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Wednesday, 10 Adar II, 5784
  |  March 20, 2024

Why R’ Yoel Returned to Podium

As the "urgent gathering" concluded, Rabbi Yoel Kahn requested to speak again to "so that there'll be absolutely no mistakes." Read what he said. Full Story, Video

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Thank you
December 27, 2013 11:54 am

There is a void and sometimes we need a reminder of how to fill it.

Thank you for posting this.
December 27, 2013 11:28 am

Please more

who is gonna big man enough?
December 27, 2013 12:36 am

which man who attended COTs will be man enough to say ” I did not realize” he will be the man of emes. to those that are trying to defend it .. deny it’s pitfalls, call those that exposed it names – that does not work and that won’t make anything better. Grow up .. admit your error and learn from it. That some took it upon themselves to send more and more people for the past two years and refuse to accept they might have misled is very indicative of being hooked in a cult. Rabboisai, Moshiach is ut… Read more »

#6 It's all about a healthy work-ethic
December 26, 2013 11:13 pm

There is no quick fix. Any attempt to change one’s life involves EFFORT to the point of going against ones nature. It’s difficult, but the journey itself makes you a transcendent person, someone you never thought you could be. The problem is when you don’t want to put in the honest effort and sweat to learn and understand, it doesn’t get handed to you on a silver platter. That’s just the way life is. If we cop out by saying ‘I can’t’ and keep running from one quick fix to another, possibly playing the blame game, we’ll just be left… Read more »

to 50 from 13
December 26, 2013 11:01 pm

I have learned some stuff and spoke with various rabonim. I loved Ayin beis and found it beautiful. Of course I know who the Alter Rebbe is/was Shulchan Aruch harav is a staple in my yeshiva during seder I personally identify more when I learn Zohar with my rebbe an kitve Ari, and the leshem I’m also sephardi so of course the sephardi mekubalim are embraced as well happens to be when I went back and relearned some of the ramchals sefarim i saw plenty of parallels with shofars hashkofa. But to each their own. I am not Chabad and… Read more »

far worse than all you heard
December 26, 2013 10:31 pm

look into shofar’s activities and find out that those are the tools used by many other “telepersonnal therapies”, led by ovdei avoda zara. all you need is google a bit and see for yourself.
far worse than eating the fruits from a foreign gardens, it is more like a forbidden garden

Very good but...
December 26, 2013 10:27 pm

Could you make a transcript of rabbi schochat’s speech too…

to # 30
December 26, 2013 10:15 pm

You dont get to choose whether we need rabonim there or not based on your perception of their behavior. The rebbe already decided that a long time ago that they belong there. Maybe you weren’t around in those days when the Rebbe was outraged that they were sidestepped from receiving an aliyo, when there is no lubavitch minhag that even mandates that. Can you imagine what the Rebbe would have to say to an event that the whole schuna was invited to, and the rabonim are deliberately excluded from? Think about that for a moment.

TO #1
December 26, 2013 9:33 pm

You say that we shoyld speak our minds to the mashpia. Great idea!!! Only problem is, where t do you go if your mashpia went to cots!!! Am I up the creek without a paddle???!

To #13
December 26, 2013 9:15 pm

Sounds like in addition to what you think should be learning,
and are presumably learning, you would benefit tremendously
from learning Chassidus. Please take it on. You don’t have
to speak or know Yiddish to do so.

#23
December 26, 2013 9:05 pm

You don’t know better than the Rebbe.

Accept Yourself For Who You Are?
December 26, 2013 8:13 pm

Just a question. Is it a bad thing to accept yourself for who you are? Should you be walking around constantly judging yourself negatively, only defining your worth based on how well you do on your next test? Should you walk around with GUILT constantly and calling it kabbolos ole. Is GUILT a part of our sevice of Hashem? Is there a place for guilt? Because the main thing COTS targets is guilt. And if I have learned chassidus correctly guilt takes us away from the goal. Not towards it. Removing guilt is good. Have kabbolos ole because it’s the… Read more »

clarity and the undisputed fact !!! to # 17
December 26, 2013 8:03 pm

no one in the right mind suggests that one suffering a illness or excessive depression , bipolar if you like shouldn’t go for a physician’s assistance or psychological help. are you saying that all the people whom attended this אסיפה כללית to hear invigorating words of how are connection to divinity articulated in the תניא and that can be elaborated by משפיעים חסידות אגרת is the true satisfaction of are soul not self determination and fabricated realities are suffering from a mental illness. and by the way the rebbe was behind printing the אגרת and regarding jobs take a look… Read more »

to #16
December 26, 2013 7:50 pm

i’m pretty sure #1 was being sarcastic. obviously they are not the same thing at all.

