By COLlive reporter
Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar says the ones to blame for the current state of the Schneerson Archive are those entrusted with the task of getting them released.
“They have caused that for now the books cannot be transferred to their rightful place,” he said referring to the Agudas Chasidei Chabad Library, adjutant to Lubavitch Headquarters in Brooklyn, NY.
“They have brought us to the current state, that the Russian government unilaterally decided and notified us that it will transfer the books to the hands of Chabad chassidim in Russia,” he wrote in a letter.
Since 1991, Chabad has tried to free the historic collection of books and manuscripts amassed by Chabad Rebbes. Appointed to handle the case (i.e. “the delegation”) were Rabbi Yitzchak Kogan of Moscow, Rabbi Shlomo Cunin of California, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Aharonov of Israel and Rabbi Sholom Ber Levine of New York.
In his letter, Lazar cleared Kogan from any responsibility, but wrote about the other three: “The work of members of the delegation, who have veered from their original mission and are now waging war against the Russian government, have caused great damage – close to life-threatening – to the Shluchim in Russia.”
Rabbi Kogan was present Thursday when President Vladimir Putin announced the transfer of the collection to the museum. The move should “put an end to this problem once and for all,” Putin stated.
BACKING FROM AGUCH
Rabbis Cunin, Aharonov and Levine say the Rebbe opposed a temporary status for the collection, and was against Russia’s giving it “on loan” to Brooklyn headquarters. They called Putin’s move “unacceptable” and against the Rebbe’s directives.
JTA reported that while the collection will be brought to Moscow’s Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center until the end of the year and will be under Chabad’s administration, it “remains part of the Russian state library system.”
A person connected with the “delegation” told COLlive in response: “Nothing was transferred and it is not in the hands of any chassidim. Rabbi Lazar might have needed to do what he did, but let us not fool ourselves to call this a Didan Notzach. The Russians are in possession of the seforim – just the location has changed.”
Rabbi Lazar, who is also Head Shliach of Chabad in Russia, said he had made it clear at Thursday’s press conference that the transfer to the museum was only “the beginning of the redemption.”
He added that “all the steps that were and are being taken are in full consultation with members of Agudas Chasidei Chabad International,” the umbrella organization the Rebbe set up for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.
He said it was of the opinion of Chabad International, Rabbi Kogan and the Moscow-based lawyer who dealt with the case Veronica Kogan (no family relation), to accept the Russian government’s offer, until the next step of bringing it to 770 Eastern Parkway becomes possible.
BOOKS STOLEN
Part of the collection was nationalized by the Bolsheviks in 1918 and eventually joined the Russian State Library collection. About 25,000 pages of manuscripts from the collection were later seized by the Nazis. They were regained by the Red Army and handed over to the Russian State Military Archive.
Rabbi Lazar said that in recent years dozens of books and manuscripts were stolen and sold around the world. He also said that “the books were until now without proper supervision.”
He also refuted the claim by Rabbi Levine, Director of the library in Brooklyn, that the Rebbe opposed building a library in Moscow to avoid it being used by the government as an alternative to the library in Brooklyn.
When asked about “opening an academy and library in our shul,” the Rebbe answered to consult with “activists and rabbis who are knowledgeable” and did not say no, Lazar says.
Lazar also noted that 8 years ago the same delegation asked him in writing to get involved in the case, “including getting the books and leaving them in Russia.”
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said talks were still ongoing, “irrespective of what happened” on Thursday.
“We continue to work with all sides — and there are many sides in this discussion — on a resolution that will be acceptable to all sides,” he told Reuters news agency.
RELATED STORIES:
+ Putin Holds Press Conference
+ The Delegation Issues Statement
+ Letter by Chabad Librarian
שנאוי המחלוקת וגדול השלום
רבינו שלמה יצחקי
בראשית י”א – ט
Imagine you had 20 kids all wrongfully accused and convicted, sitting in jail (rachmana litzlan). You have a choice to allow 5 of them to go to a temporary halfway house that belongs to your brother. Do you shout and fight that this is just an appeasement and they should stay put until ALL the kids are set free? Until they right the wrong? I think anyone with half a brain in their head will say, take what you can now and continue the fight from there. Putin blinked by making any concession at all. This is the first big… Read more »
My brother in law was in Russia on buisness when Rabbi Lazar first came. He had tremendous mesirsas nefesh living in very dificult circumsrances.If anyone has the pulse of what can be done it is Rabbi Lazar.To try and put pressure on the Russian govt. through financial penalties etc is hepech the Rebbes rozon. . Anyone who remembers the demonstrations for Soviet Jews in the 70s and 80s should know the Rebbe was very oposed to it. What is diferent about these indvidual trying to coerce Putin. Its alot worse than the demonstrations , Kol hakovod to Rabbi Lazar for… Read more »
When a chosid decides to do a shlichus that has been given to someone else, isn’t that defined as a “Mushroom” in Shluchim’s parlance?
By his own admission R’ Lazar agrees that a different group of chasidim were given the shlichus to work on matters pertaining to the Rebbe’s seforim.
