Editing The Eternal Life of the Rebbe


The belief in the eternal life of the Rebbe is based on Torah sources in general and Chassidic teachings specifically - that in every generation there must be a leader of the generation (Nasi HaDor) as a living person in physical form, and that our generation is the generation of redemption with the Rebbe as melech hamoshiach who will bring the true and complete redemption.

Due to this belief, Chabad Chassidim refused before the 3rd of Tammuz 5754 to acknowledge the possibility of passing regarding the Rebbe melech hamoshiach, and even afterwards believers maintain that the Rebbe is alive and well and conduct themselves accordingly.

= Background =
Since the Rebbe's ascension to leadership, he made it clear that our generation would merit redemption.

Over the years, the Rebbe increasingly raised expectations for redemption, while simultaneously announcing the completion of preparatory work and the beginning of redemption's fulfillment. In 5751, the Rebbe declared it was the year melech hamoshiach would be revealed and that the leader of our generation is the Messiah of our generation who had already been revealed with full strength. In 5752, he stated that the leader of our generation, the Messiah, received the mission from God to redeem the Jewish people. The Rebbe emphasized his words were prophetic, irreversible and must materialize in the physical world.

After the health event on the 27th of Adar 5752, belief in the Rebbe's prophecy among Chassidim did not weaken but grew stronger. This was aided by the Rebbe's increased encouragement during that period of singing "Long live our master, teacher and rabbi, melech hamoshiach forever" almost every time he appeared before the crowd. Despite the pain and reciting Psalms for the Rebbe's healing, everyone believed this was temporary and would soon end - with the Rebbe's recovery happening alongside his complete revelation as our righteous Messiah. Some found support in sources describing the Messiah's sufferings.

All Chabad Chassidim refused then to consider the possibility that this expectation would not materialize. According to the Rebbe's words - all were united in belief that the Rebbe, as melech hamoshiach who began revealing himself, would live eternally - and any other possibility was as implausible as the sun stopping to shine.

= After the 3rd of Tammuz =
Following this - when news arrived on 3rd of Tammuz 5754 about the Rebbe's disappearance from sight, appearing outwardly as passing, all Chassidim spontaneously felt such an event was impossible. Before any differences in how to receive and relate to these things, it was clear to all that the event was absurd and there was no doubt the Rebbe would immediately reveal himself as melech hamoshiach and show it was all imaginary.

When outside Chabad there were those who eulogized Chassidism along with the Rebbe and expected dissolution or severe crisis, or alternatively when calls were heard to appoint a successor to the Rebbe - all Chassidim rejected this with complete dismissal. The widespread belief wall-to-wall was (and still is) that the Rebbe continues leading Chassidism even if we don't see him; not just spiritual leadership like other righteous ones in the world of truth, but physical leadership as before.

Despite differences of opinion among Chabad Chassidim regarding the relationship to this day and event, and definition of the Rebbe's life - many Chassidim including prominent rabbis and mentors believed and believe the Rebbe is alive and existing in physical body without any change, and refused to acknowledge the event of passing which according to the Rebbe cannot occur. Especially based on the fact that originally the 3rd of Tammuz was a holiday for Chassidim following the Previous Rebbe's redemption, and even the Rebbe celebrated and marked it, always referring to it in this context.

= Sources of the Belief =
The ideological background for the Chabad belief in the Rebbe's eternal life is rooted in fundamental ideas in Chabad teachings and Torah in general, as follows.

= The Role of Nasi HaDor (Leader of the Generation) =
In the Torah, the topic of a main Jewish leader, "Nasi HaDor," appears several times. His role is to connect all Jews to Hashem and additionally transmit Hashem's word to them. This topic is extensively explained and emphasized in Chassidic teachings, especially in the Rebbe's teachings, where it's explained that in recent generations, Chabad leaders fulfill the role of Nasi HaDor.

To define the role of Nasi HaDor, the Rebbe's teachings cite the Chazal about Moshe Rabbeinu, "Man of G-d" - "from his middle down he was man, from his middle up he was G-dly." The explanation is that Moshe Rabbeinu perfectly connected both extremes of spirituality and physicality - being completely nullified to Hashem while being a soul within a physical body.

Since the Nasi HaDor's role is to perfectly connect spirituality and physicality, he must be a physical person in this world; and immediately upon the passing of one Nasi, the role transfers to the next Nasi.

The Rebbe further explains that the Nasi in each generation is the Melech HaMoshiach of that generation, and he stands ready to redeem Israel if the generation merits it; and if they don't merit, the role passes to the next generation's Nasi.

= Our Generation - The Generation of Redemption =
Our generation, the seventh generation, was declared by the Rebbe immediately at its beginning as the seventh and completing generation of Chabad Rebbes, in which the work to bring redemption would be completed. The Rebbe repeated hundreds of times in his talks that our generation is "the last generation of exile and first generation of redemption."

Over the years, the Rebbe explained that not only will our generation merit redemption - but that redemption events have begun manifesting in this physical world. The Rebbe pointed to various events that occurred as signs of redemption, the greatest being the event of Melech HaMoshiach's revelation and his announcement "the time of your redemption has arrived," which he attributed to his own announcement in 5751. In light of this, the Rebbe determined that the Melech HaMoshiach of our generation is not just a potential candidate for the role (who could pass the role to his successor), but he received the mission and already began acting as Melech HaMoshiach - until the continuation and completion of his mission in the complete redemption.

