The Messiah part 11
One of the most amazing phenomena of modern Judaism is Chabad. It has gone from an obscure, rather elitist, White Russian movement of the turn of the nineteenth century, to a worldwide force. There is no place in the world with a significant Jewish population that doesn't have a Chabad emissary. Although quite rigid within their own community in terms of their own version of Jewish law and custom (which differs widely in many cases from the standard), they maintain an open door policy, without pressure to accept their ways. Each person who comes is offered everything, but may pick and choose what they are comfortable with. They spearheaded the Baal Teshuvah movement, at a time when most rabbis thought it unwise to so dilute the community with "outsiders". They essentially founded the Noachide movement. Although there are no membership records, it is believed that they have already surpassed Orthodox, Conservative and Reform in terms of participation. I have been told by Reform rabbis that Chabad has "stolen" their membership!
However, the issue of Messianism has divided their own community, and has, in many ways, set up a wedge between themselves and other Jewish groups. As we have seen, the idea that there is a potential Messiah in every generation, has been with us since the sixteenth century, and has become widely accepted. Chabad believes that Hassidism represents a leap over pre-Hassidic Judaism, and Chabad, in turn, represents a leap over other forms of Hassidism. It follows, therefore, that the leader, the Rebbe, of Chabad must be the potential Messaih. The feeling of an imminent Redemption has been a characteristic of Chabad for the last hundred years, at least. The last Chabad/Lubavitcher Rebbe was seen as the obvious choice for the role. Under his leadership, the incredible spread of Chabad, and the strengthening of Judaism in general, had occurred. Plus, he had no children; no heirs. He would be the last Rebbe, and therefore MUST be Mashiach. Also, as the seventh Rebbe of Chabad, he fit into the idea of Malchut (Kingship). The spiritual battle for the souls of lost Jews was viewed by the followers of Chabad as making him the "Presumed Mashiach" of RAMBAM, a "king" fighting the Wars of the L-rd. Already in the 1960s, an unofficial split came among Chabad Chassidim. One group, while accepting the potential Messiahship of the Rebbe, did not make that the emphasis. Rather, the main effort is to keep, and spread, Torah and Mitzvot, thereby paving the way for the ultimate redemption. The other group felt that this is it, Mashiach had arrived, and only awaited the right time to reveal himself. Two separate outreach structures were formed by these two divisions. Animosities sprang up. There were two ideologies, each one seeing the other as missing the point. To my knowledge, the Rebbe never took a stand on this issue. Someone whom I know very well, was sent by the Rebbe in 1973 to work at the first Chabad House in a major Midwestern city. The first day he arrived, he was told by the rabbi in charge "you're on tonight. We're speaking at a college. I want to see how you do". After the lecture, the young man said "Well, how was I?" The older rabbi said "you were terrible. You used a word we never use; G-d. We are here to win "sacrifices" for the Rebbe. All else is worthless". Eventually, these two factions got names. "Meshichistim" (messianics) and "Non-Meshichistim". It's not that the Non-Meshichistim didn't believe in the Messiahship of the Rebbe, but rather that this was not the focus of their mission. In the U.S., the Meshichistim are the minority of the movement. In Israel, they are the vast majority. The crisis came, however, in 1994, with the passing of the Rebbe. At his funeral, people were shouting "Long live our master, teacher, and rebbe, King Messiah for ever and ever". One leader of the non-Meshichist group was asked by a reporter what this meant. "I don't know. I don't think they know". The "long live.." mantra is still to be heard at the end of every prayer service in the Meshichist community. The non-Meshichists were, of course, devastated at the Rebbe's death. What did it mean? Their response was "we don't know. We'll continue the things he taught, and await developments that will come from G-d". The Meshichistim were in denial. "He is the Mashiach even now, working from wherever he is!" One group even denies that he died at all. Rather, he is in hiding! That group will not visit his grave, so as not to lend credence to the idea that he may be dead. The rest of the Jewish world stood with their mouths agape. Was this Judaism? Had a line been crossed? Books were written defending and denouncing the Meshichists. Other Jewish groups struggled with the question if Chabad, and especially the Meshichists, could still be considered Orthodox Jews. Lines were drawn in the sand. That will be my next post.