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Chabad-Lubavitch is a Hasidic Jewish movement. It has at times come under fire for various issues.

History of controversy

Since its inception, Hasidism was the focus of much controversy within the Jewish community. The founder of Hasidism, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov was a populist preacher and Kabbalist virtually unknown to the accepted rabbinate at the time. His subsequent growing popularity and novel interpretations of the Torah and halakha ("Jewish law") caused a growing backlash. Those who opposed the followers of the Baal Shem Tov were also known as mitnagdim (lit. "opposers") (an unofficial term that has no particular standing in Jewish law.) Hasidism was accused of idolatry, false messianism and laxity in observance of halakha by the mitnagdim who were led by the Vilna Gaon.

After the death of the Baal Shem Tov's successor, Rabbi Dovber of Mezeritch; Hasidim split into many groups. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi is believed by Chabad Hasidim to be the rightful heir and successor to Rabbi Dovber of Mezritch. During the life of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the controversies between the Hasidim and Mitnagdim intensified in many ways. The issues involved in the disagreements were the rules for ritual slaughter and the conduct and phrasing of prayers, but rapidly involved many other aspects of Jewish life. As a result, Rabbi Shneur Zalman and his followers were subjected to bans and persecution, however it quieted down during the lives of his son Dovber and grandson Menachem Mendel. Rabbi Shneur Zalman was arrested for treason which was based on a libel and he was proven innocent. His subsequent release on 19 Kislev (which is also the day of his teacher's passing) is celebrated by Chabad Hasidim as the "New Year of Hasidism" and is viewed by Chabad-Lubavitch as "divine vindication" of the movement. (The file of Rabbi Shneur Zalman's arrest was dug up recently from the Russian archives by individual Chabad Hasidim.)

Controversy during the seventh Rebbe's life

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Chabad leader, took the reins of the movement shortly after World War II and became the Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty following the death of his father-in-law in 1950. At the speech where he accepted leadership, he proclaimed the defining theme of his tenure. He stated that his purpose as the seventh Rebbe and the Chasidim as the seventh generation, was to complete the work of bringing the Shechina back into this world and bringing the Jewish Messiah. He further stated that the previous Rebbe had not finished this work, but because of the unusual character of his self-sacrifice was still present to lead the charge in bringing about the Messianic Age:

"Beyond this, the Rebbe will bind and unite us with the infinite Essence of HaShem ... When he redeems us from the exile with an uplifted hand and the dwelling places of all Jews shall be filled with light... May we be privileged to see and meet with the Rebbe here is this world, in a physical body, in this earthy domain - and he will redeem us" (Basi L'Gani 1951).

In the years preceding his own death, particularly after the end of the Persian Gulf War (1990–1991), Rabbi Schneerson announced that the world is on the threshold of redemption and the coming of the Jewish Messiah.

He also encouraged his followers to make public displays out of some Jewish holidays. His followers held public Chanuka celebrations, encouraged all Jewish men and boys over 13 to put on tefillin and perform other observances in public and made themselves highly visible in their Jewish observance and stretched their influence by actively courting politicians and powerful philanthropists. In some cases, Chabad zeal for religiosity in public caused a backlash from both liberal and traditional factions of the Jewish establishment, who, for example, sometimes questioned and challenged the need for public displays of the Hanukkah menorah.

Chabad teachings about the relationship between God, the Rebbe and his followers

Based on the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Baal Shem Tov and the Ohr ha-Chaim, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi taught in the name of the Zohar that "He who breathed life into man, breathed from Himself". Therefore a person's soul is "truly a part of HaShem above".

According to kabbalah, a tzadik ("saintly person") is someone who has completely nullified himself and conformed his desires to God's will. His soul, which like every Jewish soul is part of God, is revealed within him more than it is in people who have not completely nullified themselves to God. However, Judaism does not believe in the tzadik being like God.

In 1951 Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson said a similar statement about the role of a rebbe -- (Lekutei Sichos Vol 2 pg 510-511) regarding the practice by Hasidim to entreat their Rebbe to intercede with God on their behalf, by explaining that:

"the Rebbe is completely connected with his Hasidim, not like two separate things that connect, rather they become completely one. And the Rebbe is not an intermediary which separates rather he is one that connects. Therefore by a Hasid, he with the Rebbe with HaShem are all one... Therefore one can not ask a question about an intermediary since this is the essence of HaShem Himself, as He has clothed Himself in a human body".

In recent years some critics, notably Rabbi Dr. David Berger and Rabbi Chaim Dov Keller, expressed their concern that this is a Chabad innovation that "deifies" the Rebbe, which would be contrary to accepted Judaism. Chabad writers counter that these reactions are based on misunderstandings of Kabbalistic terminology used by Rabbi Schneerson, and that similar expressions can be found throughout non-Chabad Hasidic and Kabbalistic literature.

Messianism

Chabad Messianism is a belief by some within the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement that believe that the late Rabbi and leader of that movement Menachem Mendel Schneerson will be the Jewish Messiah. Adherents to this belief are termed Mishichist in Yiddish (Plural: Mishichisten).

Before Schnerrson's death in 1994 a significant body of Chabad Hasidim believed that he was soon to be crowned as the Messiah - an event that would herald the Messianic Age and the construction of the Third Temple. Books and pamphlets were written containing purported proofs for the Rabbi's status as Messiah, some of which Schneerson opposed.

Attempts by his followers to persuade him to reveal himself as the Messiah were to no avail. Followers routinely sang the mantra "Long live our master, our teacher and our rabbi, King Messiah for ever and ever" in his presence - a chant that he often encouraged in his last years.

During the later years of his life Rabbi Schneerson's teachings were interpreted by many to mean that he was claiming to be the Messiah.

His death in 1994 did not remove the messianist fervor. Believers soon developed new rationales to justify the belief the Schneerson was the Messiah despite being dead. Some argued that he had in fact not died at all and was still physically present. Others argued that though he was dead Judaism did not rule out the possibility of the Messiah returning from the dead.

The development of this messianism and its impact on Chabad in specific — and Orthodox Judaism in general — has been the subject of much discussion in the Jewish press, as well as within the pages of peer-reviewed journals. Nevertheless, the belief in the Lubavitcher Rebbe being the Messiah, is confined to a subset of the Chabad community and is not accepted by Jewish adherents outside of that community.

References

2. (Pavzener, Avraham. Al HaTzadikim (Hebrew). Kfar Chabad. 1991 and Frumer, Assaf. Kol Hanikra Bishmi (Hebrew))

• On the Spectrum of Messianic Belief in Contemporary Lubavitch Chassidism, David Berger
• Chabad and Messianism, Adam Dickter, Haddasah Magazine
• The Once and Future Messiah in Early Christianity and Chabad, Joel Marcus
• Dalfin, Chaim. Attack on Lubavitch: A Response, Jewish Enrichment Press, February 2002 (ISBN 1-880880-66-0)
• Fishkoff, Sue. The Rebbe's Army: Inside the World of Chabad-Lubavitch, Schocken, 2003 (ISBN 0-8052-4189-2)
• Prager, Dennis. Irresponsible Slander Moment Magazine 2002
• Rapoport, Chaim The Messiah Problem; Berger, The Angel and the Scandal of Reckless Indiscrimination Chaim Rapoport 2002
• Schochet, Rabbi J. Immanuel. The Professor, Messiah, & Scandal of Calumnies. .
• Yanover, Yori. Attack on Chabad Is Called Unredeemable The Forward January 18, 2002

• Articles to be merged from February 2007
• Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidism