Guest Post By Elad Nehorai
Chabad!
How many of you just had some visceral reaction to that word?
Chabad!
Ooooo. Are you getting riled up? Angry? Planning a comment already?
Chabad!
I know, those crazy guys, ugh, who can’t have an opinion about this simultaneously outgoing and completely insular group? Oooo, they’re so nice, they must be up to something right? Plus I hear they roll with that whole Baal Shem Tov crowd. Oh boy, I’ve heard they’re trouble.
Chabad.
How’s that comment coming? Getting ready to write something inflammatory? Something you’ve written on twenty other blogs? Oh man, I’ll bet those emotions are really boiling now.
Chabad.
Or maybe you’re ready to defend. Ready to scream at all those people who been causing all that Haterade to be passed around the kiddush table. Maybe even call ’em misnagdim. Oh yeah. Punks.
Or how about another word?
Settlers.
Oooo. Bam. Intense. Ready for something? Ready to bust it out? I know, you’ve got something ready.
Secular Liberal Jews.
Oh boy. Have I given anyone enough things to write yet? How about one more.
Jewish Rappers.
Yeah man, we’ve all got hang ups. We’ve all got those groups we love to hate. Hate to love. Whatever. We all got those people we’re ready to point the finger at, write a page-long comment about, just to shove ’em in the dirt.
Online, it’s so easy to make blanket statements. To call people out, to generalize.
When does the Haterade start to taste sour? It’s when we’re face to face with our supposed enemies.
When we finally meet your local Chabad rabbi and he’s really not such a bad guy (well, he must be an exception). When we go to a settlement and realize that they’re not all ready to kill at the drop of a hat, that many of them are peace-loving hippies (exception again, right?). When we realize that that annoying secular Jew that lives next door and blasts Dark Side of the Moon every night, actually is one of the deepest guys we’ve ever met. When we see how much good a Jewish rapper can do with one song.
What does it mean to have ahavas Israel, to love our fellow Jews as ourselves?
It’s when the those sharp lines we created, when they get all grayed up. When we start to realize that hey, some people in our own “group” are even bigger punks than those Chabad folks. Even the Meshichists!
What does it mean to truly understand that a Jew shares your soul?
It’s when we let go of the comments, the generalizations, the anger the hate. When we realize that just as we act like fools sometimes, but know that deep down we have a pure, beautiful, divine soul, so too do the people in those groups.
It’s when those words become nothing more than words. When we realize that the words “Chabad”, “Secular”, “Settlers”, are just a distraction from the reality we already know. The reality that we are all one, and that all G-d wants is for us to accept it and stop making a fuss already.
Elad Nehorai writes the To Light a Spark blog on Chabad.org. He also recently started a personal blog called Pop Chassid.com that looks at pop culture, and the world in general, from a chassidic perspective.
beginning sounds crazy. something out of a jewish press Golem story. Yoou know, where there are 5 sentences that say nothing and then it says “to be continued…”. The end was a bit better though you’re still saying that Chabad are punks, just that “our own group” ALSO has punks. WTf
Very poor writing. This isn’t a speech, it’s read.
Only the Jewish family, not the human family? That wasn’t meant to be a provocative question, it was an honestly meant one.
Ooh. That’s gonna be a tough one to answer.
Mahala,
Heshy is specifically not discussing non-Jews here, because there’s no existing hate/disdain perspective to denounce. Jews generally get heated up towards one of their own kind making a statement (usually just by being a certain way) which they disagree with.
I can’t say I get heated up over scientology, even though I think it’s dangerous and straight up idiotic. But if a group of Jews start an ideology which I think is against the will of G-d, it will bother me.
It’s this specific ingrained way of thinking which he’s addressing. Not the general concept of “Viewing all humans with a positive outlook”. That’s also important, but it’s another discussion.
Thank you for your honest response, Yankel.
Thanks for the response, and I would say that is exactly correct. Also, just a note, I (Elad) wrote this.
Elad you’re sidestepping the issue. As a Lubavitcher, you included the sentence:
“What does it mean to truly understand that a Jew shares your soul?”
This is taken from major Chabad works such as Tanya and Derech Mitzvoisecha. We are part of one soul, A”K, which goyim excluded themselves from.
