Saratoga or Berlin?

Let me preface this comment by saying this: Much has been made of the fact that many in the Jewish community won't rest until they somehow disprove Chabad and the Rebbe completely. I'm not sure what "disproving" Chabad They'll say anything, no matter how outlandish, just to prove that they're right. will accomplish, but that seems to be their goal. I guess that way the biggest obstruction to their existence will go away, and they'll live comfortably. The following comment shows how silly you can sound when you try and do something like that at the wrong time and to the wrong person and group. So please, I realize that Berlin and Paris were not Boro Park and Williamsburg, but try not to let your mind wander too much...


Rav Elchonon Wasserman, Rav Zalman Sorotzkin and Rav Shmuel Dovid Unger of Nitra in Mareinbad. Yes, I know, they were meeting to discuss very important matters.


Reb Elchonon HY"D

"Anonymous" Commenting on Circus Tent Blinded By Light

"Duvid:

What a chutzpa and ferdishkeit to write (on) the Rebbe that the 12 years (he spent in Berlin and Paris) are a black hole in his life. Can I ask you on Rebbes that most of their lives were traveling (and) jet-setting to expensive vacations - even prewar gedolim - while the Rebbe was sitting in his cubicle talking to yiddishe kinder for night after night plus suffering along the plight of Russian Jewry even July and August when the New Yorker tzadikim were in Sharon Springs, Saratoga , White Lake and the lovely Swiss Alps or Teves and Shevat, when all the tzadikim were in Palm Dessert and Miami and wrote tens of thousands letters as the Moreh Nevuchim of our generation. Giving Full shabbos afternoons farbrengens on Rambam, Zohar Rashi Al hatorah while most people were burping from the chulent effect. You can follow almost all his life and see the multifaceted life he led that was unique in Jewish history."


The Munkacser Rov and Rav Meir Shapira


The Imrei Emes and The Beis Yisroel with Chassidim. How did he always have such an entourage with him where ever he traveled? Did they all have money for such trips?


Anonymous continues:

"Did you ever see the deep kabboloh discussions he had with his great father in the years of Paris and Berlin, or his reshimos from those years a smorgasboard of Bavli, Yerushalmi, Midrashim , kabala and chassidus, or the letters that his father begs him to stop with the taneisim. Not too many yungeliet like these were walking on the holy streets of Warsaw, or Grossverdein and not even in Belz or Ger. The Rebbes that didnt produce that amount of torah have rather a black hole in there resumes." עכ"ל Basically, what the commenter is saying is that we see what became of the 12-year "black hole," namely utter devotion to Klal Yisroel with very little regard to his own well-being. Vacations are important in a man's life, and especially so in the life of an Ish Tziburi, the Frierdige Rebbe also traveled to spas and sanitariums to heal his broken body, but the Rebbe saw himself as one who has no time for such trivial matters. There are Jews that need to be helped and Torah that needs to be learned and shared with Both suffer when one travels. Yes, you can gather strength by walking in Miami or relaxing in Martha's Vineyard, or seeing G-d's Alps, but what do you tell those people that need your help at that time?!



Reb Chaim Ayzer and Reb Shimon Shkop


Reb Baruch Ber and Reb Aron Kotler


The Sadigerrer Rebbe and son


We need to realize once and for all that there are some people that are beyond our comprehension, and yes, beyond the comprehension of those who truly Hurreved in Teyreh for many decades. There are some things that even continuous toil in Torah cannot provide. I say that concerning myself as well, but especially to those of you here who seem to have a mental barrier when it comes to Chabad and the Rebbe. Yet, it doesn't take that much seychel to understand that despite what your 9th grade Rebbe or older brother may tell you, anybody who had any contact with the Rebbe had at least common decency and respect for him. To attach your own fantazyes to a man - let alone a Rebbe - is beyond wrong, and the above comment shines a harsh light on that fact. I know that we beat this topic to death, but some of you need to be reminded of this quite often, for some reason. I apologize to the Lubavitchers among you who think I stoop too low here by allowing certain comments to pass, but sometimes that's what's needed to educate the ones who know no better.