Monday, May 5, 2008

Here's The Other Cheek


(Why this picture here? I have no idea.)

The responses to the Belsky saga have varied from "he's right," to the "OU should be banned," to "burn the Mishpacha." Some of the responses have brought out some of the worst, boorish and uncouth elements in Lubavitch. The truth is many of us in Lubavitch are just as upset at the Meshichist element as our detractors, but for quite different reasons. Whereas we're upset that they either give Lubavitch a bad name or look like fools, and we want them to mend their ways, they're happy that this is the situation now. They're giddy that the supposed Nevu'os and "Vayte Blikken" of their supposed leaders have come to supposed fruition, and anything else would be a detriment to their supposed cause. So when some of our friends and even some of our own say "he's right, and we even believe much like he does," they're wrong. Nobody in that article has the best interest of Lubavitch in mind, and nobody is waiting for Lubavitch to "join the fold." If they say they do then they're bad liars too.

What they want is this: complete and absolute control; they want all of Judaism to subjugate themselves to them and their Psokim, but yet there's very little concern for the same Jews they wish to keep in line. Yes, I know, Lubavitchers want complete control too. What people like Rabbi Belsky et al want is for us to turn the other cheek and to ask for more. They want us to be Mekabel Nezifoh from their Gedolim who were raised on Hershey bars Joe Dimaggio and who had good heads so they soaked up some Torah. At least in Eretz Yisroel there are Rabbonim who are Zekeynim and Baalei Shem who were mekabel from the giants of the previous generation, but Heineman and Belsky? we need to rethink our ways based on them not liking it? Do they really take themselves so seriously? Again, I agree that there are things that need to be mended in Lubavitch, and maybe, since there was a void left on 3 Tamuz, there are more things to be Mesaken since people tend to understand things the way they want to without getting proper guidance, but to just sit back and take the abuse from these people who mean nothing but their own Kovod? לא מיט אן אלף!

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are really insecure, a good therapist can diagnose the source better than I can but you need serious help fast. Stop trying to make us like Lubavitch, We all see the good they do, but we also see how crazy they are and you can't handle the way they are perceived by the manestream so you resort to attacks of chusheve rabbunim.

Get help.

Guravitzer said...

Here's the take on Belsky (ושאר השרפים וחיות וכו' למיניהם): The perennial attack of "Rebbe! Rebbe! How dare you have one!", even as a euphemism of "personality cult", deserves our perennial attack in return. You will never know of Yiras Hashem and Ahavas Hashem, as you will never understand the relationship of Moshe Rabbeinu and the Almighty. You who have no Rebbe to serve as your guide to the true Tzelem Elokim, you have nothing to tremble before, you who belief in your heart of hearts that your thoughts are safe, that Leis Din VeLeis Dayan, your works and words will fall and perish for they are missing the Tavlin that allows Torah to stand.

Tzemach Atlas said...

are you shiker? He just said something in an article t o some 3rd rate magazine, not even a blog. What abuse? In your dreams only, so you have something to talk about.

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

abuse is a שם המושאל, Tzemach Tei'erer, no need to get excited.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Tzemach never knew you were blogging once again.

get the fire on by doing something on Krinsky being one of the most influential Rabbis??? .

I think that should rile it up a bit. some old flame to warm things up again.

Unknown said...

You got my full support on that one Tzig

Anonymous said...

i read and reread belsky's comments and fail to comprehend your upset.
do you really believe that the phrase "cult of the personality" is an unfair description of the chabad situation!
it seems to me to apply equally fairly to both pro and anti meshichistim!!??

Anonymous said...

lol, you people make me laugh. and i thought people grew up after a while.
I guess it's the young people who are still idealistic and naive and stupid enough to try to do the right thing that have it straight.
I hope i stay young forever if this is what grown ups are like.

Anonymous said...