This really bugs me. Why does Chabad teach about the superiority of Jews? I mean, if you want to say it’s strictly spiritual, fine, how can I argue? That’s a matter stated through a chain of kabbalah that I’ll accept on faith because there’s no way to prove or disprove that. But it goes so far as to say that Jews are the only ones able to do acts of kindness without an unconscious ulterior motive. I am not the Kabbalist the Alter Rebbe or Tzemach tzedek was, but in my experience, and looking at history, that’s just plain wrong.
Man. Intense stuff. That was (and is) probably one of the questions I ever had after reading that in Tanya.
I think, in terms of what you’re saying about the whole ulterior motive thing, you’d have to understand how the Tanya defines “unselfish”. It basically is saying that to be unselfish means with a total self-abnegation to G-d. Not unselfish in the sense of I am doing something for someone because I’m a nice guy. It’s that the unselfishness goes beyond even your identity as a nice person.
So, in that sense, a nonreligious Jew allowing himself to get killed because he refuses to convert would be “unselfish”, even though it doesn’t mean he is doing anything really nice. He’s just going beyond himself to a divine dimension.
That said, I think your last sentence is totally right. The vast majority of Jews do not act that way. And that is because we are not tzaddikim. We are still imperfect. Very few attain the level described in Tanya. It simply is talking about who we are in our core, as much as that may be hidden.
Anyway, again, none of this really relates to my blog, but I definitely think you brought up a really good point that deserved being addressed. I’m no rabbi, but I figured I’d give my two cents. Thanks for reading 🙂
Whoops, meant to say “one of the hardest questions I have dealt with” at the beginning.
Yeah. I think your post was great, and this was just a side point. But I was bothered by that small part of it, and I think Mahla had a legitimate point even if she didn’t know how basic it was.
That said, your answer was helpful because it narrowed it down to (as best as I can recall offhand) the one specific example that the Tanya brings. I understood it differently, as being an example of a much more general concept.
Please correct me if I’m mistaken, but you’re saying that our divine essence is bonded to God and therefore, at our most basic level, we naturally do acts such as martyrdom for God. But altruism in the form of acts of kindness for others can be practiced by non-Jews. This is much easier for me to accept, because even though there have been Christian and Muslim martyrs, they would be the exception to the rule. I don’t know the history, but this is easier to believe and may be easier to prove.
I must mention, though, that the Rav I learned sefer Tanya with did not agree with you, so I’d really like to know which is accepted p’shat.
And I think I’m coming across as critical of Chabad thought, so I have to say that it is the deepest philosophy and theology I’ve ever learned (I have a “mainstream” Litfish Yeshivah background and have studied philosophy. I’ve also superficially studied Thomas Aquinas and Westernized Hinduism) and it changed my thinking and my life for the better.
That’s interesting that he didn’t agree with me. Obviously he knows more than me, so I can’t really say much to that. I guess that’s how I’ve come to understand it with numerous talks to all different people.
I think it might just be a semantic thing, though. What I mean by “unselfish” when it comes to people in general, is that one some level almost all of us get some sort of pleasure from doing anything “good”. So, one a level, yes it is unselfish, but also selfish on a deeper level. This might be where the seeming disagreement between me and this Rav lies. It’s just a matter of how you say it, really.
I actually think the whole thing with Christian and Muslim martyrs is a perfect example. On one level, it may seem like what they are doing is unselfish. But in reality, they are doing it because of their beliefs. So, they get a certain selfish pleasure from it, because what they are doing is based on something they believe they must do as believers.
The example I gave earlier, though, is of a Jew who has absolutely no apparent connection to Jewish belief. And that’s the difference. He gets no physical, mental or emotional reward for his act.
I’m still not sure it’s correct. If you study the ideology of Alcoholics Anonymous (and I’ve heard this argument about Wikipedia as well, but I’m not convinced), the basis is getting in touch with your core, which is good. And AA has a proven success rate. So it seems like non-Jews have this inner good core as well (that they can access with actual results), and aren’t totally a nefesh habehamis.
The 12-step programs (AA, etc.), don’t speak of an inner good core. They speak of a “Higher Power” that most people refer to as “Gd.” But people who are atheists, can still succeed in 12-step programs, because they will often take on the group as their “Higher Power,” in the sense that they are part of something larger than themselves that they can rely on for support.