Thank you
December 26, 2013 7:46 pm

Thank you to R’ Rubin for translating Reb Yoel’s address and to COL for posting the translation.

To # 31
December 26, 2013 7:40 pm

Shofar is tampering with people mentally and emotionally, psychologically without any license. They need the STAMP of approval and endorsements of licensed psychologists.

The Rabbonim and Mashpiyim’s concern is just that, if they aren’t licensed in mental health so why are they preying on people? If it’s Spirituality they are selling than why are Chasidim going to them instead of partaking in Chasidus in our own garden planted by our Holy Rebeim.

#23
December 26, 2013 7:39 pm

you sound confused. R Yoel is not refering to a form of therapy- i cant figure out why your searching for one- he is refering to the average worlds mindset that restrictions bring unhappiness and the more we allow ourselves to do the happier we will be.. he explained that that is very superficial and shallow happiness and cannot compare to happiness attained from connecting to Hashem through our struggles and by specefically doing as He wants (with all the restrictions) while making ourselves botul- the more botul we are- the happier we are- the more “I” we have- truthfully… Read more »

thank you
December 26, 2013 7:38 pm

thank you COTS for making this possible.

#31
December 26, 2013 7:35 pm

Yes, you are so right. Licensed (Chabad or not) Psychologists, and them only, should be the ONLY ONES directing you there.

to 31
December 26, 2013 7:32 pm

so far i have yet to hear of a psychologist (good one) that endorses this. even the twerski they put up you should know is NOT the twersky we all think it is- but it was a clever move on his part to confuse us all. so the fact that no one you know said anything bad means nothing.

to 31
December 26, 2013 7:32 pm

Mashpiim don’t have to be licensed! A mashpia is a yedid who you run ideas by because “adam karov eitzel atzmo”. It’s not a life coach.

And I’m glad you spoke to every Lubavitch Psychiatrist and psychologist and they each gushed with euphoric admiration over your group. Just curious how anyone is really able to criticize you guys if you intimidate them with lawsuits and refuse to let anybody audit your methods of “therapy”. Either way, I wish you well Reb Pinny.

to COTS participants.
December 26, 2013 7:30 pm

you all have a few things in cmmon- 1- none of you get whats the big deal about going- and what anything anyone is saying has to do with anything that happens there 2- you all came back on a high noting this was a powerful-life-changing experience what WE noticed about most of you: 1- there was a change in your mindset which led to a DECREASE in mitzvos, chayos, and hashkofos. 2- a stronger self-centeredness (we know you feel great about yourselves and that now you believe your a better person- but not everyone is enjoying your new ego-centricism… Read more »

Nosson Shull
December 26, 2013 7:25 pm

It seems that Nossons Shull is mostly or entirely made up of Shofar members.

What do they have to say?

Mashpiiim are not Licensed Psychologists.
December 26, 2013 6:33 pm

To # 16 Shofar is in fact therapy but they can’t label it that way because if they did it would require FDA approval. Exercise is also Therapy for those who need it’s therapeutic effect, but almost all of the most common exercise centers specifically make sure to Davka not call themselves Therapy and not dare to mention any health benefits, because although it’s true, the FDA would shut them down for stating the true facts as long as they don’t have the official FDA stamp of approval. Similarly, Mashpiim don’t claim to be therapists and they couldn’t, even they… Read more »

