Reply To: The world is in a state of Geula- and don’t misunderstand us!

DY continued:

As far as Yaakov Avinu lo mes- the tosfos (if I’m not mistaken) on the gemara questioning how could that be if the Torah itself testifies that Yaakov was not only not alive but even enbalmed and eulogized etc? So what does lo mes mean?

So the Tosfos explains that when chushim chopped off Esavs head, Yaakov avinu opened his eyes and smiled.

But he was not alive! His blood had even been drained etc. How could that be?

So the Rebbe explains that even though the technical terms of life had ceased ie, his heart had stopped beating etc. He was still physically alive to the point that he could open his eyes at will.

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Also we see the way the Rebbe treated the Frierdiker Rebbe – on the one hand the Rebbe (the year after the Frierdiker Rebbes histalkus) directed chassidim to bring their panim to the Frierdiker Rebbe and said he’s with us just like before with no difference. The Rebbe even said that if someone says the Frierdiker Rebbe has passed on he is a pere Adam a vilde mentch!!

On the other hand, the Rebbe said kaddish (obviously because that’s halacha), commemorated the yahrtzeit, and visited the ohel very often.

So mainstream treats the Rebbe alive in the above ways. Not in a way that would contradict halacha (obviously). I’m sure if Yaakov Avinus wives were still alive, they’d also be allowed to remarry. But nevertheless he was still alive in a certain sense.

Now if you want to know why the shtick about being alive that’s another story…