On Thursday, the Jewish Week announced “Matisyahu's New Spiritual Groove,” baring one of the first concrete interviews on the topic of Matisyahu's affiliation with Chabad. The article makes the following clear: Matisyahu's continued exploration of Judaism has led him to connect with a sect of Breslav Chassidism, he isn't inspired by Chabad teachings like he once was, and his spiritual shift has been in the making for four years.
To many Lubavitchers, the news hurts. When anyone who is connected to the Rebbe and his teachings suddenly turns his ties elsewhere, it is hard not to take personally. Moreover, Matisyahu is a public figure, who many of us feel experienced success largely by his connection to Chabad. It is wholly warranted to feel like Matisyahu's recent comments are biting the hand that fed him.
Op-Ed: Matisyahu’s New Groove: A Response
On Thursday, the Jewish Week announced “Matisyahu’s New Spiritual Groove,” baring one of the first concrete interviews on the topic of Matisyahu’s affiliation with Chabad. The article makes the following clear: Matisyahu’s continued exploration of Judaism has led him to connect with a sect of Breslav Chassidism, he isn’t inspired by Chabad teachings like he once was, and his spiritual shift has been in the making for four years.
To many Lubavitchers, the news hurts. When anyone who is connected to the Rebbe and his teachings suddenly turns his ties elsewhere, it is hard not to take personally. Moreover, Matisyahu is a public figure, who many of us feel experienced success largely by his connection to Chabad. It is wholly warranted to feel like Matisyahu’s recent comments are biting the hand that fed him.
To me, there was nothing like seeing a Chabad Chassid dance in front of a crowd of thousands while singing about the Rebbe and wearing an “Ad Mosai?” yarmulke. When he said “Chabad philosophy/That’s the deepest wellspring,” I believed him, and was overjoyed that he was telling the world. To know that I no longer share this passion with an artist I admired and propagated is deeply disappointing.
I feel like addressing the issue is almost unjustifiable. Firstly, a reaction to a newspaper interview can never be strong basis for a discussion on someone’s real-life circumstance. Furthermore, on the most basic level, Matisyahu is not only my fellow Jew, but my neighbor.
At the same time, though, someone needs to balance and focus the slander and immaturity that is bound to follow.
I hear a lot of people expressing that they “saw this coming.” This is totally beyond me. You’d have to be a prophet to predict that Matisyahu would grow an interest in Karliners, a rare sect of Chassidim that scream during prayer. However, more accurately, people did expect that the so-called pressures of fame would force Matisyahu to forgo his passion for Yiddishkeit and come down from a “high” (one that note, there is absolutely nothing to be proud of in having anticipated that Matisyahu’s passion for Chabad fall lifeless).
It is imperative, then, to recognize that Matisyahu’s is still a “Hassidic Reggae artist.” His new interest is a continuation – and in no way and end – of a spiritual journey. Matisyahu speaks of feeling more connected with his new teachers and style of learning. It is his desire to connect to G-d that has affected his transition, not the opposite. While many people (myself included) feel that Chabad Chassidus is, yes, “the deepest wellspring,” Matisyahu’s continued evaluation of his spiritual needs (particularly in front of the whole world) is praiseworthy.
People should recognize that, while we may have gained – both personally and globally –from Matisyahu’s connection to Chabad, that doesn’t rob him of his entitlement to honest spiritual exploration. Yes, I am bothered that he told the world “Chabad philosophy is the deepest wellspring” but longer singing those lyrics. But on the other hand, I never owned Matisyahu’s spiritual standing.
I certainly wish Matisyahu would have more tact when it comes to vocalizing his new views. But the statement made by Matisyahu’s “break off” is not as telling as our reaction is going to be. The way we acknowledge his new standing will speak louder and be the tell-tale sign of our community’s character.
The world is watching.
College students are asking campus Shluchim.
We have a choice.
Will we be the elitist community who grimaces at a former “member,” or will we be the ones who, in sync with the philosophy we advocate, cares for the soul of the matter?
Will we be the Chabad that inspired a revolutionary artist? Or will we be the Chabad that ostracized him?
Hopefully this is an opportunity for Chabad’s true colors to show some light. Our personal hurt should only be a symbol of our pride in Chabad, and never a catalyst for bashing and further ostracizing another Jew – regardless of how often his music plays on MTV.