Belsky reminds you alot of Reb Shlome Goren a twisted talmid chochom, just Goren had some class he still learned in Chevron

Anonymous said...

Is there no one around here that can scan Belsky Hatoras Aishes Ish for a Gevir of flatbush? Rav Eliashev wrote a letter against him

Anonymous said...

to tzig

i am supprised at you

how dear you to write on rav belksky that he was brought up on 'dimaggio' with out knowing anythig about his upbring,this not only luson hora but an outright sheker

rabbi belsky's fatehr and family were one of the chushivste mispochut in willy they lived on ross st. near the poilishe stible

i was in their house and his father and his very choseve rebetzen were living like real fartztishe yiden

rebetzen belsky was the sister of
the very revered mrs. herskovitz who is berosh of a mosad in isreal that is matzil yidishe kider and learns with them yidiskiet

both mrs herskovitz and rebetzen belsky (the mother of todays rabbi belsky) were the dougthers of hatzdik reb binyomin willhelm z"l

rabbi belsky's father, when he was young he left the usa to radin to study in the yeshive of the chofetz chaim z"l

this belsky family was a real fartzietishe and erliche mispoche

when rav belsky got married he went to learn in the kolel (he did not go to florida to honeymoon

he didnt even know who is dimaggio! since their house was full of yirus hashem

therefore you have to do tutsuve for being motzi shem ra on a tzdik and for bieng mevaze a talmid chochem

please do not write bad thinks about others especially gedolim when you did not check the facts!!!!

Anonymous said...

People in glass houses shouldnt throw stones. While the rebbe didnt grow up on hershey bars the university in berlin was not exactly volozhin so please lets take it easy.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:57
I'm surprised the censor let it through.Lol.
The Lubab have terutzim for Berlin and Paris, mostly by pointing fingers at others who were there at around the same time.Only problem is that the others really lost quite a bit of respect because of their sojourns there.

If anybody is up to the challenge they should scan some of the garbage Kfar Chabad wrote and writes about rabbonim they don't like..

Anonymous said...

Now Mishpachah magazine wrote that they are regretting any unpleasantness that occurred and that they respect Chabad and thay cover activities of Chabad Shluchim, v'chulu

I am doubting about Rabbi Belski's intelectual capacities, today going against Chabad is like going against Yddishkait

Anonymous said...

Chabad=Yiddishkait??
Nice joke.
Yiddishkait believes in dead messiahs?
Yiddishkait believes in dead Nosi Hadors?

This whole story is a classic Lubab spin, that our resident gevorener picked up quite nicely:What are you attacking Mishpacha for?Rabbi Belsky was asked a question and answered.That is his opinion.Deal with it.
What really makes the Lubab angry is that R'Belsky's opinion of Chabad is the opinion of most non Lubab rabbonim.
Chabad has turned into a cult and is now trying to bully its way into world domination.Yiddishkait has seen Lubabs ilk before and will overcome it.Unfortunately this may even be at the cost of Lubavitch joining an infamous list that Orthodoxy has rejected.
Those who know a bit of history will know exactly what I mean

Anonymous said...

I have read many comments from Lubvitchers on R. Belsky's comments where they agreed with the ideas he expressed. I think there are two groups of Lubavitcher who oppose what he said:

1. Those who have the beliefs that he is castigating.

2. Those in Lubavitch who agree with him, but think it is a chutzpah that he should say it.

For those in the first class, you are convincing him (and the rest of the non-Lubavitch world which agrees with him) that more Rabbis need to come out as he has. For those in the second, instead of attacking him, let him know that you exist.

Arthur said...

