BROTHER LEIBL, A”H

Some backround:

#1. The Rebbe Rayatz addresses Yisroel Arye Leib in a letter to him thusly:

B”H
17 Kislev 5708
Brooklyn

My friend, grandson of my great-uncle, my honored relative by marriage, the
great baal kishron, vosik v’chassid, man who fears G-d, Mr. Leib
sh’yichyeh,

#2. Some Chabad links:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/HayomYom.asp?tDate=5/11/2006&Lang=
http://chabad.info/bm/index.php?magazine=ee_&status=goto_id&id=21

And now we come the point:

At mentalblog.com (Thread: rebbes-brother-yisroel-aryeh-leib), Tzemach Atlas wrote:

…here is a quote illustrating how Yisrael Aryeh Leib's life looks from the vantage point of an official Lubavitcher history hacker:http://www.chabadcenters.com/scr...?

The pious G-d fearing chasid, intelligent and understanding pleasant with good characteristics Yisrael Aryeh Leib was born in Nikolayev on 16 (?) Sivan, 5609. Stayed for a period of time in Leningrad, where the previous Rebbe showed him great fondness. The Chassidim, too, liked him and enjoyed barraging him with a variety of questions on Halacha, Chassidut etc. In 5690 (1930) he left the Soviet Union and settled in Berlin, later leaving for the Holy Land where he married. He spent his last years in Liverpool, England, passing away at an early age on 13 Iyar, 5712 (1952). By request of his brother the Rebbe, he was brought to the Holy Land and he was interred in the Holy city of Tzfàt.

:-(

Tzemach Atlas Homepage 08.10.05 - 2:08 pm #

Berl’s response:
This is too silly. Which part of this translation from the "Hayom Yom" do you object to? Is it the pro-forma barrage of titles that are similar to what goes on a "matzevah" of every Jew? Are you are looking for "the soul of the man" in a footnote to his brother's biography? Good luck.

Btw, the same link has this invitation in the intro:
"…if you have little-known biographical information about the Rebbe, please e-mail us at: editor@chabadonline.com"

Go for it.

P.S. chabad.org people are as far removed from “hacks” as anyone I ever met in my life. If you had any idea what these people were like, you’d not use such language about them.
berl, crown heights 08.10.05 - 2:31 pm #

A commenter took issue:
Instead of Yaakov struggling with angels we would have gotten an eunuch sitting at farbrengens.
And can you imagine Havatik HaChasid Esav?
rebeljew Homepage 08.10.05 - 3:35 pm #

Which Tzemach agreed with:
Good one, rebeljew. Ishmoel settled with Hagar in a desert, where Rebbe Avrohom "showed him great fondness."
Tzemach Atlas Homepage 08.10.05 - 3:41 pm #

Berl’s response:
TA & rebeljew,
I trust you can come with more variations on the same joke but I would rather see a more intellectually stimulating discussion.

The history of idealization of past heroes and villains is long. It goes back to the times of the Tannoim and Ammaroim (anyone remember how the Talmud deals with Dovid & Bathsheva story?). Certainly kabboloh & chassidus glowingly describes Eisav, Ishmael, Korach and many other Jewish "sinners" in Tanach as lofty souls - it "shows them great fondness" and calls them "vassikim & chassidim – aher kavonosom lesheim shomaim hoiso".

The real question is why is there this tendency in Torah itself and does it help a Jew in his "struggle to seek G-d"?
berl, crown heights 08.10.05 - 4:17 pm #

The real question is why is there this tendency in Torah itself and how does it help a Jew in his "struggle to seek G-d"?
berl, crown heights 08.10.05 - 4:19 pm #

TA wrote: I sneer at that. I have no problem admiring Dovid knowing what happened with Bat Shevah, etc.

[Berl:] Well, I would also not admire Dovid Hamelech any less without the Gemora admonishing us that kol mi sheoimer Dovid choto.... And I would also have no problem with the other multi-dimensional stuff you suggest, on the contrary - I would love it.

But: sneer all you want - that Gemora is there! The super-human description of the tzadik is there in Tanya kadisha, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

To me it is not all that interesting what you or I prefer. I would much prefer to understand what the Teiroh wants me to think when it gives me the "positive – perfect" (or as you say "embellished") side to all these people and events...
berl, crown heights 08.10.05 - 10:27 pm #