Posted to Chabad News on

Matisyahu’s New Spiritual Groove

by Debra Nussbaum Cohen – The Jewish Week

After Lubavitch, the reggae star is now hanging his hat with an ecstatic chasidic sect.

It is only a few miles from Crown Heights to Greenpoint, Brooklyn, but in some respects, the asphalt avenues linking them bridge entirely disparate worlds.

Matisyahu Miller — known to his legions of fans by his first name, and to his friends simply as Matis — makes the trip almost daily. He bikes from the Crown Heights apartment he shares with his wife and two young sons to the loft space he’s just rented in the old industrial neighborhood, giving him a place to write and rehearse his next album.

“I might call it ‘Dream Awake,’” he says, as he cracks open a grimy window in the newly painted empty loft, sits down on the floor and lights a cigarette.

The title references the life he’s been leading the past several years as he moved from being a troubled suburban teenager into life as a frum Jew immersed at once in both the shtetl of his religious community and the world of reggae music.

Recent years have been “like a dream I had. All the pieces just came together, like a dream,” he said.

But since making public that he is breaking off from Chabad-Lubavitch, the chasidic group to which he has been closely connected since before his 2004 debut album, there have been a few less-than-dreamy moments as well.

Now in a more religiously fluid place, “we’re just frum Jews,” Matisyahu says of his family, in his first extensive interview since breaking off from Lubavitch. “I live in Crown Heights but I daven in Borough Park in Karlin” synagogues when he gets up early enough to reach it in time for morning minyan. “My wife loves the community; that’s why we’re still living in Crown Heights.”

With his unruly beard, faded blue hoodie and little round glasses, Matisyahu, 28, fits easily into artsy, edgy Greenpoint, which is on the cusp of being colonized by yuppies but unlike neighboring Williamsburg isn’t yet populated by young parents pushing expensive strollers whose occupants wear tiny Ramones onesies.

He’ll play two Chanukah shows at the neighborhood’s Warsaw club on Dec. 6 and Dec. 8 (He’s also doing a Chanukah show Dec.4-5 at Roseland Ballroom in Midtown.)

The tzitzit hanging out of his sweatshirt and the velvet yarmulke on his head connect him to his Jewish world.

And true to his location and appearance, Matisyahu is a synthesizer of disparate worlds. His music braids together rhythms and themes found in roots reggae — love of God, though here “Hashem” rather than “Jah,” and a desire to return to Zion — and dance hall sounds. He manages to merge chasidic melodies and

For Matisyahu, it is all about the spiritual search, the desire to mend this “world of fragmentation,” as he sings, and to serve and connect with God. “You’re like water for my soul when it gets thirsty …. I give myself to you from the essence of my being. Where you been, where you been for so long….”

Matisyahu first entered public consciousness with his debut album, “Shake Off The Dust … Arise” in 2004.

The following year, after talking Phish’s Trey Anastasio into letting him play a set at the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee, he proved to the tens of thousands of people there that he was more than a novelty act. Fame grew with the release of “Live at Stubb’s” (which sold 650,000 CDs) a second studio album called “Youth,” which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard charts and sold 1.2 million records, and nationwide radio airplay and touring.

Coverage in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and alt-zines — all prominently featuring photos of the black-hatted, bearded young man — both broadened his appeal and confirmed the unlikely musical marriage. In 2006 he cut ties with JDub, the Jewish boutique label that started his career, and joined powerhouse label Epic. The same year, Billboard named him its top reggae artist.

Through it all, Matisyahu, who adopted the Yiddish pronunciation of Matthew, the name he grew up with, has been an overt spiritual seeker, weaving his desire to connect with God through most of his songs.

In “Got No Water” he sings: “Hashem’s rays fire blaze light my way light of my life/ And these days well wait no longer night/ reaching for my G-d like skyscrapers in the night/ I said I know it’s hard inside is empty galus (exile) cuts like a knife/ Internalize Torah vibes bound to feel alright.”

Matisyahu’s first albums are frankly Chabad-oriented, with calls for “moshiach now” and short clips of Lubavitch rabbis talking theology and offering blessings.

But now, the lanky young singer says, he’s breaking his ties to the movement.

Matisyahu spent last Sukkot in Israel and made a surprise appearance at a Jerusalem club. Afterward, in comments made to the newspaper Haaretz, he said “I am no longer affiliated with Chabad,” and that he wants to convey a more universal message.

The move has prompted criticism and resentment from some for whom his association had been a point of pride, in discussion on the street and in the blogosphere.

“I’ve only been religious for eight years and I want to explore Judaism. That is so normal. For some reason it’s considered a big deal, but it’s so basic,” Matisyahu says. “I’ve always been very open to things, not afraid of growth and change. That’s how I got religious.”

He’s moved away from Chabad because “it was about becoming part of this machine and feeling like it was taking away from my service of God, not adding to it.”

As a 20-year-old, Matisyahu dove head first into the Chabad world.

Before then, growing up in White Plains, he dropped out of high school to follow the jam band Phish on the road, and started musical — and other forms — of experimentation. He finished high school at a teen wilderness program in Oregon for reasons “I’ll leave to people’s imaginations,” he says with a wry smile.

Already into reggae, Matisyahu’s first contact with the frum life came when he was back in New York, studying art at The New School.

He began praying wearing his grandfather’s tallit, alone on the roof of the college building and screaming out his prayers to God — an approach he recently learned he shares with a small chasidic group in Jerusalem.

Matisyahu visited different New York shuls, finding his first spiritual home at Carlebach on the Upper West Side. At the time he was also beatboxing — creating rhythms and sound effects with his voice — at open mic nights at venues like the Lower East Side’s Nuyorican Poets Café.

“I started growing out my beard and wearing a yarmulke and tzitzis then,” he says. Then he connected with a shaliach, a Chabad emissary, and quickly got deeply involved.

“I moved into the apartment of this shaliach and his family, and stayed on his couch,” Matisyahu recalls. “I had in my mind an image of a chasid and I wanted to completely transform myself. I wanted to just jump in.”

He found teachers eager to embrace his fervor.

“A lot of shluchim feel it’s their job, their end goal, to make Lubavitchers with the hat and the jacket and belief in the rebbe. And I got into it,” he says.

He moved to Crown Heights to study full time in yeshiva. He let go of music almost completely as he delved deeply into religious life, even adopting a chasidishe lilt, like he picked up a touch of Jamaican patois when he was more involved in reggae.

Being in yeshiva “was a very positive thing, learning Torah all day and getting outside of myself,” he says.

But as he concluded his studies he realized that perhaps he had set aside too much of his nature in order to fit into his new community.

“I’d made such a huge change in my life,” he says. “Because I did it all the way I stopped trusting my intuition, my own sense of right and wrong.”

As he toured, Chabad rabbis would meet with him in each city to study chasidic teachings. “At first it was very exciting to me, but after learning it for hours a day for two years, the ideas weren’t fresh anymore.”

As he was leaving the Lubavitch yeshiva, in the fall of 2004, he met an Orthodox therapist and together they studied Tanya, the founding Chabad theological text. “It was like learning it for the first time,” says Matisyahu. Then they began studying Breslov chasidic texts, and comparing the approaches. “It became so real, so alive. We studied where these two great thinkers differ, and how they can differ” theologically, he says.

It awoke the singer to the reality that there was more than one Jewish approach to serving God.

Earlier this fall, he began learning with a non-chasidic Orthodox rabbi when he was in Dallas on tour. “I started learning Gemara [Talmud] from ArtScroll, very slowly, in English translating one word at a time, and getting a broader sense of Judaism.”

More recently, he was introduced to an entirely different approach to chasidic prayer, one that, he says, he connects to. Visiting Israel, he went to the Pinsk-Karlin shul in Mea Shearim, where morning prayers take 90 minutes rather than the half hour he had become used to. That community’s custom is for the men to scream their prayers. Not just at moments of peak religious ecstasy, Matisyahu says, but throughout the service.

With them, “I’m really saying the words, trying to break through. To me that really fits with the essence of what the chasidic movement was really about” originally, he says. “Being unconventional and breaking out of your boundaries in any way you can.”

“I was full-on Chabad for about four years,” he says. The recent articles written about his break from Chabad “made it seem like I just woke up and said Chabad is not for me, but it’s been a process for the last four years.”

“Not that I want to come down on Chabad,” he says. “But I started learning things in a new way.”

And, he says, “I need to do Judaism in a way that makes me feel more alive, not less alive.”

nigguns (wordless songs) with reggae-style scatting.

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152 Comments

  • am

    Because he is a celebrity of sorts does not give anyone a right to judge his personal choices and search for hashem.

    may he be succesfull either way and hashem should send the ovedue geulah so that we can all end our searches for whatever we may be searching for including health, nachas, parnassah, joy, happiness, children vechulu.

  • sad...

    How sad he never really learnt what chabad is all about! If only he would have been able to mee the Rebbe physically!

  • resident

    What A nice article to inspire our children and make them into real bocurim.Sarcasm intended.Of course lubavitch is not good enough for him. How can you be a chosid while visiting stubs and other theatres. They dont go together here but they might fly together somewhere else.Chabad Rabbis knew when they said his muic isnt for us.It sgreat for not frum people but not for a lubavitcher.I hope he dousnt end up saying deragotory remarks about us.

  • disturbed

    zul ehr kushen tif lubavitch is the reason he made it big
    im not shocked

    we should have moshiach imediatley

  • wondering

    So it makes me wonder if he regrets making the albums "youth" and "shake off the dust arise" ? which have great affiliation with chabad. the shock is not so much that he is looking at other forms of judaism to better himself as much as he was so much a spokesperson for chabad and now he is changing that.

  • Moving on, and on, and on...

    Good luck!!!
    I can just see the next article entitled "Cutting off all ties with all of Judaism". Because “At first it was very exciting to me, but after learning it for hours a day for two years, the ideas weren’t fresh anymore.” So now he is trying Buddhism.

  • CHer

    Chabad still made him frum & I think he needs to give a little more credit where credit is due.

  • ????

    CHILUL LUBAVITCH…

    UNFORTUNATELY HE WAS NEVER A TRUE CHOSSID!

    HE COULDNT GIVE UP SINGING IN BARS AND PUBS, WITH WOMEN AND MEN MIXED DANCING!!!

  • Normal is Boring.

