Reflecting on Judaism

I read with interest Rabbi Livingstone's review of Rabbi Dr. David Berger's book 'The Rebbe, The Messiah and Orthodox Indifference' which appeared in the Jewish Chronicle on the 1st March 2002. The book severely criticises the Lubavitch Movement and explains why he, the author, considers the movement to be a danger to Judaism because many, if not most, of its followers believe that the dead Rebbe will shortly be reborn and return as the Messiah, a concept, he claims, which undermines the foundation of Jewish belief. I fully agree with the author’s analysis that we Jews have, in the Lubavitch movement, a major problem which main stream rabbis aren't tackling in a positive manner. Although Rabbi Livingstone appeared to resent Rabbi Berger’s allegation that our rabbis have been indifferent to the involvement of Lubavitch in our community the fact remains that within Anglo Jewry only a few rabbis have spoken out publicly.
 
Their silence does not necessarily mean that they are in sympathy with Lubavitch beliefs but only that they take into account other factors. For example, they weigh the benefits of their Outreach programme, which many admire, against the dangers inherent in their theology and give them the benefit of the doubt. The encouraging aspect of Rabbi Livingstone’s review is that he does not appear to disagree with the thrust of Rabbi Berger's book; his reservation being that he thinks that it exaggerates the situation.
 
Rabbi Shochet wrote an article in reply which appeared in the Jewish Chronicle the following week, and in it suggested that Rabbi Berger’s book provides an excuse for Lubavitch enemies to come out of the closet.  The fact is that they have never been in the closet for, among others, many other Hassidic groups are among the Lubavitch fiercest critics. The late Rabbi Schach, head of the world renowned Ponivicher Yeshivah called the Rebbe and the Lubavich movement heretical. In 1996 one thousand main stream orthodox rabbis in America, at their annual conference slammed the belief, held by many followers of Lubavich, that their Rebbe will return from the dead as the Messiah.
 
Two other recent reviews of Rabbi Dr. Berger’s book are far more critical of Lubavitch than is that of Rabbi Livingstone; one appeared in the Jerusalem Post written by Rabbi Prof. Jacob Neusner and the other in Ha'aretz written by Prof. Josef Dan. The above information should provide no comfort to Rabbi Schochet for the opponents of Lubavitch are numerous, have status and are beginning to assert themselves again. (Rabbi Schochet is a Lubavitch rabbi, minister of the Mill Hill United Synagogue.)
 
Shortly after the Book Week held in London in March 2002, at which Rabbi Dr. Berger appeared and presented his book, Rabbi Rapoport, also a Lubavitch rabbi and minister of the Ilford and District United Synagogue, published his book ‘The Messiah Problem’ by way of response. In it he complains that the Lubavitch movement as a whole is being condemned for the behaviour and beliefs of a small fringe minority of its members and that the majority are not messianists. However he does accept that the Rebbe could be the Messiah and if he were to reappear he would be pleased to see him. Rabbi Rapoport’s allegation that the belief that the Rebbe is the Messiah is restricted to a lunatic fringe is difficult to reconcile with the report that in 1995 Rabbi Groner, personal secretary to the late Rebbe stated that he forecast that the rebbe would soon experience a revival ‘He will be with us in a living body’. How many other followers of Lubavitch think likewise but remain silent? Rabbi Berger gives names of leading Lubavitch rabbis who believe ‘ that the Rebbe is literally God and that he should be the object of prayer’. Interestingly, Rabbi Rapoport avoided giving specific responses to these specific allegations..           
 
Some years ago, I unsuccessfully campaigned to limit the influence of the Lubavitch Organisation within the United Synagogue. Rabbi Dr. David Berger's book supports the views I then expressed to both the Chief Rabbi and the United Synagogue. I set out below some of my recent experiences
 
When I travel around Israel there are numerous posters, large and small, announcing the coming of the Rebbe as the King Messiach. In a hotel on the Dead sea where I recently stayed there was, displayed in the window of its shop, a very attractive presentation box, some 10 inches square, with a coloured picture of the Rebbe, headed 'Magic Water'. Inside was a booklet explaining its purpose. The banner line stated 'Our Leader and Guide, the Meshiach, for ever and ever.'    Also in the box was a square bottle [filled with water?] with a label on it which replicated the cover of the box.
 
This is not the Lubavitch’s first involvement with water. In 1996 the Jerusalem Post reported that a Lubavitch rabbi in Herzliya had collected the Rebbe's mikvah water, called it ‘living water’ and was distributing drops in plastic bottles. It was to be drunk after saying a short prayer confirming the Rebbe as the ‘King Messiah for ever’. The water would then effect a cure.     
 
This belief that the Rebbe is the Messiah started whilst he was well, alive and ‘Compos Mentis’ although the ‘Meshiach campaign was not as strident then as it is now. The Rebbe could easily have killed the concept stone dead had he wanted to by announcing, in the newspapers, that he wanted the nonsense to stop.  Why didn’t he? Maybe he didn’t want to.
 
The word for 'Messiah' in Greek is Christ, in Hebrew 'Meshiach'; the anointed.  In effect this means that there are now two groups claiming to be the authentic Jews, 'Jews for Jesus Christ' and  'Jews for Menachem Mendle Christ.'  With the encouragement of our Chief Rabbi and some U.S. Honorary Officers who circulated Lubavitch literature to our Synagogues, we are perhaps staffed by some of the latter. They have a lot to answer for. 
 
Let us imagine that Rabbis Berger, Schochet and Rapoport were living in the early part of the first Century CE The ‘news’ gets around that the dead Jesus is the coming Messiah. Rabbi Berger warns of the danger but the other two rabbis state that he is exaggerating and that there is nothing to fear.  Look they say, all the followers of Jesus are observant Jews just like us. James his brother and Simon his nephew are nice orthodox people; they attend and participate in our Synagogues. Rabbi Berger! You are exaggerating! The rest is history. It took 40 years after the death of Jesus for the new Jewish-Christians, who till then lived full Jewish lives, to break away from us. How long might it take for these new followers of a dead Messiah to do likewise?
We should at least take Rabbi Berger seriously.
 April 2002