In the Jewish Week interview, Matisyahu points to the fact that, when he was first becoming religious, he would pray alone on the roof of his college and scream his prayers to G-d. For him, this was a mode of connecting. And now, he has discovered a sect of Judaism that does just that – approaching prayer in a way that Matisyahu discovered on his own. While Chabad only saw Matisyahu as a Lubavitcher, people should realize that a persons spiritual journey (especially when it involves returning to Judaism) is multi-faceted, complex, and personal.
I look forward to Matisyahu’s next album. Not because his sharp Chabad vibe strengthens me – for it no longer does – but because he is an honest searcher with a sincere interest in serving G-d in truth. It won’t be similar to the inspiration I glean from a Shliach, but like the joy I find in any Jew sharing a positive message, any Jewish warrior fighting for his soul. While I can’t necessarily relate to (or even believe in) a “universal message” or soul-search excluding Chabad, I am still convinced that Matisyahu’s musical journeys will always have a spark of something we hold in common.
This Op-Ed reflects the views of its author, it does not necessarily reflect the views of CrownHeights.info nor of its Editors.
A reader that wishes to make his or her voice heard on any topic of their desire is welcome to submit his or her Op-Ed to News@CrownHeights.info.
never a fan of his music
beautiful and to the point.
one additional point to mention: not once did matisyahu actually say that he is anti chabad. he appreciates what chabad did for him and now thinks he wants to see more. if chabad is really "the truth" as we know it to be, he’ll be back around. until then, he’s our fellow jew and we love him now like we loved him then!
Chana Z
Agreed. Thanks for writing this beautiful piece.
Chassidishe Mother
Whilst I don’t possess Nevuah, I saw & said he was using Chabad to further his own musical ambitions. And I was right. But as the author says, his public about-face is an insult…not to me personally (I banned his "music" from my home), but to thousands of Chassidim, the Shluchim, & of course, to the Rebbe.
He used us. He made plenty of money from us, not directly, but by using Chabad and the Rebbe in all his PR. The Rebbe & his teachings were nothing more than a gimick for him & we’ve outlived our usefulness. And obviously, we’re expendable.
The author wrote a reasonable, excellent essay which of course will NOT be picked up by the Jewish Week who glories in any Lubavitch-bashing, especially from a former devotee. I will not use the word Chassid in connection with Mattisyahu.
But I do have a question: why does he still live here? Because his wife loves CH? I think he’s just too arrogant to care that the community feels betrayed, not because of his spiritual direction, (what’s next, I wonder) but because of his open disdain for Chabad Chassidus.
Just wait till the Misnagdishe blogs & websites get hold of it. It’ll be open season on Lubavitch once more. I’m sure he realizes the damage he’s caused, but I don’t think he particularly cares. After all, he’s all about publicity, especially after his last album allegedly bombed.
Go scream your Teffillos from the rooftops, Mattisyahu…that’s between you and G-d & I certainly don’t harbor any negative feelings towards anyone who chooses a different path towards "spiritual fulfillment." But please do it from a mountain top in Montana or somewhere where we don’t have to listen.
Let it go
Far vos macht min aza greiser tzimus fun dus?
yossi
he did not have to bad mouth chabad JUST SAY THANK YOU.and then go on to swing from any tree he likes to.that easy
lightenup
at least hes a chosid and follows the teching of the baal shemtov
Lazer
Yasher Koach
mark
its ok nobody has a problem with him being anything but lubavitch the point is that he is ONLY where he is today or at least it worked out this way thanks to chabad – chabad gave him his name thanks to the campus shluchim where he got his fame – its ok for him to go where he wants but he shouldnt put down the people that raised him to where he stands today
wondering
chabad is not the answear to everyone search as long as he continue to make a kidush hashem
batya
BS"D
thanks mim
im proud of mat and he’s continuos
as you said-sincere search – to connect
as i told him. got his back.
cant wait o hear the new album
b
Come down from your hilltop
Come down from your hilltop…
And remove some of your shmanzy vocabulary words…and get REAL!
You are adressing one issue only and only write vaguely about the main issue here: Mattisyahu is making up complete lies about Chabad and then spewing it to the press. Sounds to me like someone else put these ideas into his head and he is now acting as the transmitter. What he writes about shluchim and other things is wrong, wrong, wrong. If he was a real class act he would just leave, and not feel that the only way he could do it is by first dirtying Chabad’s name. It’s like someone trying to get taller by stepping on someone’s head.
AH
Yasher koach. We need more editorials like this, that remind us of our job as chassidim of the Rebbe.
