The Rav & The Rebbe - The Rest of the Story - Vital Information & Missing Context

A few months ago a book called Rav and Rebbe (Amazon link), by the prolific Lubavitcher author Rabbi Chaim Dalfin, was published.

I have found a very interesting, and detailed review of the book online, from Australia, which (along with other posts by the author, such as this one, about a hidden letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbe) contains important information, which should be required reading for anyone interested in the subject. The author is a very knowledgable person, who studied and davens in Lubavitch (as well as non Lubavitch) institutions and has close family members that are Lubavitchers

To whet your appetite, here are some brief passages from the detailed and forthright review -

"I see the book as a pseudo-academic work designed to also function as a soft and diplomatic/disguised approach to convince the non Chabad students of Toras Rav, that:

1. the distance between Chabad and the Rav’s Mesora is closer than they think;
2. since the Rav was exposed to Chassidus as a child it not only affected his vista of Yahadus, but the Rav’s Talmidim should do likewise; and
3. the Rav continued being an avid reader of Chassidus." 

On the other hand, another interesting passage, referring to Rabbi Meir Fund, a well known scholar with an extensive background with both the Rav, as well as Chasidism, well placed to address the topic, is this -

"Rabbi (Meir) Fund states that“His [the Rav’s] exposure to Chassidus was limited"

As I was researching this topic, I also found a video online of the author, Rabbi Dalfin, speaking about the book a few months ago at a Shul in New Jersey.

One can get a much better understanding of the matter through the links above, a more balanced and accurate picture than through some other unbalanced and biased sources out there.

May we be merit reaching the Emes, in this as well as other matters.