Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

Most of our readers probably remember the terrible Mumbai attack in the Chabad House, where 190 Jews-including a Chabad Rabbi and his wife-were killed in cold blood. Before every Israeli Independence Day, there is always a observance of Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron), which always occurs the night before, as Israelis commemorate the memory of those who have given their lives so the State of Israel can exist today.

Well, this past week, something very peculiar occurred in Israel that nobody anticipated. Israeli officials decided to invite Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg, whose daughter was the Chabad rebbitzen killed in the Mumbai massacre in 2008. Rosenberg was to light one of twelve torches Monday evening at the Mount Herzl military cemetery. Rosenberg currently resides in Israel, where he is raising his grandson, Moishe, who survived the Mumbai attack. Rabbi Rosenberg felt very proud and exclaimed, “This whole event is very exciting. To light the torch on such an auspicious day, especially this year, when the theme uniting the torch-bearers is ‘all Jews are responsible for one another.’ For me, this is a special Shlichus [mission]. The fact that they chose me is not a simple thing. I am not representing myself, rather, all the Shluchim [emissaries] of the Rebbe in Israel and the Diaspora.”

So far so good, but the nice rabbi did make some unusual changes to the prayer service that deserves special mentioning:

• He said the dead Rebbe will be the messiah.

• Refused to use the standard declaration said for these torchlightings, “La Tiferet Medinat Israel” (“For the Glory of the State of Israel”) and instead said “Le Tiferet Medinat Eretz Israel,” (“For the Glory of the State of Land of Israel,”) meaning the ‘state’ of Eretz Yisrael, i.e., the biblical Land of Israel, not the modern political state of Israel.

Why did he change the official wording of the ceremony? Also, why did he feel the compulsion to reiterate the Chabad belief that Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schnersohn is still the Messiah-even though he is already dead? This is curious indeed! However, most (if not all) Chabad rabbis still believe the deceased Rebbe is coming back as the REAL Messiah. Most Chabad rabbis do not realize just how similar their belief is with Christianity!

The simple truth remains that the Lubavitcher Rebbe never wanted to be seen as identifying with the Zionist movement. ” Hava Nagila” was once a Chabad melody used in the movement’s meditations just before the Rebbe would give over a Hassidic ma’amar (discourse on Jewish mysticism), but after it became the melody for the new Zionist movement, Chabad dropped immediately it.

Well, back to our original story about Rabbi Rosenberg. Although he felt proud that he represented Chabad emissaries all over the world, apparently the leading Chabad rabbis of Jerusalem decided to censure his behavior. The local Haredi papers printed the Chabad response: “Let it be known that the participation of a Chabad Chossid (R’ S. R.) at a ceremony which is foreign to the spirit of traditional Judaism, is at his own initiative, and does not represent the Shluchim or Lubavitch Chassidim. The Chabad Beis Din opposes his actions.”

Needless to say, the story has created some very bad press for the Chabad movement.

In fairness to the Chabad, their men do serve in the Israeli Reserves after graduating from rabbinical school. Their devotion to helping Israelis is not because of a belief in Zionism, but because of their love for their “fellow Jews.” So, as you can see, the Chabad attitude is definitely paradoxical. One of the Chabad Rebbes, Rabbi Shalom Dov Baer of Lubavitch, was one of the charter members of the Neturei Karta, a movement in Israel that is extremely outspoken about their rejection of Zionism and “the Jewish State.”

Rabbi Shalom Dov Baer Schnersohn wrote a famous epistle on the matter of Zionism, where he notes:

1. Even if the Zionists were G-d fearing Torah true Jews, and even if we had reason to believe that their goal is feasible, we are nevertheless not permitted to join them in bringing our redemption with our own strength. We are not even permitted to force a premature redemption by showering the Almighty with insistent entreaties (As Rashi comments on the Gemara Kesuvos 111A discussing G-d’s adjuring the Jewish people not to force the redemption), and certainly not by means of physical force and devices; We may not end our exile by main force: we will not thereby, achieve the spiritual redemption for which we are waiting. The Zionist notion contradicts our hope and yearning that G-d himself will not bring about our Redemption .