Again, I think it comes down to definitions. As Chassidus teaches, a nefesh habehamis is not evil. It can ACT evil, but it is not evil. Our job is to train your yetzer hora to love good (ie G-dliness). The same is true for nonjews. The only difference is that, as AA states, they need to seek out the higher power, while we have a direct, unbreakable connection.
AA started off explicitly as Christian missionary work. It hasn’t completely lost that. The idea that you have to be completely out of control, dead in sin, rock bottom before you can benefit is troublesome. So is the idea that you’re never better or functional. You’re “in recovery” forever.
AA doesn’t have a noticeably better success rate than several other alcoholism programs.
@ A. Nuran, I’d like to see your stats for that last statement, because everything I’ve read indicates that AA’s track record is far superior to any other program that is not rooted in their 12 steps. Before AA became AA it’s founder came to it through a Christian missionary program. This is true. But AA itself has never been a Christian group (although there are Christian meetings, just as there are Jewish meetings). Additionally, it is not true that you have to hit rock bottom before you can benefit from a 12-step program. For SOME people this proves to be necessary. Not for everyone. It is certainly not a fundamental premise of the 12-steps, only a realization that your life has become unmanageable. Also, just because you’re in recovery forever doesn’t mean you’re never “better” or “functional.” I know someone who has been in recovery for 23 years and has a very happy successful career and family life, and yes, she still goes to meetings every week and looks forward to them. In fact, most of the people I know who are “in recovery” are more functional than most of the people I know who aren’t addicts at all.
To go for the AA doctrine, you have to be in a very desperate mindset – where you’re willing to believe just about anything which will help you get out of your horrible situation.
So basically, rock bottom is not a requirement, but it helps break down ones resistance to false beliefs.
Sometimes, a person needs to believe in the boogy-man to get better. In those cases I think everyone would say that it’s better for the person the believe it than to keep to truth and sink further.
AA is not bad. But they do say things which are untrue.
Hi OfftheD,
I am not settled on this issue (probably never will), but the Tanya does not make distinctions that later Chabad writings contain. Righteous gentiles are evidently at the level of kelipat nogah, which contains an admixture of self-negating and self-oriented motives. Should they choose to convert they would acquire the potential to access a nefesh haelokis, so this potential is not closed off to noahides. I think this point is first spelled out by R Hillel Paritch.
It still begs the question of why a Jew who does not observe mitzvos is considered at the level of kelipat nogah, rather than the lower three, as is the case of a gentile who does not live up to his or her moral responsibilities.
The Tanya, in general, has exceedingly strict standards, however, for the behavior of a Jew. I.e. it views the “average” orthodox Jew as one who, ideally, never chooses to do wrong, ever, though he/she remains incapable of eliminating a desire to do wrong completely from his/her personality. A “tzaddik” would be someone who achieves this level, but is granted an extra divine merit, to the point that they completely identify with the nefesh haelokit.
Suffice it to say, most of the orthodox Jews I have met identify with their nefesh habehamis frequently enough that many of them spend much of their time at the level of kelipat nogah.
Very interesting. Elad gave me a pretty good answer further down in the comments.
I didnt know that goyim are lower than nogah if they dont keep the seven mitzvos. I dont know how thats possible if they are created from klipas nogah. Please email meif you find out (my name is hyperlinked to my email).
Michael,
I think you’re mistaken about that. The Tanya specifically places all of them on the level of Gimmel Kelipos.
To answer the question of “How can any non-Jew ever desire to convert to Judaism? There’s no component which would ever allow for that to happen!”, he says that “Some sparks were spread out among the nations, [and would be destined to make their way home]”. Pretty much saying openly, that this is the exception to the rule, and it’s possible for a nitzotz to exist hidden within 3k.
You gotta hate the ideologies (well you don’t have to but if you insist) not the folks following them.
You can hate Chabad, Settlers, and Secular Liberal Jews.
But you How dare you (!!!) Hate Shneur Zalman, Amir, and John JUST because of the groups they belong to.
People need to learn the difference between ??? and ???
