to apply here because :

    A) Afaik there was only one gadol who came out against this chiddush as the opposite of Avodas Hashem cvs, while the others did not, even if they wouldn’t claim it as their own chiddush. So if anything, that one person would be the yochid here.

    B) did even that one gadol really hash it out with the Rebbe and follow “vshoalta vchakarta vdorashta heitev?” For obvious reasons we won’t discuss b, but you can respond on a.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1468789
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    And just to show what I mean that of anything Hashem is more real to me, and I care more for His agenda because of the Rebbe, if you are interested, I can post a song I wrote in high school expressing a conversation between me and Hashem.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1468768
    CS
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    Ok here’s one more mainstream song expressing these ideas. We would sing this in high school during our at the start of, Farbrengens

    Farbrengen is here
    The Rebbe is near
    A feeling of closeness fills the air
    United as one
    Like father and son
    Were bound to the teachings of Chassidus

    The Rebbe cares for every Jew
    Af al pi shechata Yisrael hu
    By being mekushar to the Rebbe were mekushar to Hashem
    Ki tzaddikim domim laBoram

    x2 just like the Kohen Gadol in the Kodesh Kodashim
    Our yechidus with the Rebbe brings us yiras Elokim
    Our hearts inspired to bring us higher
    Closer to the coming of moshiach

    The Rebbe cares for every Jew…

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1468750
    CS
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    “Rachmana litzlan”

    Again one line out of context. You never had a feeling so deep you felt you could only share it with a very close friend? That doesn’t mean you don’t daven or turn to Hashem just cuz you tell a friend that you have a feeling you can only express to them

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1468019
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    And our Rebbe lives on. He isn’t a dead man. first of all tzaddikim bimisosom kruim chayim and even when they leave this world, they continue to send down hashpoah and bracha to their mekusharim.

    That’s any tzadik. If I read rashi today, Rashi himself says the words with me

    That’s what sechel and his friends would say.

    I would say (im as mainstream as they get, and I grew up in a more anti home, and yes, I went to the kinus last year.) that the Rebbe lives on more than that as people continue to get brachos from the Rebbe pertaining to their gashmius as well as Ruchnius. Usually, once a tzadik has passed on, he loses his connection to the physicality of this world. That as well as other proofs (shmos Chof vov specifically) lead me to think by a Torah logic, that the Rebbe is alive, which is why I haven’t addressed the dead man claim.) so yeah either way it works.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1467941
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    @syag
    Thanks for eliminating the bashing.


    @DY

    Thanks for being honest. Now we can address the root of the issue. I came to this conclusion myself above.
    2 points :

    We don’t address Hashem and the Rebbe in the same way when it comes to Gashmius stuff.

    For example: I will ask Hashem, please send us money right now.

    If I was writing to the Rebbe I would write, id like to ask for a Brocha to have parnassa bharchava. Because the Rebbe is just clearing the way / asking Hashem for me.

    When it comes to Ruchnius though, there we would use the same or similar expressions because the Rebbe is our Rebbe ie teacher and guide in Avodas Hashem, and also cares for us like a parent and even more.

    We obsess over the Rebbe as you put it – as much as we give to the Rebbe, we can’t give back love and care add the Rebbe gave and gives. He obsesses over our welfare much much more.

    Another important point:

    This is why were able to reach places and do things no one else does. This is how a young couple can go to a place with no other frum yidden and not only survive spiritually, but turn other people into frum yidden or at least doing more mitzvos – because we’re batul and mekushar to the Rebbe.

    The job of a Rebbe is to make the natural emuna a yid has real and internalised. So if anything I think I have a much deeper connection to Hashem and He is much more real to me in my life, than if I didn’t have a Rebbe.

    Because otherwise I could not have a personal relationship with Him – Halo Elokecha eish ochla Hu?

    He is Unlimited, we are. Everything were about, all the human concerns we have He doesn’t.

    So how can we connect? Have a personal relationship?

    Hidabek btalmidei chachamim.

    When I see how much the Rebbe cares about my mundane concerns although he is light years away from that, I can see how Hashem cares. When I see how when I’m involved with Avodas Hashem how much nachas it gives the Rebbe, I realise that it must give Hashem so much more. Etc etc. Hashem is real to me. When I see how the Rebbe’s brachos come through, I realise even more how Hashem directs every detail.

