9 - On False Messianism, Idolatry, and Lubavitch

Summary

IN THE AUTUMN of 1995, I published an article in Jewish Action, the journal of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, which decried the silence of rabbinic leaders about the declaration on the part of many Lubavitch hasidim that the late Rebbe is the Messiah. This silence, I argued, combined with the treatment of messianists as Orthodox Jews in good standing, fundamentally transforms Judaism, betrays the messianic faith of our ancestors, and grants Christian missionaries victory with respect to a key issue in the millennial debate between Judaism and Christianity.

At its annual convention in June 1996, the Rabbinical Council of America responded to this challenge with a declaration that ‘there is not and never has been a place in Judaism for the belief that Messiah son of David will begin his messianic career only to experience death, burial, and resurrection before completing it’. In the aftermath of both the article and the RCA resolution, defenders of Lubavitch presented sources which allegedly demonstrate the acceptability of this patently un-Jewish doctrine. They also circulated a letter in the name of a highly distinguished rabbi, R. Ahron Soloveichik of Chicago, which he had authorized only in part and which contains material flatly contradicting statements that he had issued several months after the Rebbe's death, when he affirmed that this belief is possible in Christianity but not in Judaism and is ‘repugnant to everything Judaism represents’. In addition, they argued that Lubavitch hasidim, unlike Christians, observe Jewish law and do not regard their Messiah as the Deity. While I addressed the sources in some detail [Jewish Action, Winter 1995; see above, Ch. 4], I responded to the last point delicately, reluctantly, and briefly. Recent developments have made this caution obsolete and irresponsible.

First, despite the isolated efforts of a handful of brave hasidim, the dominant institutions of the Lubavitch movement are either overtly messianist or unwilling to declare unequivocally that the Rebbe is not the Messiah. A formal legal ruling (pesak din) has just been issued by the head of the Crown Heights Rabbinical Court, the Rabbi of Kfar Chabad, the Lubavitch Vice- Chair of Agudat Harabbanim, and other major leaders of the movement asserting that Jewish law requires belief in the messiahship of the Rebbe.