Grave Escalation at Chabad Tomb - Lubavitch Deceptive PR Agenda at Resting Place Emerges

Last week a political candidate, who happens to be a former President of the United States of America, briefly visited the grave of the late leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch faith, less than a month before the upcoming scheduled election there. The sect laid out the proverbial red carpet for him, tying up the site and area for many hours, bringing some of its top leaders to greet him there.

Why the hullaballoo and kowtowing? Chabad seeks to promote the grave of its long dead leader, and by extension, itself, as the representative of Judaism, its vanguard, and epitome. Having well-known personalities and celebrities visit there is integral to this PR campaign of Chabad Inc. of Krinsky, Kotlarsky & Co. Of course, they try to hide their machinations and manipulations from view (at least the more sophisticated and aware ones). But sometimes it slips through, as in this case, when a leading Chabad-Lubavitch English news site let loose its PR goal, calling the gravesite the holiest Jewish site in North America (but didn't they just claim that 770 = The Holy Temple in their book?). Instead of the truth, that is the resting place of a false messiah ממש, leader of a fringe sect, they try to sell their scam to the unsuspecting and ignorant, e.g. Jewishly illiterate Jews and gentiles. Their arrogance, audacity, brazenness, and delusional mindset is, as people might say, off the charts.

Another aspect of it is that the tomb complex is controlled by the more polished establishment faction of Lubavitch PR, of Krinsky, Kotlarsky, etc., as opposed to the 770 complex of their late Rebbe's Temple, which is under control of the openly messianist faction. The open chaos and insanity at 770 clashes with the more controlled, rational image that Chabad PR wants to project, so therefore they hesitate to bring prominent guests there, preferring to host them at the grave, where they have them pay homage at their leader's resting place.

It is therefore that the Chabad-Lubavitch gravesite (as well as other Chabad-Lubavitch institutions) should be avoided, distanced, and surely not supported. Visiting gives support to them and their twisted agenda. How great and foresighted were the gedolim of the past like Rav Schach and the Brisker Rav זצוקללה"ה זי"ע, who warned us so long ago against the Crown Heights sect. 

Visiting the grave promotes them and their late leader. Kowtowing to Chabbad and their agenda to use PR and various other means of disinformation to promote their deviant faith as not only legitimate Judaism, but the leading form of it, is a grave danger and threat to the integrity of our faith. It is an agenda that should be resisted and combatted by legitimate thinking Jews. While the tomb of their leader may have gotten a worthless Trump-K hechsher, true Jews should realize what is afoot and treat it as being chazer-treif, 

Don't get played by Chabad-Lubavitch. Don't fall for their scams. Stay away from their late Rebbe's grave, their Temples, their so-called Chabad houses. Don't contribute at all to them, any contributions and collaborations with them support them in their effort to hijack Judaism and replace it with their heresy.

In the זכות of following our gedolim, עיני העדה, and staying away from their heretical sect, may we be zoche to true Yiddishkeit, and a blessed, sweet new year.

Update - While one leading Chabad site described their leader's grave as "the holiest Jewish site in North America", as above, the official Chabad PR took a somewhat different tack, claiming it to be "the most visited Jewish holy site in North America". Truth be told, both of these brazen claims are deceptive and misleading, for multiple reasons, such as 1) who decided that it is holier than numerous other sites?, 2) how do they know that it is the most visited? 3) The numbers of visitors, even assuming they are true, presumably do not distinguish between members of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect and normative Jews, nor between repeat visitors, and those who just come once. Since a great number of the visitors are followers of the Chabad faith, many of whom visit multiple times a year, especially at certain times such as special holidays of Lubavitch, e.g. birthdays and death anniversaries of their leaders, when they got out of prison, and so on, the complex is really not visited that much beyond followers of Chabad and those under their sway.

770 = Beis Hamikdash, Shul of Moshiach in our Generation, Chabad-Lubavitch Book Teaches

This is not a new development or revelation fundamentally, actually, as it is based on a discourse the last leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch faith delivered before his passing over three decades ago. However, as other of their teachings delivered in their abstruse lingo, some of it specific to the Crown Heights sect, it can be difficult for the average person to grasp, especially if they have no background with them. A few years back Chabad had some special programming (e.g. this event with Lubavitch scholar Y.Y. Jacobson instructing the crowd in the subject) to break down, simplify, explicate, and disseminate it to the masses. However, even then, the target audience was their own group, leaving many normative Jews blissfully ignorant of the confused and deviant doctrines preached in a section of Brooklyn. Furthermore, Lubavitchers have a long history of deception, denial, obfuscation, and misdirection, with regard to some of their more problematic beliefs and practices.

Now, however, they have stepped up their dissemination of it, by putting out a booklet promoting it to children with simple language and colorful illustration.