= Torah's Determinations Versus World Reality =
The reason for holding to these explanations as explained in Torah sources, when reality to our eyes appears contradictory - is because the truths brought in Torah have the power to determine reality, even when our eyes see differently. This matter is explained in several places in Torah, and emphasized in Chassidic teachings and the Rebbe's teachings.

One of the main Torah commandments - to listen to the words of the Sages - is written in the verse: "Do not deviate from what they tell you right or left," and Chazal interpret this: "even if they tell you right is left and left is right." This means that the words of the Sages have power to determine (and even change) the true reality in the world, even when it appears opposite, and a Jew must believe in their words with complete faith.

The reason for this is because belief in Hashem is not subject to judgment by our intellect and senses. The measure for determining what we should believe and what not is entrusted only to Torah guidance. Accordingly, there are several cases where Torah confronts reality as described by the senses or science, and determines that we must believe Torah's words even in these cases.

= As Melech HaMoshiach =
In Torah sources it's brought that Melech HaMoshiach will have eternal life, and since the Rebbe is defined as Melech HaMoshiach, he is granted eternal life. This was even ruled in a halachic ruling on 11 Nissan 5752 by Chabad rabbis and Torah scholars stating that since the Rebbe is defined as in the presumption of Moshiach, Torah's oath "that his candle will not be extinguished forever and ever" applies to him, and he will live eternal life. This ruling was read to the Rebbe on 11 Nissan 5752 and the Rebbe even encouraged its distribution in a holy response.

= The Belief Regarding the Rebbe =
In light of these sources, it's understood that the Nasi HaDor, namely the Rebbe, must be a living person in his physical body in this world - and this fact is a cornerstone in Chabad Chassidic teachings. It's also clear that our generation is the generation of redemption, and our generation's Nasi will be Melech HaMoshiach and has already begun his mission to redeem the Jewish people, a mission from which there is no return. These sources are the foundation for all Chabad Chassidim's belief in the Rebbe's leadership and guidance today; and from them it also arises that this leadership must be of a living person in a physical body.

= The Belief Today =
This period - where belief appears to contradict visible reality - does not weaken the faith. On the contrary, it appears this is a test meant to examine and strengthen the Chassidim's faith in the Rebbe during this period of concealment.

Chabad rabbis and mentors frequently encourage at every opportunity about the need to increase connection to the Rebbe and following his directives - especially the main one, to ensure all people of the generation stand ready to receive Melech HaMoshiach in actual reality - with greater intensity during this testing period. Based on the belief in the Rebbe's eternal life, the younger generation is also educated to connect with him, and through this belief hundreds and thousands more Jews who never saw his face physically are drawing closer to him. Also thanks to the Rebbe's current leadership, the Shlichus (emissary) enterprise has multiplied several times over, and miracles continue to occur through his blessings.

In accordance with this belief is also the daily behavior and relation to the Rebbe among Chassidim. Chabad Chassidim write to the Rebbe through his Igrot Kodesh (holy letters) books, travel to him at his Beit Midrash 770 and relate to the place as the Rebbe's current location, use living titles for him - "Shlita" or "Shlit"a", and more.

However, all Chassidim know and feel that the belief is not accepting of the situation, and in this period the cry of 'ad mosai' (until when) especially intensifies - when in addition to the general difficulty of the Jewish exile, the terrible difficulty of concealment where we don't see the Nasi HaDor is added - and the anticipation strengthens for the true and complete redemption when the process of the Rebbe's revelation as Melech HaMoshiach will reach completion.

= Further Reading =

* Rabbi Chaim Levi Yitzchak Ginsberg, "We Don't Understand and We Don't Ignore", Beit Moshiach Weekly, Issue 233 pages 18-20 (5759)
* Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Garelik, "Even from 'Good' One Must Be Careful", Beit Moshiach Weekly, Issue 233 pages 21-22 (5759)
* Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi, "From 'Orphans' to 'Psalm'", Beit Moshiach Weekly, Issue 233 page 23 (5759)
* Rabbi Naftali Estulin, "3rd of Tammuz is Not a Time for Questions", Beit Moshiach Weekly, Issue 233 pages 25-26 (5759)
* Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Bukiet, "The Sad End of the Great Believer", Beit Moshiach Weekly, Issue 233 pages 27-29 (5759)
* Rabbi Shlomo Majeski, Rabbi Shalom Dovber Kalmanson, "The Torah is Ours", Beit Moshiach Weekly, Issue 362 pages 70-73 (5762)
* Rabbi Levi Yosef Yitzchak Krauss, "To Believe the Rebbe is Alive and Well - Why is it Necessary?", Beit Moshiach Weekly, Issue 1191 page 28 onwards (5780)

= See Also =

* The Rebbe of Lubavitch as Melech HaMoshiach
* Eternal Life in Melech HaMoshiach
* Concealed and Returns and Revealed
* Chai V'Kayam (Collection)
* The World's Calculation
Description	What you type	What you get
Italic	''Italic text''	Italic text
Bold	'''Bold text'''	Bold text
Bold & italic	'''''Bold & italic text'''''	*Bold & italic text*