Chassidic Wisdom

The Chozeh of Lublin once admonished his disciple, Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz for his cleverness. The Torah says “Tamim Te’hyeh im Hashem Elokecha”, one should walk simply with Hashem. Why, then, do you act with such craftiness?

“To the contrary”, answered Rabbi Naftali. “This verse is the very reason I do so. One requires a great deal of wisdom in order to ‘walk simply with God’!”

re: On the ‘Jewish’ Magen David

We wrote yesterday:

That Jews had this symbol in synagogues demonstrates once more the truth of what I said here:

By the way, this is another thing anti-Zionists get wrong. Even if/when Jews are not a national entity, avoiding confrontation, too, has limits, and each situation must be judged anew. They never judge anything religious anew, sadly.
I must also note an alternative explanation for the shape’s presence in our synagogues — Jews are commanded to pray for the return of the Davidic monarchy.
Hoshe’a 3:5:
אחר ישבו בני ישראל ובקשו את השם אלהיהם ואת דוד מלכם ופחדו אל השם ואל טובו באחרית הימים

Yalkut Shimoni Shmu’el 105:

ויאמר ה’ אל שמואל שמע בקול העם (הזה). תני רבי שמעון בן יוחאי אומר לא אותך מאסו כי אותי מאסו וכו’ בשלשה דברים עתידים למאוס, במלכות שמים, ובמלכות בית דוד, ובבנין בית המקדש. אימתי מאסו שלשתם בימי ירבעם, הדא הוא דכתיב ויען איש ישראל ויאמרו אין לנו חלק בדוד זו מלכות שמים, ולא נחלה בבן ישי זו מלכות בית דוד, איש לאהליו ישראל ולא לבית המקדש אל תקרי לאהליו אלא לאלהיו.

א”ר סימון בבר מנסיא אין ישראל רואין סימן גאולה לעולם עד שיחזרו ויבקשו שלשתם, הדא הוא דכתיב אחר ישובו בני ישראל ובקשו את ה’ אלהיהים זו מלכות שמים, ואת דוד מלכם זו מלכות בית דוד, ופחדו אל ה’ ואל טובו זה בית המקדש.

Actual Idolatry in Breslov Today! – CORRECTED

In a past book review, I wrote:

The characters keep turning to Rabbi Nachman of blessed memory in what seems mighty akin to prayer. When things go awry some of them “prayed to God and Rabbi Nachman”. When things went well they “thanked both”. Personal Divine providence seems orchestrated a little too strongly by that same human being. Song lyrics are quoted which illustrate this same perspective.

I don’t think I have a problem with Breslov, but if it’s getting distorted into idolatry, I certainly do.

If you have read the original version of this post before, please continue reading.

Critical Update: The original post continued by misquoting the lyrics of an anonymous Breslover song (not quoted in the above book) as though they espoused Avoda Zara, God forbid. In fact, I misheard the lyrics to say this: איש האלוקים, אתה בורא עולם שירד אלינו בסוף כל הדורות… נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן… when the real words are מתנת בורא עולם… which destroys the whole point of the post.

Facts matter in Halacha and the fact is, the lyrics of the song do not contain idolatry at all!

I wholeheartedly apologize to any relevant parties offended by this slander (‘Motzi shem ra’).

(Although I don’t yet know who they are.)

Without detracting from my remorse, please allow me to relate the background:

This post’s original form entailed several other individuals listening to the song themselves. All listeners are fluent, long-time speakers of Hebrew, with fine hearing. After a generous reader wrote in noting the true lyrics, my volunteers and myself listened once again to the recording, only this time to recognize the discomfiting truth.

My unavoidable conclusion from this incident is this was a rush to judgment. While trying to get a second opinion, I, Hyehudi editor, befuddled others into agreeing with my own Mondegreen.
  • Hyehudi.org has accepted a certain procedural change in an attempt to head off any recurrence.
  • I must now speak and/or correspond with my helpers to correct the false impression.
  • Lastly, after removing the post for investigation, I deem it best the original hyperlink remain as is to counteract any unknown damage.
To sum up: The problem of quasi-idolatrous ideas in Breslov is still real (see the above book review and especially the quotes from the abomination, Eliezer Berland in this trustworthy exposè). Those facts remain unchanged. And yet, there is no evidence, nor any reason whatsoever to assume there is any “actual Avoda Zara” occurring anywhere in Breslov (unlike some other places, sadly).

On the ‘Jewish’ Magen David

The Magen David star is not a Jewish symbol; it is a symbol of the Davidian monarchy, which just so happens to be Jewish. In Kesav Ivri, the letter “Dalet” looks like the Greek Delta or triangle. and so, the Magen David consists of one “Dalet” superimposed on another, from the name “David” (no need for the joining letter “Vav” in the middle).

Jews don’t worship physical shapes, such as the Cursedian “X” or Mohammedan crescent!

So, why was the Magen David displayed in synagogues?

To remind ourselves of our own supremacy, even while suppressed in exile.

Today, we need to remember democracy is entirely illegitimate (on a national level). But a Davidic king or vassal is not the ultimate Jewish aspiration either; anarchy is. Anti-authoritarianism (or “libertarianism”) could also be described as “Responsibilitarianism”. Personal responsibility (including uncoerced groupings of individuals) to what end? Serving God.

That Jews had this symbol in synagogues illustrates once more the truth of an earlier article:

… This is another thing anti-Zionists get wrong. Even if/when Jews are not a national entity, avoiding confrontation, too, has limits, and each situation must be judged anew. They never judge anything religious anew, sadly.
Regarding the Davidic star as somehow “contaminated” by Zionism, anti-zionists now fittingly reject the Magen David, as well. Rabbi Yitzchak Brand predicts we will yet witness their kind reject any Jewish kingship, including a righteous king belonging to the Davidic dynasty.
Update: Find an alternative theory over here.

The Positive Unintended Consequences of Dissent

As we witness Jews tortured and repressed by the regime (and exiled), some minimize the victims’ bravery and suffering, claiming their protests enable the regime to pretend it allows protests and “free speech”, at least to some extent. Besides, what good does it do to protest under these circumstances?
But even if seen as a ‘tool’, and a broken tool at that, you might even have an immense indirect effect, strange as it sounds, by awakening government agents!
Yuri Alexandrovic Bezmenov, now known as Tomas David Schuman, was born in 1939 in the former Soviet Union and worked as a journalist for Pravda. In this capacity, he secretly worked as an officer for KGB. His true job was to further the aims of communist Russia. After being assigned to a station in India, Bezmenov began to resent the KGB-sanctioned oppression of intellectuals who dissented from Moscow’s policies. He decided to defect to the West.