Crown Heights, NY – Singer Matisyahu: Moshiach Belief Pushed Me Away From Chabad.

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    Crown Heights, NY – According to a Jerusalem Post article, famed singer Matisyahu who made headlines this year when he said he is no longer affiliated with Lubavitched, has now hinted that messianism within Lubavitch – the belief that the late rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, is God’s promised Messiah – was one of the things that pushed him away from the group.

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    He still lives in Crown Heights, the Brooklyn neighborhood where his wife has strong ties to the Lubavitch community, but he prays in a Karliner shul in Borough Park, also in that New York City borough. Last fall in Jerusalem he started hanging out with the Karlin-Stoliners, a hassidic group known for praying at full volume.

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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    I live in CH and it a wonderfull place Chadishe Yiden and Learning and FarbrengingsLakewood because all the rabbi’s ban too much. Being frum, ascribing to a belief is about the idea

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    it loks like matis yahu`s identiy got `stolin`

    yossi
    yossi
    17 years ago

    I was reading some of the comments on here, and for all the people who say that matisyahu’s “goyishe” style of music have no place in judaism, you are just ignorant. Jewish music will always be affected by “goyishe” music. For example, MBD has a song called Yidden. It is sung at a lot of jewish weddings. This song is actually a German song from the 1970’s sung by a band called Ghengis Khan. It is not a jewish song, yet no one says anything like that about MBD…Furthermore, we are in the jewish month of adar now. We sing the song “mi she mi she mi shenichnas adar…” one of the famous tunes is actually a really old song called “pick a bail of cotton” it is by a person called Leadbelly. maybe we shouldn’t sing this tune anymore…

    JAY
    JAY
    17 years ago

    A TALE OF 2 CHASIDIM
    ..ONE SINGS IN YIDDISH LYRICS WITH YIDISH TAM AND EVREYONE HAS TAYNOS ON HIM..
    THE OTHER SINGS REAL GOYISH MUSIC WITH ENGLLISH LYRICS AND ALL THE ASKONIM ARE QUIET
    THATS IT WE HAVE AT LEAST HAPYY ENDING

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Meshichism as practiced by some in the Chabad is a disease. It’s understandable from this context why Matisyahu was uncomfortable with this aspect. Karlyn-Stolin has no such issue.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    IT IS TIME THAT EVERYONE REALIZES THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID BY LUBAVITCHERS RE; “MOSHIACH” & RE; THE REBBE BEING MOSHIACH IS BASED ON THE THE REBBE”S SICHOS KODESH & ON HIS ANSWERS & ACTION.

    AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME FOR YIDDEN IN ERETZ HAKODESH I URGE EVERYONE TO TAKE THE TIME TO STUDT THE REBBE’S SICHOS KODESH SAID DURING THE YEARS TOF SHIN NUN ALEFH & NUN BAIS & TO TRY TO FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIVE “TO PREPARE OURSELVES & THE WORLD AROUND US TO GREET MOSHIACH NOW”!!
    THE REBBE URGES US TO LIVE “MOSHIACHDIK” WHICH MEANS THAT BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING WE SHOULD THINK “WOULD WE HAVE DONE THIS OR SAID THIS IF WE TRULY BELIVED THAT “ACHAKA LO BECHUL YOM SEYOVO”

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Anyone who uses/used Mattisyahu OR ANYONE as a FOUNDATION for Yiddishkeit has a problem. I’m not talking about Rebbes & Gedolim whose influence & Ahavas Yisroel attracted Yidden to a particular group & to a connection with traditional frumkeit. I’m talking about the ooohers & aaaahers who think weirdos like Matisyahu are to be worshiped & copied.

    Matisyahu should keep his mouth shut. He got to fame by using Chabad…our bad luck & stupidity by welcoming him as we welcome every Jew, serious or not. He could have gone to Lakewood (you guys would have banned him a long time ago!) but no, we got lucky.

    Thing is…the lunatic fringe of Moschisten really aren’t so prevalent any more. They’re like little boys who never grew up. Most people don’t take them seriously & it’s not such an issue as it was 5 years ago. Most people have outgrown this nonsense. Unfortunately, it’s true there are still some crazy, wild-eyed, inflexible fanatics but we know who they are & they keep to themselves…no one else will have anything to do with them because they’re not open to reason.

    Tell me: are Lakewood people so perfect? How about Rav Segal “blaming” “religious zionism” for the Merkaz Harav tragedy? And Bobov & Satmar in court over mega millions?

    It’s always Lubavitch, you critics always find the problem lies with Chabad, no matter what the problem is. In this case, Matisyahu is a problem for US! I live in CH, & I really wish he’d move. If we’re so abhorrent, why is he still here?