"While the rebbe didnt grow up on hershey bars the university in berlin was not exactly volozhin so please lets take it easy".
Neither is Brooklyn college.I used to daven in the Noveminsker Shul on Carrol St. when Crown Heights was in it's glory days.The then to be present day Noviminsker who is a snag in Cassideshe guise and was a talmid in Chaim Berlin hot zich gegolt (shaved)and was a student in Brooklyn College.Now he is a "godol" and head of the "Moetzes gedailai Hatorah".If I am not mistakem Rav Hutner Z"L also attented college in his youth and shaved before he became a "Godol"

Anonymous said...

anon 1:51 said:
"this belsky family was a real fartzietishe and erliche mispoche"

what does 'fartzietishe' mean?

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

what does 'fartzietishe' mean?

old time.

Anonymous said...

The comparision bet the chabadsker and the novominsker is laughable.One was a american boy who learnt in chaim berlin where it was the mode to go to college while the other was a chassidishe european bred boy who went to berlin in what was at that point an unthinkable act.

Arthur said...

"The comparision bet the chabadsker and the novominsker is laughable. One was a american boy who learnt in chaim berlin where it was the mode to go to college while the other was a chassidishe european bred boy who went to berlin in what was at that point an unthinkable act".Perlow was a rebishe kint that shaved and went to college. Your right.There is no comparison.The rebbi was not a rebishe kint.
By the way it seems that Belsky the "godol" was somehow involved in the conspirency to cover up the entire Kolko maise nevole and I did not read it on a Lubavitcher blog site.

Anonymous said...

Arthur:I am a very proud Lubavitcher and I think that you are embarrasing your self and the Chinuch you got.
I am far from an apologist and I agree with most of Berel's posts. But even considering that you are most probably a young child and very immature it is embarassing.

Anonymous said...

What did rebishe kind mean in those days? The boyaner and kapishnitzer rebbes children also went to college the stetchiner and stoliner had to take misnagdim for aidims. At that time in America there was no such thing as a rebishe kind even if your father was a rebbe.

Anonymous said...

"By the way it seems that Belsky the "godol" was somehow involved in the conspirency to cover up the entire Kolko maise nevole and I did not read it on a Lubavitcher blog site."

Seen at UOJ.
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/518/908/1600/belsky%20hazmana.2.jpg

Arthur said...

"Arthur:I am a very proud Lubavitcher and I think that you are embarrasing your self and the Chinuch you got.
I am far from an apologist and I agree with most of Berel's posts. But even considering that you are most probably a young child and very immature it is embarassing""What did rebishe kind mean in those days? The boyaner and kapishnitzer rebbes children also went to college the stetchiner and stoliner had to take misnagdim for aidims. At that time in America there was no such thing as a rebishe kind even if your father was a rebbe." "In those days", I am referring to the late 50's and early 60's and it was not prevelent for Rebbishe kinder to go to college.The Kapshintser kinder that I knew were Moshe Heshel later to become rebbi and Zishe Heshel.Neither of them went to college.Zishe did take some computer courses.In any case the only rebishe kind that shaved and went to college and became a "gadol" and head of the Moetses was Perlow.
As to being a young immature child, halevie. I think you would have a hard time convincing my 19 eineklach BLA"H about that.
If you think my posts are childish and immature thats your problem.Don't read them.I am not going to loose any sleep over not getting your haskomeh.
I find it difficult to believe that you are a proud Lubavitcher chosid.How can you defend a man like Perlow who tried to stop the Gruss foundation funding and govt.funding to Lubavitcher Chinuch mosdos in NY a couple of years ago? B"H he didn't succeed.
I think you have mentioned my age and immaturity on a prior occasion on this blog.Your insulting manner of speach is indicitive of your age and immaturity.Grow up.

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:28
Idiot do you have a idea of the yiddidhkiet situation in Russia? how many Chernoler ainiklech do you know that statyed frum? and you have the chutzpa to discuss a Kodosh Vetoher that went thru Timaas Mitzraim untouched, and he sacrificed his body and soul to bring back every lost soul from all kind of Ism that were inflicted on our brethren
Ad mosai can we listen to this filthy lies?

Anonymous said...

Arthur
Get your facts straight the Stoliner didnt take his SIL VD"L

Arthur said...

