Schneur commenting on Circus Tent: Tormented Souls
I am not a mental health professional, but a number of comments here need a tikkun.
Firstly, seriously sick people are not necessarily homeless or on the street. In the secular world many of the college students who kill themselves are good students from wealthy families, who are tortured and tormented internally. As in religion, chitzonius is not a good indicator of the state of ones pnimiuth.
Next: As far as walking on the subway tracks; it reminds me of a vort by the mashgiach of Baranowitz Rav Lubchanski HaYad. If you see someone crawling in a window at night call the police. Here too - no normal person walks on subway tracks. Repeat that: no normal person walks on subway tracks, just as no normal person takes a half bottle of a drug. Not living in CH I hardly know the psychological turf, but perhaps I can make several comments. If the kids at universities need Chabad houses for drop in and psychological help why not open a Chabad house in CH with the facilities that a Chabad house has in California, to help drug abusers and troubled kids etc? Lomoh Nigre'u?! Trained professionals are needed, but they alone cannot do the job. The parents and teachers need to recognize serious psychological problems.
Finally my pet peeve: does not anyone in CH land realize that after 50 years of a Rebbe larger than life not only leading them , but dictating their lives , many can not manage under the new regime where anything goes? Add to that a dose of immediate Messianism and a dose of the "Rebbe is really alive" and you have a nice "kompot" to the mental problems everyone in the USA suffers. Perhaps one day people will wake up in Lubavitch and realize that without strong spiritual leadership Lubavitch will just develop into another variation of an American religious community (Modern orthodox.) Or it can take steps to seek serious spritual leadership and remain a Chassidic unit rooted in 7 generations of leadership. a gut yohr to all.
24 comments:
Historically, Yidden mostly did better with a Shofet (i.e. a Posek) than a Melech
Zayer gut.
Yasher keyach.
Kesive vachasime teivoh.
While the two unfortunate incidents are what hits the headlines, it's the last paragraph of the post that really worries me.
I don't think Crown heights will end up like MO. The modern orthodox have a structure, the children growing can create aspirations similar to what their own parents experienced as they grew up. In Crown Heights the elders believe that if you put the children through the same system that they experienced, the results will be the same. What people have to realize is that the connection one feels due to his experience of 15+ years ago will not be transferred over to the next generation just because the feelings linger within you.
I think the connection to the Rebbe for many of the kids growing up today is parallel to the feeling you may have for the Alter Rebbe.
I have to wonder... have chassidim taken the directive to have a mashpia to heart?
It's not an easy thing to do--to initiate and cultivate that relationship, but essential for borchurim and married yungerleit. If my masphia with all his grandkids has a mashpia. Why shouldn't we all--especially when we don't see the Rebbe b'gashmius and have difficulty inheriting a hergesh as Anonymous pointed out?
Those that can help guide-- are they "stepping up to the plate?"
And are we taking advantage and creating those connections?
Yitzi,
Having a Mashpia will help those retain a level of yiddishkeit/Chasidishkeit. What about the ones that need to be inspired, the ones the presently don't have a connection that would trigger the deire, or need, for a mashpia.
I think you have to take a step back and think to yourself, What does the Rebbe mean to you average 15-17 year old? What kind of direction is he/she receiving from the Rebbe?
Please don't tell me the Rebbe left the directives. One must first have a feeling, or Hiskashrus, to the Rebbe to follow the directives.
I don't have a solution, but I think the people that are in charge of educating the children need to realize the throwing the word Reebe around and expecting it t o have a effect is foolish.
It's unfortunate that again we are reminded in what a lost state of mind Lubavitch is today.
To my mind there is nothing worse that the cruel trick someone played on Lubavitch 13 and a half years ago 'Who says you need to 'accept' the Rebbes death?'
With that mindless trick played into the hands of suffering desperate chasidim, Lubavitchs fate in the family of 'normalacy' was sealed.Who wants to take a group of people who either promote or live together with others that promote a deceased as alive?Realize the effect this has on unstable people.
I refuse to see Lubavitchs growth outside of Crown Heights that is,( because for anybody who has lived in Crown Heights, would know that Lubavitch here is shrinking, the off the derech youth are a massive problem )as any indication of spiritual health.The most extreme Muslims sects are booming, the Mormon Church is the fastest growing.Means zero.
Why didn't The Rebbe choose a succesor?
Look at the mess we've been left in.
http://reshimu.com/blog/shais-taub/2007/sep/09/modern-orthodox-and-chabad
to anonymous 3:41 PM
I can give you twenty reasons why not. From the lack of qualified people, to the fact that usually chasidim pick a Rebbe etc...
However, knowing the current circumstances one must question what can be done to mitigate the failures we are experiencing.
My father used to comment on two things which amazed him.
1. How the Rebbe was able to stand
for such long streches of time
without releiving himself -and-
2..Why he never chose a successor
in his own liftime.
What would the late Chaim Potok have to say about this situation
I just came across ur blog. You seem to be intelligent people with real questions, scary questions. So tell me, are you Lubavitch? And if you are, why are you?
anybody else wanna take a crack at it before I do?
Rebbetzin
You may or may not be intelligent, I have no idea. Tell me, are you Jewish? And if you are, why are you?
I can say that most Lubavitchers either grew up that way, or were exposed to that form of Yiddishkeit while soul searching. In general, an individual will remain within the circles he/she is accustomed to. Chances are that greatest Litvak if born into a Lubavitch family will remain Lubavitch and vice versa.
