Dangerous Sukkos & Simchas Torah Frivolity - Rav Avigdor Miller זצ"ל Speaks Out

 While going through the recent Sukkos issue of Toras Avigdor, I was happy to see the forthright words of Rav Miller ז"ל warning against frivolity and "fun", hefkeirus and wildness, הוללות masquerading as praiseworthy Torah שמחה, during the great time of זמן שמחתנו. Take a look at his words in the beginning of the booklet, and especially on page five, about such perversions taking place on שמחת תורה no less, where he mentions a shtiebel where they threw wet towels at each other on that day, a Kohen who demonstratively broke ranks to drink schnapps at the time of ברכת כהנים instead of blessing his people, and other nonsense.

This very important message came back to me when I saw a recent video clip, allegedly from a שמחת בית השואבה, of a fellow with a shtreimel hanging on to a chandelier and pulling it down. Besides it being dangerous for multiple reasons, it is destructive, and not sanctioned by our תורה הקדושה. Yet, a prominent social media personality described it as part of Hasidic Jews 'knowing how to have a good time'.

A שמחת בית השואבה is not a free for all. In fact, in סידור הגר"א אזור אליהו there is a order for that celebration, IIRC, consisting of the fifteen psalms of שיר המעלות said then in the time of the בית המקדש, along with readings from Chazal about it. Presumably one can find some such structure for it elsewhere as well (perhaps in the very comprehensive siddur of Rav Yaakov Emden for example?).

While this message is quite relevant and important during Sukkos and Shemini Atzeres/Simchas Torah, it really is very important and fundamental year-round as well. Not only are wildness and "fun" not the same as Torah approved genuine wholesome simcha, they are at odds with each other. Wildness and fun may bring temporary thrills, but they fade quickly, leaving emptiness and a price to be paid.

May הקב"ה help us attain true Torah happiness, שמחה של מצוה, and not be fooled by, or settle for, inferior, cheap imitations.

א פרייליכען יום טוב - חג כשר ושמח

Astounding Revelations of Extreme Chabad-Lubavitch Theology Emerge Post Reb Yoel

It has long been known among people educated in such things, that Chabad-Lubavitch theology differs significantly, both from general Orthodox Jewish theology, as well as from that of other Hasidic groups. However, sometimes we can still be surprised by new revelations that come out. In the past, such things may have been kept more within the group, but nowadays, with modern communications, at times they reach the broader world.

This is the case regarding two reports recently featured online at Lubavitcher websites, in the wake of the passing of a leading theologian of Chabad-Lubavitch, Reb Yoel Kahn, which shared these two bombshells (among others):

1) What is the point of Lubavitchers (ostensibly) spreading Yiddishkeit? For example, promoting Shemiras Shabbos, and Kashrus? Answer: The pnimiyus, inner intention of such actions is to spread Chasidus (response to last question of an interview with the founder of Heichal Menachem, which, by the way, contains additional, similar material as well).

2)  How could a Lubavitcher author write about non-Lubavitchers, like "the Rav", Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik OBM? Answer: His teacher, Reb Yoel Kahn, gave him permission to do so, if it would bring people closer to Chasidus. There you have it, from the author himself, Lubavitcher Reb Chaim Dalfin, on the motivation for his books (along with פרנסה of course :).

Let us hope that this enhanced knowledge and understanding of Chabad-Lubavitch belief and motivation will help guide us in our day to day lives, למען לא ניגע לריק ולא נלד לבהלה, ח"ו.

א גוטען חודש

Redoing the Rebbe's Choizer - Lubavitch Scholar Reb Yoel Kahn Gets a Posthumous Makeover

 Recently, a leading, iconic Chabad-Lubavitch figure, Reb Yoel Kahn, known as the Choizer of their late Rebbe, passed away. In the wake of his passing, Lubavitch reaped a PR bonanza, with much of the frum media (even an English language newspaper calling itself Yated Ne'eman🤣) publishing glowing obituaries of him, portraying him as a great scholar and teacher. The New York Times (with whom Lubavitch has a long relationship) as well, published an obituary hewing to the official Lubavitch PR line (though interestingly, in the course of it, they described Chabad-Lubavitch as a "missionary movement", something I doubt Lubavitch PR was crazy about).

However, one major thing was typically left out in the mainstream media that I saw, namely Reb Yoel's role in, and relationship to, Chabad-Lubavitch messianism. It was as if they (the Chabad-Lubavitch PR machine, and their fellow travelers) endeavored to present an airbrushed portrait of Reb Yoel to the world at large, as if it didn't exist at all, as if he had absolutely no connection to it. Since people are being dangerously misled by that omission, about Reb Yoel and about Chabad-Lubavitch in general, it is important to set the record straight about it.

People should know that Reb Yoel was involved in promoting the late Rebbe as Moshiach quite openly toward the end of the last Rebbe's life. A photo seen online (h/t:H1) after his passing shows this quite clearly.  

In the photo, Reb Yoel is seen at a podium with the words יחי מלך המשיח and a photo of his Rebbe on its face, next to his brother-in-law Lubavitch Rabbi and ardent messianist Shmuel Butman, well-known Lubavitch Rabbi and Tanya broadcaster Yossel Weinberg, and others.

For more on Reb Kahn's messianism, Wikipedia and Chabadpedia are quite revealing. When one looks at the English Wikipedia on him, it is totally missing. Presumably thanks to the Chabad-Lubavitch PR machine. In the Hebrew Chabadpedia on him, however, a much different picture is seen. In the section entitled דעותיו, toward the bottom of the entry, much information is given there about his fervent messianism. It says that it continued after the passing of his Rebbe, however, he felt that it should not be publicized outside Chabad circles after that point.