Zeldy
That’s a mature article you wrote, Webby! Yasher koach. Hopefully, everyone will see it this way – very nice,
Correction: I did not write this article, Mimi Notik did. See more of her work by searching her name on this site or visit her blog at http://www.livefromthehillt…
Webby
ALSO DISCOVERING MYSELF
I love this article though only wish it was posted at the same time as the other article, thereby giving people a chance to look at both sides of the coin and than post thier opinion! well done!!
ayl
im not hurt at all.
He is earning a living.
If it were good for his parnasa he would keep the image of a chabad chosid.
My point is :
R’ Heller once said evrything Tzivos haShem does is kodesh hakadshim, but not necessarily are all there programs for Lubavitcher kids.
So to Matisyahu, his style of music never was and never will be for Frummer ears.
when was the last time you heard his music and said i want to learn a maamar, I want to be a shliach?
Its just for frryer and goim.
Just a way of making money.
(i wish i could do that)
He is a yid who is searching for spirituality.
Looks like he doesnt want to conform and losse is personal identity.
Fame has that effect on a person.
Anyway I am sure he will come back to chabad chasidus.
For once and for all
The least we can do is take a lesson: The next time a "chabad" star takes the stage,let’s just remeber: Chabad is a chassidus, The Rebbe demands beinf hecher fun der velt, we abhore rock and roll and boxing, and MTV, yes we lovingly accept all jews but these values and yes these people do not represent us.
NOT A FAN OF KLIPA MUSIC
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.
truth speaker.
well written, but who cares. do you realy want this guy’s face as the cover of lubavitch. let him go to breslev and enjoy.
you
webby… you disappointed me.
you make a nice speech. you addressed his spiritual search, granted.
but most of the comments are about his irresponsible and untruthful way of portraying chabad. and as your neighbor who does share that commonality with you, I am offended that you did not pick that up, and missed the very core of our hurt.
but you are still the best! keep up the good work!
we are all proud of you.
we are all proud
we are.
we are you.
not impressed
I never liked him anyway. Nor would I bring his music into my house.
I don’t trust superstars who pop up out of nowhere and affiliate themselves with my territory. I’m not surprised he’s gone.
I wish him luck in his own journey if that’s what this is all about, but proper frum etiquette is that you don’t publicize your spiritual journeys to the world.
lemons to lemon-ade
fabulous article. you nipped it in the bud before anyone had a chance to pry on the negative.this is real Aharon Kohain Gadol style. thank you for turning it around and allowing us to make a real Kiddush Hashem, Kiddush Lubavitch by handling it as such.
may you be blessed. you put a new twist on things and I for one will adapt that. thank you for stopping me from shmutzing up my neshama.
to embarest to say
Mimi you did gr8, im with you, your the best jsut for this. i dont know you, but i sure hope to.
Thanks
Cee
Matisyahu has the right to do and think whatever he wants, but he used Chabad and if not for Chabad he would never have accomplished what he did. People like to bash Chabad when it’s convenient and then when they need us they bleed us dry. When their kids fry out and run away it’s the local Shliach who gets the call from the crying parents to reach out to their children. When a disaster hits anywhere in the world it’s the Shliach who is there to help.
It’s really nice to ask people to play the “we’re better then that” card. It would be nice if none of us said anything, but it would have been nicer if he would have just had some class too. Why did this have to be a public issue at all? Is he some goyish pop star that every thing he does has to be in the press? Shouldn’t he had some tact and just not made a big deal about this? Why does he have to go do interviews or make public statements about how he no longer is interested in Chabad? After everything we did to make him millions of dollars?
I wish him well and I hope he finds himself, because it seems to me his spiritual journey is far from over. He needs real guidance and spiritual council, not a free pass from bad press bay a group of people who made him what he is and then gets slapped across the face for their help. He no longer cares about the frum community, and his music is not meant for frum people. I hope all Shchuna parents make sure their children aren’t listening to this music. What a horrible example he leads for our children. If you don’t like something, drop it and just move onto the next thing. He shows a lack of maturity, a lack of loyalty and a lack of devotion to something that is centuries old. You can’t just “try” things like it’s a candy shop.
CHT
Mat,
No matter where you go with your concert, you will find beit Chabad to help you with Kashrus, Shabbos, yomei tovim. But pray the way you like, I got no problem.
tzippy from BP
Mimi Notik! Well written and well said.