 ‘The Mikdash Movement’ Book Highlights the Uniqueness of 770 - Anash.org

Groundbreaking New Kids Study Book ‘The Mikdash Movement’ | CrownHeights.info – Chabad News, Crown Heights News, Lubavitch News

Tut Altz Kids - The Mikdash Movement SAMPLE.pdf (dropbox.com)

Viewing the sample pages online, one clearly sees that the publication teaches that 770 = Beis Hamikdash, and is Moshiach's Shul.

It is important to note that this booklet is not put out by a "meshichist" faction, but rather by the "establishment" Chabad-Lubavitch faction led by Krinsky, Kotlarsky, et al.

People need to be aware of such delusional, dangerous beliefs held by this aggressive group, the imperative therefore to keep a distance from them, and not mistakenly support or join with them out of ignorance.

In the zechus of rejection of false messianism, may we be zoche to a שנת גאולה וישועה, and the true משיח בקרוב.

כתיבה וחתימה טובה

Proper Derech HaLimud - What is it? Has it Changed? - R. Yitzchok Sorotzkin Speaks Out

 A few weeks ago a great and illuminating discussion about proper דרך הלימוד, past, present, and future, with the renowned R. Yitzchok Sorotzkin שליט"א, appeared in a number of publications, by Moshe Greenwald.

In case you missed it, it can still be seen online, e.g. here (pages 64-65).

Highly recommended reading.

Enjoy.

Shmuel Butman, Leading Chabad Messianic Promoter, and Cousin of Late Rebbe, Dies

 Shmuel Butman, descendant of the founder of the Chabad faith, and a prominent Chabad-Lubavitch leader for many years, died last month, thirty years after the death of his second cousin, the last Rebbe of the sect, whom he promoted as Messiah for many years. Butman was very well connected in the contemporary group, as the leader's close relative, and brother in law of leading Lubavitch teacher Reb Yoel Kahn, among other ties.

In the wake of his passing it was interesting to see some of the coverage and discussion that ensued. The establishment of Chabad Inc. (directed by senior Chabad leader, and spinmeister in chief Yudel Krinsky) which toils mightily to hide, play down, and obfuscate the messianism of the movement and its enduring pervasive belief that their late leader is the Messiah even today, crafted an obituary which totally omitted Butman's and the sect's messianism for its website. That astonishing, gaping, blatant, giant act of revisionism, led even a major Modern Orthodox promoter of Chabad to call them out for their massive manipulation.

On the other hand, the New York Times had a fairly good obituary of him, which, rightfully and accurately prominently covered Butman's messianic activism (a video of which we featured here a while back). An important and very relevant comment at the end of the piece by Professor Samuel Heilman about Butman and Chabad-Lubavitch messianism, aroused the ire of some Chabad tweeters, as Heilman failed to kowtow to the sect and go along with their PR spin, as they would have liked.

Modern Chabad-Lubavitch is giving us better understanding of Messianic movements of the past, like the Sabbateans, who continued to follow their leader for many years after his death. So too, Chabad-Lubavitch persists in its belief that their last Rebbe is the messiah, more than thirty years after his passing. Fittingly, even on Butman's very recently installed tombstone (as seen at his Chabadpedia page), his late cousin, the Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch is referred to as מה"מ, a Hebrew abbreviation for מלך המשיח (King Messiah).

May Hashem give us the wisdom, discernment, and courage to resist the temptation of spurious, false messiahs, and their promoters, and in the merit of that, send us our true redeemer soon.

Prominent Chasidic Rabbi Slams Hymish-Behymish Gluttony & Fress Culture

NEW LETTER: Rav Avrohom Schorr Calls Out Excessiveness at Kiddushim and Toameha Gatherings | Matzav.com

Rabbi Avrohom Schorr Writes Letter Against Excessive Kiddushes, Drinking, and Friday Afternoon Parties - VINnews

I guess Rav Schorr, not being an Ingarishe Chasid (he has background in Ruzhin and Gur), doesn't understand the Hungarian Hasidic Hymish-beHymish היימיש-בהיימיש (as in בהמה) way. Maybe give him a ticket to Kerestir? ;-)

Did any of these fressers ever see the famous רמב"ן at the beginning of קדושים, where he talks of the prohibition of being a נבל ברשות התורה, a disgusting human being, while purportedly being "frum"?

May Hashem help us from these and all other "religious" fraudsters.

R. Avigdor Miller זצ"ל Forcefully Rejects "Every Yid's a Big Tzaddik" TYH Nation Drivel

We have posted here in the past about a Neo-Chasidic group calling itself TYH nation that promotes the notion that "every Yid is a big tzadik", and how wrong it is, even if they have some cute songs and some flashy swag at times. 

ב"ה the Torah community at large seems to have kept a distance from TYH lately (see the low stats on many of their recent non-musical videos, for example, especially the ones that are really OTD, like when they try to teach their confused theology, including Likutei Amarim-Tanya. It is sad when naive Modern Orthodox and non-Orthodox encounter Chabad-Lubavitch and fall for them head over heels).