Also instructive in this regard are two videos from close to thirty years ago featuring Reb Kahn speaking fervently, showing how strongly Reb Kahn was involved in promoting the late Rebbe as Moshiach. The first one, just recently revealed to the public at large, can be seen here. Another one, that has generally been available longer evidently, is available here.

 

Another interesting and important thing to note in the Chabadpedia entry on Reb Yoel can be seen about halfway down the page, in the section entitled מסעות בקרב גדולי תורה. There it talks about journeys of his to various gedolim for PR and propaganda purposes, to increase acceptance of Chabad-Lubavitch in the frum world, a deceptive act in which גדולי ישראל, גדולי ומנהיגי הדור were cynically used for Chabad propaganda.

The bottom line is that people should know that yes, Reb Kahn was a great Lubavitcher scholar, but no, his beliefs, particularly that his late Rebbe was/is Moshiach, and his deceptive visits to gedolim, were/are beyond the pale, and totally unacceptable, and we therefore need to continue to firmly and resolutely maintain our distance from him and them.

P.S. For those who think that such beliefs are a thing of the past, especially among the establishment of the officially "non-messianist" Chabad-Lubavitch, just a few days ago, one of the leading Lubavitch establishment figures, R. Moshe Kotlarsky, prayed openly for the return of the late Rebbe, who he called " נשיא דורנו", to bring the redemption.

In the זכות of rejecting the false PR machine narratives, and following the דרך התורה הצרופה המסורה לנו מדור דור, may we be zoche to the coming of משיח האמיתי, במהרה בימינו, אמן.

Rethinking Nefesh Hachaim - A Contemporary Mashgiach Reexamines a Yeshivishe Classic

The sefer נפש החיים, by Rav Chaim Volozhiner זצ"ל, is a Litvishe Yeshivishe classic studied by many. In recent years it has been the subject of new attention, both from inside and outside the traditional circles that study it. But there is also at times confusion and disagreement about some points related to the major work.

A great article in the current issue of the English language Mishpacha magazine takes a new look at the sefer with the well-known mashgiach Rav Reuven Leuchter שליט"א.

Rav Leuchter is an interesting personality, who Mishpacha has featured in the past. In a video interview with them some months ago, for example, he responded to a question about neo-Mussar vs. neo-Chassidus, revealed that in his Kollel there is no mussar seder (he made a tenai there shouldn't be one, "בשום פנים ואופן"!, see interview for explanation), and commented on teachings of self-development gurus as opposed to mussar.

It is nice to see such התחדשות (renewal) and sincere interest in such things these days. As Rav Leuchter grasps well, mussar and מצות אנשים מלומדה don't go together. Rote mussar is sort of an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms.

May הקב"ה give him the strength to continue his important work, and go מחיל אל חיל.

Crying at the Rebbe's Ohel - Chabad-Lubavitch Grapples With Massive Dropout Problem

 While the massive Chabad-Lubavitch PR machine continues to pump out the propaganda, broadcasting the message that they are the saviors of Yiddishkeit and Judaism around the world, and have some success duping the naive and unknowing (even some leaders who should know better), behind the glitz and out of the spotlight they are dealing with massive problems, especially among their Lubavitch from birth segment.

A good look at it can be gleaned from a recent post by a Lubavitch insider, and follow-up comments at one of their most prominent websites.

Of course, other groups have challenges as well, but sometimes we need a reminder that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side.

May we merit the fulfillment of our davening request וטהר לבנו לעבדך באמת.

How Many Shtreimels Does a Chasid Need?

 Non-shtreimel wearers may not be aware of this, but there are different types and categories of shtreimlech (we have touched on this previously, but additional info is presented now). 

Chasidim often have multiple shtreimels.

1) Regular shtreimel for Shabbos, Yom tov, etc.

2) Regen (rain) shtreimel, for use during rainy weather (often an old shtreimel assumes this function when it is retired from regular use after a new one is acquired), and humid days, which are allegedly bad for shtreimel fur.

Now we are told that some people get 

3) Another shtreimel for travel to places like the Catskills, Florida, and China, to avoid the hassle of shlepping their regular shtreimel there.

4) Many in the younger generation prefer "fringe shtreimels".

5) Shtreimels will always have "minor imperfections".

ב"ה, those that don't wear them are relieved of such needs, and can save $750 US and up.

א גוטען חודש

A Tale of Two Hillulas - A Look at the Middle Eastern Hillula Culture, with Effy from Bardak

 A number of months ago we featured a humorous video from Bardak, a duo of young talented frum producers of audio-visual material in Eretz Yisroel. While they seemingly took a break from their joint productions recently, Effy has been producing some fine videos of his own of late, I discovered.

I want to focus on two of the productions in particular, to share a look into the "Hillulah culture" that exists in Eretz Yisroel and elsewhere. It will give us an idea of what what this Sephardic, or Edot Hamizrach phenomenon, later joined by Chasidim (to one degree or another, some more, some less) was and is like. Getting a good look at it will also give us a better understanding of, and insight into those גדולי ישראל and עדות הקדושות who decided that it was not in accordance with their Litvish or Ashkenazic way of Yiddishkeit (basically all non Chasidic Ashkenazim).

First, on י"ד אייר was the Hillulah of R. Meir Baal Hanes. Effy was there on that day, and gave us a good view of the scene. It seems that not many Ashkenazim partake in it, and that it is much smaller than the goings on in Meron a few days later, on ח"י אייר.

At Meron, Effy visited a few days before ל"ג בעומר, before massive crowds arrived, enabling a good look at the background of the large event, in a relaxed atmosphere.

One can easily discern how things like the camping out, eating, drinking, making merry, and the hawking of easy "ישועות", are foreign to a Litvishe or Ashkenaz type of mindset.

May הקב"ה help us serve him in truth, וטהר לבנו לעבדך באמת, and in safety and tranquility.