In a passionate speech at tonight’s Agudah convention in New Jersey, Executive Vice President Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel addressed the recent scandals that have affected the Jewish community and the detrimental effect they have on the Jewish community’s standing in the eyes of the outside world.
Alluding a quote made last month by Nancy Dubler, an ethics consultant for the city’s Health and Hospitals Corporation who referred the Agudah as an 800 pound gorilla because of its political clout, Rabbi Zwiebel cautioned that while the magnitude of the Jewish community may impress the outside world, it is our adherence to mitzvos that makes Hakadosh Baruch Hu look upon us favorably.
Referencing recent headlines that have propelled the Jewish community to the center of the media spotlight, Rabbi Zwiebel said that it often seems as if we are surrounded by scandals.
“Week after week almost, stories about financial improprieties or allegations of them, stories about horrifying, unspeakable interpersonal improprieties,” said Rabbi Zweibel.
“It’s so hard to pick our heads up. And if we think that that we need to be strong, we need to be able to be a gorilla, we need to be able to get the powers that be to have respect for us. Yes they care about votes, but they read these headlines too. They read these stories too.”
Rabbi Zwiebel’s words came just days after one New York family made headlines for massive welfare and mortgage frauds and weeks after a Washington DC rabbi was accused of planting cameras in a mikvah.
In an emotional moment, Rabbi Zwiebel related a story of the first Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi OBM, author of the Tanya who was imprisoned and was davening in his tallis and tefillin.
A warden came up behind the Baal Hatanaya and began screaming at him to turn around. The curses and threats persisted as the Baal Hatanya continued his tefillos, and once done, he turned to face the warden who ran away in fear after seeing the Baal Hatanya wrapped in his tallis and tefillin.
Questioned by a chossid who observed the incident, the Baal Hatanya quoted the possuk which states that when the world will see Hashem’s name upon us, they will fear us, and brought out a gemara which explains that the words “shem Hashem” refer to tefillin she’b’rosh.
The chosid wondered aloud why his tallis and tefillin never elicited a similar reaction and the Baal Hatanya replied that it is the difference between tefillin she’b’rosh and tefillin shel rosh: if tefillin are worn superficially, then the wearer is no different than anyone else on the street.
“Tefillin has to penetrate b’rosh, has to get into your kishkas,” exhorted Rabbi Zwiebel. “It has to make you a better person, a different person, a person who is elevated.”
“That is the elephant in the room, the scandal,” continued Rabbi Zwiebel. “The tefillin that remain al harosh haven’t penetrated b’rosh.”
In his moving closing remarks, Rabbi Zwiebel noted that it is incumbent upon each of us to strengthen ourselves in our performance of mitzvos in order to regain the respect of the outside world.
“When the nations of the world see and they look and they see the tefillin and they see the sheitlach and they see the kosher restaurants and they see all of the outer trappings of yiddishkeit, they look at us and they say this person is special. This person in fact conducts himself in a way which is elevated… that is when we can be 800 pound gorillas.”
VIDEO:
Who was the Rebbe’s accountant?
he’s cousins with the rabbis mashbia zwiebel in morristown
We always need to behave with yiras shomayim. We do this to: do the will of H-shem, to make a kiddush H-shem, and for the spiritual and material welfare of ourselves and our families. Regarding the goyim and the fact that they highlight inappropriate behavior on the part of Jews and largely ignore the exact same behaviour in their own circles- is a tremendous hypocrisy on their side. They will also criticize us when we are shining examples. Let’s do right because that is what we are supposed to do- then our goodness will become a permanent part of us-… Read more »
Yahsher koiach Rabbi Tzweibel!
I remember your shiurim fondly from Morristown, where you gave me a grounder in chasidus, that stays with me to this day.
Kol hakavod and kol tuv,
Chesky L.
It’s very nice that he mentioned the Alter Rebbe. But I think we should focus on the ikur inyan, namely how we actually behave in the world besides doing the ritual mitzvos. The family that got arrested is creating a horrible chillul Hashem because they ignored many of the non-ritual parts of Shulchan Aruch. DINA D’MALCHUSOI DINA ! PAY YOUR TAXES ! TELL THE TRUTH ON LOAN APPLICATIONS ! TELL THE TRUTH ON BENEFIT APPLICATIONS ! If we are chassidim of the Rebbe we should emulate his behavior, do you know that he even paid employment taxes on his household… Read more »
Its in likkutei sichot. If im not mistaken, its in the hosafot. I dont remember which chelek though…
The rebbe explains mivtza tfilin, the reason why He chose dafke tfilin and answers questions that anti chabad people were asking and nudging…
Rabbi Zwiebel also referred to a Mesirus Nefesh Initiative. Wonder where he got that from
he’s cousin with the lubavitcher zwiebel’s. He familiar with chasidus am sure
“rebbe who teaches us how teffilen will scare away the enemies no matter who and what we are”
If I recall correctly the Alter Rebbe explains so in Likutei Torah.
I think Rav J.B. Soloveizik A. H. from Boston repeated it from the Alter Rebbe in a shiur or drasha.
He spoke so eidel and eloquently he seems to be a sincere person. He also acknowledged the united effort Agudah made with Satmar and Chabad on metzitza bepeh issue
Btw Rav Shor spoke gevaldig!
31:35
what is important is the message. Listen to the message!
When we wear the garb we have to live up to the garb.
They say he is close with Levi Shemtov in DC. Everyone knows they work together for moisdes. Maybe now theyll make a shiur in Tanya
there is a different but simmilar story with the friediker rebbe. I think the story he said mixed in a few details, hense confusion. But then i again i also know the story differently…
not true
great story but it happened with the freidiker Rebbe i beleive
He started the story of the Baal HaTanya, that he was sitting in jail because “they” were “malshin on him”…..guess, who were the people who were “malshin on him”…………!!!
So aidel. Devarim hayotzim min halev. Hafatzos hamaynos
of the Alter Rebbe. The ikar, an emeser message to take to heart.
His point is still valid for his audience. Mitzvos with kavanah are not the same as mitzvos with kavana. Do we get sachar for mitzvos done without kavana? Sure, but does it have the same impact as when we do them with kavana and have internalized these mitzvos? Obviously not.
What he’s challenging them is to go beyond their comfort zone and I think that falls very much in line with how the Rebbe spoke to his chassidim. Push yourself. Yesterday was great but today is a new day. What can we do better?
He mentioned the alter rebbe but his vurt (if u listen to it)
Dose not really go along with the rebbe who teaches us how teffilen will scare away the enemies no matter who and what we are