Yoseph Yitzchak
Here is a problem =
You write
"To me, there was nothing like seeing a Chabad Chassid dance in front of a crowd of thousands while singing about the Rebbe and wearing an “Ad Mosai?” yarmulke. When he said “Chabad philosophy/That’s the deepest wellspring,”
The Rebbe would condone this form of theatrics.
This is the type of stuff that made you closer to G-d and believe in the derech!?
How about going to a shiur ? thats what usually does it for me.
Can anyone remember Shlomo Carlebach and his little stop over in 770??
One difference Shlolmo Carlebach was a genius who couldv’e been a leading Rov and who’s music you can sing at the shabbos table. Mattisyahu while some may find his music enjoyable it’s fit for the tiolet.
Chana Z
Zeldy-
Look at the top right of the article, it was written by Mimi Notik.
well done
This is a great article that hit the point that Im sure a lot of us were thinking while reading the responses to the origional article. Im on shlichus and I once had an interesting experience where a man, who was not lubavitch, not only that but he posessed a true hatred towards chabad- called us up becuase he was in the area for shabbos and needed a meal. It didnt end there, he sat at our table bad mouthing lubavitch and what it stands for- literaly biting the hand that was feeding him. But the meal ended up being so nice… we didnt "bite him back" how immature and against all that we stand for! We gave him answers to his questions and although I cant say he changed his hatred…at least he saw what chabad is about ACCEPTING PEOPLE BECUASE THEY HAVE A NESHAMA!
Yoseph Yitzchak
From the original article it seems that he just picked up a Gemarah for the first time just now ?
What did he do while in Yeshiva in Crown Heights ?
Areye Leib Krayzman
Listen you people are just repeating yourselves. I think you guys are jealous of him and where he’s at cause as i remember clearly as soon as Matisyahu hit the top of the charts everyones gossip in 770 on the holiest day of the week (shabbos) was Matisyahu is making a chillul Hashem . He’s playing in front of mixed crowds, hes a disgrace i heard it all, so look at this as he’s doing you guys a favor and not dragging your name chabad in the dirt as so many of you put it.IM upset as well that he has left cause we were good friends lived next door to eachother for two years in yeshiva . But all of you just love to complain no matter what he said or did, so people it’s time to move on… Moshiach now
batya
BS"D
zeldy
the article was written by mimi notik
see her thought here
livefromthehilltop.com
very omek and in tune with the
message of ther rebbe.
b
very nice article
thank you for this article.
very well said!
We Want Moshiach Now!
I think he is starting at the begining. Of course we are all Jews but we have to have a direction in our connection to Hashem. Who is his Rebbe, who is his Rabbi? Point being, life his to hard to live without someone guiding you. I am who I am because of help from our coummunity. I teach my children to be chassidim of the Rebbe. They are stronger because their friends have the same views as them. Their teachers feel the same way and teach them how to be better Chassidim. If he wants to daven in Karlin let Him. He just needs a direction and not feel He has to take every path in the road because he might get lost.
What happened to ahavas yisroel
Chassidishe mother sounds to me as if she’s EXTREMELY insecure about her own belief system and connection to chabad chassidus and to the Rebbe. Why the anger?? Why the bitterness? Is this how the Rebbe has taught us to behave? To feel? To react?
Why does he still live here I don`t know, maybe because he thought Lubavitchers were supposed to be non-judgemental and accepting of Jews of different `stripes`. That`s what I was always taught anyway. I`m pretty shocked to hear someone who professes to be a Lubavitcher telling someone to `go to Montana“ so she doesn`t have to listen to him davening. This is definitely not the teachings of MY Rebbe!!
CL
Very nice essay. Well written, honest and sincere. You are right – we do feel hurt and betrayed. Yet everyone has a right to find the spiritual path to g-dliness even if it’s not within our comfort zone.
The ideas are not fresh :)
He said in article about learning chasidus chabad – the ideas were not fresh anymore. Dude, when are we getting fresh songs, albums, its been awhile. You are now free from weary JDub and Chabad, let’s hear something fresh.
cm
People! Matisyahu’s spiritual journey is only our business to the extent of what we did or didn’t do for him. Instead of being judgemental (what is HE doing wrong), we should be introspective (what are WE doing wrong that I guy walks into 770 and gets turned off by a 20 minute shachris at two in the afternoon.)
I say good luck to matisyahu. He is a very honest and straight-forward person (a lit too much though it seems for our politically correct sensitivities.)
