To Avira and YB:
I don’t have much time but in short- yes as Avira said, our Rebbe helps us connect better to Hashem and it’s actually a mitzvah to do so. Uvo sidbak- to Him you shall cleave. How? By connecting to Talmidei Chachamim.
No one likes megillas but you can look up hilchos T”T 5:5 (Rambam) on what reverence for a Rebbe is supposed to be.
As for cunins statement- he’s not The Rebbe but a very solid yid and chossid. And I’m supposing he meant The Rebbe rubbing the world (as a clear agent of Hashem )
as opposed to Trump/Biden/ the elites or whatever earthly agents there are lhavdil.
Obviously not in contrast to Hashem- a Rebbe is completely batul to Hashem (as yb put it “avdus”, we say batul)