Hmmm no Hebrew Letters I see: I meant to say people need to learn the difference between Klal and Prat
I forgot who said “Insanity in individuals is rare, but in groups, it’s the rule”.
Sounds like you learned some Chassidus before writing this one 🙂
What the hell is this crap?
Clarification: I’m referring to the writing. “Chabad, secular Jews, and settlers! All three of these are Jews just like you!” (paraphrase) And?
Thanks for clarifying, Julie 😉 So, basically if this is already self-evident for you, then I suppose this blog wasn’t written with you in mind, and you are super awesome. The blog was written because I would argue that most of us (including me and most people I know) have trouble accepting this, at least on a subconscious level.
I’m replying to your comment above, since we can’t continue the thread there. You wrote there:
“Again, I think it comes down to definitions. As Chassidus teaches, a nefesh habehamis is not evil. It can ACT evil, but it is not evil. Our job is to train your yetzer hora to love good (ie G-dliness). The same is true for nonjews. The only difference is that, as AA states, they need to seek out the higher power, while we have a direct, unbreakable connection.”
That’s a good answer. And I think it’s correct based on how Chabad sees Kelipah in general.
I have to talk to the Rav I mentioned earlier to hammer this out.
It’s been a real pleasure to talk to you. Have a Happy and healthy year. Ksivah V’ Chasimah Tova.
Thanks, you too 🙂 Feel free to email me (use the contact page on my site) if you ever want to talk about this stuff more.
Thanks.
<3 Yidden!
That was beautiful! And I like the angry comments at the beginning, they just reinforced the ideals Eldad was expressing!
Like!
Best thing I read all year
not sure how i feel about this. definitely makes me think which is good. on the one hand, i saw all the “anti chabad” shedding tears alongside the rest of the jews when tragedy hit mumbai. but it can be applied to every situation in life. what if the murderer/ molestor was your brother who you loved? would you stop hating all of his type? everything is black and white until its close to home.
Waiting, you say: “On the one hand, I saw all the ‘anti Chabad’ shedding tears alongside the rest of the Jews when tragedy hit Mumbai ….” This is a very human thing. It reminds me of the saying: “My brother and I against my cousin; my cousin and I against the stranger.”
exactly. they are anti them but then when its shoved in their faces they accept them as brethren
the phenomenon is referred to in psychology as the “supernorm”
Ha! The settler thing happened to me.
A couple years ago, this dude walks in to our Chabad shul with a big settler kippah. He was here for business, and I invited him for Shabbos. Turns out he lives on a settlement in the Shomron (Samaria), their town is surrounded by hostile arabs. His sleeps with a pistol under his pillow, his kids go to school in an armoured vehicle, and he had just come back from an offensive mission in Gaza.
After a few mandatory l’Chaims with , we get into a debate about my solution for the region, this guy was the most left wing settler EVER! I couldn’t imagine why or how he was so at peace with the idea of living side by side with bloodthirsty murderers, even though he knows it more than any of us will ever know.
LOL Phil, I’m almost afraid to ask, but what were his left-wing beliefs exactly?! :^O
Mahla,
They were left wing by settler standards, i.e, they have the right to live on the land, they aren’t all bad, we can live in peace together.
While all of the above might be true, I never imagined to hear it from the mouth of a settler, much less one that is in charge of his settlements security.
Phil, thanks for answering. :^)
That attitude makes him a much better more professional security admin.
From another settler (I live in Efrat) there are many people here who would agree with at least some of those statements. Most people around here believe that arabs aren’t all bad, it is obvious that they have corrupt and evil leadership and that the decent people are afraid to stand up against it. Of course we can live in peace together — when Mashiach comes:) I would like to be more hopeful but really don’t think it’s realistic. Especially when they’re exposed to the propaganda they pump out there from the time that they’re babies.
Elad, this was a lovely, lovely piece that does not change one iota my intense dislike of both the Chabad and settler movements. Yes, I have met people from both movements who I liked, and no, I never considered them to be exceptions. It is highly unlikely that I will ever meet another human being whose total belief system, personal philosophies, and ways of living are identical to mine. Even my husband has aspects that I dislike (although they are few, baruch HaShem). But I still love my husband, and I still have friends who believe certain things that are antithetical to what I believe. My point is that it is possible to dislike (yes, even hate) a particular ideology without disliking every individual, or even most individuals who adhere to that ideology, because one recognizes that the ideology is only one facet of the whole person.