Who said anything about the Stoliner? I didn't? You have me mixed up with someone else.

Anonymous said...

If you think the rebbe zya went to berlin to sacrifice himself to save other then you are really drinking the kool aid

Anonymous said...

anon
nobody said that, get back to school and learn to read and comprehend

Anonymous said...

""Anon 3:28
Idiot you have the chutzpa to discuss a Kodosh Vetoher that went thru Timaas Mitzraim untouched, and he sacrificed his body and soul to bring back every lost soul from all kind of Ism that were inflicted on our brethren
Ad mosai can we listen to this filthy lies?"""
what kodosh? What Tohor/
untouched? says who ?
sacrifced Whos body?
"""evry""" lost Soul???
teamed up withth the zionists
teamed up with the refoermed
teamed up with the maskilim
but saved you from the bnei torah
what an acomplishment!!!!

Anonymous said...

my suggestion to all lubacs

for the good of your children and einiklech, don't try make yr rebee for supermen and dont tell yr kinderlech that the rebee is supermen and alive forever ח"וח
or that is is the mosiach while we all know that he is in queens...

bcs you will bring up a new generation that will be infested with all kind of kults and believes and meshogasen that is similiar to to the notzrim,shabtai tzvi etc.

you can not be smarter then all other chasidos,and you shall select a live rebee to be mechanech the new generation

otherwise hashem yerachem what will happen with yr future generations.....

Arthur said...

Rosh Chodesh Iyyar
A letter sent to the editor of Mishpocha
Dear Editor
As both a musmach of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, and Rav and shliach of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT"L in West Bloomfield, Michigan, I take issue with the comments of Rabbi Yisroel Belsky concerning Chabad Lubavitch, which for the most part are unfortunate and inaccurate. Rabbi Belsky writes that "Chabad used to be about disseminating Chasidic teachings which the Baal HaTanya wrote… In America Chabad started out with the shluchim going out and bringing the masses back to Judaism… But present day Chabad has nothing to do with the above."

In point of fact, the number of shluchim going out today to far-flung communities throughout the entire world to bring the teachings of Torah and Chasidus to our brethren far exceeds the numbers of shluchim who went out years ago. One can reasonably argue that there has never been a Jewish leader who so inspired thousands of young families to leave the comforts of a frum kehillah and travel to cities and towns devoid of chinuch for their children, mikvahs for their wives, and basic kosher food. For Rabbi Belsky to state that "present day Chabad has nothing to do with the above" is a gross inaccuracy.

In his critique of the veneration that Chabad Chasidim express towards the Rebbe, Rabbi Belsky writes "There is no room in Yiddishkeit for a personality cult in which an individual is deified and glorified." Boruch Hashem I have been blessed with many children who have studied in Lubavitch Yeshivas throughout the world. Some are presently in positions of chinuch in the Chabad higher education system. I can categorically state that none of the Chabad Yeshivas in any way chas ve'shalom "deifies" the Rebbe. Rabbi Belsky's statement is totally libelous and falls in the category of sheker and motzi shem ra. The issue of the role of a tzaddik has always been a point of contention between Chasidim and non-chasidim. A perusal of the works of such Chasidic luminaries as the Meor Ainayim, the Noam Elimelech, and the Tiferes Shlomo, to name just a few, underscores the central role that a Rebbe occupies in the life of a chasid. Ultimately we have come to respect these differences of opinions between the two communities. For Rabbi Belsky to reiterate this opposition to what he considers to be an improper chasid-Rebbe relationship only fuels the fires of sinas chinam.

As a talmid of Torah Vodaas in the 60's, I remember Rabbi Belsky as a respected Maggid shiur in the Yeshiva. Indeed, not too long ago I sat with him on a Bais Din in Detroit, and was truly impressed with his vast Torah knowledge. But especially during these days when Klal Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel is facing an existential threat, it is irresponsible to direct such inflammatory and divisive remarks against a world-wide kehilla of people most of whom are yereim and shleimim, and many of whom are on the front lines of spreading Torah and Yiddishkeit under the most difficult conditions.

