Berel Lazar, Russia Chabad Head - a Study in Lubavitch Propaganda, Duplicity, and Deception

Berel Lazar, the head of Chabad-Lubavitch in Russia, is one of the most prominent Chabadskers around today. The jet-setting Italian born leader cuts a dashing figure among his fellow followers of the Crown Heights, NY, faith, and is a leading player in global Lubavitch propaganda. He poses as "Chief Rabbi of Russia" (a questionable title, which anyway, he gained through manipulation and machination by the Chabad-Lubavitch in conjunction with the Russian government), which leads some people, who don't know the background of it, to treat him with greater deference and respect than if he would just be another Chabad-Lubavitch agent. It (sometimes) gives him access to places where he might not be welcomed otherwise. Of course, Chabad-Lubavitch deliberately promotes this, describing him as "Chief Rabbi of Russia" to outsiders, while among themselves, on the other hand, his claim to fame is being the head of Chabad-Lubavitch there, sent by their late leader. 

Recently, I was surprised to see that Project Inspire was advertising Lazar prominently as a featured guest at their upcoming convention. That is sad, as it is part of Aish HaTorah, which historically, has maintained a distance from Lubavitch. R. Noach Weinberg zt"l is not shepping nachas from such a deviation from the path he laid out. Also, at a recent Lazar event in Eretz Yisrael, some representatives of the Litvishe yeshiva world participated. Evidently, some people don't understand what Lazar is about, so to help you grasp what he represents, I will share some information. 

Exhibit one: As we posted in the past, in the 1993, a young Berel Lazar participated in a big Lubavitch messianic event, led by the late Shmuel Butman, promoting their late leader as Messiah, in the days when he was ill, following his stroke, before he passed away. You can see very clearly in the Chabad video, a young Berel Lazar, head of Chabad-Lubavitch in Russia, promoting his late Rebbe as Messiah, and bellowing יחי אדוננו וכו (click to play relevant segment).

Now perhaps one might say, that was a long time ago, what about more recently. That leads us to the next piece.

Exhibit two: This past summer there was a Shloshim gathering after the passing of Moshe Kotlarsky. Lazar spoke at it, ending with "there should be the real simcha with the התגלות (revelation) of the Rebbe" (just after 36:15 in the recording). Evidently he still holds him as Messiah.

Exhibit three: Less than three months ago, speaking at Lubavitch HQ in Brooklyn, Lazar stated "העולם כבר רואה שהמרכז של הכל הוא חב"ד" ('the world already sees that the center of everything is Chabad'). Click to see and hear.

These remarks, at Lubavitch events, to fellow Chabad-Lubavitch followers, show his essence. Of course, elsewhere, as typical among Lubavitchers, he is more guarded in his remarks generally, when among others.

The point that must be stressed here, is that a Lubavitcher going under another name or title is still a Lubavitcher. Even if he may call himself Rabbi rather than Shliach at times, he still is a Lubavitcher, and still must be held at a distance, as Rav Schach זצוקללה"ה, and other gedolim, who were very aware of the wiles and deceptions of Chabad-Lubavitch, taught us.

In the zechus of following our great גדולים, may הקב"ה grant us בשורות טובות, וימי גאולה וישועה בקרוב.

א גוטען חודש

Noach was an איש צדיק...Every Yid can be a Tzadik...A Song Gets A Long Overdue Makeover

In the past we have discussed here serious problems with a certain neo-Hasidic group and some of their activities, including the children's kiddie jingle "Every Yid's a Big Tzaddik", which they promote for all.

However, we needn't despair, it is possible for even a seriously flawed song, message, individual, or group, to be rectified and gain a תיקון. In that spirit, we share corrected lyrics for it (with the flawed, rejected lyrics crossed out nearby, for ease of comparison, contrast), to hopefully bring the catchy tune into compliance with mainstream traditional Torah Yiddishkeit.

Noach was an איש צדיק, Noach was an איש צדיק

Noach was a big tzaddik, Noach was a big tzaddik

From his keppeleh to his fiselech, Noach was an איש צדיק

From his keppeleh to his fiseleh, Noach was a big tzaddik

Noach was an איש צדיק, Noach was an איש צדיק

Noach was a big tzaddik, Noach was a big tzaddik

From his keppeleh to his fiselech, Noach was an איש צדיק

From his keppeleh to his fiseleh, Noach was a big tzaddik

Every Yid can be a tzaddik, every Yid can be a tzaddik,

Every Yid's a big tzaddik, every Yid's a big tzaddik 

Every Yid can be a tzaddik, every Yid can be a tzaddik,

Every Yid's a big tzadik, every Yid's a big tzaddik 

From his keppeleh (head) to his fiselech (feet), every Yid can be a tzaddik

From his keppeleh to his fiseleh, every Yid's a big tzaddik

Instead of the delusional, dangerous falsehood in the other version, which leads to depression and disillusionment when it encounters real life, our version is realistic and hopeful at the same time. So if you are in a place where you cannot escape the song entirely, raise it up, be מתקן it, by substituting our lyrics.

May we be זוכה, merit בקרוב, to the day when ועמך כלם צדיקים will be a reality, אכי"ר.

(The longtime Pre-1A teacher, turned Hasidic Rebbe, behind the song under discussion)

Note - This seems to be an early video of it. Interestingly, it does not contain the second part of the song ("every Yid's a big tzaddik"), which is the major part of our problem with it. Perhaps that was not part of it originally, and was only added later?