The Messiah part 12
The Lubavitcher Rebbe was adored by many, but also hated by many. The heads of the Lithuanian Yeshivot, traditionally opposed to Hassidism in general, had made their peace with it for the most part. But Chabad had, in a relatively short time, made a profound impact not only on American Jewry, but worldwide. That spelled danger for their approach.Tones of Messianism had been present in Chabad for at least a century. As soon as Rabbi Shneerson assumed his position, one Rosh Yeshiva, who had long been an opponent of Chabad, stated "That crazy man from Lubavitch thinks he is Mashiach". As the years went by, the most prominent representative of that approach, Rabbi M. Shach (of Bnai Brak, Israel), made a point of opposing everything the Rebbe did and said. Even when the Rebbe instituded a daily study session in RAMBAM's legal code, Rabbi Shach was opposed."If it is such a good idea, why didn't the Chafetz Chaim come up with it, WHOSE HEART WAS CERTAINLY MORE OPEN!". He decried the Rebbes statements as being things that "should not be thought, let alone said". When the Rebbe passed away, and Meshichist Chabad essentially took over the movement in Israel, the floodgates were open. In the U.S., the cudgel was taken up by Rabbi David Berger, one of the deans of the Modern Orthodox Yeshiva University. he wrote a book in 2001, called "The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference". He argued that the Chabad concept of Mashiach contradicts traditional theology (which I pointed out in a previous post had only become "standard" after the Shabbetai Tzvi debacle). As such, they are no longer to be considered Orthodox Jews. He chastises those Orthodox Jewish groups that cooperate with them, and paints them as modern day Hebrew Christians, only with a different Messsiah. The Israeli Chief rabbinate has largely accepted that view, and will not convert non-Jews who believe that the Rebbe is the Messiah. His attacks continue to this day.There is a popular blog "FailedMessaih.com" that was founded especially against Chabad Messianism, but now deals with all types of scandals in the Orthodox community. A rather unlikely defender of Chabad appeared in the form of Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik, a long time Rosh Yeshiva in Chicago, and a scion of one of the main streams of Lithuanian Jewry. Although he certainly didn't regard the Rebbe as Mashiach, he pointed out that there were many conflicting views on the subject (as I have shown in part 2 of this series). Even the possibility of a dead Mashiach finds advocates in the Talmud, and therefore people espousing that view cannot be considered beyond the Pale. Ironically, his statements were immediately celebrated by Jews for Jesus, as being a vindication of Christianity. They dubbed him "The Tzaddik from Chicago".This served to further alienate many Jews from the Chabad approach. Although I in no way support the idea of the Meshichsts, I agree that Jewish thought is not as rigid as we have been led to believe by those who accepted Maimonist philosophy as the sole definition of Judaism. (Ironically, Chabad are big fans of RAMBAM's philosophy, albeit heavily reinterpreted). There is a wide spectrum in Judaism for varying outlooks, and we should not be quick to rule anything out, as long as it accepts the basic concepts of Torah and halachah. The entire topic of Mashiach, as we have seen, although a central theme, is only marginally defined. Disputes over it have brought us a very great deal of suffering. When Mashiach comes, we will know it. When I lived in Israel, i had a neighbor who tried to convince me that Yitzchak Shamir (then Prime Minister of Israel) was Mashiach. I laughed. I didn't try to stone him. I didn't even consider him a heretic; just silly. When the Exiles are gathered in, the Temple rebuilt, and Peace will reign, we will know that Mashiach has arrived. Speculation is, in my opinion, silly.May HaShem send His righteous redeemer soon, and fulfill the words of the blessing after the reading of the Prophets in the synagogue "May no stranger sit in his seat".