I like comments6,7 and 19
December 26, 2013 6:32 pm

I agree with the speakers 100%! I also know what the speakers were talking about was for normal circumstances that the general population experience…. But for those individuals who have unique backgrounds and not the normal regular people experiences which is what the speakers were talking about , this is exactly what Rabbi Shea Hecht said last week that it might be necessary “the call of the shofer” for unique people who need help-in certain circumstances, although he said the general public should not attend. How many times did I see the Rebbe ask an individual at a Farbregen to… Read more »

re: Chassidus was formulated by and for "shetl Jews"
December 26, 2013 6:30 pm

It’s true. Chassidus “came on the scene” at an historically devastating time for Jews, physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially (just after the Chmielnicki massacres, Shabtai Tzvi, just prior to Pale of Settlement rules, etc.). But in the Rebbe’s down-to-earth and detailed thesis on what Chassidus is (and what it is not), called “Inyana shel toras hachassidus”, the Rebbe explains that Chassidus was revealed, not invented. Just as the Mishna revealed was revealed at the point that straight Chumash was too abstract, and Gemoro at the point where mishna was, and Kabbala at the right time and codification in the form of… Read more »

To # 27
December 26, 2013 6:28 pm

Men darf davenen bekavona a bit in order to understand Chasidus on a personal level.

to 19 and 27
December 26, 2013 6:19 pm

You speak wise words indeed. Bring back the respect for the rabbanim who the Rebbe referred to as the Yehoshua after Moshe Rabbeinu. It is a very serious matter indeed when they are sidestepped. The message that the youth get is that Torah is not that important… Its what I say….. Listen to ME! Why should we listen to you if you have no respect for the Rabbonim aka Yehosha. We are playing with fire….

Mashpim are not Licensed
December 26, 2013 6:17 pm

To be a Rav you are tested and get Semicha.

Psychologists are Licensed.

Mashpiim are not Licensed or approved, not even by any of our own standards.

The only one qualified to offer an opinion as to the safety and efficacy of Shofar, are Psychologists.

So far not even one Psychologists, even any frum or any Lubavitcher one, has yet had any bad word to say about Shofar and Psychologists are the only ones qualified to judge.

to # 19
December 26, 2013 6:11 pm

The problems we have are from the 3 Rabbonim we dont need them. They fight all day long. Enough said.

We needed a grass roots initiative !!! We had Rabbi Heller one of the chosen Rabbis when the Rebbe was here. He is enough. He is close to all the Yugerleit and his participation was meaningfull.

To # 13
December 26, 2013 6:07 pm

He was talking to a Chabad crowd. In general the Rebbe encouraged each and everyone to learn Pnimius HaTorah for Litvishe Sifrei Musar for Chasidim each group their own Chasidus. But If you learn Chabad which expounds and elucidates Pnimus HaTorah with detailed explanations you will also understand Musar and other Sforim of Chasidus and Pnimius HaTorahuch better. Chabad’s founder the the Bal HaTanya and known to the world as the Rav for his Shulchon Aruch was himself a Litvak and was called so by his Rebbe the Magid of Mezritch and by the Magid’s Talmidim his chaveirim Der Litvak… Read more »

the COTS euphoria
December 26, 2013 5:44 pm

disappears after a while, that’s why they have to keep calling each other with their “i love you” phone calls and going back for more brainwashing weekends.

Sad to be stuck in that and not be able to get out. It’s a rachmanus.

Cheshbon Nefesh
December 26, 2013 5:34 pm

As beautiful as the speakers spoke I was disappointed that there was no introspection as to why Chassidus feels unavailable to many who in their quest for depth in their lives turn elsewhere. Is there a certain insensitive attitude among the elders that has become the norm and is turning especiallly the younger people off?

to # 6
December 26, 2013 5:30 pm

Did R’ Yoel say anything of his own? He repeated the Rebbe’s directives. If you don’t like what the Rebbe said, go look for another Rebbe and another chassidus! we should be living with the Rebbeim’s words. If you feel that this isn’t good enough for you gei gezunterheit! the loss is only yours!