The real sakoneh – is when people start acting as if they know better than the Rebbe?! If the Rebbe said clearly – THAT HE DOES NOT WANT!!! THE SEFORIM TO BE DISPLAYED OR KEPT IN A “CHABAD MUSEUM” IN RUSSIA – then that’s what he said, and that’s what should be done. Period. Mish’t zach arein dem “kluginker” – “seichel ha’yoshor”, the ones’ that “KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH ISSUES”, and they know better than the Rebbe how things should be done – then they do farker’t than what the Rebbe wants, and they – NOT THE REBBE put… Read more »
This is typical case of a Rav m’taam from the story books.
He claims that this have caused great damage – close to life-threatening – to the Shluchim in Russia. The question is if the Rebbe would approve that his shliach or chosid should take such position.
Was it all worth it?
What it worth to get the title, power, money and fame by becoming associated with the government in exchange for being their Jewish mouthpiece and puppet
sad the so many years passed and we didn’t get it back
should have been done before gimmel tammuz
“אל תתודע לרשות, שלא יעבירוך על דעת קונך”
–פירוש רבי עובדיה מברטנורא על אבות א י
for first of all getting the sforim out of danger
before it’s too late and then there would be no sforim to return….
if a big shturem wasnt made by the “delegation” the seforim wouldve been here long ago
I know this may sound heretical to some and may anger some people off but this whole episode calls into question, imho, the whole way Rabbi Lazar goes around fulfilling his shlichus. Sorry I’m saying it but it’s gotta be said. Not because the points he makes in this letter are incorrect. They very well may be. I don’t know, am not in the know and have no special information. So I don’t know who is right in this specific issue and I withhold judgement. The problem is how it got to this point. The problem is that the Rebbe,… Read more »
I know one thing the Rebbe definitly does not want is division in chabad over this. I think Ahavas yisroel is the first and foremost and if h tere are any issues work it out behind the scenes anddont hang your dirty laundry out for the world to see!
It’s clear that Rabbi Lazar needed to do what HE did. He doesn’t gave much choice. It’s also clear that the court case against the Russians is having a tremendous effect in the matter. If not, Putin would never have made this whole spectacle that HE did. The delegation the Rebbe sent are doing what THEY have to do. Tve Rebbe never promisef them a walk in the park. He knew the Russians, and surely knew the risks.Yet he sent them and told them to operate until “mesiras nefesh”. Quite a shlichus. So please everyone, stop the mudslinging. Lazar did… Read more »
Kol hakavod rabbi Lazar, he is a emesdiker mensh!
To the smart-alek: Its very easy for you to sit at home and do nothing and criticize others who are out there in Russia doing the Rebbe’s work.
agreed 1000%
It is so comical to read some of the comments.
the Rebbe taught us that the average Lubavitcher can help free the seforim by learning more Torah, and especially buying more seforim that are already in our hands! and the sure way to bring Moshiach even more than freeing the seforim is through ahavas yisroel! let’s give the Rebbe nachas and respect each other… dont judge another until you are in their place
rabbi lazar is coreect & i applaud him for writing this letter
for all the comments against him, seems like chabad of the west coast has extra staff who have nothing to do…
The hotheads in America always want to dictate the situation regardless of the repercussions. The ones best to deal with the situation are the one who there in Russia and have a somewhat of an amicable relationship with Putin and the government.
So far the ” delegation” hasn’t succeeded in doing much at all with regards to this library and yet they criticise those who are al assar?
Something wrong with that picture!
Isn’t possible that much more will be achieved bedarkei noyam?
we all try to do the right thing, cant blame or accuse anyone. that they go directly against the Rebbe, however: One extremely important point, that we miss here, is, despite the fact that BL claims that it is “ischalta D’giulah” Putin publicly proclaimed, as stated here in the article and many more places,,,,, that: “””Rabbi Kogan was present Thursday when President Vladimir Putin announced the transfer of the collection to the museum. The move should “put an end to this problem once and for all,” Putin stated.””” this takes care of the problem once and for all.. how is… Read more »
perhaps a new approach to solve this important matter?
Putin is playing us for fools.
The Rebbe saw this years ago. Not for nothing were those who appease at all costs not included in the HANDPICKED group who are singularly in charge of returning the seforim to 770. Now to try to make it holiness…who is obstructing the Rebbe’s will? New heights of open chutzpah, using the temimus of those who don’t know the true history. ..very sad…
This a great story
I love you and look up to you
Time for everyone to shut their mouths.
Long live the Rebbes Shliach to USSR who is “Moser Nefesh” daily together with all the shluchim there.
I hope all the others who are enjoying their freedoms in Crown H. LA & Kfar Chabad appreciate this huge Kiddush Hashem!
The Rebbe said in several contexts in the years 5742-5752 that the pidyon shvuyim (!mamash!) of the sforim. Is directly connected to the comming of moshiach.
We should not mix in our understanding and get in the way of the ikkar shchina’s Dora b’ tachtonim.
…that the culprit is and remains the leader of Rasha.
So sad another fight in Chabad!!!
He admits to be “megaleh tefach” – implying that he is being “mechaseh t’fachayim”, in plain English: a cover up.
Rabbi lazer is the best
Chas Vsholom!!!!!!!!!!!!
yechi hamelech
Going against the Rebbe and saying that that is what he wants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
always machlokes when they finish with the rabbonim they start between themselves ad mosai?
There will be a reply! And the truth will remain hidden to the simple people on the street.