    So if anything my connection to Hashem is so much more real because I have the Rebbe.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1467624
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    Participant

    @non political
    “Merely citing the Lubavitcher Rebbe Z”L as a source in these cases is not enough. Why Not? The problem is NOT that he is not a legitimate Torah source. No, the problem is that when a legitimate Torah source takes a novel position and:
    1) all Gedolim (for who we have evidence that they are are familiar with the position) are opposed
    2) no Gedolim (for who we have evidence that they are familiar with the position) are in favor
    such a position is rejected.

    I have raised this point twice before in this thread and you have ignored it. Why? This is not a controversial point. In fact it is blatantly evident both from halachic sources as well as simple logic.”

    Sorry I thought I addressed this. Of course the chiddush of WHY its OK to betten beim Rebben belongs to the Rebbe. But theres a HUGE difference between saying this is the Rebbe’s chiddush, and I think its OK for a different reason, (besides no one has addressed the multiple sources brought), and saying that position is the opposite of achdus Hashem cvs.

    It is an oxymoron to say the Rebbe is a Torah giant but his position here is kefira, because that would make the Rebbe and chassidim who follow him the opposite of ovdei Hashem, and you can’t then say that you respect the Rebbe as a Gaon etc.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1467431
    CS
    Participant

    @avrammd again Im being misunderstood. I wrote that the Rebbe is human in the very line you quoted. 5ish rephrased it nicely. As for how we talk to our Rebbe, see this mainstream Chabad camp song below:

    Rebbe mein teyere Tatte
    This Pan I write to you
    My emotions deep within me
    I can only turn to you

    I hear them speak of farbrengens
    Of hours spent together
    Of your hand constantly giving
    And a smile of love and care

    But Rebbe I’m so young
    I feel so very small
    I wish I too had a memory to recall
    How will I grow to be
    What the Rebbe wants of me
    Tatte please tell me how my life I should lead

    My kind, dont worry I’m here with you
    Learning my Torah makes it clear to you
    That the world is ready the time is near
    Spreading my Torah brings Moshiach here
    Higiah zman Geulaschem

    Repeat: But Rebbe I’m so young…

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1467401
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    Participant

    @DY how is it different? Exactly the same thing! Betten the Rebbe.

    If the issue is purely hashkafa, and you don’t know who the Rebbe was, wouldn’t you trust R Moshe Feinstein who was the posek hador for halacha? Im trying to be Dan lchaf zechus, but it’s getting really difficult. I’m not here to be bashed or attacked when I have solid sources. If you’d like to understand, I’m happy to explain. As a fellow frum Jew. Not happy to be treated the way I have. And btw you never addressed the numerous sources brought, just ignored then and continued to insist that were the opposite of ovdei Hashem cvs

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1467374
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    Participant

    I’m going to take a break now, being that my words have been twisted to imply things I never meant. Including by a fellow lubavitcher.
    Sechel I understand that you are a chossid although we have differences in how we are mekushar. Just because you may not hold of iggros etc. doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with it. In fact, quite the opposite. I know it’s tempting to think you’re way is right and 70% of Chabad is wrong, but the Rebbe made it very clear to me that both ways are acceptable, and therefore I’ve kept quiet many times when you’ve said things I disagree with. I expect the same courtesy.

    5ish you’re doing a great job presenting what I was saying in yet another way. Maybe you’re better at explaining. Great one with bringing belzer example.

    It seems to me that people are badly biased against Chabad, as no one said a word against the belzer chassidim although it seems until now they’ve been adamant that’s is not ok.

    Looks like everyone thinks were crazy (agreed, we do things no one else does) and are just trying to pin it on something negative. Others love us for it.

    I came here to interact with fellow yidden as friends. I don’t feel I’m being treated as one though. So I guess I’ll go back to my lubavitch farbrengen WhatsApp groups unless this attitude is cleared up.

    Rebyid23 your question has already been addressed in this thread.

    Mods thank you for allowing this conversation. The only way to reach achdus is by discussing our differences, respecting them, and emphasising our commonalities. So I appreciate your allowing this conversation.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1466829
    CS
    Participant

    You can’t daven to the Rebbe, you can ask for brachos.

    No one in lubavitch calls the Rebbe boreinu cvs. That’s a libel.

    Right you can’t because it’s shituf- considering another entity other than Hashem to have autonomous power. (Was just adding that’s why they forgot Hashem.)

    Anyhow I think we can agree that there are different ways to interpret the gemara and maybe some of the other sources brought. Although you haven’t addressed any of the others, let’s just say.

    This all happened in 1950 before the Rebbe became Rebbe and it was asked on many times. The Rebbe answered with explaining the difference between mimutza hamafsik vs mimutza hamechaber, brought above.