Chabad recognizes that there is a small (and unfortunately vociferous) group in our community which speaks irresponsibly about the issue of Moshiach. But there is no excuse for the unfortunate comments directed against the entire movement.

It is because of my great respect for Rabbi Belsky that I find his words all the more painful. Rabbi Belsky and Mishpacha Magazine owe the world-wide Lubavitch community an apology.

Sincerely,
Elimelech Silberberg
Sara Tugman Bais Chabad Torah Center
West Bloomfield, Michigan

Arthur said...

B”H Good questions

Not a week had passed since Pesach, and already Rav Belsky, Rosh Yeshivah in Torah VoDaas and official Posek for the OU causes us to ask so many new questions.

1) Why, so soon after celebrating the birth of Am Yisroel, are we trying to break our nation further apart?

2) Why, barely two weeks into Sefiras HaOmer, when we mourn the passing of Rabbi Akiva’s Talmidim because they were not noheig kavod ze bazeh, are we fanning the flames of Sinas Yisroel?

3) Why, just as we begin our preparation for Matan Torah, is such blatant disrespect being shown to an entire community of Yereim Ushleimim, including the strongest Marbitzei Torah in the world?

4) Why, Davka in the week that we learn in the first Perek of Pirkei Avos “Chachomim Hizoharu Bedivreichem”, would the popular Mishpacha magazine irresponsibly publish inflammatory statements not based on fact?

I will only challenge Rav Belsky’s careless dismissal of Lubavitch as a whole having no place in Yiddishkeit and that present-day Chabad “has nothing to do with bringing the masses back to Judaism”. (Every angle of “the Moshiach issue” has already been discussed and regurgitated).

5) Is Rav Belsky really not aware of the work of Chabad-Lubavitch around the world?

6) Does Rav Belsky not know of the Shiurei Torah given by Shluchim every day in Tanach, Halacha, Hashkafa, Daf Yomi, and more?

7) Is Rav Belsky oblivious to the fact that dozens of Chabad Shluchim serve as reliable, dependable Mashgichim for the OU, in many cases because they are available, having devoted their lives to helping their fellow Jews in the remote areas? Are all those Mashgichim Pasul? Does that, by extent, place the reliability of the OU in question?

8) Is Rav Belsky not aware of the thousands of Lubavitcher Yeshiva Bochurim who spend their free time on Friday afternoon being Mezake fellow Yidden with some Divrei Torah, Tefillah, and chance to connect to Hakadosh Baruch Hu by putting on Tefiolin?

9) Is Rav Belsky not aware that once a week hundreds of Lubavitcher Yeshiva Bochurim spend time with Jewish children in New York City who are currently in public school, teaching them how to say Brachos, about Torah, and encouraging their parents to send them to Jewish schools?

10) Does Rav Belsky not know of the hundreds of Lubavitcher yeshiva Bochurim who gave up their Bein Hazmanim to assist Shluchim in conducting public Sedorim, being Mezakeh hundreds of Yidden, kein yirbu, with fulfilling the Mitzvos of Pesach?

11) Does Rav Belsky not know this from his own Talmidim who rely on Chabad Shluchim for a place to stay for Shabbos, a Minyan, and Kosher food when they travel “on business”?

Anyone wanting to know what Chabad-Lubavitch is doing today, can easily visit www.Lubavitch.com or www.chabad.org/news, the official websites of Chabad-Lubavitch. Would it not be a reasonable thing to do before publishing such incendiary remarks?

And whatever reason or excuse one might find for Rav Belsky’s skewed view of Chabad-Lubavitch today, is there any reason that Mishpacha magazine saw a need to publish this?!