I don’t know why you hate Chabad and the settlers, but I’m only responding here to your previous comment, since there’s no room for a reply there.
I’m not referring to any step in particular, such as turning yourself over to a higher power. I’m referring to why it works. The system works because, with a support system, a person is able to stop judging him/herself and focus on his good qualities, his “core”. The focus is altruistic acts of virtue to build up your self-esteem by seeing yourself as a good person. Throwing your problems on God or a higher power is a way of removing your ego from the picture to stop getting self esteem through control.
If you look at yourself as a unique good individual, you can build a positive outlook on life and change your life. The fact that having this view of life works to fix people and give them a happy life shows me that it’s true. I don’t believe that you can create that based on a false premise, and that the people are tricking themselves into fixing their lives.
Thanks for the comment Bat Sheva 🙂 It’s cool that you can be honest with your feelings but address them in a logical way. Very mature.
~Thanks, Elad (I’m trusting that was a sincere comment and not sarcasm–on Heshy’s site, you can never be totally sure.)
~OTDWB, I could go into great depth about my antipathy toward Chabad and the settler movements (again, not the individuals, the ideologies–2 VERY different things), but I think some of them have been touched on by others here, and frankly, I’m not sure it’s really relevant to the discussion. What you were talking about regarding the twelve steps, I agree with. It’s not a trick or based on false premises. It’s very real, and I’ve seen it turn lives around 180 degrees. But I’d still disagree that the focus is entirely on a good core. It’s almost as much a focus on negative tendencies as positive ones. I once read a teaching somewhere (I think it was Breslover, but I’m really not sure) that said a person should always carry two slips of paper. One saying, “The whole world was created for me.” And the other one saying, “I am but dust and ash.” So that if you are feeling low and unworthy, you can read the first slip, and if you are feeling cocky and too sure of yourself, you can read the second slip. I’ve always felt that the fundamental nature of the 12-step programs was closer to that philosophy than the “Let’s just focus on how good we are” philosophy.
~Now, Elad, getting back to your quote above:
“Again, I think it comes down to definitions. As Chassidus teaches, a nefesh habehamis is not evil. It can ACT evil, but it is not evil. Our job is to train your yetzer hora to love good (ie G-dliness). The same is true for nonjews. The only difference is that, as AA states, they need to seek out the higher power, while we have a direct, unbreakable connection.”
If that is true, how do you explain the significant numbers of Jews in 12-step programs? If Jews have a direct, unbreakable connection, why turn to drugs, alcohol, sex, overeating, or gambling? Why do addicted Jews find that they need 12-step programs every bit as much as addicted non-Jews do?
But the truth is, I agree with you. Jews do have a direct, unbreakable connection to our Higher Power. As does everyone else in the world. The problem isn’t that the connection isn’t direct, or is broken. The problem is that we have to remember to USE it. That’s the main function of the 12-steps. It’s also the main function of teshuvah, tefillah u-tzedakah, and keeping the mitzvot. I always find it amusing when people take the attitude that Jews are somehow superior (e.g. a better connection to Gd) because we have the Torah and mitzvot. As a teacher, sometimes you get a class that is just naturally good. You don’t have to make all kinds of rules for them to follow, because they just seem to behave on their own. Other classes you have to make. . .oh, I don’t know. . .like, 613 rules for them to follow. . . . The classes you make all the rules for aren’t usually the “best” groups. But ultimately, my feeling comes down to this: I have a hard time respecting someone who can tell me that Mother Teresa’s neshama is somehow lower than Bernie Madoff’s, just because Bernie is Jewish.
I don’t **hate** any of the groups of Jews listed in this piece, I oppose them.
I don’t want Chabad to become the default Judaism becuase I disagree with their theology and practice, and I find their kiruv work misleading. I also oppose their views on Israeli policies.
The settlers may be fine wonderful people as individuals, some of them may even treat their non-Jewish neighbors well and are ready to swear allegiance to the Palestine if they could be assured of being able to live in “Judaea and Samaria,” but I think that what they are doing by living where they shouldn’t and by a large portion of them mistreating their Arab neighbors is harming the security of the state of Israel and Jewish people.