    I like the way it’s listed here,

    ————————————-
    « Please Say Tehillim for…
    »
    Matisyahu’s New Spiritual Groove
    Author: Webby Category: Chabad News
    by Debra Nussbaum Cohen – The Jewish Week
    ————————————-

    I think he should explore what he wants, but He’s sold out big time.

    I think that Lubavitch made him, what he is today, and that he will always owe it to Chabad.

    I wish him the best but think he’s an idiot for his hypocritical remarks.

  • Yossi

    I’m so happy he’s finally "finding himself".There’s just so many BT"s I know who just become totally hynotized with this Lubav. cult thing without exploring any of the other paths in Yiddishkeit. (As if Lubavitch is the closest thing to Judaism)!

    P.S. I’m quite curious as to what he will ultimately identify himself with.
    After all he’s still quite young and "new" to the Frum world.
    Annonymous

  • What else is new

    give him 4 more years and the same article will appear only it’ll be matisyahu explaining why he’s not religious anymore…

  • Fed Up

    As disappointed as I or anyone else may be about his take on Chabad – he’s certainly not incorrect.

    This incessant, self-righteous, and inconsiderate demanding of individuals to simply abandon their own "nature in order to fit [the] community…" and disdain for "trusting [one’s own] intuition, [their own] own sense of right and wrong…” is not something Matisyahu just dreamt up; it’s a very real problem the needs very real addressing.

    I am not denying that the notion is a noble ideal on the general scale – Kabalos Ol is certainly a fundamental principle, one integral to true growth and a healthy spirituality; but it’s not something that can easily happen at the drop (or donning) of a hat. And certainly when the concept is irresponsibly and erroneously applied and ascribed to any which particular category, observance or belief the "authority" (aka mashpia, rosh-yeshiva, etc) so whimsically, arbitrarily, and selfishly chooses.

    It is for this reason the "system" Matisyahu refers to has failed him, and has likewise failed – and will continue to fail – our youth in the Yeshivos, until something drastic is done to remedy the situation.
    Which will of course never happen, because the way it’s been set up, disagreement with these persons stances has become tantamount in our community to rebellion against OUR (not exclusively their) Rebbe, and against G-d.

    We’ve lost our courage and strength to stand up to unqualified, or at least unjustifiably high-handed individuals running our "system" in our name.

    And it’s we who are suffering.

    Happy Channukah.

  • used and abused

    Used and abused
    everyone knows that Mattis got his first debut from the Chabad Telethon, that’s wbere his career really jumped. Maybe if he would’ve joined Aish he would’ve become more famous performing with a huge Artscroll rather than the hat and jacket. It’s disgusting to see that such a "role-model" for today’s youth acts in such a disrespectful and ungrateful way to the life and people that made him every inch of who he is. Mattew Miller was and would’ve been a nothing. Mattisyahu the Lubavitcher had it made. Now it’s gone forever.

  • Zeldy

    A bie genzundt, Matisyahu! Pure Chabad hiskashrus is not for everyone. And if it’s not for you – why force, if you’re mmore "comfortable" with another hashpaah.

    A person must find himself religiously. You learned so much from Chabad but in the end you must find your way to where your neshama is comfortable.

    Hatzlacha rabba!

  • CURIOS

    WOW!!! i think its okay for him to move on but he doesn’t need to talk badly about chabad especially how a shliach took him into his apartment and then he says that the goal of the shliach is to make black hatters. THAT IS SO NOT TRUE!!! that is not the goal of shulchim and he got it so wrong. im curios to know if he’ll still be using the all the Chassidic deep concepts in his new album. also will he continue to sing his old ones along with the niggunim in it.

  • A fan Of his music

    I hope matisyahu finds his niche his place within judaism which ever sect it may be. He had a major impact on lots of Jews and Gentiles a like. He was an inspiration for many. I like his music and the fact he was religious, and was part of neighbrohood in which I grew up, however the fact he " left chabad" the personalized matisyahu may have change but his music and impact will go on forever.

    Thank you matisyahu for all that you done and goodluck on your spiritual journey.

  • A fan Of his music

    I hope matisyahu finds his niche his place within judaism which ever sect it may be. He had a major impact on lots of Jews and Gentiles a like. He was an inspiration for many. I like his music and the fact he was religious, and was part of neighbrohood in which I grew up, however the fact he " left chabad" the personalized matisyahu may have change but his music and impact will go on forever.

    Thank you matisyahu for all that you done and goodluck on your spiritual journey.

  • me

    oy! the poor guy!
    i guess he never really got the whole chabad thing.
    he got the parts of hassidus that he wanted at the time, but never spent too much time in yeshiva.
    never got any chasidishkeit, only the parts he was able to get high off of.
    nu nu!

  • Upset fan

    This is disgusting. He’s coming onto chabadnicks, onto shluchim who were there for him, and making them sound like he did something wrong! Seriously, are you kidding me??????????????
    Telling the world that he thinks that he’s becoming a machine by being Chabad????????????? Does he realize what he is saying? Honestly, after all these people did for him, spit things in their faces ha! Not trying to come down on chabad? YEAH right! Okay, so if he wanted a different path in life, but does he have to use these words? More alive than not alive? EXCUSE ME! He’s making it all sound like a cult Has’v shalom!!! What is he thinking? and who does he think he is anyways? Not like people are going to care , obviously they’ll continue supporting him and his crazy mishigas… well you know what? HE just lost a very big fan who had a lot of respect for him. But NOT anymore!
    MOVE OUT OF CROWN HEIGHTS AND GO TO WHERE PEOPLE WANT YOU!

  • confused

    i cant figure out if he means it in a good way or a bad way? but this looks kinda negative!

  • This is crazy

    I have one thing to say. If this is the way that he’s planning on continuing, and all these kids are still going to admire him and look up to him, then we are in for some SERIOUS trouble. As if he hasn’t done enough damage already…

  • dissapointed person

    every body has a right to change in life
    and the are many teachings in the world and i am happy for matisyahu that he found inrichment in his life
    but the way he spit to the well he drank from just gonna remind him a few years from now how he will regret this time in his life or this article

    there is a way to at least say something good nice about the shluchim and the Rebbe
    with out the Rebbe you wont be were you are
    who is a Shlicha of Hashem in the world
    changes are good
    but when you are a leader espically effects so many young people
    in yiddishkeit
    and your earthquake effects and its not for your credit
    you are a mashpia for others so the way you do things will effect people
    for the good and the bad

    you said in the article that you dont want to come down on chabad but i dont know how you can walk in crown heights

  • a proud lubavitcher

    u know what? when hes lubavitch we love him when he leaves we give him nasty comments, just let him do what he wants!
    he didnt make fun of us so y should we make fun of him?
    its his life

  • BT

    Lubavitch has a reputation for welcoming BTs with open arms but once they commit, only accepting them as 2nd class (as opposed to FFB/shpitz/gezha – whatever term you choose) Perhaps Matisyahu has come to realize this.

  • Grow up

    "Yossi wrote:
    He will come back. They always come back."

    No. They don’t. In fact, they rarely do.
    Because what’s turning them away to begin with aren’t things they simply make up or misconstrue; they’re very real issues that the people such as yourself like to believe don’t exist.

    We’re not all that great.

    Yes, Chabad is, but the way those responsible for its representation actually behave and portray it ranges from helplessly naive to downright despicable.

    Open your eyes and grow up: the Lubavitch community is not all fine and dandy.

    And they don’t always come back.

    For good reason.

  • interesting

    I love how the commentators are saying nasty things to Matisyahu instead of being introspective about proactive changes in the Lubavitch community that would make Ba’al Teshuvos feel more like their Judaism was alive. Not talking about Chabad Houses…I’m talking about Crown Heights.

    Good luck to Matisyahu. Hope he finds what he’s looking for.

  • SHALOM BER

    happy u left .never should of come to lubavitch. maybe the youth will find a true role model a. true chossid ..BORUCH SHEBUTRANI…………..

  • tn

    Yashar koach on being public about searching and wanting and finding emes.
    Chabad does not have a monopoloy on truth at all.
    There were 7 branches on the menora in the BH and each one was an equal light.

    Lubavitchers may find their own children keeping a torah-true lifestyle if we educate our children to really connect with Hashem and the Torah and what really matters, as opposed to having them live up to a "Chabad" label and lifestyle.

    Every mitzvah is a light, Chabad doesnt believe in labels, our doors are open to all etc etc etc. Maybe we should heed our own words????

  • yossy

    two things 1}i wonder what this new chassidic group he joined is going to think about his music 2} he know’s that with out the hat and jaket he would just be another singer and would not be so famous and $

  • Elchonon

    To all the talk backers talking trash on matisyahu, something inside me wants to believe your all teenagers.

    At first when I read the article it was like "ok chabad is not about making black hat chasidim"

    While true a chasid should wear a black hat, thats in no way lowering those that dont want to.

    We have thousands of guys with black hats and nothing under it… heck no tzitzis or beard..

    You guys need to come friday night to mearas hamachpela and you will see true conection to g-d.. because 770 in my opinon is like a large cocktail party friday night.

    I understand his position, many of my friends are what you would call "hippy’s" and are better ovdim than all the frauds that do wear hats.

    When you realize that you dont "own" him, then maybe he can be appriciating of what chabad did for him.

    Chabad is about our rebbeim not matisyahu so chill out and let the guy choose how he wants to serve hashem, its not like he is going to lakewood.

    Your always welcome here in chevron matis!

  • kind of happy

    I actually think that it’s a good thing that he officially ‘divorced’ himself from Chabad, because there are a lot of people who used his being Chabad as a way of justifying or putting down the things that he does. And Chabad does not ned to be associated with that either way.
    It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO wrong of him to put down Chabad like that. What a load of baloney he writes about Shluchim. He should apologize. At least his wife uses her brains more than him.

  • lazer

    once a lubavitcher always a lubavitcher
    you can run but you can’t hide it’s just a matter of tim befor he sees the light again

  • tzippy

    I think Lubavicher should be mor open to people "leaving" Lubavich, he is frum and a yid, he wants to learn something else besides Tanya? Gevald! Too many BT’s in Lubavich don’t even know what Karlin is, they think that everything else besides Lubavich is not yidishkeit!
    I think Lubavichers should be proud of making out of Matis a frum yid who is true to himself.
    Matis is too excited about the Jewish world outside of Chabad, so?

