By Rabbi Eliezer Zalmanov
Earlier this week, I came across two videos in my social media feeds of rabbis giving lectures. Both rabbis are Israeli-born and currently live in New York, and they both speak heavily accented English. But that’s where their similarities end.
One of them is clean shaven, wearing a stylish suit and colorful tie. The other has a long beard and peyos, and was wearing a shtreimel.
The first, Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi, is a well-known YouTube sensation; the second one, Rabbi Nachman Twersky, is a teacher at a Chabad yeshiva high school. (He is a descendant of many great Chassidic rebbes, and when joining Chabad in the mid-70s, he was encouraged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to continue wearing a shtreimel and grow long peyos, to honor his ancestors.)
And while you would think that the modern looking rabbi would have a more contemporary message, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The video of Rabbi Mizrachi is of him speaking extremely harshly about non-religious Jews, especially those that—he says—believe that by doing a few mitzvahs here and there they can get away with their otherwise sinful behavior. He also reprimanded certain orthodox groups who convince these ‘sinners’ that this is an acceptable lifestyle. That’s pretty old-school orthodoxy.
Rabbi Twersky’s message was the exact opposite.
He highlighted the beauty of performing even a single mitzvah despite not living a completely religious life. He spoke of how every Jew is loved by G-d regardless of how he or she behaves, and how ultimately we all have challenges, so who are we to judge others. To quote, “G-d loves every Jew, and that’s why He wants us to do mitzvahs. Not that He loves us because of the mitzvahs that we do.”
He went on to encourage yeshivas to give the same attention to ‘weak’ students as they do to the scholars. A refreshing outlook indeed; and quite the contemporary one.
To me, this was a typical case of not judging a book by its cover, or a rabbi by his clothing.
Rabbi Mizrachi might be the more modern looking of the two, but he does not seem concerned with the negative impact his talks can have on his listeners, particularly those taking baby steps in their religious growth. True, he claims that his words are often taken out of context, for example the recent uproar over his degrading comments about millions of holocaust victims. But apparently he can still use a reminder of the teaching in Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of Our Fathers: “Scholars, be careful with your words.”
On the other hand, just because Rabbi Twersky’s appearance is that of an old-fashioned Chassid, it is no indication of his modern approach to teaching. His only agenda is that his fellow Jews become aware of how precious they are to G-d.
Our external looks say nothing about who we are inside. The shtreimel-wearing rabbi and the tattooed and pierced hipster—and everyone in between—are really all the same. We share a collective Jewish soul, along with the potential to do so much good.
Rabbi Eliezer Zalmanov is co-director, along with his wife Chanie, of Chabad of Northwest Indiana. He is also a member of Chabad.org’s Ask the Rabbi and social media teams. Article originally posted on TimesofIsrael.com
More Appropriate words Are GOD love all of his creation …Not only Jews That is what true Torah teachings are…
Through acts of chesed (supported by tzedakah) where you treat someone like a human being, b’tselem elohim (in the image of God), with the respect they deserve
love your neighbor as yourself
Honestly, I am an extremely sensitive person and I cannot watch a lot of Rabbi Mizrachi videos BUT I thank G-d that he is in the world doing what he does. I don’t know weather I’m religious or whatever and and I don’t like these titles but I can tell you that I know personal stories of people who’s lives completely turned around because of Rabbi Mizrachi’s videos. My cousin said she dated a guy a while back and ran into him a while after that and this young guy said that he met his soul mate and he knew… Read more »
Eliezer,
Ty for your very thoutful insight!
From a former JEM colleague
Well said and short to the point we need more rabbis like Nachman Twersky and that way we will have all our brothers back with us doing only mitzvas
Rabbi Mizrachi is your typical “Tinok Shenishba” who was educated just his way and he continues to see and say things his way. He needs to be educated and appreciate where he’s coming from. He will then hopefully realize where he stands and find his place.
Mizrachi is a youtube preacher. He is not speaking to a crowd in a shul, he is speaking in front of a camera, to what he considers a worldwide audience. And he is always abrasive and sometimes even offensive. That’s his style. It’s more than just the one clip referenced in this article.