THANK YOU!
December 26, 2013 5:27 pm

6-it is up to each individual to do what he needs to do and find his inspiration from the right places. STOP BLAMING LEADERS!!!! there is PLENTY out there if we would just go and participate instead of sitting on the internet. how many can HONESTLY say “yes, i have a mashpia, learn tanya properly, attend farbrengens…” maybe someone can write a comprehensive list of appropriate inspirational places like: yagdil torah ilearn torahcafe manis friedman….. there are tons more… 17- dont take things out of context- NO ONE is suggesting not to get a parnassa, and not to go to… Read more »

Billy Ray-Shis
December 26, 2013 5:26 pm

Personally, I feel like I could use a good dose of COTS after reading through all the nonsensical comments posted on this and similar forums!

I’m all for the voice of the people — but if these comments are what it sounds like, then I agree, even COTS won’t help, never mind a sane, practical, and in depth stab at “syug lachochmo shtikah!”

CHer
December 26, 2013 5:22 pm

When Reb Yoel says that “the worldly perspective” to cure depression is to be free of a yoke, the only actual corresponding idea in psychological literature is Durkheim’s ‘Fatalistic suicide,’ which possibly affected prisoners of Durkheim’s day (19th-20th c). There exists nowadays no such therapy. Pouring more chassidus won’t make Shofar go away, because chassidus itself started the same way. Chassidus incorporated Greek and Far Eastern ideas like acosmism and pantheism to inform its conception of avodah. Chassidus’ limitations are that it was formulated by and for an isolated, tight-knit community under anti-Semitic Czar-Soviet governance. No number of modifications to… Read more »

CULT BUSTERS
December 26, 2013 5:15 pm

Sruli Shochet posted online. His brother Yitzchak posted on COL and the Rosh Shochet came and spoke in NY. When there’s something strange, in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? CULT-BUSTERS!

mental health PRO
December 26, 2013 5:10 pm

so far no one has produced anything to show that any of the leaders of cots have any degrees whatsoever in mental health or otherwise, i think i outrank them with my GED. So this argument of leaving the mashpiiem out would apply to leaving you guys out as well being that you yourself agree you are not professionally nor medically trained whatsoever in area of mental health. In those cases where absolutely needed, those mashpiim will refer you to a professional doctor, as im sure many many people myself included (i went to a psychiatrist after it was decided… Read more »

No Sweet Talker
December 26, 2013 5:07 pm

Hearing and reading this from a person such as Reb Yoel, one can feel the emes. Bihasgach protis, I received a beautiful email Dvat Torah from Rabbi Mordechai Lipskier that I would like to share with the COL audience. Thanks to COL for making this available. Vaeira Rabbi Mordechai Lipskier HE WAS NO SWEET TALKER The Alter Rebbe once responded to one of his chassidim, “That is not true. It’s a complete fabrication.” The man was taken aback. “Who could possibly come up with such a sophisticated and detailed lie?” he asked. The Alter Rebbe pointed to a nearby church… Read more »

rabonim
December 26, 2013 5:04 pm

I participated in this event and was very inspired by reb yoel kahan and even more so by rabbi ginsberg who brought things down to earth very much. Because even though reb yoel spoke strongly how chassidus is not an abstract lofty concept, but rather a practical one, nevertheless he by nature comes off as an abstract individual that not everyone can relate to, so it helped very much having Rabbi ginsberg bring thing’s out in a more down to earth way, that the layman can relate to. However, I was troubled by something else. With all due respect to… Read more »

Not Missing the Point
December 26, 2013 5:01 pm

#6, The Rabbis have not missed the point. But maybe you have. If you approach Chassidus knowing that it has all the answers, then you will certainly find them there. More to the point, you wrote: “Because it is not taught in a way that people can incorporate it in their lives.” In fact, it is taught in that way, although you may be unaware of it. TorahRX-Prescriptions for Your Soul” at http://www.TorahRX.com is pure Chabad Chassidus. And yet, hundreds of people worldwide (it is very new) are finding it both accessible and applicable to their lives. As the Rabbeim… Read more »

Learning Skills
December 26, 2013 4:55 pm

Do we no longer need any Job Training? Because I found one isolated Igros where the advice for someone lacking in Parnasa was to check his Mezuzos so this must apply to everyone and we can shut down Geshem and other job training places to help with Parnasa?