Dont worry! Nobody will leave yiddishkeit because of this! On the other hand, if YOU do what the Rebbe wants; who knows? Maybe someone else will join.
sam
let him go he dident reach his destination yet
NO RESON TO GET UPSET
After reading all the comments on this site and on the bloggers site about all of this the past two days there is one thing which has become very clear to me.
That is that we (the readers need to understand) that there are all types of people who read all of these site e.g kids, teenagers, young adults,moms,dads,females ,and males one thing we all need to understand that all of these types off people have very different types of opinions for there respected reasons young,immature,inexperienced,mature and so on and so forth.
So we really shouldn’t be bashing each other and getting all upset because these all are steps in the process of growing up
sheabudah
He was only ever an oportunistic popstar. What I find hilarious is how every CCL (card-carrying Lubavitcher) jumped on his band-wagon upon hearing he was a bonifide Lubavitcher. Maybe you all ought to have waited a while first, hmm? Maybe you all ought to learn to look BELOW the surface a bit, no?
interesting
To the Chassidishe Mother –
I understand you want to protect your children. But if you are exclusive enough to not even acknowledge his work as music (point was effectively made by putting that word in quotations), I can see why you would assume the same disrespect in others: the Misnagdim, Matisyahu, etc. There is no proof that Matisyahu was "using" Chabad, nor that he has open disdain for Chabad CHASSIDUS. I believe his disdain would be for people who projected their negative, mistrustful, close-minded outlooks on him.
Levi Welton
Brilliant article.
I agree wholeheartedly.
A proud Tomim
I just don’t get it!! Who are we to discuss and criticize someone else on what what he should or should not do!! It is also amazing to see how easy people are able to criticize and ridicule somebody!! Is this what chabad stands for?? And besides, we were the ones that made a big deal out of him. So for us to start bashing him, is really us bashing ourselves; and rightly so. Additionally, how many people can say here in chabad that they’ve touched thousands of Jewish lives?
In conclusion, let us judge him for who he is; Jewish.
We MUST Accept
We must accept all jews no matetr what their chasidic affiliation is. as pervious comments mentioned, He will come around and see the light.
the 1 thing i am looking forward to hearing is his version of the numa numa song a.k.a. Na-Na-Nach-Nachman
show us some love!
To: "Chassidishe Mother"
Its sad to see how much time you spent writing your hate about shouting off a rooftop where we can’t hear him.As a chasidishe mother I hope you are not infusing your chasidishe kids with the same dosage of hate you infused in your diatribe. Ih he wants to move on let him move on in peace. And if he wants to tell the world why he left and what he didnt find here then let him. We loving Lubavitchers do not spew venom at people like this. Save it for the satmars who threw rocks at us on tahalucha.
another one who saw it coming...
I hear a lot of people expressing that they “saw this coming.”
I agree with the poster about seeing it coming.
When you read about his past, the choices he’s made, how long he sticks with something, I guess as an adult it was an easy thing to speculate….
BPER
Thank you for a level minded approach. dealing with the reality of what happened & how we as a group can gain from it rather then talk about it make sense to me.
By the way the JW article mentions PINSK KARLIN in Israel then Stolin tn Boro Park these two sects are two diffrent sects of Chasidim I think they may actuly be feuding with one another is Matthiyou aware of this.
To Chassidishe Mother
1: you call yourself chassidishe mother yet you bash someone you obviously dont know.(sinas chinum)
2:"I will not use the word Chassid in connection with Mattisyahu." who are to decide who is a chassid and who isnt besides i think the article says he joined a sect of breslev CHASSIDIM!
Zu Letovah
Actually, we should all be glad that Mattisyahu is distancing himself from Chabad.
Now maybe our youth who never before Mattisyahu went to clubs and such, will stop going. At the very least there is the hope that those who have not started to follow Mattisyahu in places better not visited, will now not go there.
I am sure he did a lot of good for the youth that was distant from Yiddishkeit but he certainly dragged others into experiences better left alone.
So let us be happy at the current situation and have a feilichen Chanukah.
Get Up, Stand Up
I was going to write more, but let me just say:
BOB DYLAN
he’s jewish, not jewish, born again christan, not christan, jewish, prays with chabad….
Who like reggae anyway? Sorry but it’s true.
Resident
WE NEED TO STOP BLAMING OURSELVES FOR BEING "IN HIS FACE" about his spiritual journey.