  • Chana

    What’s with all the anger and personal insult? come on… ahavas yisroel is not only meant for Jews who say good things about us. The Rabbeim always demanded the highest level of ahavas yisroel from chasidim regardless of the situation – let’s take a lesson from that and not judge.
    As to the problems in our community, we all have the power to affect change wherever we are. No one is perfect; we just have to be able to learn from what comes our way and apply that to daily life. You have a problem with how people are judged, treated, or spoken to in our community? you’re part of the community; change how you judge, treat, and speak to others.
    Good Luck
    Moshiach now!

  • Mind Ur Own

    grow up every body, and mind ur own business!!
    Live and let live!!!
    Hes a grown up let hiom make his own decisions!!

  • Me Myself & I

    HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF
    CHABAD, CHASID, SHLIACH, LUBAVICHER, CHER…

    all of you, OH MY G-D

    look at what you are all saying…

    Dear Matisyahu,

    i am so sorry about all these comments, please realize that these comments left are from those who are not.

    Long time lubavichers
    Long time Chasidim
    Long time shluchim

    the reson i say this is as follows

    as a Chosid FFB Shiach son and current shliach

    i have learned from the Rebbe many things, in particular
    if you know Alef – go ahead teach Alef

    the Rebbe has even told a non religeos person to do the mivtza tefilin, knowing that the person himself will not be a hipocrit

    also – use out the latest technoilgy to spread the light.

    i have never heard the Rebbe say anything negetive as the above or below comments.

    please forgive these poeple they dont mean any harm, they just dont understand you, and life.

    Matisyahu
    a job of a shiach, a job of a lubavicher, a job of a chosid are to help others get closer to hashem, the Rebbe is our guide he is our shliach he is our dugma of how to get closer to hashem, it is ok not to become a lubavicher but a frum person.

    Please Matiyahu
    Remember the following

    as i said earlyer
    the Rebbe was always for a new ways to reaching out the world using the latest in technoligy and so on, he also asked people to teach what ever they are able to teach.

    i look at you no matter which type of chasid you wana be, as a person with tremendos influence on millions of people in the world

    use out your talents to spread goodness and kindness, use it out to teach the world what they may not know, use out every oppertunity were ever you go to be able to help you accomplish this goal, this is your shlichus, this is your way the Rebbe, And HAshem would want you to be, never mind about the negitive thoughts you may have when walking down the street, you have got this power for a reason, dont keep it to yourself.

    and to all those ungreatfull people out there

    make comments that will help people as they read them
    not the opposit

  • shliach

    DEAR MATISYAHU,

    There was a famous incident where one day at some preschool, a young boy went over to the Shliach’s son and said: "My father hates your Rebbe". The young Shliach quickly replied warmly, "And my Rebbe loves your father".

    ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE LUBAVITCH, WE WELCOME YOU BACK WITH OPEN ARMS.

    Moshiach now!

  • anon

    ATT: BT,

    I am so sorry about your prespective that lubavitch considers bt’s 2nd class citizens. I really dont know what leads you to believe this, but here are my thoughts…

    Compare it to the development of a small child, when a child is born the mother does everything for the baby, as the child grows the dependence on the mother becomes smaller, the child learns to eat, dress and eventually cross the street himself.
    Similarly, when a baal tshuva is being welcomed into lubavitch, the shliach is all there for them.

    As time passes though, the individual learns – and should – how to deal with the world the way the rest of us do… if you have questions, find someone to answer them.. thats what we do! you need encouragement – go to a farbrengen.

    If you make a statement that is lubavitchly ignorent in public, people are going to look at you funny.. so go learn more or don’t try to pasken at krias hatorah

    as for shidduchim… just because you are lubavitch doesnt mean that you are entiteled to marry a ffb, gezeh etc… if someone wants to marry their child off to an individual who shares their upbringing – thats their prerogative!

    Anyway I wish you a lot of luck in general, lifes tough.

  • A BT in CH

    The problem is Matisyahu obviously didn’t learn long enough if he never had picked up a Gemara before now. That’s also a problem. I don’t think he spent enough time just being a fulltime bochur in Yeshiva and he didn’t spend enough time going from being frum to really finding his derech. So maybe Karlin-Stolin is his derech. Also the guy went so quickly back into music and into the secular music life and how can someone not be affected by that?

    I think he could also grow in maturity but the guy’s only 28 so bezras Hashem he will and maybe he’ll think a little before saying some of the things he’s said.

    Interesting: what would you suggest people do in CH to make BTs feel more excited about yiddishkeit? I think having more smaller women’s farbrengens would help me personally. We had those all the time at Machon Alte and the gigantic ones at Lubavitch Yeshiva and OT don’t do much for me. Other than that I don’t necessarily want to be living my life consciously as a BT. On some level I’ve stopped thinking of myself primarily as a BT anyway.

  • Anonymous

    Just because it would be nice to practice what we preach for a change- how about some dan l’kaf zchus? Has anyone ever heard of "spin"? It’s entirely possible for an answer to be misconstrued or only partially transmitted. It happens all the time because the result is more dramatic and raises more ire than it would written the way it was said. I don’t know if that’s what happened, but I would think it would be preferable to think that than to bash indiscriminately. :)

  • Out of Towner

    I feel most sorry for his wife. I don’t know her, but she’s obviously married to a very lost guy. How are you supposed to raise frum kids with a "father figure" who can’t decide who he is? Who wants to uproot from everything you expected your life would be about? Whose "hiskashrus" is about as strong as a cheap rubber band? It’s a rachmones on her and her sons. Hashem should give them all strength and clarity.

  • dissappointed

    It’s a shame that Matis doesnt even understand the stuff he’s been singing about…talk about biting the hand that feeds you…Matis, you’re not successful in spite of your lubavitchkeit, but directly because of it. Good luck!

  • Sad but True

    Fed Up says it best. Instead of bashing Matis (which I am sure will make him all the more endeared to Chabad) why don’t we take his statements seriously and think about what we can do to improve. If he was exposed to Chabad and didn’t feel fulfilled and inspired, then the problem DOES NOT lie with him, it lies with US, the CHABADNIKS. It is our responsibility to teach Chassidus in a way that makes others want to be a part of that, if they don’t, then we need to wonder what we are doing wrong. Of course if it easy to throw the blame on him, but it doesn’t change the very valid points he raises. With everything happening with our youth, and especially recently, it is pretty clear that we have some serious problems to deal with. Sure it is embarrassing that Matisyahu publicly has spoken out about leaving Chabad, but we have no one to blame for that but ourselves.

  • BrookAve

    Perhaps he should move back to White Plains with the wife and kids and finish High School. Maybe it is a pattern of not finishing something, moving on, changing, reinventing himself, finding a comfortable place, then leaving, then finding Karlin-Stolin, then Muncatch, then Bobov, then Satmar??? Why not, his new pad is 5 minutes from Lee Avenue. Perhaps he will do a concert at the main Satmar Shul on Rodney Street?

  • Anonymous

    Had the Rebbe not inserted the three words “b’midat emet leYaakov” (“according to the attribute of Truth unto Yaakov”), he would have attracted fifty thousand more chassidim. But the Rebbe demands the trait of truth.

    (Hayom Yom, 10, Menachem Av)

  • Tzvi

    As a Lubav brought up with Lubav Ahavas Yisroel, I think all I need to say to Matis at this time is Hatzlacha Rabba!

  • Anonymous

    a proud lubavitcher wrote:
    “u know what? when hes lubavitch we love him when he leaves we give him nasty comments, just let him do what he wants!”

    If he went on his way quietly then fine, everybody has his journey, it’s a free country etc…
    For some reason he’s trying to make it a point to knock Chabad and that’s why people are getting upset.

  • Nachmi

    I echo the above comments when I say that Matisyahu simply used the Chabad name for PR as he made his way to the top. Too bad, we all fell for it. Now that he is there (or should I say WAS THERE) he no longer needs Chabad. Not to worry, in a few months he’ll just be a washed up dope smoking "HASSID" making his pilgrimage to Uman with lots of other potheads. His music was a passing fad. For all those who would not allow their children to listen to his music or attend his shows, KUDOS to you!

  • Matis chabad rocks!

    Matisyahu is good guy! because of him I davened maariv with a minyan late after a gig in Amsterdam in the Netherlands! Matisyahu is bringing Moshiach to the world in places no one else could. Maybe he’s just upset he was’nt aksed to sing at the Kinus?

  • Areye Leib Krayzman

    Hey Matis whats up your old friend leib krayzman here anyways this kinda sucks since we basically came to hadar hatorah the same time. same dreams you abviously got to yours first , i guess im still finding my way, at first when i heard about this it upset me, just remembering the dancing after shacris every morning after rabbi wircberg finished the hayom yom and moshiach and geulah speech and you drummingon the bima to the song of yechi so i guess this is why its hard for me to except that you have left us, cause you seemed so commited on mivztoim. Listen I don’t agree with the chabad people or chassidim in the way they act and treat bal teshuvas , but you can’t base your faith in them its the Rebbe and chasidus. anyways Matis i will always love you and your music and good luck in all your endevoer. Areye Leib Krayzman

  • Man!

    This comment “I need to do Judaism in a way that makes me feel more alive, not less alive.” shows that who ever was mekariv this man did it in a very backwards way OR he himself did things in a very backwards way.
    You need to be a yid b4 a chossid and if he comes to the above conclusion about chabad, it just means he wasn’t a yid before to fully experience the chassidus.

  • 100% EFRAIM-S FAULT!!!

    Notice in the article he talks about his "frum" therapist. Well, this "therapist" Efraim Rosensteing, (he is NOT a licensed therapist) is COMPLETELY responsible for Matisyahu leaving Chabad, as well as many of his other clients. The sad part is how many Lubavitchers seek his counsel when his goal is to turn people away from Chabad. This man has no bitul to anyone and is responsible not only for such hashkafic disasters, but emotional and psychological ones as well. With him being allowed to be a mashpia (let alone unlicenced therapist) for Crown Heights, it is no surpise that Matis is now smoking cigaretts, drinking and no longer Chabad!

  • Really Disappointed

    Come On!

    For all those criticizers, look at yourself before looking at others,

    Are you really a Chosid?

