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.

The Litvaks that saved USSR Torah Yiddishkeit

 Ubiquitous Chabad-Lubavitch propaganda, disseminated by the minions of their faith, some fellow travelers, and various naive others, puts forth a notion that they saved Yiddishkeit and Torah in the Soviet Union. That others fled, gave up, succumbed to the persecution and difficult conditions.

The reality however, is different. Though much of it may not be as well known as the Chabad tales to many.

ב"ה, over time, more has come out about the mainstream Yiddishkeit in the USSR and its heroes. In that vein, I was very happy to see a great account about two talmidim of the Radin yeshiva of the Chofetz Chaim zt"l, and their monumental work in הרבצת התורה והיהדות behind The Iron Curtain, in the latest issue of Mishpacha magazine. 

Highly recommended reading.

Read and learn, read and be inspired, read and enjoy.

זכר צדיקים לברכה, לחיי העולם הבא

The Real Reb Moshe Kotlarsky: Chabad-Lubavitch Partisan, and Messianic Believer

 Reb Moshe Kotlarsky, a prominent leader in the "establishment" Chabad-Lubavitch group (the one that attempts to conceal, play down, explain away problematic positions, such as their continuing belief that their late Rebbe, who died almost thirty years ago, is the Messiah) passed away earlier this week. Too much of the craven mainstream mass media, has been figuratively falling over itself since, fawning over him and flattering his group, painting him as some sort of mainstream Jewish leader, being led by the nose, as the saying goes, by the massive Chabad-Lubavitch propaganda apparatus. Typical of Chabad-Lubavitch, which acted similarly after the passing of Reb Yoel Kahn, a prominent teacher in the group, a few years back.

In order to better understand the real Reb Kotlarsky, beyond the glitzy PR of his group, we take you to some video you may not have seen (or for those who are Yiddish/Hebrew challenged, may not have understood).

At a Chabad gathering in Kazakhstan a few years ago -

a) Implores in prayer at gravesite of his Rebbe's father that 'we need the Rebbe (d. 5754/1994) here in a physical body to take us out of golus, bring us to Yerushalayim, והוא יגאלנו (and he will redeem us)'. 

b) Asks that Chabad-Lubavitch shluchim succeed in making Jews closer to "נשיא דורנו" (a Chabad-Lubavitch term for their Rebbes, meaning leader of our generation), his late Rebbe who passed away almost thirty years ago. That reveals what Chabad-Lubavitch is aiming for in its activities - bringing people closer to their sect and its long gone leader.

This shows you what Kotlarsky and his group are about. Not what they say in English to the media. But what they say in Yiddish/Hebrew among themselves.

More can be said, but due to busyness, will suffice with this to make the point now.

א גוטען חודש און א גוטען שבת

When the Novhardok Mussar Yeshiva came to the USA - Reminiscences of an American Boy

In the wake of the recent passing of Rav Yechiel Yitzchok Perr zt"l, as when he lived among us, the way of life of the Novhardok mussar movement (usually overshadowed by the Slabodka mussar camp) got some long overdue exposure. Sort of a Novhardok mussar renaissance, one might say. Rav Perr taught, publicized, and disseminated ideas and practices from that school. But it wasn't just coming from him. There have also been new works from Eretz Yisrael in recent years, such as professional audio recordings of Novhardok songs, as well as historical works on the group.

Recently I was in a seforim store, where I was pleasantly surprised to see a new attractive volume from a modern publisher on the writings of Rav Yisroel Salanter zt"l. I started looking at it, and to my pleasant surprise it included a very interesting, detailed first-person account of the early years of Novhardok in the USA, written by a well-known scholar. In it one gets an intimate look at its struggle and adaptation to its new home. It can be seen online (p.17-25). 

Enjoy!

Chabad-Lubavitch Meltdown Continues

 Your Girls Are Impacting My Girls, And That's A Problem (collive.com)

The thirtieth yahrzeit of their late Rebbe is less than two months away. That means thirty years without a living leader. Thirty years. Three decades. Think about it. That is a long time. It shows.

All the PR, the newspaper pieces, glossy magazines, websites, the tweets by the army of Chabad-Lubavitch propagandists, cannot cover up the truth, the reality that Chabad-Lubavitch has serious, deep problems, that compel even their own members to cry out.

May הקב"ה help us from scam artists, no matter how artistic they may be in their deceptive depictions.

Lubavitcher Laments Drastic Decline in Chabad Standards Due to Shlichus Focus and Emphasis

A Lubavitcher has written a piercing piece decrying the terrible spiritual decline in Chabad in recent times due to outside influences entering via their shlichus system. In areas like dress, lack of צניעות and eidelkeit, adoption of inferior music and entertainment modes, and more.

It is a de facto admission that the גדולי ישראל, זכר צדיקים לברכה, who questioned and opposed modern Chabad were wise, farsighted, and prescient.

In a time when too many have been duped by the massive PR of the Chabad-Lubavitch propaganda apparatus, it is a welcome and desirable corrective for people to see to get a better handle on the reality of the matter. 

Recommended reading.