The Rebbe had had a stroke a few months earlier, but he would join the evening services in the cavernous main synagogue from a specially built alcove with tinted windows. Following the service, he would be wheeled onto an adjacent balcony overlooking the crowd. When the curtains were parted the Rebbe, with his long white flowing beard and wearing his customary black caftan and black fedora, came into view. From time to time, he would nod his head and wave his usable hand to encourage the singing.
This particular night, the 19th of Kislev, was a mini-holiday in Crown Heights celebrating the release of the first Chabad Rebbe from a Russian prison in To get a better view of the Rebbe on the balcony, I climbed on top of a dozen stacked plastic milk crates. After the singing was over, the curtains closed and everyone headed towards the exits.
In a mad dash, I reclaimed my spot atop the milk crates. The Rebbe was seated in his wheelchair, looking down at his followers. No one knew what to do. A paralyzing fear began to set in. It was clear the Rebbe wanted something, but his recent stroke had taken away his speech. All he could do was nod.
More men started scribbling suggestions. The crowd below became frantic. The Rebbe, who guided the community for forty years, was never at a loss for words or indecisive. His aides panicked and closed the curtains. This time I did not budge. I had a feeling the curtains might open again, so I remained on the milk crates. The hundreds below also stayed. All of a sudden, my tutor, Levi, who now was a senior rabbinical student and a cantor, took a gulp from a bottle of vodka.
Since the mood in the synagogue was anxious and gloomy, Levi took it upon himself to lift the spirit of the hasidim. He sang and recited words of Torah. He took a few more shots of vodka and his speech began to slur. He went from singing Hasidic melodies to reciting a Hasidic discourse in the same breath.
The Rebbe was in pain. And no one knew what he wanted. Eventually, the curtains reopened, only to close again a few minutes later. This opening and closing went on for five hours. As I walked home later that night, I was deeply confused and scared. The next day at yeshiva, our teacher tried to reassure us.
Ever since I turned bar mitzvah, I went with a classmate into the city every Friday afternoon to visit Jewish men at their workplace. We would go from office to office looking for secular Jews, and when we finally found someone Jewish, we would tell them about the Torah and have them put on tefillin. The most important part of the visit was spreading the message that the Messiah was on his way. However, with the Rebbe lying in a coma, convincing people that the Rebbe was going to reveal himself as the Messiah was getting harder.
On the subway ride back to Crown Heights, though, I kept thinking about what he said. Maybe he had a point. Reporters' Tweets. About Us. Contact us. Advertise with Us. Terms Of Service. Privacy Policy. Subscriber Agreement. JPost Jobs. Cancel Subscription. Customer Service. The Jerusalem Post Group. Breaking News. Twenty-seven years ago, on June 12, , corresponding with the Hebrew date of the third of Tammuz, , Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, passed away.
Tags Chabad anniversary death. Subscribe for our daily newsletter. Hot Opinion. Most Read. Reporters' Tweets. About Us. Contact us. Advertise with Us. Terms Of Service. Privacy Policy. Subscriber Agreement. Its numbers world-wide are variously reckoned but are probably at present about , The centre of the movement and its greatest numerical concentration remained, however, around the Rebbe's modest residence in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
At a time when many Jews and other whites were moving from Brooklyn to more affluent areas, the Rebbe insisted on principle that his followers should remain in Brooklyn, where they sought an amicable modus vivendi with their black neighbours.
This policy received a setback in when a misunderstanding led to the murder of a Hassid and a campaign of black anti-Hassidism. Under the Rebbe's direction, Habad Hassidism became an evangelical doctrine, aiming at the return of the whole Jewish people to traditional observance.
A fleet of vehicles, known as 'mitzvah tanks', was organised to set up displays in public places, where Jews were enjoined to testify their loyalty by donning phylacteries tefillin , kindle Sabbath lights, eat unleavened bread at Passover, etc. The flamboyant Chanukah candlesticks erected in the streets by 'Lubavitchers' became familiar, though some Jewish organisations criticised these as infringing the American multicultural consensus against public religious displays.
An important facet of Lubavitch evangelism, inspired by the Rebbe, was its courageous work behind the Iron Curtain. Lubavitch emissaries daily risked their lives to sustain Judaism under oppressive Communist regimes.
The Rebbe increasingly took a role in the politics of lsrael. He supported the right-wing policy of not ceding territory, and even opposed the peace treaty with Egypt. Unlike the Messianism of the fundamentalist group Gush Emunim, however, the Rebbe's policy was pragmatic, being based on the duty to save lives piqquah nefesh. The same reason has been advanced by other Orthodox leaders including Lord Jakobovits, the former Chief Rabbi to argue exactly the opposite policy, of exchanging territory for peace.
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