    Your not perfect either

  • very upset

    He is so not right what he said! if it werent for chabad he would still not be frum at all! he owes so much to chabad and the Rebbe how dare he talk about chabad in that way! What a slap in the Face! he is a really disgusting person! he toatlly missed the whole point of what shluchim are out there to accoumplish! we are there to make people frum! not lubavitch! if they want to be lubavitch fine if not thats up to you! but to say that we force people to be lubavitch is wrong and to make it so public! in my opinion his own music went to his head and dso did his Gavah! HE IS NO ROLE MODEL ! when a Person becomes frum everything is their choice even being frum is their choice! so to say he was forced dosent make sense! he just couldnt understandf what it meant to be lubavitch or chassidus for that matter! and its pretty pathetic to blame the shluchim who saved your neshamah and made you frum you owe your whole being frum to them YOU BETTER THANK THEM AND TAKE BACK YOUR WORDS OR YOU ARE A COMPLETE COWARD ! AND POEPLE LIKE YOU DO NOT DESEVE TO BE LABAVITCH ITS A PRIVILEGE TO BE! WE ARE WAITING FOR AN APOLOGY MATIYAHU! YOU OWE EVERYTHING TO CHABAD!

  • chana

    Maybe a lot of the comment writers need to relearn Perek Lamed Beis Tanya.

    It really isn’t our job to judge anyone

  • Shliach

    I am shocked at most of the comments here.
    I agree with "Elconon"- I think most of these were written by bored teenagers – not the typical Lubavitcher. Most of Lubavitch are either now on Shlichus working on Chanukah peulos or Crown Heightsers doing other important things other than reading CrownHeights info. If you were to ask a typical Shliach what he says about this article, I can guarantee he would not react this way. Matisyahu is a Jew. Just as much a Jew as he was when he started becoming Frum. Which Shliach ever yelled at a Jew like this before?! I’m on Shlichus in a place where there are some real misnagdim that spit every time they pass our Chabad House. Do you think my father EVER yelled back at them? Would the Rebbe EVER yell at another Yid?? The Rebbe’s approach was to add light instead of fighting with darkness. Continue to love, and it will eventually seep in. "Dvorim hayotzim min halev nichnosim el halev". I don’t know about these uneducated people bashing back Matisyahu, but every Shliach and even typical Crown Heightser would hold the same way. This is what the Rebbe taught us, and this is what every real Chossid truly believes. To Matisyahu- I am sorry about your experience that turned you off from Lubavitch, although I can be sure that you haven’t really "tasted" Chassidus and "Rebbe". Thousands of people that started learning Chassidus, right away felt that they were only getting more chayus in serving Hashem- not the opposite. Go whichever derech you want, continue spreading the light of Torah to all four corner of the world, and in case you ever decide you want to try it again, I just want you to know there’s a lot more that I don’t think you’ve tasted yet.
    I only wish you much success, and remember – you CAN walk down the streets of Crown Heights again, and NOBODY is kicking you out C"V. Those people should be embarrassed of themselves.
    Hatzlacha Raba and MOSHIACH NOW!!

  • bt-s daughter

    i’m not soory at all to admit this but lubavitcher-chabad pl-do look down upon the BT’s.
    aren’t accepted to good yeshivos
    aren’t accepted to good seminaries
    are treated without respect from the kingston stores
    children are put down in school are lonely are leftout
    …
    i know i see many who experienced this and know it myself

  • chill

    c`mon, give the guy a break.and as a few guys said before, look at the mashpiim who taught him for this. and as dov said,it`s all about truth.
    good luck matis.

  • Anonymous

    All comments aside, I have one questions for the keepers of this website:
    Why do you continue to report on him?

  • DEAR MATISYAHU,

    i hope matisyahu that you are reading all the comments, this message is for you.
    THE SHLUCHIM AND ALL OF LUBAVTICH ARE THE ONES WHO PROMOTED YOU AND MADE YOU INTO THIS BIG REGGAE SINGER THAT YOU ARE. IT IS NOT RIGHT THAT YOU SEEM TO PUT LUBAVITCH DOWN OR THE SHLUCHIM WHO OPENED THEIR HANDS AND THEIR SMALL APARTMENT FOR YOU, ITS OKAY THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE ON AND EXPLOE JUDAISM BUT UNDER NOOOOOO CIRCUMSTANCE CAN YOU EVER PUT LUBAVITCH DOWN IN ANY WAY. I AM UPSET ABOUT YOUR INTERVIEWS WHICH SEEMED TO BE PUTTING LUBAVITCH DOWN, YOU MUST STOP BECAUSE WHEN YOU NEEDED US WE WERE THERE FOR YOU AND WE ALways WILL BE SO DONT BREAK YOUR TIES WITH US IF YOUR WIFE LOVES THE CROWNHEIGHTS COMMUNITY AND YOU LIVE THERE.
    good luck in all you do, and being a good jew is (no matter what "title" you want to call yourself) you dont push otheres down to raise yourself up – maening dont push lubavitch down so you can move forward. you should move forward without pushing us down because we were there for you when you tring to tzmah licha nafshi quench your thirst for hashem – which you seem to still being doing but in other forms.
    alright i let you knowmy thought matisyahu! gut voch

  • watch out for the real problam

    "he met an Orthodox therapist and together they studied Tanya, the founding Chabad theological text. “It was like learning it for the first time,” says Matisyahu."

    does any one know who this guy is? he seems very dangros – i heard is also used to be a chabad guy who now lives in chevron – and comes to crown heights to do this kind of therapi. whatch out for him!!!

  • Ephriam Rosenstein

    Turns out his new mashpia – “frum therapist” – Ephriam Rosenstein is the one who put these ideas in his head.

    Rosenstein has been involved in some very shady “therapist” work, including stealing from clients, misrepresenting himself as a licensed and unethical conduct with young vulnerable woman in our community.

    Matis: Your young, impressionable and a perfect target for Rosenstein’s agenda – I just hope your family remains “fresh” … (he has a history ;-))

  • me!

    I totally agree with ”shliach”… It is not fair to judge no matter what …YES its hard to hear this as a lubavitcher but that doesnt mean you can judge someone in any way !

  • dont speak english

    hey shliach! im happy you found time to write all that farbrenguen… have no tim eto read it thou…
    too muc to be done!
    anyways, why do people care anyway what he considers himselfs as?? this is such bs…. just let him be, let him choose wich avodas hashem suits him better, he’ll find the way, he’ll bring moshiach just like u’ll.. let peple live, and make their own decitiond.
    and second, what makes u concider urself lubavitcher or not??

  • BACK TO THE BASICS

    When I read the articles, I felt a bit disgusted. However, reading the comments only intensified that feeling. Chabad Lubavitch is known among most of the world as different-many people can tell there is something about us that does it, but can’t pinpoint it. What is it? Our love.

    We love all jews, and anyone who walks into a Chabad House is welcomed in with open arms. For instance, look at the recent college student shabbaton. The love and warmth is incredible.

    HOWEVER…

    Amongst chassidim, we are family. With family, we are more comforatable and do not always show this unconditional love. We fight. Not just about issues that exist, but issues that we create in ORDER to fight. Please, lets get BACK TO THE BASICS.

    Before we run off to learn maamarim, teach shiurim, or give speeches to hundreds of people, lets get back to basic ahavas yisroel. Once we change this lack of love in our community, any article that may seem derogatory, such as this one, will have no standing in the eyes of the world, for no truth will lie behind it. AND, as a bonus, what do you think is the fastest way to bring moshiach???

  • jimbo

    there is so much writing so youll be lucky if you get this far down.

    some questions to ask yourself before u move on

    1) what did matisyahu do to u that you feel he owes you something and belongs to u?

    2) are you thinking with your heart or with your head?

    3) what are you going to do about it?

    if nothing is the answer then stop talking about it…it will only agrivate u and not make your life any better.

    just a note to yossi who says they always come back…halivai that was true uncle moishe started out as a lubab and had his wedding in front of 770…in case u were wondering.

    also if people knew how to properly give over information and teach, the learning would be a totally different experience.

  • ponderous

    dear matisyahu

    maybe people have already said this
    but im gonna say it anyway

    i would like to say
    that because of one of your concerts i stopped listening to goyus music
    it really impacted my life in an amazing way

    you can change and find yourself a different path
    there are 70 faces to the Torah and all are EMET
    just be care full the way you do it
    because you effect millions of people
    and when you jump from one side to another
    in a harsh way
    you make many people who follow you confused
    whats going on?

    i hope you can come to peace with everything in your life that is making you jump to survive
    jumping meaning not knowing where to turn
    and no matter what you decide you should just know that although people are hurt in the end there arms will be open if you need
    the true power of ahavat yisroel
    the Rebbe loved every yid
    no matter his background
    wish for you and your family to over come all the obstacles you may face
    and jump right over stronger then before!
    moshaich now!

  • hurt fan

    the message in is not only for matisyahu
    its for everyone who reads this

    nothing against matisyahu
    but when you are a very famous person who has huge influence in the frum world, the not frum world and the goyus world
    it doesnt feel good to be right now matisyahus fan
    it sounds very confusing and esepacially he had a huge mashpa on me!
    i am thinking what does this person represent?
    a confused man
    i am sure i am not the only one
    some people react with anger
    some people with love
    some people will not care
    the bad news for matisyahu is if people really stop caring
    thats what will happen when a person is not sure about himself
    i wish him the best
    good luck
    and everything that he goes through will not hurt his family
    find a good mashpia
    who will guide him to get out of his mess no matter what he choose
    peace out

  • David

    Matisyahu is a fine young man. He has every right to make his own choices in life. We all wish him best of luck in his new path and may he find what his soul yearns for…… Good luck!!

  • Baruch F.

    stupid moron, we all predicted that he will lose his religious status as he becomes more famous.

    It says his wife likes the community here, thats why they live here. But, wait they will move out and his wife wont be happy… hes bringing on disaster into his life.

    The next article to come out on him will say as follows "Matisyahu, the born again jew is finishing his latest album and will be performing on MTV this coming weekend, stay tuned and see with top model he turns up with this time…"

  • demontres

    matis is a brave soul. he dares to go out into the storms of life ready to explore and risk all. g-d bless him in his journey.

  • shliach

    Honestly, I feel that there are a lot of good points here (and I usually hate comments, especially here).

