What Really Happens When Prophecy Fails: The Case of Lubavitch

Sociology of Religion, Fall, 2001 by Simon Dein

Discourse relating to the messiah increased rapidly in Stamford Hill from about 1993. Although some Lubavitchers were reluctant to publicly admit it, many held that their leader, Menachem Schneerson, was the messiah and they were waiting for him to reveal himself. In fact, in 1993, a group of women in Brooklyn prepared to crown the Rebbe, an event which other members found shameful. There was much excitement in the Stamford Hill community and many people spoke of the messiah being in our midst and of redemption being imminent.

Although many Lubavitchers privately admitted that the Rebbe was mosiach, the official response of Lubavitcher Hasidim when asked whether the Rebbe was mosiach was to carefully stop short of claiming outright that the Rebbe was or will be revealed as mosiach. When questioned by outsiders the invariable reply was threefold -- that all Jews are required to believe in the coming of the messiah, that the Talmudic sources say that the messiah will arise from among the people and "do you know of anyone alive today who fits the bill better than the Rebbe?"

However some were not so sure. Mr Zeitlin, a forty-five year old Lubavitcher and a member of Lubavitch for sixteen years, stated:

I suppose I am a heretic! Of course the Rebbe may be the Mosiach but so may another Rebbe. In every generation there is a potential Mosiach. The Rebbe is the most likely candidate, he's done as lot for Judaism, bringing people back etc. I think people want to be convinced about the Rebbe. Ten percent are convinced, eighty percent want to be convinced and ten percent are not sure. People go around with the group and follow whatever is said. They are like automatons. I prefer to have my own ideas. The Rebbe may be Mosiach but I am unsure. I hope he is. Although people say that he is better, I don't feel he is communicating with anyone."

Similarly, other Lubavitchers were quite sceptical about the Rebbe being mosiach. Sarah Levine was a thirty-eight year old married woman working as a librarian at Lubavitch House. She was married to another Lubavitcher librarian and the couple have four children. Her parents were not religious and she herself became an orthodox Jewess at the age of sixteen after attending several Lubavitch meetings in Manchester. Unlike her husband, who was known for his fiery temper, she came across as being very gentle. She had the following to say:

I cannot come to terms with the fact that the Rebbe is the Messiah. If Mosiach comes will he be the Lubavitcher Rebbe? I think he will be a Jew. I think a lot of this messianic behaviour is strange. They were even talking about making a crown to crown the Rebbe as Mosiach on his anniversary. This would have cost thousands of dollars. My son is embarrassed to go to 770. He does not think it is the right thing to do with all this fuss about Mosiach. Hashem (God) dictates when the time is right, he must give some sign that the time is right. The people cannot force the Mosiach to reveal himself. I think Lubavitchers have been enforcing this role on the Rebbe. Because of this stress the Rebbe has become ill.