Is there really nothing more pressing to the Chareidi community today?! Is the Jewish periodical market so competitive, that Mishpacha must resort to such controversial sensationalism to engender sales, at the cost of the irreparable damage this will do?!

At a time when so many barriers between communities have been removed, as Chassidim of all stripes, Yeshivishe, Yekke, Litvishe, Ashkenazim and Sefardim etc. etc. work together on so many issues of common concern (youth at risk, Shalom Bayis issues, Chinuch, Kashrus, safety in our communities, and all types of Chessed organizations) was it really necessary?!

The basic answer to the Mah Nishtanah is “Avadim Hayinu”. Isn’t it time to free ourselves?!

Name withheld upon request

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Anonymous said...

אל תגעו במשיחי ולנביאי אל תרעו

אל תגעו במשיחי - אלו תינוקות של בית רבן

It starts with tolerating תגעו במשיחי, and it ends with ולנביאי תרעו

He should spend more time protecting his תינוקות של בית רבן, and let Chabad worry about the problem with משיח

Anonymous said...

"The comparision bet the chabadsker and the novominsker is laughable.One was a american boy who learnt in chaim berlin where it was the mode to go to college while the other was a chassidishe european bred boy who went to berlin in what was at that point an unthinkable act."

a) The rebbe was 29 when he went to Berlin
b)The Rebbe was married when he went to Berlin
c)The Rebbe used his secular education for parnossoh, not wanting to make his Torah a kardom lachpor bo - even after he came to America for several years, until he there was a need of becoming involved with Merkos leinyonei chinuch, Machaneh Israel and Kehos full-time. Moroever, the Rebbe usd that education for strengthening Torah and yiddishkeit, as he was now able to confront philosophic/scientific attacks on yiddishkeit.
d) Criticising the Rebbe for the above is to criticise the Rambam, Ramban etc. etc. who did exactly the same. And for that matter, Rw Bunem of Pshis'che (who indeed was criticised at the time by good number in the chassidic world for doing the same thing).
e) Irrelevant yet pertinent: German universities were filled with numerous yeshivah-leit from Lithuania, and also many from Poland, not only in Rebbe's time but already decades before. I have seen numerous "dissertations" from these. Unfortunately, most of these did not turn out the way they should (without going into the obvious details). And likewise in America. So let's not make illegitimate comparisons.

Anonymous said...

I don't know why everybody is so upset with Rabbi Belsky. The worst - abnd in my eyes the best part - that can be said about him is that he simply published in public his prejudices and warped views. Whether published or not, that will no change. Nor will his personality - shockingly exposed with actual documents on Hydepark - Bechadrei Chareidim - re being mattir eshes ish to remarry. But that is not the issue.

If there is valid criticism it is to be of Mioshapachah Magazine (a)for asking the loaded question (and considering who they asked - they obviously expected controversial answers), and (b) for publishing that antisemitism. Mishpachah Magazine must be taken to task and dalt with in apropriate fashion, and as for Rabbi belsky ket him wallow in his mire.

Anonymous said...

Malach

Yes, Kodosh vetohor in Sorborne he spent his days fasting and delving in the deepest subjects of kabala and niglah( for proof get yourself Likutie Levi Yitzchok Iggroth)

Anonymous said...

I did not have a chance to read all the comments, but can anybody prove Rabbi Belsky wrong.
You can scream all you want,but that does not mean he was wrong.
Let me ask you, is you Rebbe alive or dead?
I bet you can not answer that.

Arthur said...

Speaks for itself הצג הודעות משתמש
הצג פרופיל
נשלח ב-14/5/2008 04:52
הבעיה עם הר' בעלסקי היא אחרת לגמרי ומסובכת מאוד, והיא שדמיון ומציאות
משמשים אצלו בערבוביה. כח הדמיון שלו הוא ללא גבול ולאין שיעור, והוא
גובר על כל מציאות שבעולם.

