Reply To: Question of an ignorant, closed-minded Lubavitcher

Jude,

I thought this was originally clear, but I will oversimplify:

When I mentioned Torah, my point was NOT to say that using the term “rebbe” has the halachic ramifications of discussing Torah. My point was that it’s not only Hashem’s name which is prohibited from mentioning in mikvah, but other holy things as well.

Therefore, when a chossid doesn’t use the term “rebbe” in mikvah (although many do), it isn’t chas v’shalom because he deifies the Rebbe. It is because he feels a special sanctity when mentioning the title of the tzaddik that he’s personally connected to, so he feels uncomfortable mentioning it in unholy places.

This isn’t some sort of new shtik in Lubavitch. See for example the notes of Frierdiker Rebbe describing the chassidim of the Tzemach Tzedek, through the eyes of one of the maskilim of the time (Mordechai Aharon Ginzberg) who tried to infiltrate Chabad (רשימות אדמו”ר הריי”צ – אדמו”ר הצ”צ ותנועת ההשכלה):

לא אירע אשר אחת הנשים – המספרות – הזכירה את שם הרבי טרם נטלה ידי’ וקנחה אותם בסינורה או באלונטית!
הדרת הכבוד והמורא מהרבי מושרש אצלם בעומק נפשם ועל כל צעד וצעד יזכירו את הרבי וכל הגה הנאמר בשמו של הרבי, בלי
הבדל אם נוגע בנפש או בממון, קדוש הוא להם ומקיימים במסירת נפש.

Loose translation:
“The women never mention the name of the Rebbe before washing and scrubbing their hands.
The fear of the Rebbe is rooted deeply in the chassidim, and they mention the Rebbe regarding every step they take. Anything said in the Rebbe’s name, whether regarding their spiritual life or monetary matters, is holy to them and they fulfill it with mesirus nefesh.”

If you want to accuse Chabad of AZ (ח”ו וח”ו) for giving too much respect to his name – you’ll have to go all the way up to the Tzemach Tzedek.