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Lakewood Rosh Yeshiva Clarifies Statement on Chabad

Rabbi Malkiel Kotler

Following reports that he had disparaged Chabad in a meeting with the Satmar Rebbe regarding participation in the upcoming “antinet” gathering in Citi Field, Rabbi Malkiel Kotler, Rosh Yeshiva of Beis Medrash Gevohah in Lakewood, released the following statement:

“It was noted at a meeting recently held about the upcoming Citifield Asifa that Chabad Lubavitch has traditionally not formally participated in such events.

This was chas v’shalom not intended in any way to cast any negative light whatsoever on them or on any other chug in Klal Yisroel by anyone at the meeting.

Any other inference or understanding of what was said is wholly mistaken.”

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47 Comments

  • Thank you!

    That is nice to hear. He made good on it.. leave it alone.

  • Moishe

    Lets take his word as it is. Let’s not forget the massive support we received from Lakewood and the litvishe community for r Sholom Mordchai Rubashkin

  • That-s all i Have to say,.

    this is what anyone with half a brain would call BS.

  • The chabad way to view this

    let’s be Dan lekav zechus!
    A) either he truly did say Only what he claims to have said
    B) or he made a mistake & wrongly estimated his audiences an anamocity to chabad, & it’s not his fault for believing his anti-chabad sentiments, due to his (well known) childhood & indoctrination etc his natural bias towards supporting his father’s public history towards chabad, until we are in his exact circumstances we must not judge him but we may judge his actions & ideology as wrong

  • A wise man once said

    A famous writer and thinker, Reb Hillel Zeidman a“h, used to remind us regularly in his articles: ”גלויב גארניט ביז מען לייקנט דאס” (believe nothing until its denied).

  • from a Litvishe home & saw the emes

    Says nothing, does it? This isn’t an apology. An apology says “I WAS WRONG & I AM SORRY.” These Misnagdim haven’t changed in 200 years. Lubavitchers aren’t even Jews to them except when they need us. THEN they know where to get Kosher food, a minyan or a mikvah.

    This “Rabbi” is beneath contempt. He should start listening to his own mussar shmuessen.

  • disapointment

    Evasive, cold (parave) and doesn’t address the statements allegedly made by him. Also, It’s my understanding that Chabad was never even given the chance to accept or refuse or issue a letter of encouragement or do anything whatsoever. They simply were not even invited. The statement also doesn’t discuss what the Rebbe of Satmar asked about not inviting Chabad and what he answered.

  • DeClasse- Intellectual

    Too little too late as the damage has been already done. Why did he not issue a formal invitation to thevent which would puyt a closure to all of this mess.

  • hollywood

    Shame on whoever published the original article! Loshon Hara!

  • mendel

    these guys keep up their name all these years later. MISNAGID=OPPOSER

    Lubavitch is about LOVE, Misnagdim are all about opposing things.

    Kan Tziva

  • satmer is smart

    The satmer rebbe is very smart. He dos not want to go. So he shifted the attention away. And its working for him

  • 7 is correct

    The Torah way is to not judge him but to be melamed zechus even while he may have misguided notions towards chabad

  • right

    uhuh
    so what about the stuff youd said about davening biyechidus?
    shoin. mochul loch

  • history

    One correction to #7: His father R Sheur Kotler was not a noted anti-Lubavicher. It was his grandfather, R Aharon Kotler that denied food to Lubavitcher yeshiva’leit in Shangchai. Saying that they are not ‘bnei Torah’.

  • Levi Rodal

    and thats why he said it is better to daven with out a minian instead of davening in a Chabad House. watch yourself CH.info “Kol Hamachnif lechavero sof nofel beyodov”
    BTW Lakewood Yidin don’t hold like this Kotler (you know what Kotler means in aramaic… like the other “godol” named Kotler
    who caused Lubavitcher Bochurim in Shanchai to STARVE TO DEATH…..HY”D
    TO THESE ….. YOU OFFER DEFENCE!? SHAME ON YOU!!!

  • So supposedly RMK said something like

    “So supposedly RMK said something like”.

    CHI, how do you publish a story containing such serious allegations when the source is unsure and shaky?

    You are the ones that need to apologize.

  • sa

    to # 25
    You are very naive and have no idea what’s going on and blame the wrong sources for this issue. Anybody who knows Rmk’s background with the get and 100 rabonnim knows who we’re dealing with.

  • the position of running a kennel is ope

    no one should believe his apology unless he goes to rabbi krinsky and invites publicly lubavitch so they can tell him no we wont go do to your hatred

    he is firt to be a the dogcatcher of lakewood

  • Chosid

    As was pretty obvious if you know anything about RMK, he denied he said anything approaching what was accused. He is a mentsch enough not to loosely thorw around the words “baal machlokes” and “baal motzi shaim ra” round even though they definitely apply to the one responsible.

    Hearing comments like these makes me embarrassed that people that react in such low ways carry the proud name of the Rebbe’s chasidim.