    Yes, Lubavitch needs to do a cheshbon hanefesh. Yes, Matis needs to do a cheshbon hanefesh regarding Lubavitch and hakoras hatov. Yes, Hadar HaTorah and others (Crown Heightsers, shluchim, etc.) need to do a cheshbon hanefesh with the way he was handled.

    But tachlis, this shouldn’t affect us. I hope this won’t affect the kids who got hashpo’o from his stuff. But we all (Matis and Lubavitch) need to get on with our lives.

  • Annonymous

    am wrote:
    Because he is a celebrity of sorts does not give anyone a right to judge his personal choices and search for hashem.

    may he be succesfull either way and hashem should send the ovedue geulah so that we can all end our searches for whatever we may be searching for including health, nachas, parnassah, joy, happiness, children vechulu.
    – I whole heartedly agree!!!

  • emes

    that happens when you jump into something too fast as a balai tshuva.i saw it comming look at carlebach.i wish him to strenghen his hishkashrus with the rebbe

  • sara

    i am surprised at most comments that are written above me…there is no way we can judge a person…every person has there struggles…no one is perfect.

    a message for Matiyahu, CHANGE is a step by step procees…usually it’s not good to jump into things very quickly, when you take upon a lot of things at once, usually nothing or not all gets done like you would you like…but by taking upon one thing on yourself at a time will let you to want to eventually want more and more…hopefully you will find the right path to grow and strengthen your yidishkeit in the way that is best for you…
    you should continue to inspire people in the music that you do, because i am sure that you are reaching out to people through your music that is making people become more closer to Hashem…
    you should have a happy and successful journey in your life…

  • job not kiruv

    the kiruv/mivtzoinm was not his goel and when chabad wanted him to use his g-d given tallent to spread yidishkiet (maybe we pushed him to much) he was not intressted je just wanted to do his job

  • Chablog

    I AM A FULL FLEDGED LUBAVITCHER AND FROM THE WAY PEOPLE ARE TALKING IN THESE COMMENTS, IT EVEN MAKES ME THINK TWICE ABOUT LUBAVITCH. I AM SICK TO MY STOMACH THE WAY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT A FELLOW JEW. AND THEN WHEN THERE IS A BABY IN THE HOSPITAL OR A CAR ACCIDENT EVERYONE UNTIES AND POSTS NICE COMMENTS TO SAY TEHHILIM. WHY DO YOU THINK HASHEM DOES THINGS LIKE THAT TO US. SCROLL UP ABOVE AND SEE THE WAY WE ARE TALKING AND THEN WE WONDER WHEN CROWN HEIGHTS HAS A TRAGEDY! LOOK AT YOURSELVES! THE REBBE WOULD BE ASHAMED OF HALF OF YOU! AND YOU CURSE OUT MATISYAHU FOR LEAVING LUBAVITCH AND THEN YOU GIVE HIM REASON TO!

    I am honestly in shock. Even when there are bad politics i dont hear people talk the way they are about this… my g-d i think i have to go throw up.

  • E M

    What is right for you may not be the right path for another. It is extremely arrogant to think that everyone must be Chabad.

    Many Rabeim have referred their Chasidim to different Chasidic groups because they saw that the proper path for this soul was not amongst their Chassidim.

    WE should all give him the benefit of the doubt. He did NOT leave Chabad to appeal to a larger fan base. He is honestly searching for his proper path in his service to Hashem.

    Chabad isn’t about making others Lubavitch. The goal is to help Jews connect with their roots and to inspire them to always grow in their observance.

    Chabad dosnt need recognition or celebrity endorsement!
    Matisyahu does not deny that Chabad made him frum. He never said anything negative about Chabad either. Let him be!
    We wish him all the best!

  • Elchonon

    I am shocked and outraged at the sheer chutzpa of most of you people, I thank g-d I dont have you as my neighbers in Chevron.

    What the heck is wrong with you people ? Breslov is not judaism? karlin is not judaism? they are talmidei ha’baal shem tov as well…

    I personaly see plenty lacking in chabad today, at least the breslov chasidim dance during davening and dont talk..

    You guys are hurt because its your ego at play here, for so long you bragged that he was a lubavitcher..

    What chutzpa to say that he owes chabad for making him frum?!?!

    And to whoever is bashing efraim, keep your mouth shut and your lashon hara to yourself, as a resident of chevron efraim had more mesiras nefesh than all your elter zaidy’s combined including having 3 fingers shot off.

    Its not your place to judge anyone… and if I was to judge anyone in crown heights i’d brand you all as haters and surely, I thank the one above I dont live in CH.

    Why worry about his playing in bar’s ? worry about all the CH youth that hang out in bars..

  • Elchonon

    With regards to BT’s feeling that they are second status, my parents are BT and I dont see this is ever having been a issue.

    Just know that the rebbe is not anyone’s domain, our rebbe is everyone’s rebbe. FFB’s have no copyright on our rebbe.. we are all chasidim no matter what rung of the ladder we are currently on.

    And instead of having the chutzpa to demand a apology from matisyahu, how about thanking him for the millions he reached out to and the thousands he was mekarev to yidishkeit?

  • what a shame

    Chabad started him… he’s going to loose his fans and he will become just a music in the past….

  • rooting for the home team

    Ouch. It’s like our star Hockey player chose to play for an opposing team. The truth is; we are all on the same team. We are all Jews so get over it.

  • DovBer

    Just as soon as the novelty of a white Chassidic guy singing regae wears off and IT WILL HAPPEN he will be no more then a one hit wonder. think Milli Vannilli.. He is a Jacka….. Ingrate that poisond a lot of kids around here.. It was Campus Shluchim that gave him a start and 6 months down the road he didn;t want to know them anymore.. In another 6 months Epic won;t renew his contract because of crappy sales and he will back begging shluchim to let him preform at their Purim and Chanukah events.. Call him for what he is "Ah Shtick Dreck"

  • Shmuli with the Socks

    Leave the man alone. "Chabad made Matisyahu" What?! Did we also make Bob Dylan and Jon Voight? Why couldnt we pull off Ta Shma and 8th Day?
    My point is this attitude that Matis owes you so much is enough to make anyone want to "leave" Chabad.
    Wish him luck, if you care about zug a kapitel tehilim, and let him find his way.
    You want the guy to stay miserable? There are bliy"h 15 million Yidden – are they all Lubavitch – are they bad people chas"v?
    As Mel Brooks says so eloquently as amn Indian Chief in Blazing Saddles "Luz em gayn!"
    Much love brother – best of luck, mir velen zich vayter zehn.

  • Page 6

    You can see from the article that he and his wife are already on different pages she wants to stay in CH he doesn’t but he is doing it for her….Let see how long that will last and I hope his wife takes him to the cleaners when they split becasue as he siad he always want to try new things why not try new woman as well.
    Rumor has it that he was seen out with Rosie O’Donnell lets see who he will trun up with next time.

  • *********

    Lubavitch didnt make him who is he. He did become who he is with Hashems help. I wish him only success and happiness in whatever he does, as long as he’s real to Gd and himself.

  • Level Headed Inc.

    He is a grown man- he is free to make his own decisions. I wish him well. but…. the comments he expressed in the article show that he is out to smear Chabad. There was no reason to say negative, He could have simply explained that he feels he needs to explore other areas/paths in order to fulfill himself. I think the reason everyone is so upset is because instead of simply doing so, making neutral statements, he said very antagonistic things… And the fact that he STATED them (especially to a media source), -shows he now has an agenda. They say the difference between a fool & a wise man- a wise man always has something to say – a fool always has to say something….

  • Dave

    He is a nasty guy.. When people from Crown Heights go over to him after a concert he is abusive…. It happend at a purim event in Carrol gardens Rabbi Pinson went over and he was very disrespectfull.. In my opinion it all went to his head..

  • Chen G

    Let’s take a look at your options from a career stand point.

    Going Breslove – How many songs can one come up with about Reb Nachman?

    Going Satmer – A) Reggae and Satmer don’t mix B) kiss your Israel trips good-bye!

    Going Snag – I don’t wish that on anyone, and who wants to hear songs about burning in hell?

    Modern Orthodox – How many songs can you sing about getting into a good University?

    I totally understand getting turned off by people in Chabad, I’m sure every shilaich you ever did a gig for hits you up for a donation (for the shliach Bugaboo fund)

    Plus a ton of politics – yechi or not yechi –that is the question? Or “undercover yechi”

    My point is, unfortunately in not sure there is better out there.

  • chabad

    to all the smart ppl who claim that chabad is not for everyone.
    it is always nice to hear a second opinion. The first opinion is the Rebbe’s. the rebbe said that chabad is for EVERYONE. The rebbe explained why the ways of the other talmidei habaalshem won’t work today.That might be the reason why last night chabad had a huge event in boro park. Those people are frum and chassidish. But The Rebbe wanted them to be connected to Chabad. The Rebbe is the one who wrote that children should be enrolled in chabad institutions even if the non chabad school next door is BETTER!That is because everything has to be connected to the nasi hador. Yup, we claim that our Rebbe is the Rebbe and leader of the entire generation. Including the leaders of all the oher streams within judaism. Many of them actually came to the rebbe to ask him for his advice and blessings.
    As for Crown Heights mr elchonon, it is the place the Rebbe said about that the blessing is there. In israel the Rebbe said that place is Kfar Chabad. Not Yerushalayim, not Cheveron. they are holy places but the Rebbe said that the blessing is in different places.
    Oh and btw, the Jewish people are the chosen nation eventhough shvartzes were created by g-d too.

  • fellow Chabadnik

    DEAR MATISYAHU

    You should be be blessed with all the hapiness, with health,wealth and happiness.
    All of these comments, are really deep down coming from love. We are all rooting for you, and you are getting lots of Love from Hashem, and the REBBE LOVES YOU! You should find inner peace and happiness. You should have only
    Positivity in your life, and CLARITY!
    Simcha Poretz Geder! Moshiach now!
    P.S. Maybe a little vacation with your family might give you a little peace.
    We are here to support you, unconditionally!
    Your fellow Lubavitcher!

  • a crownheightser

    It seems like everything was said– but truly did Matis have a Mashpia???
    This public singing…. was that a
    frum way/place??? OCHIN VEY– we need the REBBE– to guide us all & for all of
    todays youth!!!!!! MOSHIACH NOW!!!!!

  • ....