The past redemptions which were wrought by human beings were therefore incomplete. The redemption through Moshe and Aharon after which further exiles followed, and the redemption through Chananyoh, Michoel, and Azaryoh, although they acted in accordance with the prophecy of Yirmeyohu and other prophets are cases in point.

To insure a permanent Redemption from our present exile, we must hope and wait for a deliverance by the Almighty Himself, and not through the hands of one of flesh and blood. Thus only will our redemption be complete.

2. All their plans are built upon fantasies. They will not materialize, for there will never be an agreement to them. And besides our natural characteristics are not suited for it. Their leaders are blinded and bribed by their wish for freedom and power, and the ignorant masses follow them blindly.

3. The main point: The leaders of this project are totally hostile to G-d and His Torah. Their desire and interest is to cast off the yoke of Torah and Mitzvos, substituting nationalism for Judaism. Recently one of their leaders circulated a statement publicly blaspheming Judaism and boldly stating that a Jew is not necessarily someone who observes the Torah and mitzvos, etc. They state that many mitzvos of the Torah are-may their mouth be shut-a disgrace to the Jewish people. They plan to instill these ideas in the young by controlling the school system. Their purpose is to inculcate them with negative attitudes toward G-d given Torah and mitzvos and substitute the banner of nationalism as their guiding force. One of their leaders “reformed” the Torah, omitting those verses, passages and laws that did not please him. He is ready print this “new Torah”, and this is what will be taught in the Zionistic schools.

One of the activities of the protected group will be to help finance schools of the above-described type. Although the goals of the bank are said to be to rebuild and repair destroyed roads, and so on, as their program depicts, it, will in fact direct its forces primarily toward the youth and the culture and implant in the children and adolescents poisonous roots. Their emissaries, the Zionist preachers malign Hashem’s Prophets including Moshe, the master of all Prophets at will.

Woe to us that we must witness these tragic events in our time.

The Zionists true desire is to sever the hearts of the Jewish people from the Torah and mitzvos, G-d forbid, and to debase in their eyes whatever is regarded as holy by our nation.

This is their leaders’ goal, and “the body follows the head.” If the Zionist plan to take possession of the land will G-d forbid materialize, they will defile it and disgrace it with their abominations and misdeeds, causing our exile to be lengthened, chas ve’sholom. After considering these points, dear brothers, do judge whether G-d desires their actions and whether these people will bring about the salvation of K’Lal Yisroel. No!” [1]

Now compare Shalom Dov Baer’s statement with the Satmar Rebbe , Yoel Titlebaum (1888‑1979), who was another one of the founding members of the Neturei Karta. After WWII, the Rebbe of Satmar, also too felt convinced that the Holocaust occurred because the Jews adopted Zionism instead of the Messiah. By insisting upon a secular “redemption,” Israel became “prey” to their Nazi tormentors. ^[2] Titlebaum’s reasoning is simple and clear. If Jews suffer, it is because of their sinful ways and attitudes. Indeed, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schnersohn equally opposed the fledgeling State of Israel for the exact same reason. Both of these rabbinical leaders believed that only God could redeem and restore the Jewish people and reestablish a new Jewish Commonwealth.

What a pity, for had the Hassidic Rebbes of Europe been more pro-Zionist, who knows how many Jewish lives might have been saved from the fires of the Holocaust? Unfortunately, each of these great rebbes abandoned their flocks during the Holocaust and did nothing to bring more Jews from Europe to reside in the United States or Israel. Nevertheless, before leaving Europe, they at least encouraged their followers to wait for the Messiah, while they absconded . . . (See my other postings on Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schnersohn and the Holocaust; Rabbi YY opposed the efforts of the Orthodox Jewish community to confront FDR, but instead relied upon the Messiah to “save” them).

Still and all, Chabad at least serves in the Israeli Army and pays their taxes, which is a lot better than most. I personally subscribe to the Forest Gump definition of Zionism, “Zionist is, as Zionist does.’ Nevertheless, I think the traditional position of Chabad concerning Zionism needs to be seriously revised, but to do so means that its followers must do the unthinkable: correct the errors of its Rebbees.

With respect to Rabbi Rosenberg, this man has suffered enough with the loss of his family; it is a pity he had to endure being shamed by his colleagues. I would strongly recommend that the New York Headquarters stand behind Rabbi Rosenberg.