  • CH Lubavitcher

    3 observations:

    A) He still didn’t lend us a personal invitation after that fiasco to invite us (that would have been an acceptable apology even without saying I’m sorry).

    B) He never signed it, leading me to believe he never wrote or even signed his name to this statement.

    C) he never denied saying it rather used some crafty words to spin it.

    Regardless, I do thank him for not letting the fact that SMR is Lubavitch, stop him from his advocacy on his behalf. I also hope achdus between Lubavitch and Lakewood be strengthened and not G-d forbid diminished.

  • #25

    #25. If he didn’t say anything so why did he some what apologized?

  • HE HAPPENS TO BE CORRECT

    The fact is that Chabad has lost its derech and now we are the ones in the lower madreaga. The others are more careful with kashrus (much more selective with the heskkerim), more careful about their midos (with their campaigs against loshon haroh). They take seriously learning Torah ( how many well known Lubavitcher poskim are there?) and of course, the women hold of tznius standards. I could go on but a word to the wise shoud suffice.

  • alta lakewooder

    malkeal kotler is moshiach if u dont beleve it youa kofer

  • Lived on both sides

    Would love to know where R’ Malkiel Kotler released this statement. Other than on this page, can it be independently verified?

    Even more so, can his “disparaging Chabad remarks” be independently verified, other than on this page?

    His father, R’Shneur Kotler had a very nice relationship with Chabad. Does anyone have an actual copy of the letter where supposedly R’Aaron Kotler wrote not to give food to Lubavitcher bochuriom in Shanghai, otherwise it is just plain innuendo.

    To #8, your comment is so immature and offensive to thousands of yidden that may not hold of the Lubavitcher hashkofa, but nevertheless are not anti Lubavitch either. Learn to act your age and not be a chillul Lubavitch.

    To #11, if you were truly from a Litvishe home, which I doubt, and you saw the “emes”, which is obvious that you didn’t, then you too would know that you need to grow up.

    In your comment where you write “Lubavitchers aren’t even Jews to them”, it works both ways. How many Lubavitchers actually have any respect at all for a Litvishe Yid, Chassidishe Yid, or any Yid for that matter that isn’t a Lubavitcher??? Go to 770 and take a poll. You will see that Lubavitchers have no respect for anyone that isn’t a Lubavitcher, at best they may be tolerated but always looked down upon. The lone exception would be if they have money.

    If you expect for the Charaidshe velt to accept you, respect you, invite you to their asifas etc., then you need to show the same to those people. If you are constantly disparaging them, looking down on them, ridiculing them, and you do, then don’t be surprised if they want nothing to do with you.

    As far as your comment “ THEN they know where to get Kosher food, a minyan or a mikvah”, why don’t you ask all those out of country places where these horrible misnagdim visit, how much money they leave there as a token of their appreciation..

    Remember what the Baal Shem Tov said, what you see in others is a reflection of what you see in youself. So instead of worrying if they listen to “ his own mussar shmuessen”, why don’t you learn a little bit of Chassidus, emulate the Rebbe as far as ahavas yisroel goes.

    To #25, your comment says it best.

  • Chabad Yeshiva deprived their own

    I know, personally (happened in the late 70’s) of this case:
    A van load of Lubavitcher Bochurim were returning to their city (24 hour drive) after a Pegisha in Crown Heights. Before the return, they visited a Lubavitcher Yeshiva. Whoever was in charge there refused to give us food for the trip. Later on, we stopped in Ner Israel(famous Litvishe Yeshiva) in Baltimore. The Roshei Yeshiva greeted us, and we davened Shachris there. Before we left, they provided us generous amounts of sandwiches and other food.
    Thank you Ner Israel for helping us in our time of need.

  • Tzipporah Sufrin

    ANTI SEMITISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN LAKEWOOD!
    WE WANT moshiach NOW!

  • Yosef Avrohom

    A Chabad Shliach from New Brunswick sent his young son to a Lakewood cheder. The boys teacher got up and announced that Chabad is not part of Klal Yisroel, their wine is forbidden etc.

    The Shliach confronted the principal. Also a supporter of the shliach who is also a supporter of the cheder called the cheder and told them that he stop[ping to support the cheder.

    The teacher petrified and crying called the shliach and told him he didn’t mean it.

    We see the atmosphere this Malkiel Kotler instills in his people.

    We also see how strong their principles are. Once they are threatened with loss of support they back down.

  • happy

    to#31 Id rather the dirt of my dear chabad lubavitch brothers and sister then the gold of those people.