Secular Liberal Jews may be absolutely correct about the validity of the Jewish religion, but they are usually very ignorant of the details of the Judaism they reject, so their secular Jewish culture is a watered-down nothing. Also, I disagree with some of the stuff that passes as feminism.
As far as Jewish rappers, rap in general doesn’t do much for me, but like all of these strawman devils, I don’t hate them.
Unless, of course, any of these groups (or any other groups, don’t shut up about their obsession when I politely say that I really don’t want to get into an argument about religion or politics. Then I get annoyed.
I don’t think he was referring to you (if you are in fact conservative). The article is based on the precept that all Jews are one. (Not sure what the conservative view is on Chabad Torah and Kabbalah.). This is mainly a breakdown of the way religious Jews somehow have begun to think about other Jews not like their own group.
I don’t really know what an article geared towards secular/conservative/reform on this topic would look like. I mean I’m under the impression that in those circles there is a very considerable amount of ill feelings towards the Orthodox. Maybe you guys need the above even more than we do.
The Arabs are officially (fatah controlled tv) claiming Haifa and other Israeli cities as of their own. At some point you may realize that the distinction you make is non-existent.
As for mistreating Arab neighbors, I know that there are many attacks on Jews in Israel that never make it into the world, or the Israeli English left-wing media. On the other hand, it has been proven that foreign journalists distort, exaggerate and just plain lie about attacks on Arabs. The reports you read about and even “see” are not reliable.
You don’t have to get into it, unless of course you start it.
“A large portion of them mistreating their Arab neighbors”? Seriously? Where do you get your news from, Haaretz? Those incidents are few and committed by a small fringe of the population here…do you even realize the number of Jews living here? Hundreds of thousands…if a large portion of us were mistreating Arabs the UN would REALLY be all over it. Most people here employ Arabs in their homes, gardens, and shops and pay them fairly and offer them food and drink on the job.
Rachel
Hiring arabs in Israel should be illegal. When I was in Israel during the height of the second intifada, I was shocked at the hotels and restaurants all hiring arabs to work their kitchens. How hard would it be for them to spit in or poison food?
Furthermore, poverty among Jews is rampant. Illegalize arabs labour, cut welfare, you’ll see an immediate impact on Jewish poverty in Israel.
And before any bleeding heart liberals jump down my throat, ask yourselves how many Jews work in arabs countries’ hotels and restaurants.
love the sinner, hate the sin. :-/
Jewish Rappers. – LOL Just imaging frummies debating Jewish rap! I would love to hear the rav would discuss the merits of y-love vs the beastie boys! 😀
Heshy, I would like to see your take on this:
Haaretz: Hasids don ‘veils’ en route to Rabbi Nachman’s tomb
Elad,
I would also like to point out that there is a MAJOR difference between Chabad houses and mainstream Lubavitch shuls, they are polar opposites except for Rebbe pictures and Tehillat Hashem.
A modern orthodox or secular Jew walking into a Chabad house can expect a box of spare kippahs, a warm welcome and probably a meal invitation.
The same person walking into a big Lubavitch shull like 770 can expect to be yelled at if he doesn’t have a kippah or stared at if he’s davening in shorts.
Sadly, I’ve had warmer welcomes in a Satmar shteeble than 770, and I don’t have a full beard or long peyos.
This is fascinating to me. It’s something I’d never heard before, and I find it to be excellent confirmation of my personal hypotheses about Chabad/Lubavitch.
Less every year, and pretty soon nothing at all except for a shared cattle car the next time someone tries to wipe us all out.
While I appreciate the nice intention of the author, I respectfully disagree with the content.
Chabad is a name of a multinational corporation like any other. I challenge you to find a better definition. As to the terms “settler” and “secular”, the author on his own admission sprinkles them “just in case they might come up in the conversation” (and the comments). So the point is that: no, we are not all one. Only G-d is One. Human condition is a life struggle for conflicting values, both collective and individual. So is being a Jew.
Therefore, to start a discussion on unity of Jews on the basis of a brand name or a few labels — even if to disavow them — is a nonstarter.