    Glad I had a chance to say my piece.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    My son and I both learned in Lakewood but we learn Nesivos Shalom does that mean we are rejecting our heritage? We even daven when the weather is bad in a Nusach Sfard shul. Oy vey. Give me a break, all Jews are OK. Let him daven and do not pick a fight where he davens.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    One questions for all you bashers.
    How SOLID are you in your beliefs? Is it the yamulka u wear or is it the length of your payos or is it abot how yeshivish you speak. or is it about how many peple u hit it the face while you put on your talis in the morning (assuming you even daven)Clean your own from steps before ypou go knocking a Baal tshuva or for that matter knocking anyone, Religious or not.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    OMG.

    It’s hard to believe the vitriolic remarks by Chabad people. Your remarks here show exactly why some people are “STRONG ENOUGH” to leave.

    You show no ahavas Yisroel to other Yidden, only to fellow Chabad people or to secular Jews who are your target for conversion to the new Chabad religion.

    You arrogantly go around saying that YOUR version of “Chassidus” is the only genuine Chassidus. Every time I hear that, I want to throw up.

    True Chassidus is NOT learning the Rebbes Sichos and Mammorim! That is just surface stuff. True Chassidus is First of all acting like Chassidim! This means love for all Yidden, including other Chassidim.

    You tear this man apart because he was strong enough, to leave. Do you think it was easy for him? He knew you would attack him. But, though he may have been brainwashed in the past to believe your rebbe was Moshiach, he outgrew that naarishkeit, and began to realize it was pure bunk.

    It took courage to leave. More courage than so many shluchim who do not believe the rebbe is moshiach, but will not open their mouths because it will make their lives miserable, and weaken their place in the Lubo community.

    So, they go on making believe. A best friend of mine is one of the Rebbe’s original shluchim. He secretly laughs at the Yechi people, but outwardly, spews the party line, “Every Chabad person believes in his heart that the Rebbe is Moshiach. Just some do not come out with it openly.”

    I have asked him why he keep saying this if he does not believe it. He said, “You have no idea how miserable my life would be if I actually came out openly, and declared that the Rebbe cannot be Moshiach, and certainly was not a Novi. I know he can’t have been. I knew him personally. But I have to get along with the rest of the shluchim, so I put on the act. I know I am living a lie, but hopefully, the REAL MOSHIACH will come soon, and show all the truth.”

    I also heard him severely come down on one of the bochurim in his smicha program, for the remark,”Chabad Chassidus is the only true Chassidus.”

    He told the bochur, “Don’t speak foolishness. Stop repeating the garbage they teach you in CH. The Satmar, Pupa, Munkaczer, etc., are just as much real Chassidus as we are.”

    “Besides, REAL CHASSIDIM, do not look for the most lenient way out of every issue. Real Chassidim daven every day with a real minyan. Real Chassidim do not rush their davening like the avodas hatefilla is a horrible burden on them. Real Chassidim to not try to convert other Chassidim to their own branch of chassidus. Real Chassidim dress like a mensch, and do not walk around like slobs, making a chillul Hashem everywhere they go. Real Chassidim do not dress like goyim, in rock and roll t-shirts, and jeans, but wear chassidish livush. They do not make fun of other chassidim calling their livush only chitzonius and they THEY have real penimius. The very fact that you talk like that demonstrates that you have no real penimius!”

    These are the words of a REAL Lubavitcher Shaliach, one who is an older guy, and knew the Rebbe for years. He knows what real Chassidus is.

    Matisyahu may not be perfect. Neither am I, and neither are you all. But, to put him down here in a public forum, is certainly not Chassidus. It is more like sinas chinum, coupled with some worse things.

    Chabad today, unfortunately, has many similarities to the Mafia. You re in real trouble if you leave.

    Matisyahu, is not a “weak human being” as one wrote, but a man of courage and strength.

    As for making a mistake and using a wrong word, would you want me to repeat the 4-letter words I hear from Lubavitcher smicha students every day? And those are not baalei teshuva. These are sons of shluchim! Some can’t complete a sentence without vulgarities. Thank G-d it is not all of them. But, how dare you put down a baal teshuva for his imperfections…. and then publish them here?!?!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    a couple of thoughts:

    Let’s wait until the dust settles until we judge Mr. Miller here.

    Lubavitch is upset at him because we felt he was “one of ours” and his (i’ll give him the benefit of the doubt) honest spiritual seeking is s slap in the face to us all, especially the shluchim all over the world who correctly used him as a tool to be mekarev Yidden to Yiddishkeit. (By the way, do you know how many kids and others have become seriously frum because of him? Quite a few.)