כותב שורות אלו אינו פסיכיאטר ואף לא פסיכולוג. דיאגנוזה זו נקבעה ע"י
אחד מגדולי חשובי הרבנים הגאון רבי אלי' פסח רומינק שליט"א מלפנים ראש
ישיבת חיים ברלין בברוקלין, כמשתקף מתוך מכתבו להגרי"ש אלישיב שליט"א
בתאריך י"ב אייר תשנ"ח, וזה לשונו:

"לכבוד מורנו ורבנו פאר הדור והדרו.... בענין הגט שקבלה.... על ידי
כפיה... אני הייתי חבר בבי"ד זה יחד עם הרב ישראל בעלסקי הרב אריה
רלב"ג...אחרי כן הסתלקתי מן הבי"ד... שהייתי משוכנע שאין שום בסיס עפ"י
הלכה לכפיה, והגט שנערך ע"י כפיה הוי גט מעושה והאשה... אסורה להינשא...
בענין התשובה ששלח הרב ישראל בעלסקי להגנה על הפסק דכפיה, נזדעזעתי לקרוא
את התשובה שיש בו שינוי המציאות, ייצור של הגדת עדות, וגילוי כח הדמיון
שלו... האמת ניתן להאמר שהרב בעלסקי זייף את כל המציאות ואת כל הגדת
עדות... הכח הדמיון של הרב בעלסקי היה שולט לייצור פסק שלא היה ולא
נברא...

החותם לכבוד התורה בהוקרה והערצה

אלי' פסח ראמינק
מ'[לפנים] ר"מ רבי חיים ברלין כעת רב בפאר ראקאוויי."

Milhouse said...

Belsky's attack has nothing to do with the meshichisten. The other two interviewees were just as harsh on the meshichisten, and on the rest of Chabad for not doing a heiroimu, and they were wrong and mistaken for doing so, but that's one thing.

Belsky attacked Chabad as a whole, and said "There’s no room in Yiddishkeit" for it, and not because it tolerates the meshichisten, or because he's unaware that not all Chabadniks are meshichisten, but for something that has been at the core of Chassidus in general, and of Chabad in particular, since the beginning. What upsets him is the centrality of the Rebbe in Lubavitch, and despite his pretense (or ignorance) to the contrary, that's not a chiddush of the past decade or three, and it's not some zaiteige hanhogoh, it's central to the identity of Lubavitch.

A chossid is someone who lives for the Rebbe, who always thinks about the Rebbe, and to whom the most important thing is to give the Rebbe a nachas ruach. A chossid is someone for whom the Rebbe's word is the highest law, who would obey the Rebbe regardless of all other considerations, including halocho. That is the import of the story the Rebbe told about the AriZal asking his talmidim to come to Yerusholayim for Shabbos. The fact that they put a din in shulchon oruch ahead of jumping to obey their rebbe's word meant that they were not true chassidim, and he could not bring the geulah with them. (Of course a misnaged would say that it's better to remain in golus because of loyalty to a din, rather than bring Moshiach through an aveira. But to a chosid, obeying the Rebbe can't be an aveira; if the Rebbe said something, then he's already made whatever cheshbonos need to be made, and it's not for the chosid to even think about them.)

And this is what the Rebbe taught, so if Belsky has a problem with it, lo oleinu telunoseichem. Nor can Chabad do anything about it, to bring itself into compliance with Belsky's preferences. To move the Rebbe from the centre of Chabad is to become ois-Chabad. If "there is no room" in his "Yiddishkeit" for this, then Chabad has no interest in his "Yiddishkeit".

(PS: That's something he doesn't get. Chabad doesn't need his hechsher. Lubavitchers don't validate themselves by whether there's room for them in his farkvetchte "Yiddishkeit". Rather, they validate his "Yiddishkeit" by whether there's room in it for what they have been taught by their fathers and zeides. If there is, then well and good, but if there isn't then it's of no value.)