    The Rebbe lived his whole life as a tzadik gamur and others accepted him as such as well. He was also a tremendous gaon – in fact probably unparalleled.

    So I’m gonna go with what the Rebbe said. You don’t have to. The Rebbe even told his chassidim they don’t have to. But you cannot place yourself on the same level as the Rebbe to decide you know gemara and halacha better. Any gemara
    you bring the Rebbe knew as well. Plus he knew all of pnimius HaTorah as well in addition to all of nigle.


    @rso
    can you give me the name of feivels Rebbe? Its good for my own knowledge to know who else is considered a tzadik gamur of the Tanya.

    As for the rest of your comment, Chabad is also unique from other chassidim as we go into the reasons for this with Chabad, chochma bina and Daas, while their tzaddikim focus on the darchei HaChassidus, such as niggunim, tishen etc the emotions of Avodas Hashem. So that would make sense it could be completely out of place there.

    And for the last part, the Rebbe lived as a tzadik gamur his whole life and to restate, these comments weren’t made in 92, they were made in 50. Etc see above.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1466663
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    Participant

    @SH can you just answer the questions? It seems your approach is to say that nothing is a chiddush and we’re the same as everyone else. If so, please explain. I see the chiddush although the practice isn’t a chiddush as other chassidisidim request things from their Rebbeim as well.


    @DY
    yeah thanks for the Rambam. I like how you bring sources. Two important points:

    1) the Rambam says they made a mistake.what was it? the sun etc has no free choice to decide who to give hashpoah to. So serving it is like thanking the axe instead of the Woodchopper.

    People on the other hand, so have free choice, which is why we have a mitzva to respect our parents and Rebbeim.

    2) the sun is a classic example of a mimutza hamafsik. The people who davened it eventually forgot about Hashem because the sun is just one of His servants, and not one with HIM. So they worshiped the servant and eventually forgot about the master.

    But we yidden ARE one with Hashem, and by tzaddikim this is revealed. Therefore since Hashem is one with tzaddikim, its mimutza hamechaber (as sechel explained in his long post) as you’re addressing Hashem directly and you’ll never forget about Him cvs.

    Now instead of saying I sound problematic how about you now address all the sources we’ve brought, starting with the Rebbe’s sources.

    I know you brought the context for WHY Rabbi Yitzchak was referred to as Hevaya, but the fact is the Yerushalmi has no problem calling him Hevaya for judging correctly, because in this way he reveals Hevaya.

    Also address how Moshe rabbeinu spoke in the first person when he said v’anochi nosati esev, even though it’s Hahem Who provides etc.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1466424
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    Just to clarify I talk plenty throughout my day directly to Hashem too.

    And since people keep bringing it up, lhavdil elef havdalos, the other guy was no tzadik at all and also held himself to be his own SEPARATE power than Hashem. That’s avoda zara.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1466416
    CS
    Participant

    OK now that I understand what the issue you have with it is, allow me to explain:

    1) In light of achdus Hashem, as I explained above based on Tanya, you should be able to understand. When we ask the Rebbe for help, were not asking him as a human. That would be wrong as we only ask Hashem for things like the Rambam says. Were asking Hashem, through his human messenger, so it’s more personal. Like the medrash tehillim brought above. Half Elokim, half ish.

    An example of this is the urim vtumim.why is that not az cvs? Because it’s completely batul to Hashem. So no one was asking gems for help. They were asking Hashem, to answer a personal answer through the gems.

    2) even if you have difficulty accepting this, or your circles don’t behave this way, that still doesn’t mean its not legitimate way in Avodas Hashem, as a stated above, the Rebbe was accepted by many gedolim as a tzadik gamur. A revelation of Hashem in this world. I think moshiach chat posted some quotes of other gedolim about the Rebbe in the other thread.

    Besides that, we chassidim saw throughout the Rebbe’s whole life how everything he wanted was what Hashem wanted. Not to mention thought speech and action. So anything the Rebbe says to us is correct, no questions asked.

    3) The Rebbe would bring sources for everything he said, here included. Now that doesn’t mean there is no chiddush, there is, but there is still a source for this idea before in Torah. And we’ve also brought others in this thread.