The Rebbe’s clear directive was that if it’s a question in Health Care, you ask and follow the advice of Health Care profesionals and not that a Mashpia should decide how to deal with Mental or Emotional Health Care questions.

re: #1 about AA
December 26, 2013 4:52 pm

Cant compare. A chronic addictive alhoholic needs to be treated in AA. Were talking about laymen with challenges. COTS doesent even consider themselves to be a therapy group for these addiction which are fortunately a curable ILLNESS.

Mashpia
December 26, 2013 4:38 pm

The Igros are full of examples where the regularly give different people totally different answers to the identical question.

Of course if person was totally lacking in Kabolas Old, the Rebbe will give that advice and if a person is unhappy because of a totally different defficiancy, his answer from the Rebbe will be different.

Mashpiim can’t “play doctor” to dispense Mental Health care based on one isolated Igros to one isolated individual, assuming it is a generalised panacia to cure all.

#11
December 26, 2013 4:35 pm

ummm how about bringing moshiach closer? I think that would be a better aspiration as at this point everybody has formed their opinion one way or another

As a person who attended CotS
December 26, 2013 4:10 pm

I find this to be a beautiful speech and speaks to many points, although I disagree with some.
not as a function of shofar but I simply am not chabad and believe that there is what to be learned in other places like the Gr’A and the Ramchal and Rav yisrael salanter the Brisker Rav etc.

Thank you for translating it as I don’t speak yiddish

It's Time
December 26, 2013 4:08 pm

Maybe It’s Time To Start Learning Kuntres Hoavoida

to #8
December 26, 2013 4:08 pm

you call 2000 people a dead horse???
people are hooked on to this cult and so long it is not totally eradicated from our midst, you cant say people “got it’
and if more chassidus is too much for you perhaps you should call yourself something other than a chabadnik

A Big Thank You
December 26, 2013 4:07 pm

to COL for flagging this whole thing up. A big thank you as well to Rabbi Yitzchok Shochat for raising the bar and throwing out the initial challenge about what we can do for ourselves as Chabadniks. And to Rabbi Shea Hecht for exposing COTS for what it is.

Wow
December 26, 2013 4:05 pm

This might be the most down to earth speech ever heard from Reb Yoel and it speaks beautifully about what Chabad and chassidus offers! Yshar koach.

Frankly, now...
December 26, 2013 4:05 pm

Its seems to be like COL is beating a dead horse.

We got it people.We got it.

More Reb Yoel
December 26, 2013 4:00 pm

More inspirational events, we need to hear more from the great Chassidim so they can show us the proper derech hachassidus.

Missing the point
December 26, 2013 3:57 pm

The Rabbis keep telling us what to do and thats what they were telling us in Yeshivah. And they keep blaming this generation. The Asifa should have been the other way around: “LET THE PEOPLE TALK AND THE RABBIS LISTEN” The leadership does not have a pulse on what the people want. We all know chassidus has the answers, so why are so many people going to COTS? Because it is not taught in a way that people can incorporate it in their lives. How many more of our youth need to go OFF THE DERECH for there to be… Read more »

smart move
December 26, 2013 3:46 pm

live video was so unclear so i am thrilled they decided to put this up. very smart move! shkoach!!

I love what Reb Yoel is saying
December 26, 2013 3:38 pm

Everything that was written was very inspiring and is exactly what the shofar is trying to accomplish. If this Asifa can bring more achdus to the community than even if no one ever attends another Shofar event, Dayeinu!

More often, not just once!
December 26, 2013 3:26 pm

We should have this so much more often!

The beloved Reb Yoel Kahn explain in a clear manner, how ideas in chassidus can give real, true and healthy perspective on living life day in day out with happiness and fulfillment in a meaningful and enriching way.

thank you COL for sharing
December 26, 2013 3:22 pm

I was there, but I do not know yiddish well enough. first I heard of Reb Yoel translated, very impressed. thank you.

Alcoholic Anonymous
December 26, 2013 3:18 pm

We Deal With These things like addiction with Chabad Chasiddus!
Like Rabbi Ginsburg mentioned that addiction is spoken about it Tanya. There is no room to go to meetings period!
Speak to your Mashpia! Yup

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