    This isn’t about him as much as it is his new non-Lubavitch mentor, who in our circles has a history of infiltrating Crown Heights to “convince” our young men and women that “Chabad is nuts” and otherwise “draying a kop.” His most high-profile kill thus far is Matisyahu.

    The greatest fear is where Matisyahu will end up in the end. I hope his seeking leads him to a permanent spiritual home.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    wow i almost thought this was a chabad site, so many lubavitchers. any way as a chabad chassid i think people are upset with him for 2 reasons one he is blaming chabad for moshaich a accuse which many people use and 2 i am shore there are a lot of people who put time and energy and learned with matisyahu for years and its disturbing to raise a child or a good friend and see him leave you lichaim

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    time to get a new hat

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    I made the comment about tznius in Crown heights and I didnt mean the way people dress. That is an issue too and you just have to walk down the street to see it.

    The point was how men and women mingle very comfortably in social settings espescially the young married people. It was during that period of my life that I left CH.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    there is a lot more to chabad than just meshichist or not meshichist,
    like every other group we have our issues, I don’t care what maty thinks or does, he was never my mashpia and doesn’t affect me at all, so he left us, big deal, he can do wathever he wants with his life. lubavitch is not represented by him either, but no matter what color kippa you wear or how loud you daven ,we are all one nation, and need to love and accept everyone! please don’t go around bashing people of diff chassidim,litvish, it only shows weakness on your part. am yisroel areivim ze l’ze.
    I love you

    Different paths
    Different paths
    17 years ago

    Bottom line: different ways in Torah. 12 paths through the Yam Suf, people, and we all got to the same place. Chabad has accomplished and continues to accomplish great things that other groups have not. The Meshichists have not been addressed publicly by the rest of Chabad, so, with respect, do that and that will help a lot. Matisyahu is just a person on a journey. He is responsible to no one but himself and Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    It say’s that Yaakov Aveine didn’t pass away what does that mean, that really people think he passed away so they buried him, but really he is alive, this is from the Gemara, the same to our Rebbe is alive it just looks like he is not, but really he is alive and is still our Rebbe.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    How dare anybody say anything bad about Chabad, Chabad changed the world for the better, Chabad Stands srong, Chabad is one, we are one, Chabad is amazing!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    There are over 5000 Chabad Lubavitch shluchim who instead of living in comfort of a frum community, they went on shlichos which means they went to every simgle corner of the world to find Jews and make them frum,
    Lubavitch is the best.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    How do you know what someone believes by the type of kippa he wears. Tell me this – if you think that the moshichists really believe that the rebbe is alive in the sense that you or I are alive why dont you ask them where he is. I think the whole Yechi thing has been taken all too literal. “Long live our rebbe” means long live my rebbe in my heart – not on my block.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    No one is bashing Matisyahu – they are bashing lubavitch – because he is alleged to made comments in a Jerusalem Post article (which I cannot find) that he left b/c of the mosiach issue, which if true, is sad because that is not what Chabad is about.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Matisyahu wore a Yechi Yarlmuka theres pics, and he sang in a song Yechi, get you facts sraight, Matisyahe believes that the Lubavitcher Rebbe is Moshiach.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Why are they beating up on Matisyahu? It is by the nature of a typical Baal Teshuva, to do just that – “experiment”, until you find the right one. What’s wrong with that?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    the knocking chabad is getting sooo old ya know. I bet we even know who the anti-lubabs by now. They are the ones that typical sit alone in shul and have little if any freinds let alone a normal home.
    Sorry folks chabad does rock! With all its faults notwitstanding.
    As Whoopi Goldberg would say “give it up crisspy”

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    To Comment entitled anti bashing ppl:

    A majority of Lubavitchers are not machichists. In fact, the majority are not having these conversations. They are having the same conversations you are probably having – the hight price of RE, tuition, food, sheitels etc. It is only those who feel justified in condemning an arm of clal yisroel that are obsessed with this issue. Why do you think that is? As a Chabadnik I can tell you that I love it and I am happy and I am completely fulfilled. I dont feel that I am part of “lunacy” as mentioned by another blogger and I dont agree that there is a total lack of tsnius. In fact, I think that crown heights residents dress very similar to the residents of other communities and, in fact, most of us buy our clothes in Flatc=bush and Boro park.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Dear Martin – No one made snide remarks – I personally wished him well and urged him to look inside to discover the source of his issues with Chabad. I urge you to do the same. Why does it bother you if a Chabad adherent defends its reputation, especailly against comments which are untrue. Your remarks about Chabad are even more ooutrageous than those attributed to Matisyahu. Chabad has not fallen into lunacy. Not do its adherents believe the Rebbe is alive in a physical sense. However, I can tell you this, we all feel his presence in a spiritual sense. And we are truly blessed. I wish you the same feelings of love for your rebbe(s.

