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Chabad Opposes Stamp Commemorating Rebbe

Jerusalem Post

Israeli stamp released in 2006 depicting Lubavitch World Headquarters.

The international Chabad-Lubavitch movement opposed the issue of an Israeli postage stamp to memorialize the last Lubavitcher rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, out of concern that licking the back of it would be “disrespectful.”

Instead, in 2006 the movement approved the issue of a stamp depicting his red-brick Brooklyn house. (Facsimiles of the building that the Rebbe, who died in 1994, made his headquarters were constructed at Kfar Chabad and in Jerusalem’s Ramat Shlomo quarter.)

While the Lubavitcher hassidim opposed the issue of a stamp showing the face of the first in the line of Chabad rebbes – Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi – for the same reason, his visage now appears on a new first-day cover (official envelope). But the stamp, released recently by the Philatelic Service, depicts an open copy of the Tanya, Zalman’s main work that was published in 1797.

A few weeks after the stamp issue, the philatelic material has aroused a great deal of interest in the Jewish world, and millions of the stamps are expected to be purchased by hassidim for personal use in Israel and for educational efforts at Chabad centers around the world.

The drawing of the Admor Hazaken is presented on the envelope as an out-offocus portrait. Thus, there is no “danger” that it could be licked, as there is no glue on the opposite side, but only on the back of the perforated stamp showing the book.

The 2004 first-day cover and stamp issue was sold in the millions of copies, many of them to Israeli Chabad hassidim for saving and sending mail and for educational use by Chabad Houses around the world. The same is likely to occur to the new philatelic issue.

Also known as Admor HaZaken, Rabbi Shneor Zalman was author of many important Jewish works, including the Shulchan Aruch HaRav Code of Jewish Law. The Tanya presents his approach to hassidic mysticism and is widely read by members of the movement today. Chabad hassidim say the book, which constitutes a collection of practical tools, solutions and instructions, is designed to help the reader attain mental balance while coping with life’s difficulties and internal crises.

The government approved the issue of the stamp to mark 200 years since the death of the founder of Chabad Hassidism.

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, a town then near Russia that is now in Belarus, is often described as the spiritual grandson of Rabbi Yisrael ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov.

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18 Comments

  • Ad Masai!

    “is often described (only by us Lubavitcher’s) as the spiritual grandson of the Baal Shem.”

  • Gedaliah Goodman

    And this is the international chabad-lubavitch movement. Absurd in light of the ‘FACT’ that the whole movement is licking the hind-end of the government of israel, governments of the world, and their benefactors worldwide. That’s kosher by them, and licking a stamp is disrespectful. Another proof that ‘insanity reigns’.

  • Concerned for the rebbes kavod!

    what about throwing the envelope with alter rebbes picture in the trash, why is that not a concern?
    In general pictures of the rabeim only belong in respected places.They do not belong on stickers being plastered to a wall!Over the last 20 years the rebbes picture has been cheapened tremendously!!

  • Gedaliah Goodman

    And this organization thinks that the Meshechistim are insane and that 770 is an asylum!! C-L movement is completely off the wall. Stop embarrassing us and the whole world, Jew and gentile. I am receiving communications from ‘serious’ interested people from around the globe, Jews & gentiles that I am in contact with, and they are totally disgusted by this ridiculous attempt at your false religiousity. Talk about ‘chutzpah yazgeh’. I sure hope that this article is a Purim shpiel.

  • Shemua Tova

    its not about “licking” — its about the post office stamping on the Rebbe’s image.

  • Andrea Schonberger

    I’m a stamp collector so I would like at least one stamp to save in my album.

  • Yankel

    By Hashgocha Protis, in this weeks Dvar Malchus pg 25,there is a letter from the Rebbe about this.
    The Rebbe writes, “It’s out of the question, since eventually the stamps end up etc. Besides the need to bang the stamp and picture….”

  • What picture?

    I see Shabbos candles, tefillin, and 770. I don’t see a picture of the Rebbe. Is there a different stamp they are talking about?

  • Milhouse

    #6, who throws out a first day cover? It’s no more likely than someone throwing out a sefer, or a picture.

  • hbshmoe

    Irresponsible reporting makes us look quite foolish. For the real reason see #25 above. Please correct the artile.