Anyway, as I was reading last week's Toras Avigdor recently, I was happy to note not just one, but two pieces where Rav Miller zt"l strongly took issue with TYH's זיוף התורה with regard to this matter.

 Korach 5784 – The Great Opponent – Toras AvigdorKorach 5784 – The Great Opponent – Toras Avigdor

The first is in the English booklet, p.15, paragraph three, where he spoke about the great importance of introspection, working on middos, on the improvement of character traits, without which a person can delude himself into believing that he is righteous when he is actually far from that.

"...there are evil Orthodox Jews" "...there are plenty of reshaim gemurim."

The second was on page twenty, the back cover, in the Q&A section.

"There's no such thing as saying "There's no reshaim". This liberal attitude that everything is excusable cannot be accepted by us. We have our principles and sometimes you have to call a thing by its name. And a person who is disloyal to the Torah certainly deserves a certain rebuke. And if he deserves the name of rasha - it doesn't mean you have to say it - but you could certainly categorize him in the category of rasha" (this piece was actually featured in the past, here, and there, as well).

So there you have it.

ב"ה we can still see the old-fashioned Torah truth at times, even if it is not politically correct.

א גוטען שבת

R. Moshe Wolfson, Chasidic Evangelist, and Chabad-Lubavitch Chasid, Passes Away

R. Moshe Wolfson, a Mashgiach in Yeshiva Torah Vodaath in New York (a mixed Hasidic-Litvish yeshiva, containing elements of both), spiritual leader of Cong. Emunas Yisroel, and prominent Chasidic advocate, passed away last week.

It was interesting to see the coverage in different frum media following his petirah. While some (e.g. Matzav and "Yated") tried to present him as a more mainstream figure, playing down his ardent Hasidism and connections to Chabad-Lubavitch, by being a perceptive observer, as well as viewing other outlets, one could get a more accurate and complete picture of his life and legacy.

                           R. Moshe Wolfson and Chabad-Lubavitch

While it is true that R. Wolfson was influenced by, and maintained ties with multiple Hasidic courts and groups (as was stated at the levaya by a maspid, that he was called 'the nosher' in his youth, as he went to multiple Hasidic Rebbes), nevertheless he had greater ties to some than others. And it is clear that he was very influenced by and connected to Chabad-Lubavitch, and their late leader, as we shall explain.

Chabad-Lubavitch websites had a great amount of coverage on R. Wolfson after his passing, quite unusual for a someone not officially a Lubavitcher. It is clear that they considered him to be very close to them, a fellow traveler, real friend, steadfast ally, if not actually one of their own literally.

I would like to clearly lay out some of the deep connections between Chabad-Lubavitch and R. Wolfson.

1) Stress on the foundational work of the Chabad-Lubavitch faith, Likutei Amarim, aka Tanya. R. Wolfson gave shiurim on it for years, and his congregation disseminated them prominently.

2) He visited and interacted with the late last Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe over decades, displaying great subservience to him. 

3) He participated in Chabad-Lubavitch events for years, speaking for them at public gatherings, which he did not do for others.

4) He visited the grave of their last Rebbe often. A recent Chabad-Lubavitch advertisement even claims that he promoted prayer at that tomb with superlative language (source).

5) He went to their headquarters ("770") and davened in their late Rebbe's room, many years after his passing.

Some selected sources:

A Lubavitcher Remembers Reb Moshe Wolfson - Anash.org

Rabbi Moshe Wolfson, 99, OBM (collive.com)

Based on the above, there are definitely firm and ample grounds for describing R. Wolfson as a Chabad-Lubavitch Chasid, as a Lubavitcher writer and YouTuber described him.

The deep connection between him and Chabad continued with his son, the leader of Emunas Yisroel of Monsey, New York. 

A recent Chabad-Lubavitch advertisement even claims that he promoted prayer at that tomb in superlative language.

UPDATE: A grandson of R. Moshe, son of his Monsey son evidently, joined the Chabad-Lubavitch faith, attending their school in Kfar Chabad. He shared some interesting information on X, for example, that his grandfather was very supportive of that move, and insisted on paying the Tomchei Temimim tuition for him there, that his grandfather said that he was a walnut (big nut) for not going more often to the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, and about his visits to the tomb of their late leader.

Why am I not surprised? As the old saying goes, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

                     R. Moshe Wolfson and Modern Orthodoxy

Another important aspect of R. Wolfson's life and legacy was his Hasidic evangelism, which reached beyond his local community, stretching even to the Modern Orthodox world, either directly or via people like his son-in-law, R. Mottel Zilber, Toldos-Yehudah Stuchin Rebbe, who has close to ties to Cong. Aish Kodesh of YU Mashpia R. Moshe Weinberger, and people like R. Hershel Reichman and his son R. Zev Reichman of Yeshiva University, leaders of the Neo-Chasidus movement.

May we be zoche to clarity, knowledge, and understanding, so we are able to make necessary הבדלות, separations and distinctions, and keep apart things that should not be mixed.