Well, does that make you Lubavitch?
I am lubavitch. Perhaps because i grew up that way. Perhaps because i believe. Perhaps because it's the truth.
I'm young and i'm not sure if by staying Lubavitch, i'm one of the last, loyal sons, not being swayed by conflict, distrust, disollusionment. Or, if i am an idiot, clinging to something that is at best, a tragic reminder of a glorious past.
It's time for you to realize that Lubavitch is inferior to the Yeshivisha way and that you should leave it for real yiddishkeit. As the Kopuster said, Chassidus ended 150 years after the besht's passing. Time to go back to learning torah.
an alimesher...
I can't say i consider your answer an intelligent response to my question.
Does your opinion reflect how others on this blog feel?
rebbetzin, I am not sure who you directed the question to, or even if you are male or female. In brief though, I am a Lubavitcher, because of very facet of what Lubavitch is, and the constant critisicm I have found to be puny by comparison. That doesn't mean that we aren't lacking compared to previous generations in certain areas, and it doesn't mean we/I don't need to improve.
I didn't answer your question. I'm giving you advice. Lubavitch was a great movement in Russia. Lubavitch is now history. The last great Lubavitcher Rebbe was the Rasha"b. Lubavitch today has nothing to do with Tanya, aveida, Torah or anything else besides kiruv. It's a modern orthodox social movement similar to NCSY. The descendants of chasidim of the Alter Rebbe deserve more. Time to move on to real Tairedke groups.
You see, I have a problem that come on the internet because it affords them anonymity to post whatever hevel veraos ruach that rose in their mind, while that very same internet allows us to view pictures of hundreds of bochurim standing for hours just a few days ago to listen to Reb Yossel Weinberg farbreng, when you can walk into 770 (and maybe this is online too) or the ohel if you choose and see hundreds of bochurim in NY for Tishrei davening properly, learning all day, and I am sure giving some of their free time for mivtzoim. Have you visited every Lubavitcher Yeshivah? Have you visited every Shliach? Have you visited every community?
I know of just one example from personal acquaintance, a baal teshuvah in his youth, a man of means who is a partner in a well run business, who davens like a chosid should, who spends his spare time learning Shulchan Aruch, Gemara and Chasidus, and who then gives further of his spare time to assist a Shliach with his activities, both financially and in person, and has done so for over 20 years. In fact, I know many people of such caliber.
So tell me, what actual facts and personal experience led you to your conclusion?
to alimesher
I frequently travel around the world, and have firsthand met many shluchim. Their mesiras nefesh is astonishing. I will give you one of many examples. A few years ago I was in Patagonia and met the shliach from Tukamen Argentina. This humble tzaddik was sent to this remote region 30 years ago by the late Rebbe. For many years his wife had to drive 8 hours to a mikva. He knows every one of the 4000 Yidden in his distant part of the world. Notwithstanding his own obvious poverty, he sends matzos wine etc to every needy yid in his area. Since their are no yeshivos for his childrsn, he has to send them away from home when they are ariund 10 years old, becoming allmost childless for most of the year. He drives around his desolate mountain area in his battered car with only one wish, to bring yiddeshkeit to those who otherwise would have none.
Can you see yidden from other parts of klall yisroel doing this en mass? It may be true that Chabad is a little crazy, but only the crazy can give so much, with so much personal mesiras nefesh, and ask for so little back.
Once you leave the warm comfy confines of the maine frum cities, NY, Lakewood,Monsey, La, there is nothing out there but Chabad. It is easy to make condescending remarks about these heroic solitary tzadikim while eating a glatt double burger at Kosher Delight.
I never met the last childless rebbe, but he IS still alive, he is alive in the good deeds of his followers, in the ahavas yisroel of his chasidim which is on a level the holy Bardichiver would have been proud of.
lo raesi es hari, avel raesi pamosev (I didnt see the lion, but I see his footsteps)
d lichtenstein
Mr. Lichtenstein, that last paragraph was some of the most inspiring words I have read.
And to make you feel better nuch tzu dertzu, the Shliach in Tucuman is doing much better now financially.
guravitzer,
You're in Lubavitch and quote one example of someone that learns. In a yeshivishe olem, most people learn every day. I happen to know Lubavitch well, and most Lubavitchers do not learn gemara every day. They just learn chitas and ramba"m and perhaps some chassidus. They definitely are at a lower madreiga that Yeshiva people.
Sure Lubavitchers do much chesed around the world. But the Torah doesn't say we have to go to Tukamen. It does say that we have to learn a lot of torah every day. We have to listen to the torah and not follow our own boich sevoros.
ailmisher, your "facts" are a blatant lie. My example was meant to be precisely that: an example of the whole, not an exception.
And in your rush to comment you have forgotten that there are 613 Mitzvos in the Torah.
You are of course welcome to your opinion, but you have no statistics, because no one has statistics. Until you have a blind double study with statistics or other independently verified research, this is, as you call it, a boich sevoro.
Statistics? Just walk into 770 and walk into BMG in Lakewood and you'll have all the statistics you need.
I question if there is any obligation to go far away and be מקרב a non frum Jew. I don't think that it is one of the 613 mitzvos. I do know that learning is the most important mitzva. Go back and learn הלכות ת"ת from the רבי you claim to follow.
And most importantly האב א גמר טוב ופתקא טבא.
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