To Rabbi Menachem Shmei
Now that we’ve hopefully demonstrated that we can be civil to each other let’s see if we can converse. In your original posting, you said that you want to engage with observant Jews. What you’ve obviously learned is that going from the Mechallels to Torah Jews is an enormous jump because the former know zilch about Judaism. The Rebbe famously said that every Jew is a descendant of the Avos. That’s true and so each Jew has the potential for greatness. I’ll speak for myself. Those who know me now and 35 years ago are amazed by the transformation. So I believe in Kiruv and I embrace the Rebbe’s vision of spreading the light of Torah throughout the world. This said Judaism is at all times, rational, and therefore there are statements from Chabad which cannot be justified, starting with the assertion that the Rebbe “IS” Moshiach. I he was anointed King of the world it would not be a secret known only to a group that professes to have mastered the esoteric. As for the belief in Chabad circles that Judaism is not rational because it’s Kabbalah based, well this defies Rambam’s essential premise. If you guys are rejecting Rambam no problem, but then stop learning his works if you deny them.