    4) another example: do you have an issue with moshiach ruling the world? I guess if you don’t learn the Tanyas concept of achdus Hashem, it might be weird for you that a person will be king when Hashem is revealed in full glory. Why not Hashem? Isn’t that strange? But the whole point of Geula, which is what we’ve been working towards all along, is to show how the world is NOT a separate entity from Hashem. And we show that when we do mitzvos. And tzaddikim lead the way with that. And yidden are meant to show that to the world. This is all part of the same concept and idea. Otherwise, Jews shouldn’t rule the world, moshiach shouldn’t rule the world, and there should be no such thing as a cheftza of kedusha according to your guys logic… But that’s not true. And even the nigle sources say so.

    5) to remind ourselves not to forget irs HASHEM working through the tzadik, we daven say brochos etc to Hashem exclusively. So we remember what’s what.

    6) I said before, but DY didn’t understand me, that every yid is meant to rule the world, not be ruled by it.

    To explain my example:
    Rubashkin had crazy things happen for him that aren’t natural and normal. The reason he was able to arise above nature, was because he lived and revealed the chelek Eloka mimaal mammash inside of him. And obviously Hashem isn’t limited by nature. A yid, by tapping into his true essence of Elokus, also rises above nature. How much more so a tzadik.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1466411
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    Correction on the story of Rabbi katz. He only had 1-2 kids wren he originally wrote in. And he is he eidim of the Toldos Aharon Rebbe.


    @bubbyo
    @DY I understand your concerns. Now we’ve clarified that
    a) we only daven to Hashem

    Now you’ve got to where the Rebbe had made his chiddush. Many chassidim, not just Chabad will address requests to the Rebbe as well. The Rebbe was answering why that’s OK

    Maybe by you, you don’t do it and by your Rabbanim its not ok. (Although it seemed you’ve heard of the concept of asking brachos before.) (Maybe it’s not ok by then because they’re not talking about a tzadik gamur of Tanya, someone that is 100% batul to Hashem and doesn’t even feel like doing anything else than what Hashem wants? In which case there would be no contradiction.)

    But I know this is an accepted practice by chassidim, not just lubavitch. And the Rebbe was explaining why. Because when chassidim ask the Rebbe, they’re really asking Hashem Who is revealed in the tzadik. Just like by Moshe rabbeinu.

    Curious to see what sechel says.

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1466409
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    Cont’ @ slobodka

    “Are you even familiar with any other tzaddikim? Everyone else in klal Yisroel believes there rebbe or manhig is “the man,” but they believe there is a number 2, 3 etc. Who else does Chabad believe to be tzaddikim (even in the non Tanya sense) ?”

    I’ve definitely heard of other leaders in am Yisrael, not familiar enough though to know if there is anyone else today who is a tzadik gamur of the Tanya. It also doesn’t help that whenever I meet someone not lubavitch, they don’t think so either of their Rebbe. I’ll be very happy to hear of more today. Not really fun being unique as the more tzaddikim the better.

    “Unrelated, but I think that you and SY have given a dochek answer to our question of Atzmus Umahus. If you say that everyone has it and it’s just that the rebbe has it in a more practical sense because he has reached the level of a tzaddik acording to Tanya, then the rebbe should have made that clear in a Sicha.”

    Important point. That sicha was never edited by the Rebbe. It’s an unedited draft of one of the farbrengen attendees. The Rebbe probably would have clarified and expounded if he would have edited it. As is, its just the unedited transcription of a talk, and the Rebbe was speaking to his audience who understood like we chassidim do.

    “but even if your explanation is correct, how do you explain why there is no new rebbe today? Was the heintege rebbe more kadosh than the frierdiker rebbe?”

    What does this have to do with the discussion? Separate question. Let’s finish this topic off first before jumping into another. You’re welcome to ask after we finish this one, or on a new thread (if you’re not sick of discussing lubavitch yet lol.)

    in reply to: @Chabad Shluchah Please Explain Why Davening To/Betten a Rebbe is Okay #1466408
    CS
    Participant

    @slobodka no disrespect meant, just didn’t remember and didn’t have time to look up which fellow said what.

    That being said, what you say it correct but irrelevant.

    As I have stated I think by now numerous times, these comments of the Rebbe were made before he became Rebbe and were taken in the proper context by the people who heard because they chose him as Rebbe within the year.

    After the Rebbe became Rebbe, many gedolim visited and praised him, so they obviously weren’t choshed him on anything resembling kefira cvs.

    If you have seen real tzaddikim, then I would expect your response to my description of what the Rebbe was able to do to be, yeah I’ve seen that by my Rebbe too. Then I would say, great were on the same page so you can understand why being by the Rebbe is like being by a malach.

    your response about magic led me to understand that you haven’t seen such things by a Rebbe before.

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