28 Comments

• Milhouse

  Indeed. The Rebbe didn’t wear a shtreimel because he didn’t see himself as a real rebbe, but only as a sort of secretary and representative for his father-in-law. He always spoke and behaved as if the Frierdiker Rebbe was still the rebbe; that’s why he took everything to the ohel, which no earlier rebbe ever did. Wearing a shtreimel would be a sign that he was himself the rebbe, and he resisted that. But that was davka what Reb Hendel wanted to see. To him the Rebbe was moi chozyain, “my master”, as he used to refer to him. So in his mind, the Rebbe was dressed like a rebbe, and that was how he painted him.

  • ?!

    Vos far a shtus is that the Rebbe didn’t see himself as a real Rebbe?! Dude, you are logically and factually clueless: logically, because the Rebbe would not have “faked” Rebbe inyonim including maamorim, etc. Factually, because he told the lawyers and Aguch that when he says “Nosi Hador” he means himself.

    If I were you, I’d go to the Ohel and bett mechila for insinuating that the Rebbe was ch”v play-acting…

  • You write creepy

    Millhouse, when the Rebbe wanted, he talked about his leadership and Baalebatishkeit over Lubavitch. The way you describe the Rebbe is terribly disrespectful. See Sichos of Yud Shevat, Shabbos Bshalach and 15 Shevat 5735, second Sicha of Yud Alef Nissan Mem Hei, and so on. Get your facts straight.

  • yankel

    The “Shmues” is that The Rebbe actually wanted the shtrimel however the Family (The same people from the Hei Teves story) didn’t give it to him

  • Milhouse

    When it was necessary the Rebbe said what he had to say, but to him the reality was that his rebbe was still alive and in charge, and he refused to “prave rabisteve” in front of him.

    We saw the same thing at the sedorim, where the Frierdiker Rebbe’s place was set at the head of the table, and the Rebbe would sit on his side. What previous rebbe did this? Our Rebbe did this because to him that was the reality. The reality that the rest of us saw was only chitzonius to him, something that must occasionally be accommodated but could not be accepted.

    But as I said, Reb Hendel used to refer to the Rebbe as moi chozyain, and he painted him as he saw the reality. That’s what art is — to show the world what the artist sees, not what it already sees on its own.

• Rebbe's mother

  The Rebbe’s mother commented to Hendel: “the old (chasidim) want shtreimel, the younger chasidim, want a Rebbe”.

• Correction

  Reb Zalman founded Jewish Renewal, not Reconstructionist Judaism. Major difference.

  • Son of a Shliach

    With his Jewish Renewal movement, Reb Zalman dedicated his life to hafotzas hamayonis chutza ad mesiras nefesh. Mamish.

• CHT

  Look, don’t judge he might have seen some hidden aspects of the Rebbe, such as his heritage. Also, if you read Mr. Lieberman biography and his relationship with the two Rebbes, this second image may be trying to show the hessed of the Rebbe that came up within a framework of the gvura of the Fridereke Rebbe.

  • Hypocrite

    Listen, take your own advice before instructing others, eh?

  • CHT

    What exactly do you want? I wrote to those who would be judging and I know for certain there will be some from the past experience of similar posts. And I am right, see #6.

  • Hypocrite

    Still judging, still judging.

• please remove

  i am not questioning R’ hendel’s motives in drawing such picture. he was a real varimer chesidisher yid. but i still think that posting such a picture of the rebbe which first of all is not a reality and the main thing its very not respectfull to make up a picture and play around with the rebbe’s holy head/ face. I WISH YOU REMOVE THIS PICTURE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

  • My new favorite picture

    It was R’ Hendel’s reality. In Zohar in talks about the visual contemplation of the image of that which has no image, the doubling of vision that renders visible the invisible … a revelation that reveals itself in the laying bare of that which is withheld … (Wolfson, Open Secret P.95)