    Chabad is the door to Yiddishkeit for the vast majority of BT’s. Many remain Chabad and some find the hashkofos of other non-Chabad groups speak to their neshomo.

    What is wrong with that? We should be proud of that! Why do some feel that the only time you can call someone a success is when he is wearing zeidne zuken the Rebbe wore? today when Chabad does not have a monopoly on outreach the basic difference that is clear (aside from teaching chasidus to their mikurovim, etc.) is: Chabad cares about every yid and every mitzvah. In other kiruv orginazations the only way they know how to gauge success is if the guy ends up being a "ben torah". In Chabad the guy the puts on tefillin once and has nothing to do with frumkeit after that is a success story. The guy that puts on the the kopota, raises a family as part of anash is a success story and the guy who is lubavitch for four years and then decides to daven at karlin is a success story. Every mitzvah is a success.

  • a crownheightser

    WOW!! 93 comments — almost as much attention as the MAROZOV baby!!!!
    Did Mattis have a Mashpia????? Who let him perform @ places which are not al
    pi halocho? Let’s see Karlin let him do that– Oy ! We need to see the REBBE–
    Moshiach Now!

  • astonished

    i really dont understand why this article is on here!
    even if he was lubavitch do we consider his music for us to listen to—-he himself said its NOT for frum people…
    and especially now that he himself proved to be messed up…..what is the message for us? that hes crazy-we know!

  • ahh

    words have power

    every one is reacting to this in a different way
    yes have ahavat yisroel
    but the thing that hurts

    is that he is spitting back on the thing that got him started
    of course
    breslov and karlin are both judaism
    but the way he is doing
    its like he stam wants to cause an uproar

    enough already!!!
    HOW LONG HOW LONG
    AD MOSAI TIL WHEN

    i think we should all kick our n.hs to kingdom come!!!!!
    (n.h=netzer hara= yetzer hara)
    king them so far and so hard that all boundaries should be broken down
    and everybody find the place
    and what they are doing in the world anyway
    cuz what are we??!!
    nothing
    we are just here to service Hashem
    so lets do that all together with moshiach now!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    Elchonon and others wrote:

    “…What the heck is wrong with you people ? Breslov is not judaism? karlin is not judaism? they are talmidei ha’baal shem tov as well…”

    I read every comment here; I did not find anybody cursing out other of groups, (If you can find even one comment that puts down another group please copy/paste), Like I wrote above, people are just upset that Matis is going down on Chabad.
    Think about this the other way around, If Matis was not Chabad* and he said the things he said all the peace and loving people here would not be preaching the “why can’t we all get along” line.
    It’s also funny that while trying to “defend” Matis these people are doing the same thing as matis is doing. (Putting down Chabad to put him up).

    Like I wrote above if he were to leave quietly (do his own thing in his own way) with out making a big noise (“hay, look every body I’M leaving Chabad Because…”) then He would have everybody’s blessing.

    * If david Berger would say these things, how would you react?

  • No Matter Where You May Roam....

    Sing along….
    The Shliach says not true, "Ha’gam She’chotah Yisroel Hu" – NO MATTER WHERE YOU MAY ROAM, YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK HOME".

    Good Luck on your journey.

    HAPPY CHANUKAH! Yiddishkeit is a Delight!

  • Dear Matis

    Hey Matis! The CH community, even the nasty commentators, still love you as a person. There’s no question that you have tremendously impacted the universe with your great talents. Though, as a human being and a Jew you have the autonomous right to do as you wish and chose whatever derech works best for you, please always feel welcome here. It always brings me great pride to see you davening in 770, you truly exemplify your temimus.
    I’m sure that if you are reading my comment then many of those posted above are very hurtful and insulting. However, I don’t know who wrote them and do know that the general consensus in the Shul where I daven on Shabbos was that you a re a phenomenal personality and a wonderful residnet of this greta shchuna.

    Lubnavitch is an international community. There are times when people feel uncomfortable for whatever reasons, that’s not to reflect on the actions of the entire kehila.
    .From my understating of your article, it seems that no one particulary offended you that has inspired your decision, rather your quench to explore other options.

    Please always feel comfortable and welcome to daven still in 700 (when your late to the other minyan…)

    I doubt anyone would tell you to your face any of the above nasty comments, so don’t take them too personal. They’re just venting their anger on the keyboard

    You have the rights to do as you wish and no one has the rights to prevent you from moving on. Yet, that shouldn’t sever your ties of the past eightyears.

    Your wife and children don’t need to suffer from any bloggers comments and I hope this didn’t impact them negatively. But as you said they love tis community as I do too, despite some matters that could always be mended (everywhere it’s like that).

    Perhaps some of your comments to the media were either distorted and taken out of context or plainly written without your consent. Otherwise, I could fully understand SOME of the nasty comments. Since no one has the right to bash you for your personal decisions, it wouldn’t be nice for you to speak in any way derogatorily towards the community in which you live for the past few years, unless there really are some issues that you fell truly need to be addressed.

    In teh future when being interviewed, if you don’t want to come across the way you did, then perhaps be a bit more sensitive to the feelings of all who be reading the final published article. And insist that it’s said verbatim your way not distorted out of your context.

    Form my experience on Mitzoim and Merkaz Shlichus it was never my mission to missionize people and turn them into black hatters et al, rather to ignite the spark of yidishkeit within them to bring them back to their Jewish routs. Some Shluchim perhaps feel that if they are assisting a Jew in their journey of Judaism, they might as well help them to become frum the Chabad way. Nothing wrong with that is there? If the person feels that it’s not his derech, they can always find another way. There are at least 70 dimensions to Torah and "eilu v’eilu divrei Elokim Chaim" each one is correct ad they can interrelate. So possbly you can e Chabad, Breslov, Karlin etc all simultaneously. Eachapproah can assist in you personal derech of serving Hashem. Maybe one day there will be the "matis way" (that might even exist already).
    Please accept my bes wishes to you in all of your endeavors. May Hashem always guide you in the right path, as I knwo full well that your business in quite tough. CH, 770 and all of Chabad is always open to you, regardless of what path of Torah you chose, we are all Yidden and OIne family so.

    Chazak V’ematz!

  • The bright side...

    It’s a complete conspiracy! How can anyone leave Chabad? That’s like someone saying they are leaving Judaism. I believe he was forced to make such proclomations by people in Chinuch you know? Also, it could have worse say Avrom Fried, Chaim Fogelman or Uncle Yossi you know?

  • BT-s daughter

    …to the person who gave a mushul about a parent raising a child in terms of shluchim and baalei tshuva…you got it all backwards.
    the prejudice BT’s talk about is not that they want the shliach to continue holding their hands but the opposite.
    BTs just want a tiny bit of respect for actually being independant equal members of society.
    My parents are BTs and even though I went to bais yacov and gan izzy with the gesheh girls, they still ask me if I know how to read hebrew…
    this might be just what lubavitch needs to shake them up and see how messed up the political structure really is.

  • he-s right!

    but why, for crying out loud, isn’t anyone on this blog commenting on the main reason for him to look elsewhere!!!??? doesn’t alter rebbe say in tanya (!!!) that davening shacharis SHOULD take an hour and a half daily, and anything shorter – ones rachmono patrij? the whole avoida she’be’leb = tfila has become a DISGRACE in chabad… i, in yerushalaim, prefer to daven with other chassidim or misnagdim altogether – and do not regret…

  • bentzy

    to elchonon

    the reason why some of the comments are so full of hate is primarily not because of his leaving chabad many have done it before i.e. carlbach shachter boteach , rather his hurtful remarks about shluchim how there goal is to make black hats and jackets. as a son of a shliach who has helped many people return to yiddishkeit some of which have turned to other derachim , i know that a shliach i s happy as long as his mekuriv is shomer toeah and mitzvos the problem is when "they bile the hand that fed them"

    p.s. this is not the first time this has been done to us i.e.artscrol vechulhu

  • wouldn-t you like to know!

    There are too many bitter people in crown heights that need to get a life and improve themselves and not judge someone who they have decided to claim for themselves…taking all these cheap shots at matisyahu really shows on your character. and to those that say he should leave crown heights..you yourself should get the hell outta crown heights. if you cant accecpt a frumme yid because he doesnt look like you, get the hell outta here. it looks like those of you that say these things learned about ahavas yisroel in camp gan yisroel and left it there too.

  • gosh

    btw e/o dont be shocked about the amount of bad comments. most ppl who comment do so cuz theyre bored (i.e. myself) and want to makea statement. many ppl who feel that its ok wont bother to post cuz theyre busy working on programs,flyers, chanukah… positive stuff to make the rebbe proud.
    u can tell absolutely zero from what is posted here. and just fyi im surprised at how many ppl did wish matisyahu luck and said theyre ok and respect his choices. they felt from the amount of attacks it was about time the silent majority spoke up. its about 50/50 comments at this point so stop acting all "shocked."

    g’luck matis.

  • PROUD CHABADNIK WROTE:

    I must admit, I just don’t have the strenght to ignore the above and that I actaully have the time to sit here and respond to the above painfull issue.

    The local Chabad center and Shul I belong to, just delivered the Chanuka kits they would like for me to deliver to some of my neighbors. However, I feel that I must postpone my mission for a few minutes and articulate a few items that scream to be expressed. The entire Matisyahu issue is one that affects so many of us and requires attention and a proper response:

    1) Even though many of us are dissapointed and hirt by Matisyahu’s statements (regardless if Chabad "made him" or not), our response MUST be expressed. However, we must articulate our emotions ONLY in the spirit of CHABAD.

    2) Yes, he should be allowed to choose his path in whatever manner he sees fit
    but, he must never "put down" in any way the people who at one point took him in and showed him love. He must show expressions of HAKORAS HATOIV to the people who cared for him and continue to do so, constantly.

    3) This should serve as clear "wake-up call" to all of us parents, who may have at one point or another decided that this fellow and his music is really harmless to our children and "what’s the big deal". It’s obvious from the recent articles, that he himself has a problem with "direction" and is no role model for our kids.

    The fact is, our children love and are into music and are looking to express themselves through music. We must leave no stone unturned and find ways of bringing the beauty, inspiration and message of our very own CHABAD NEGINA to our kids. We must present it to them in a pure and undiluted way. Bring them the gems of our Negina with "heart" and it will reach the "heart". We have allowed our very own treasures to be buried in our "front yards" long enough. If we succeed in doing this, our children will not be compelled to look elswhere. Let us open our eyes. We are B"H blessed with our own talent to accomplish this.

