Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak Breitowitz is a senior lecturer in Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem. He is the former rabbi of the Woodside Synagogue in Silver Spring, Maryland and associate professor of law at University of Maryland. He received rabbinical ordination from Ner Israel Rabbinical College and his law degree from Harvard Law School.
During a recent class, he was asked whether the Rebbe can be the Moshiach. Here’s what he answered:
Rabbi Breitowitz is a true gadol and huge talmidim chacham
The rebbe himself wrote that one who physicaly died can not be hallachicly moshiach. He wrote in a footnote in lekkutei sichos vol. 35 page 206, that Dovid hamelech can not be be moshiach because he died. He therefore explains that the gemara that says that dovid is moshiach must mean that the NESHAMA of dovid will be enclothed in moshiach. We NEVER find the rebbe refer to his father in law using the terminology ‘alive in a physical body’ or ‘MELECH hamoshiach’ rather only as ‘moshiach of the generation’. In his footnote to the phrase ‘vhu yigaleinu’, the rebbe… Read more »
People bring in all these sources but they don’t stop to see that the Rebbe already wrote about how to properly understand them…that they are referring to the neshama
The haaroh is about Dovid HaMelech and is specific to Dovid HaMelech.
He discusses the topic of the Rebbe being Moshiach better then the op-ed’s on ColLive…
Very nice
Rabbi Breitowitz is spot on.
This is the truth
“This is the truth” –
The Rebbe himself regarded the Friediker Rebbe as moshiach after yud shevat 5710 and see the end of the sicha of 2 Nissan 5748 and many others.
The Rebbe said נשיא הדור הוא משיח שבדור and moshiach is coming in our generation (דור השביעי) if the Rebbe is נשיא so he is also משיח
Can’t differentiate we have our rebbe’s holy words don’t need to hear from someone else
When did the 7th generation start and how many years can this generation extend to? A generation shouldn’t be more than 20 or 25 years.
You don’t need to decide how long a generation is, leave it to the Almighty
On a side note, I believe the Rebbe said it goes by the Nossi hador
The 7th gen started when the Rebbe accepted nesius (yud shevat 5710) until the Rebbe leads us out of golus
To understand how long a generation is in our context, the Rebbe says very clearly that the generation is based on the Rebbe – hence the Alter Rebbe had the first generation of chabad chassidim, the Mitler Rebbe had the second etc etc – as long as the Rebbe is our Rebbe, which he is, we remain the 7th generation.
We are not talking about a particular length of time or as the word is typically understood.
Rabbi Majesky explains this topic very clearly with sources from Torah
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQSYltoKbUY
Rabbi Breitowitz is a very big Talmid Chochom and I think he answered the question beautifully. He described the Rebbe with truth and respect.
Thanks col for posting
This is one of the best answers I seen, but it’s a little bit surprising he didn’t discuss the Rambams opinion in the uncensored additions of the Mishna Torah.
Beautifully clear. If I may add, I don’t believe theres a problem with believing who Moshiach is. As a result, chassidim who have a real relationship and connection with the Rebbe, may (as a result) feel this way (out of profound love and respect) of the Rebbe. In regards to why it would be the Rebbe over a nasi from the past generation, I believe there are several sources and reasons for that, and it’s definitely understood from chassidus and the Rebbe’s sichos. Also the sefer Kuntros Shemo Shel Moshiach is said to be a great source. I also think… Read more »
To address your second paragraph – even though we know Moshiach coming from the dead is a perfectly legitimate view according to Torah, the reason we can’t say that it could be someone from the past (not the Rebbe but someone else) is because then it would not fit in with the Rambam. According the the Rambam, Moshiachs besides being the one who speaheads the campaign to bring redemption, his influence must be felt in the world prior to Moshiachs coming. This can therefore be applied to the Rebbe whose influence is very much alive but not to other tzaddikim.
Very inspirational!
It’s almost the whole truth. MOST. Lubavitchers have no doubt at all that the Rebbe is Moshiach
Speak for yourself.
There is a societal pressure to assert such beliefs, but the truth is that Chassidim know that it’s not an essential part of Chassidus to discuss who is Moshiach. We just need to focus on bringing Moshiach
That’s our job!
He’s wrong! Most Lubavs are convinced that the Rebbe is Moshiach
There are hundreds of rabbis that signed a psak din that the Rebbe is melech hamoshiach, including some very prominent rabbis some of witch are not even lubavitchers they signed after gimmel tammuz, either way the beautiful thing is the world is advancing they can no longer dismiss it as avoda zara or kifira and they even give certain room for the belief that the Rebbe is moshiach!!
The reason why Yoshko was not Moshiach has nothing to do with death or being killed , it’s because he was never a candidate, he didn’t fill the criteria, and on the contrary he went astray and led others astray. (See Rambam’s last 2 chapters)
But I’m pretty sure the Rebbe discussed this in many sichos. I hope you’ll post those as that is where we Lubavitchers should be getting our information from. Not a nice and well meaning Ohr Samayach Rabbi.
I appreciated his respect.
Our Rebbe was clearly of the opinion that Histalkus was not an issue in relation to validity of being Moshiach and that is and should be our point of reference as to how we relate to it
However, there is a sefer Kuntres Shmo Shel Moshiach which cites lengthy proof text forthe possibility of Moshiach to rise from the dead, with haskamos from Litvisher Rabbonim. Although, I should commend Rabbi Breitowitz for his very beautiful and respectful treatment of this question.
The Rebbe already dealt with those sources to show that they are referring to the neshama and not someone who first needs techiyas hameisim
Rabbi breitowitz is one of the signers on that sefer
There’s two types of “I believe” statements. One is absolute, like “Ani maamin…” of the 13 Ikkarim. Another is “I think,” “I maintain,” “probably.” I think it is fair to say that for many Lubavitchers, saying that they believe the Rebbe is/will be Moshiach, is more like the latter. Meaning, they are not thinking of it in an absolute way (like one of the Ikkarim), but rather, that is what they expect (And there’s good reasons for that, because of all of the history, and sources, etc). The most important thing is to further the things the Rebbe was absolutely… Read more »
These posts are great as they bring to the open these critical topics.
I’m a Lubavitcher, and hearing someone not Chabad discuss it and not isolate us is comforting to understanding our global standing among Jewry and the world of halacha and also proper usage of wording when explaining this concept of belief to others.
Thank you Collive.
BH Rabbi Breitowitz is a big talmid Chochom and mamash a tzadik. He actually gave a Haskama to Kuntres Shmoi Shel Moshiach. BH also Moshiach from the Meisim is becoming more mainstream see this short video from a Litvishe Talmid Chochom saying Rambam didn’t rule out Moshiach from Meisim https://youtu.be/-pXVMlQrXz0
I listen to this great Rov almost daily! He is the the most brilliant Rabbi. He answers fluidly without any hesitation. He is truly wonderful
Thank you Rabbi!
This Rabbi says: If its someone who already passed away then Why the Rebbe? it could be Moshe or dovid hamelech… The simple answer to this question is: The reason it will be the rebbe and not dovid hamelech is because (As he himself mentioned) The rebbe is the recognized leader of THIS generation and his influence is only growing everyday! That being the case it would make the most sense for the current leader to be Moshiach (Alive or Not) not someone who has no practical relationship with this generation. Not only this but on a deeper level every… Read more »