A Visit to the ציון in Nyezhin
by Yosef Yitzchok Kamienecki of Kfar Chabad
Anybody following the Kamienecki - Mondshein rumbles the past year? Is Mondshein a threat to Emunas Tzaddikim as some would have it, or is he doing a great service like others say?
I do not think these writings are a 'service'. Most of Mundshein writes in his exposés is self-evident to anyone with a modicum of knowledge of general and Chabad history and a rudimentary familiarity with the signein of the Chabad Rebbeim.
ReplyDeleteI think anyone who actually believes the stories Mundshein rips to shreds would be better served by continuing believing these stories. Why? Becasue many of these people might start looking with suspicion and cynicism at every chassidishe maaseh, no matter its historic merits (which they obviously can’t ascertain) or the deep chassidishe hanocheis contained even in some historically questionable stories.
If Mundhsein wants to educate the unwashed masses, he should present two stories: one he considers made-up, the other authentic (or at least believable), and show the reader how he came to his conclusion.
ReplyDeleteHe does do that quite often, showing where the Baal HaMa'aseh went wrong, and how he got his characters mixed up. he does get a bad rap because people believe him to be a Nifrod.
ReplyDeleteI am only writing based about how I feet when I read his articles. I remember his writings from the days of Kerem Chabad and I really loved his stuff from back then. And his current ideas, if presented in an academic publication, would be fine 'by me'. In a popular venue, peppered with jokes as his articles are, they are highly inappropriate.
ReplyDeleteIf I am at all predisposed to judge him harshly, it’s only for the very stupid and ignorant article he published in Kefar Chabad a few years ago about the שוא נע controversy surrounding the then newly-published Kehoth (Israel) siddur. :)
feel, not feet
ReplyDeleteSo it all comes back to the Dikduk, aye?
ReplyDeleteNo :) I said "IF I am at all predisposed..."
ReplyDeleteHe is a chakran, what do you want from him? They are all Rochels at heart. Even if they never succumb to the Taava, they still have it in there somewhere...
ReplyDeleteThis is the man who decided to "expose" Leibel Groner after having used him as a source. That does not make him very trustworthy either - which he himself would proclaim to be a make bepatish against his own neemonus!