    Hirshel Tzig
    Hirshel Tzig
    17 years ago

    It won’t help you guys,Lubavitch is the real thing.Lubavitch rocks!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    I too am an Ex Crown Heights Ex Lubab.

    It’s not just the Meshichistin. I got sick of the whole “us against them’ atitude that Lubavich has to the whole world. No one understands yiddishkeit, chasidus etc unless they are Lubavich. You hear “chushuveh” people calling others snags etc.

    When you leave Crown Heights you learn that you were deprived of a lot of what is real and important in yiddishkeit. Most obvious difference in social settings is the total lack of tznius that is accepted there.

    biGwheeel
    biGwheeel
    17 years ago

    To all the anon.s who feel personally hurt by “Matisyahu” leaving Chabad Chassidus. He’s [really] making the rounds, and he just started. (Wait till he gets to Satmar (which one first?. It goes by age!)

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    He makes Jewish news because he can sing like a Goy? The Lubabs are disappointed because they were very proud of him. Nebach…. They lost one of their ‘gedolim’.:-(

    Anti Bashing ppl
    Anti Bashing ppl
    17 years ago

    Anon 1:17pm

    “Matisyahu is a good person who is a ‘mevakesh’ a spiritual seeker”

    VERY WELL SAID!!

    You don’t have to kill the guy just because was looking for something that Chabad couldn’t provide.

    And don’t make it sound like the mishachist are just a couple of nuts, they are the majority.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Wow, why are the lubavitchers here taking this so personally? Is is that far fetched to reason that someone can be turned off from chabad because of the meshichistin? Let the guy live, it’s not like he went to shmad himself ch”V he simply, didn’t like his current situation. Big deal! Why is this even news?

    Martin
    Martin
    17 years ago

    Come on Lubavitchers!
    No sour grapes, please.
    Matisyahu is a good person who is a ‘mevakesh’ a spiritual seeker.Do you think that Orthodox Jewry come in one flavour?He is still looking for his own comfort zone.The Meshichist on the one hand and on the other hand the very modern dress and lifestyle of others makes many in the Orthodox community uncomfortable-But whatever the case, Lubavitch is still a miniscule percentage of Orthodoxy and a person has the full right to try other places with out you guys making snide remarks.
    You guys should be doing the soul searching, actually.How is it that such a venerated chassidus has fallen into this lunacy that the late Rebbe is somehow still alive.Did you ever ‘think’ how that come across to others?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    As long as he stays away from HASC concerts we would all be okay

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    He unfortunately is someone who has never found himself. He appears very insecure in his religious commitment. In fact, I remember seeing a concert video clip of him a couple years back where at the end of a song he says Yechi quickly on the microphone.
    Chabad is a 250 year old solid chassidus, regardless of some present day nuts.
    The problem, dear Matisyahu is not with Chabad, but within you…
    Good luck and I hope that one day you finally find what you are looking for.
    The Meshichtim nuts are just a face saving way for you to abort ship.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Tell that Matisyui guy, that whether he’s Lubabitch, Stolin or a lutvack, his Goiesheh singing has NO place in all of Judiasm!!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Do you destroy the sun because people worship it the gemorah says

    I live in CH and it a wonderfull place Chadishe Yiden and Learning and Farbrengings….

    I daven in a shul of over 100 and we have no mishichitim in our entire shul.. We enjoy life have easy access to nyc and BP and all areas…

    If you look at the negative then he will be soon not be jewish……..

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    Perhaps he should switch to the teachings of the Mussar movement to discover what makes him feel justified in bashing a beautiful heritage left for us by our Rebbes. We wish him well and hope he finds what it is he is looking for.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    What a weak human being he is. First of all in that Jpost article he uses the F word. Real classy. Second, I live in crown heights and I hate the yechi people as much as anyone else but never in my wildest dreams would I walk away from Chabad. You don’t switch spiritually philosophy because of some crazy nuts. That’s like saying you’d leave Lakewood because all the rabbi’s ban too much. Being frum, ascribing to a belief is about the idea and philsy you beelive in, not the crazies in your group. Trust me, there are crazies in every group. He just doesn’t know how to commit. What a shame, someone in a position to influence so many young jews is just a weak person.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    17 years ago

    STOLIN HAS 1 MINYAN   6:45
    2ND AT7:30
    THATS IT!!!!!

    hockberry
    hockberry
    17 years ago

    Maybe he just wanted to daven Shachris at 11?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    16 years ago

    he dose not daven there anymore

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    16 years ago

    were dose he daven now?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    do u think hes gonna go to CAMP STOLIN?!?!?!