    4) Even though there may be exceptions, the by far and overwhelming majority in the Chabad Lubavitch community ("Shliach" or "Lay Person") whether he or she be a "Shliach of the Rebbe" or a "block Shliach" of the Rebbe, are filled with nothing but true love to "Choizrim Litshuva" at any level and at any time. I beleive most Baali Teshuvah we have a connection with, will agree.

    CHABAD AND THE REBBE to not need anyone to stand up for them. However, we must not allow any Elchonon, Matisyahu, Ephraim, uncle Yossi, uncle Moishie, or anyone else, to utter untruths about Chabad without a strong response.

  • facts

    I am in disgust as to all the comments I have read. Firstly, has anybody above hear him say that he is no longer chabad? You guys saw some article from the media that can twist apples to oranges and you guys are taking in every word as if it was from him mattis himself. I do think you should give him the benefit of the doubt like any other jew and besides whether or not you think he will be religious or not in a few years is a n opinion which you are entitled to but I dont think should be stated for the obvious and it does go against the fundamentals of ahavas yisroel

  • HH 74-77

    HE PUTS ON TEFILLIN EVERY DAY, HE KEEPS SHABBOS HE EATS KOSHER HE AND HIS WIFE ARE RAISING FRUM G-d fearing children THE REBBE HAS CHASSIDISHE NACHAS FROM HIM…LEAVE THE MAN ALONE…GOOD LUCK MATT

  • Terribly Disapointing

    Needless to say, I am very disapointed by most of the comments here as any Jew should be
    Do you think that this kind of negative judgement is a good advertisement for Chabad, or CH? Perhaps we should all submit a profile of our lives to each other and let complete strangers decide if we are living our lives in accordance with their flawless opinions of divine judgement. I daily see people who profess rightiousness breaking comandments, the law, their word, etc. Should I stop someone every time I see them do something that I don’t like? Is any of this the teaching of the Rebbes?
    Life is a journey, in the end it is short really, but while on the path, it seems long. Many choose one path and travel it their whole lives. Others walk many paths to get to their destination. Still other walk as far as they can go on one path, and then must turn onto another. It is not for any of us to say who is correct in his choices; many times the truth is not revealed to us immediately or even at all. Remember Ahvram!
    No one is wholly good, or bad; right or wrong. The Rebbes teach us to to identify and accept what is good in all of us, to learn from each other, to care for each other.
    Remember the words of Hillel, don’t miss the message for the commentary.
    I for one say thank you to every Jew who’s positive words,deeds, and actions, enabled me to breath life this day. I will always remember the teachings of the Chasiddic Rebbes, most especially the Rebbe who’s face I always see with a smile, and from who’s lips never uttered an unkind word towards any Jew.
    I will endeaver to dismiss most of what I have read here as merely the confused thoughts of those who have not yet reached a state of enlightenment.
    When I say the Bedtime Shema tonight, I will concentrate especially hard on the passage that translates "..I forgive every Jew.."
    Ahavas Yisroel and Tikkun Olam

  • A Fine person is He.

    Matisyahu is a fine person. He has do do what he feels comfortable to do. Not Everyone was born with a Chabad Neshoma. He should just be comfortable to serve Hashem the best way he feels possible.

    Good luck in his singing path without the Rebbe’s Koach which we all agree got him there.

    So Hatzlacha Rabba to him in his new spiritual choice And Hatzlacha to continue his influence with his music to bring peaple to Yiddishkeit – through Chabad or Not.

    His wife likes the Chabad community- we must be doing something right!

    So Everybody just CHiLL……

  • LUBAVITCHER

    WHY ALL THE NASTY COMMENTS? JUST A LITTLE THOUGHT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE
    REALIZE HOW IN HIS CASE HE WAS INITIALLY
    ATTRACTED TO CHABAD ,FOR ALL TRUE AND GOOD PURPOSES,BUT THEN HE GOT TURNED OFF. WELL I WONDER WHY THAT IS. EVEN WHILE HE WAS EXPOSED AS A LUBAVITCHER
    AND EXPRESSED HIS DEEP LOVE WHAT DID MANY LUBAVITCHERS DO ? DISSOPROVE OF HIM.THAT FACT THAT WE ARE CHABAD ALONE
    DOES NOT MAKE US GREAT,IT’S HOW WE ACT
    AND ONE OF CHABAD’S BIGGEST ATTRIBUTE
    IS MEANT TO BE (AND IS )AHAVAT YISROEL.SO WAKE UP A LITTLE GUYS, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY EVERYTHINGS THATS ON YOUR MIND ALWAYS.LOOK INSIDE A LITTLE

  • HH 74-77

    Reminds of the time when Dylan shocked the world at the 1965 Newport Jazz Festival by going "electric" which outraged and dismayed the "folkie" purists who felt betrayed by his sudden transition from acoustic and who felt Dylan owed them something for making him what he was…WELL how did that experience work out for Dylan…GOOD LUCK MATT

  • elchonon

    Dov,
    The general concept conveyed by the writters here, potrays his exploring other aspects of chasidus and chasidim as his going out the door "another carlbach"

    I am sorry you people are very closed minded, perhaps you need to explore other tenants of judaism.

    You berate matisyahu for not having potrayed chabad correctly, I see no issue with being a breslav chasid.. they are mekarev yiddin all the same..

    One poster says that matisyahu will end up in uman smoking drugs ?!?! is that what breslov is to you?

    To chabad, kindly open up "karasi v’en oneh" and learn the sichot of what the rebbe said regarding to chevron..

    The mittler rebbe bought a shull in chevron not kfar chabad, the rebbeim established yeshivot and community in chevron.

    If the blessing’s are in CH and kfar chabad respecfully, then act that way!!

    I met matisyahu a few times and he’s a great guy, I davend next to him at the kotel and he just wants to be left alone.. which I can imagine is not something he got in CH.

    Everyone is so critical of the guy, when did all of you become the rebbe and his mashpia ? dont listen to his music if you dont like it. Leave the guy alone, everyone has his or her way to serve g-d.

    I am sorry to tell you that alot of CH’s baalei batim are NOT those I want as roll models for when I have kids.. between shaved beards and thinking that shull’s are for talking.. to downright animosity and hate.. wheres the love from the word "lubavitch"

    When a FFB arrested, everyone RUNS to defend him.. when crownheightsers go foul with the law.. everyone defends him.. when a baal teshuva guy says he wants to see what chasidus karlin is about "apikorus!"

    As to those speaking lashon hara regarding ephraim, if you have a legimate concern, go talk to rav osdoba.. bad mouthing a frum yid is a serious aveirah for which you should go request mechilla… I know ephraim very well for years…

    You who hide behind nicknames are nothing but slandering cowards, take your pashkevilim elsewhere…

    Pleae see the story of Rav meir and acher..I am posting it below.. not to g-d forbid compare matisyahu.. but mayve you can get a idea of ahavas yisrael.

    The story of Acher (Elisha ben Avuyah) perfectly reflects this negative dynamic. Acher was considered among the leading Tanaaim (authors of the Mishnah) of his generation. (For purposes of reference and perspective, he was on par with Rabbi Akiva.) Unfortunately, Acher became a heretic; however, he continued to study and teach Torah.

    His most famous student was Rabbi Meir. The Talmud records that one Shabbos R’ Meir was studying Torah from Acher. Acher was riding a horse while R’ Meir walked behind him. At some point Acher informed R’ Meir he had been keeping count of the hoof beats and that R’ Meir would have to stop walking. They had reached the Techum Shabbos the distance allowed for someone to walk outside a city’s limits!

    R’ Meir said to his teacher, “If so Rebbi, do Teshuva! Do Teshuva!” Acher responded, “I cannot. I heard a voice from heaven proclaim, “Return my children, return, except for Acher!” (The Talmud argues whether or not Acher ever did repent. R’ Meir was of the opinion that he had.)

  • Look Deeper

    Matis,

    The truth and life really is there in Chabad Chassidus, it’s just that most people don’t know how to find it.

    Start learning that Seder Hishtalshelus Mp3 cd I gave you in 770.Things will really open up for you. Though it will take hard work.
    Karlin? Well, davening can be very true without being load. Volume has nothing to do with it and people can often use their volume to avoid the real work of davening, knowing the meaning and how it connects to your life etc.

    Hatzlacha Rabba! Those who search for the truth will eventually find it. I hope the search goes easily for you.

  • what??????????????????????????????

    Okay, I agree with the fact that we shouldn’t be so hard on him, and that breslev and such are still beautiful ways of being frum and at least he’s still frum. BUT ( and this is a HUGE BUT) He still has no right to come down on chabad that way. It’s understood that chabad is " not for him" and he feels that he was sucked into all of this and he need to get out and yada yada yada but STILL. I LOVE Breslev, I love all of these people, but I still think that jumping from one place to another is not good for a person mentally or spirtually, and when someone happens to be famous and is a role model to SO many people throughh everything he does, maybe his changes should be in quiet and not announcing to the entire world that he is no longer part of chabad. Theres a certain way, time and place to do things in your life, and while he is understood, maybe he should consider what he is saying about chabad and the people who were there for him before he goes around saying such things and they end up on a CHABAD CROWN HEIGHTS website. But again. best of luck to him and whatever path he does decide to take.

  • his wife and kids!

    I just hope his wife is ok, it sounds like she wants to stay in ch! and he has two kids already, and doesn’t know what he wants from himself yet…he and his family needs our prayers…

  • c h guy

    i hear somethings a while ago about this EFRAYIM ROSENSTEIN guy. he is a very shady guy. he has something againts chabad but makes as if he is. did he take his wife away for some guy she was married to before? thats what i hear. keep away from him he is evil

  • knew it the whole time

    you know what they say the alter rebbe would have had many more chassidim but he demanded middas EMES liyackov

  • out-of-towner

    I’m probably echoing other peoples’ sentiments, but here goes:

    there’s some things i take umbrage to.

    #1, that matisyahu said to ha’aretz "i am no longer affiliated with chabad." that is a VERY strong statement! all jews are one family – especially chassidim – and we’re all "affiliated," like it or not.

