Chabad & Heresy

Moshe Ben-Chaim

12/12/08: Our objective is to help Chabad recognize their error; or, to help separate Chabad members dedicated to truth, from heretical elements within their organization. We wish to promote true Torah ideals and to enlighten all Jews regarding the Torah's fundamentals. Considering Chabad's tremendous reach, it is vital that all Rabbis and educators make it their mission to contact your local Chabad houses, and insure that such teachings cease. Silence would be a grave sin as it allows heretical notions to spread.

In fairness to Chabad, earlier this week we phoned to speak with Rabbi Shlomo Cunin to urge him to correct this heresy. When we received a call back from Rabbi Cunin's son and asked to speak to Rabbi Shlomo Cunin, he would not put us through to him, and said his father will not speak to us. He deflected our claim of heresy by suggesting the video was "taken out of context" and placed online without his knowledge. (We later learned that the very photographer who filmed this video, has recorded and posted other footage on Rabbi Shlomo Cunin.)

Rabbi Cunin's son's claim of "out of context" cannot excuse the statement made by his father, "It's The Rebbe who runs this world until he comes to take us out of Golus (exile) now". R. Cunin's son's defense of his father that "the dead seek the good for all living Jews", is not what his father said. His father said, "It's The Rebbe who runs this world". Truly an inexcusable and heretical statement. 

As Rabbi Cunin's son claimed "out of context", we therefore asked he remove this admittedly misleading video and to also publicly clarify the error. He said he would not comply to either. He thereby allows this most damaging idea to spread. We clearly explained to him that his father's statement was in violation of Torah fundamentals, outlined by Maimonides. He responded "based on Zohar", that the dead (the Rebbe) actively seeks the welfare for Jews. We asked R. Cunin's son to justify why the Rebbe was more "influential" than, say Moses. We also informed him that Moses' very burial site was hidden by God for this very concern: God does not wish man to seek out the dead. (Deut. 18:11) God desires us to seek Him exclusively. This is because "God alone effects mighty deeds" (recited every morning) and He has no need for man, nor need for anything. 

Other Chabad Rabbis must openly denounce this heresy, and teach your members that this is not Judaism and in fact is no different than Christianity.

*Rabbi Shlomo Cunin is the head of Chabad in Los Angeles and director of Chabad Lubavitch activities on the West Coast of the United States.