• For the record

  The Rebbe Rayatz did NOT wear a streimel (like the other chasidic Rebbes of the time) rather it was a Spudik. (Similar to the one worn by the Gerer Rebbe)

• for the record

  1) what the frierdiker rebbe wore is not a shtraimel, Nor a spuddik (which is a fairly recent events invention on the later gerrer rebbes).
  Its proper name is a Kulpik. It is worn by some other rebbes on special occasions, especially decendents of the Chernobyl dynasty. It is also worn in some circles by the unmarried children on a rebbe (usually, a shtraimel is only worn by a married man). A notable mark of the kulpik us that there is a band of darker colored fur around the middle.
  Occasionally, the Rebbe’s library has the frierdiker rebbe’s kulpik on display, where this is clearly visible.
  2) there is a legend, that at one time, the rebbe was going to receive the frierdiker rebbe’s shtraimel from the alter rebbetzin (R’ Nechama Dina), and would begin waering it on shabbos and Yom tov. This did not materialize for various reasons.
  It was around this time that reb hendel made this painting.
  This is an unconfirmed story.

  • no one special

    I recall that this is more than a legend.

• FTR

  what I mean by “a legend” Is that this is a story that has been retold many times, but I have not seen any documentation. (for obvious reasons)

• R' Shlomo In Eretz Yisroel

  I saw this painting in the Dining Room of old man R’ Popack on President St. It was gorgeous & magnificent.
  Ohl vay he wouldonee worn one then, all the chassidim would be wearing streimels also.

• You write creepy

  Milhouse, you write your assumptions, and you write with insensitivity. You write with Grobkeit. The Rebbe could have sat upstairs because he was uncomfortable sitting in the FR place, or because sitting there with others who didn’t want to, R”L, accept the Rebbe. You’re writing YOUR assumptions about our Rebbe. Have some minimal Derech Eretz. Does your ego not let you apologize for your awful style?

• Milhouse nails it!

  Milhouse Nails It! For all the theories I like Milhouse’s the most. Regardless of why the Rebbe didn’t wear the furry hat (whatever it’s called), Milhouse explains the motive of the artist … speculating WHY the artist painted it the way he did.

  Also I should point out that the artist did so respectfully with the total consent of the Rebbe to paint it as he pleased.

  Everyone else needs to settle down and drink some tea. It’s not the end of the world if somebody posts a painting of the Rebbe that isn’t exactly according to real life. Nobody’s gonna burn in hell for this I’m sure of it.

• Shtus

  It is a relevant as the painting of Moshe Rabbeinu with Horns.

  “Koran oir Ponav”

• K

  It does not matter what is on the head, what is in the head is all that matters.

  • Kop Doktar

    So if someone creates a portrait of your BMG Rosh Yeshiva wearing a N.Y. Yankees baseball cap – it wouldn’t be a problem for you?

  • K

    I was paraphrasing a mishne in Pirkei Avos 4:20: Do not look at the vessel (outer trappings), but rather at what it contains.

    Seforim explain that “mah” (what) represents Zeir Anpin and the six intermediate sefirot which is the Vov of shem Hashem. This is what a Torah leader is: One who channels higher divine sustenance, i.e. consciousness, from the Yud and Hei of shem Hashem to the lower Hei of Olom Hazeh.

    In answer to your query, my Rosh Yeshiva or any Godol is Zeir Anpin, so the hat does not matter.

    However, if the intent of the artist is to mock – that is what matters.

• ChosidAvolLoyShoyteh

  Ahavas Chinom Rabboisay!

  Some seem to be so busy defending the Messenger that they forget the Message.

• ChosidAvolLoyShoyteh

  It’s a beautiful painting.

• ChosidAinoyShoyteh

  One can only speculate what the artists intentions were.
  Perhaps it’s a depiction of the Frierdikke Rebbe and the Rebbe as two guffim – one neshomah.

  The ikkar is: שנראה כל אחד מעלת חבירינו ולא חסרונם