    #2, the comment about shluchim. that is certainly NOT the end goal of shluchim, to create "hat and jacket" chassidim. their purpose is to spread light and to be mekarev other yidden, one mitzvah at a time. (sometimes they even feed chassidic reggae singers when they’re on tour.) :)

    #3, his dissatisfaction with "losing himself" as he became frum. that’s not a lubavitch problem – it’s a ba’al teshuva problem b’chlal. we all have to put ourselves aside for a little while we go through our spiritual trip. sooner or later, we bring back the positive aspects of our old selves, and use them to serve G-d.

    all this being said, i truly wish matisyahu success in finding his spiritual "fit." there’s nothing wrong with exploring and growing. the chabad way is not necessarily for everyone, and all you commenters shouldn’t be giving him a hard time over it. if you TRULY think he’s doing something wrong, the chassidishe response is rachmanous and ahavas yisroel. don’t beat him over the head under the cloak of internet anonymity, that’s not nice.

    and the same goes for all of you talking nastiness over this "therapist." the article didn’t even mention a name, yet a number of you assumed it’s a particular person and started shmeering him. SHAME ON YOU!!!

    p.s. matisyahu, wherever your journeys take you, the rebbe will always be with you…don’t forget that! hatzlocho to you!

  • BrookAve

    Look at his picture in this article. B.O.B., Burned Out Boy. He looks lost, confused, dizzy, high. So many like him came through my door. I urge the 20-30 year olds to learn, learn and learn! And find a mashpia who has your best interests in mind. Jumping into a kapota and mikva, yes to be one of the boys, but you must stop and get educated, halacha etc. Take baby steps or you will Crash. My wife came from a community Taharas class. She related to me a story of a married women with 8 children who claimed to have learned the dinim before the chuppa and didn’t know what an Onah was!! The gasps from the room was heard blocks away.

  • anonymous

    I have to agree with this last comment. I know personally from a few different people who have seen him, that Ephraim Rosenstein, a therapist in crown heights who flies in from israel, convinces people that Lubavitch isn’t the right way to go… why are we allowing such a man to be a part of our community, as a therapist, and letting him prey on the vulnerable. someone should stand up to him.

  • moshe

    I think this….I think that… who really cares… Just let there be Achdus in the community, instead of yakking on and on about matisyahu, big deal, move on in life, build a bridge and get over it… life’s rough,wear a helmet… this stuff is so stupid, get a life everyone!!

  • Ex-Client of Efraim Rosenstein

    Efraim Rosenstein is not licensed and is dangerous. He is the reason so many people are straying from Chabad. Recently many mashpiim and Rebbeim in CH have become aware of the problems he has caused. Matisyahu is a great example of someone who was turned off from Chabad because of him. Efraim thinks he is a healer but he manipulates his power and influence. There are issues he has with yichud and the advice he gives is totally contrary to tznius and Chabad Chassidus. He aims to work with girls who have been abused even though the Rebbe was so strong that girls should speak to women, and men to men. This is NOT Loshon Hara. It is pikuach nefesh for us to keep our youth from connecting to him. It is a CHESED to prevent people from going to him for "therapy." He is dangerous and people should stay away from him!

  • agreeing

    we all KNOW who his therapist is, it’s not like it’s a secret it’s MATISYAHU for crying out loud. Being that he doesn’t keep ANYTHING private obviously we all know who it is… this shady guy should have nothing to do with any of us has v’shalom

  • Emes MeYaakov

    Re: Ephraim Rosenstein = "did he take his wife away for some guy she was married to before? "

    Whatever else ER may be guilty of (I have no idea what he is doing or not doing as a therapist), the above is completely untrue. His wife’s first marriage was to a now former shaliach outside of EY and she was not happy living where she was living at the time. ER was not even in the picture when she lived there – he is from the same part of the world but a different city and a different country, and he was either there or in EY and unknown personally to her at the time of the breakup of her short first marriage.

    Again, this has no bearing on any other defense of him or claims against him. I met him years ago in Chevron and have no idea what he is doing or not doing now.

  • DALOI MATTISYAHU MISHUGAS

    It’s the best thing that could have happened!
    Why? Because REGGAE is NISHT AH YIDDISHEH ZACH, and it’s also not a CHASSIDISHEH ZACH either!

    No matter which way you slice it – people b’chlall and youth b’frat need to listen to YIDDISHE & CHASSIDISHE melodies – not a "jewish" version of what di tzudreiteh monkeys tanzten in the jungle!

    Song – is a very high form of expression, (any kind of song) because it comes from deep inside the soul. (see works from Alter Rebbe). Therefore, when one sings a niggun, one is connected to the orgin of the niggun, the composer(s) of the niggun, etc. etc.

    Why would ANYONE want to be connected with anything that it’s orgin is k’lipa and Avoda Zara?

    The real question should be: If the Rebbe was standing right in front of you, would YOU sing REGGAE!?

    As far as I’mm concerned, the answer is obvious.

  • elchonon

    Please, if your going to speak trash on someobe, get away from your cowardly veil and act like a man andf show your real name..

    I have no respect for cowards that hide from the world and spew garbage attacking other jews, in that respect your on the same level as my arab neighbers.

  • LISTEN UP MATISYAHU

    Matisyahu, you can leave but dont put down others on the way, that all Judaism agrees upon

  • Soif maasse bemachshovos hatchilo

    Everyone like trying new stuff.
    But when they get sick of it or realize the big mistake they made they return to the first place they were and see that thats was exactly what they were looking for.
    He’s a jew and thats why we will have to live with it(that he became breslov) liking or not.If he doesnt want to be chabad at least we see that he made a lot of jews return to judaism. Thank you matis!

  • Natan H

    its very sad for me to see my favorite singer MATISYAHU to break with chabad. he encouraged me to become more interested in chabad with his music. i feel really bad for him. but thanks to Hashem, i have strong feelings about chabad and i will NOT break from them. i will Not copy MATISYAHU and leave chabad because i understand the meaning of CHABAD and i will NOT give up!!!!

  • Natan H

    BS"D

    i am really sorry for my above comment MATISYAHU. please forgive me. i am a jew and i care about every single jew.i will always be your fan, Lubavitch or not. you are my favorite singer and i really enjoy your music. i wish you all the best and you should be hatzlacha in everything you do.
    GOOD LUCK!:
    NATAN

    P.S. i hope i get a chance to meet you one day!

  • A client of Ephraim

    I’m really shocked to hear all these negative comments about Ephraim Rosenstein. I honestly find it really hard to beleive that it’s true.
    I would like to know if there are any sources for all this gossip.
    Is it just rumors that one person heard from another who heard from another?
    Or is this something that I should really be looking into.

  • rusure

    i also know wphraim and think he is a great therapist. he didnt seem against chabad to me at all! is this really true? im not so sure…

  • annonymous

    Matisyahu To be, or not to be??? that is the question

    You have encouraged lots of people out there you are a true leader, there will be tests, lots of tests

    but you made something of yourself, and you can’t stop now!

    whatever you do please don’t write depressing music, it will be your downfall!

    keep it nice and lifting does not matter if your not chabad, i’m sure you have your reasons why you don’t affiliate with them anymore, but chabad is not the bigshots! chabad is what the rebbe wanted from each and every jew and when someone stops doing what the rebbe want’s him to do, then he is considered (non chabad) you will be driven to these choices in your life and these two will always be infront of you
    What is right,? and what is easy?

    sincerly annonymous

  • To a Real Snag

    Mr. Elchonon. You Are The Most Chitzpidik Person I Ever Knew of. Getting Killed Al Kiddush Hashem is Not Misiras Nefesh ? Oh and This Stupid “mashpia”. Probabley Got Three Fingers Shot Of While Trying To Steal 5 billion $.So Ha. And You have Absoulutly No Right To Say That we Werent Mekarev Him.Be Ashamed, Shiegtz

  • not chabad

    To me, its not about chabad or not. I think he just totally fell of the derech by the same people who convinced him that judaism is holding him back from being a great artisit but they cant just get hm of the derech like that, so they began chipping away at chabad before they can attack the whole religion. its a real shame. i used to really like his music but now that he tries to act so hard to be like a goy, its just another artisist sing another song and not matisyahu of old.

  • ash

    Dont you give any credit, for him becoming a Frum Jew from a troubled kid?!! He made an amazing choice, and Yes, Chabad was the first thing he saw in Judiasm…he didnt want it to be the last, so he took time to explore. Its not like Chas Veshalom he became less religious or something, Chabad is aweosme! But there are alot of things out there that he may have not seen before. When Ahavas Chinam Goes out to the spheres above, to the Transcendent Part of H
    , WE WILL HAVE MOSHIACH!!!!! :D, we just gotta work together, one step at a time.

  • READ MY ARTICLE MATISAYAHU!

    Matisyahu is right in trying to have a rational beleif for everything, and not just jumping into the whole dogmatic system which so much people have followed. However, there is a certain amount of open-mindness that is too much, and therefore you then jump into the deep end as a sceptic, and find yourself in raging waters. I think Matisyahu should completely stick with his open mind, but look further into chabad before he rejects it based on a streotype of certain people (i.e the 30 min minyan, the cocktail part of friday nights, and the other aspects of CH and certain lubavitchers).
    PS: I doubt anyone will read this comment after the other million naive comments by uneducated people, but if you do read this, that would be cool.

  • ploni

    I left Chabad after MORE THAN 20 YEARS — also after several years of not knowing where to turn — because “it was about becoming part of this machine and feeling like it was taking away from my service of God, not adding to it.”

    I hear him 100%.

    It’s my opinion that Chabad-Lubavitch no longer exists but instead is an unfunny, black & white cartoon of itself.

  • Wondering...

    Whew! Lots of points well made here. I would like to know who this Ephraim Rosenstein really is. Are these rumors true? What untznius behavior are you referring to? Matisyahu is really a great guy and a special, humble person who tries to be as honest as possible with himself and with G-d. I sincerely hope that this therapist he is involved with is not a crook who is just taking advantage of Matis’s personality and money… If anybody knows more abt ER, please post. Peace and Love!

  • Shabtai Z. Zimmerman

    In retrospecct: His career has been good. Not a one hit wonder. I would not be suprised if in another few years — as someone posted he is explaining why he is not religious anymore. Would not be shhocking. I have never met him — so I have no idea. Seems to be a reasonable progression.