  • to 36

    I heard of another cute story. A shliach got a call from his biggest baal habos who had just had a child, inquiring which kibbudim there are in a bris so he can compile a list of which kibbudim he has to know how many people he can be mechabed. So the shliach informs him of the list. He follows with inquiring by the shliach, what’s the biggest kibbud? The shliach responds reading the Rebbe’s letter. Now the day of the bris arrives and the father announces I would like to be mechabed the Rosh Yeshivah [of the local Yeshivah] to read the Rebbe’s letter! The local Rosh Yeshivah was a farbrenter misnaged and also was a beneficiary of that yid’s generous philanthropy. The Rosh Yeshivah refused to come up. The baal hasimcha was so enraged that he wasn’t so eager in maintaining that relationship with the Rosh Yeshivah.

    Not saying the story to gloat in that rosh yeshiva’s tsoros, it’s just a real funny story that I remembered once you cited that Brunswick story.

  • I am defending Misnagdim? Really?

    #33, you hit the nail on the head.

    RMK is a very aidel person, and certainly not a baal machlokes.

    I too spent some years on “the other side”. We definitely should do some soul searching (AKA cheshbon hanefesh) before issuing blanket condemnations.

    Nonetheless, RMK does live in an environment where these types of comments are common and acceptable, if not outright encouraged. It would not surprise me if RMK did in fact, in a very specific context (such as a reply to a question) say something like that as a throw away line, without appreciating or intending it’s broader meaning.

    Although some might argue that RMK’s apology did not go far enough, I think it very much displays his gadlus that he issued any statement at all. Other leaders normally take the position that ‘since I was misquoted, I don’t have to say anything.’ RMK made a statement, and that reflects very positively on him.

    I know this is wishful thinking on my part, but I think it would be wonderful if RMK would do a bit of a chesbon and honestly face his environment’s public posture, and see if he internally agrees with how they are manifesting what he believes.

    We all know the tsar and agmas nefesh both the Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe suffered from RMK’s zeide. But there were some other gedolim who also gave the Rebbe tsar, and at least one of them’s grandson seems to be the object of a current Lubavitch love fest. (I still try to refrain from using Hisachdus hechshairim.)

    Lastly, all you who commented on RMK’s personal life, you are not only idiots, you are ignorant of the facts.

  • In the Know

    The money in Shanghai was used to print Seforim, rather than feed bochurim.

  • Melden

    To No. 11: Thank you for the compliment, “These Misnagdim haven’t changed in 200 years.” At least we haven’t gone downhill like the . . .

  • Snag

    The Ahavas Yisrael from my Chabad brothers to me (as I am, unchurched/Chabad’skired), as evidenced from the comments here is amazing. It happens to be Sefira, in case anyone forgot, and the three weeks aren’t far off. I daven every day in Shmone Esrei for you to be Chozer B’tshuva, and follow the Minhagim of your Rebbes – not making fun of other M’halchim in K’lal Yisrael

  • Misnagid from Lakewood

    To # 36

    Many Shlucim (Manalapan/Twin Rivers) etc. send their children to Lakewood Chadorim/Girls school. I am very close to them and have never heard one complaint from them. You can verify w/ R’ Levertov/Bernstein/ Schapiro/ Chazonov etc.

  • Lived on both sides

    To # 39, where you write “ Nonetheless, RMK does live in an environment where these types of comments are common and acceptable, if not outright encouraged”.

    Please look at # 35 “ Tzipporah Sufrin wrote:

    ANTI SEMITISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN LAKEWOOD!
    WE WANT moshiach NOW!

    The comment from this person, besides being disgusting, untrue, and consisting of who knows how many aveiros, but, and I hate to think, is unfortunately, most probably indicative of the mindset of your typical Lubavitchers living in Crown Heights, and most probably in many other Lubavitcher kehilos as well.

    This website and all its postings are in the public domain on the internet and able to be read by everyone. Some of the comments printed here over the years, relating to those people that are not Lubavitchers, and who supposedly have offended a Lubavitcher, are terribly insulting to the unschooled person not familiar with the Lubavitcher thought process of ”everyone hates us because they are jealous of us“. You would be amazed how many non Lubavitchers read the ”news“ and comments on this site, and they think that the news they read, and more importantly the comments, are representative of the majority of Lubavitchers. So is it any wonder that you have the non Lubavitch religious world staying away and not including Lubavitchers in asifas and programs that they organize. Wouldn’t you do that??

    More amazing though that I found with her insulting comment was that she ends with ”WE WANT moshiach NOW!“. Can you believe that. Really we need to pity her ignorance, it isn’t her fault most probably. I am willing to bet that she grew up in an ” ANTI SEMITISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN LAKEWOOD”, just substitute Lakewood for the kehilla she grew up in.

    Perhaps if someone knows this woman, they could sit down with her, learn with her Chassidus, the Rebbe’s sichos particularly on the subject of ahavas yisroel, maybe even (please pardon the next thing I am about to say)the seforim of the Chofetz Chaim, and show her that the comments she writes are actually delaying the coming of Moshiach.

  • Chabad

    haha. Is this the same R’ Malkiel who helped raise hundred$ of thousand$ of dollars for R’ Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin in Lakewood? If so, I’ll accept his clarification.

    Before bashing him, think of the time and effort that he put in for Chabad.