Why even bother comparing? We all know that Rabbi Twersky is a chassidishe yid and has a great yichus. Rabbi Twersky brings very valid point that every mitzvah counts etc.. I believe that Rabbi Mizrachi was bringing a point that just because a secular Jew donates $1000 does not mean all sins are wiped clean by the shliach. I never met Rabbi Mizrachi, but I can say this, the video clip shows him speaking at a shul or some local event, to whom was he addressing? every religious sect has a different style of delivering a moosar speech. You think… Read more »
rabbi twersky is the best. i wish there were more like him
do we always need a bad guy?
Although Rabbi Mizrachi may have said terrible things, we have to be mekarev Rabbi Mizrachi,in spite of his actions he remains a Jew and will always remain a Jew. We should reach out to him with a message of love as it says in Tanya chapter 32.
My understanding of Chassidus tells me that slandering him beyond what is required in condemning his statements is antithetical to Chabad Chassidus and we need to stop it and be mekarev him and show the error in his ways.
The author focused on Rabbi Twersky’s approach as being beautiful and ideal. But some of the commentors seem to be hung up on the Mizrachi part, when it is only secondary.
In today’s modern social media world, anybody can upload a 30 second excerpt of a one hour speech and then just focus on those 30 seconds of what he said. First of all, to whom was Rabbi Mizrachi addressing? It does not seem that he was making a world press release of his thoughts. When Rabbi Mizrachi stated when a secular Jew donates $1000 to a Chabad house, The shliach makes the donor feel as he is going straight to Gan Eden. If someone donated to me $1000 for my Shul or cause, I would also make them feel that… Read more »
interesting realisation. your point is well taken, however it was unnecessary to mention the name of the “clean shaven”, harsh, old-fashioned orthodox rabbi. it is lashon hara. the message would have been just as clear without mentioning who he is.
It most certainly is modern, in a good way, as was introduced by the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe. Mizrach is no different than the misnagdim of those days. Not the good type of old school.
rabbi twersky is the best. i wish there were more like him
Whether you have title of Rabbi or not I don’t respect anyone with this title or anyone else until I see if they are kind and respectful to others. I have seen and continue to see people from Yeshivas and well educated families cursing causing fear to others and being menaces to others. All the while quoting from the Torah. Don’t be fooled
Well said and short to the point we need more rabbis like Nachman Twersky and that way we will have all our brothers back with us doing only mitzvas
I did not like the author’s choice of words. Rabbi Twerski’s approach is not “modern” rather it is the true Torah approach – meaning the it is the approach of the Torah that was given to us at Har Sinai more then 2 thousand years ago. The problem with Rabbi Mizrachi’s views, are not that they are “old-school” (there is nothing wrong with being “old school”), rather that they are not inline with the true Torah views. What the author of this article shroud have stressed, is that someone who is indeed more “old school” can actually be far more… Read more »
Rabbi Mizrachi doesn’t stop accusing and bashing his fellow Jew. Then he claims that his words were taken out of context. He had hurt so many people that are going through life’s toughest challenges.
I’m glad he’s being outed.
Rabbi Twersky is a true chosid,
He really has true love and care in him for every jew.
I just hope and pray that more “educators” should
adapt to his way of viewing jewish kids.
And act appropriately……
It is so true. And thank you so much for writing this and speaking up for Chabad. If Rabbi Mizrachi doesn’t fully understand or appreciate who we are as Lubavitchers, and as Shluchim, then he should not start making up all sorts of false things, and certainly not to give lectures to ignorant people, and give them false and misleading imformation.
I wouldn’t call the positive warm approach “modern” which implies that it’s less authentic.
Rabbi Twerski was my favorite teacher in OT.
Well said!!
Thanks for the healthy food for thought.
I found this article very interesting .
Very nice piece.
Yasher Koach. Good Shabbos.
So true. But one thing, What Rabbi Mizrachi said about the holocaust wasn’t taken out of context, he said it plain and simple