If the author read the Jewish News article she would have clearly seen his anti Chabad talk, saying how the Chabad machine does not contribute to serving G-D, but the opposite, and his insult of shluchim.
Where would he be without shluchim? I dont even want to say.
In any event, another artist years ago, named Uncle Moishy, was mekareved through Chabad and left…BUT YOU DONT see him bash Chabad in the press AND SMOKE CIGARETTES KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE ARE KIDS.
We need to realize that yes he did insult us!!! We need to at least call him on that
Me
Gei gezunterheit. I don’t think his music was a plus to Chabad. It might have been good for shvartzes. Not for our children.
NDH
I just want to say to the "chassidishe Mother who added a comment that I’m 100% with you and so are many if not most of chabad parents in agreement with you,for all mattisyahu did to the youth of chabad was pollute them with ideas and thoughts of exploring the "other" side of music, in other words boys and girls of chabad,who were good kids,heard matisyahu and then got turned on by an exciting and "new" style of music which he sang,and from there went on to other genres of non jewish music, and unfortunately today we have 100’s of frum jewish lubavithcher kids who are listening to non jewish music and are getting up to all sorts of stuff.
From the day he got his publicity,I predicted that this man won’t last,simply because singing and bringing out chassidic philosophy’s through reggae is something that makes no sense! No matter how much people will say that this was,(and still is according to some) the best way to attract people from the outside,I.E by singing and acting in their way of life,it is utter nonsense.I would love to know how many people mattisyahu attracted over the years – for the right reasons, the way he supposedly "expected and wanted".
For those who respect all that he did up until recently,I’m not disagreeing with you,I’m only saying he did things the wrong way,And even though he explicitly said countless times to the public,whether it was by his concerts or in interviews,that his music was not for chabad frum people or any orthodox group in that matter to listen to,I interested to know exactly what he was thinking,did he really expect everyone to listen to him? didn’t he realize what might occur when he embarked on his mission to "change the world" it might just not work,and even if it would, there would be more people against it,than people who were with him on it?besides for the fact that 75 to 80% of the buyers are not jewish,never mind secular.
So all in all I would like to wish matssyahu "great success" in the bresliver market and hope he will find his place his n life and come back as a true chassid of the Rebbe
Tired of it all
I sense that Matisyahu is a troubled person and we can only wonder where he will land, whether chassidish or not, whether frum or not, and I will not take it further than that…Fame does many things to people.
I feel for his wife and children.
Maybe we can see all the hype and publicity for what it’s worth and finally shelve the groupie mentality that has become part of our mindset. (But wait, isn’t that Gad Elbaz on the horizon?)
Denial
Lets see…
So, You learned alot of chasidus, your spreding chasidus to thousands, your micareving thousands of yiden, you visit many chabad houses and help them but your not a lubavicher because you davin louder and longer??? So WHO is?
B’Hatzlocha!!!
yosef
Just look at the picture of him. His entire eidelkiet is gone. his beard went from being a sign of chasidus to a hippy sign amazing
chillers
One thing Lubavithers know how to do………………complain!!!! Give credit were credit is due. Not everyone in this world has to be Chabad…. you dont like it …to bad!
accept ALL jews?
Hello I keep on hearing people in Lubavitch saying "we must accept all Jews" and I think this is a massive mistake in Chabad. Does this mean you must accept for example "Messianic Jews" or should you spit and run from them? What about Reform Jews? Can someone set the record straight, before a Ch"v a young innocent bocher on Mivzoim gets the wrong idea and gets lost. Thank you.
confused
Why do people keep on talking about breslov when the original article only talks about stolin-karlin? And since when is stolin-karlin not a chassidus? I also agree that the "go to montana" comment is a little… depressing.
mendel Ch-T.O.
Thank you!
Well said
cm
chassidishe mother: in your zeal to say "I told you so", you seem to have forgotten that he is your fellow Jew, and you have spoken badly of him in public. That’s not chassidish, or Jewish, for that matter.
he is right
how sad, when will we see davening in the true chabad way in the mainstream of our community, when will we have the time to delve into the depth of our rebbe’s wisdom, it is time our contact with the world should make us look deeper into where we come from and not we not be satisfied in our rush to conquer the world with slogans…our children did not and dont see where the machine comes from…
lizman
the article is great but missing one point.
we can all love him ONLY when ho does NOT degrade us in the eyes of the world.
but in his interview (the interviewer) got some bad things from him and she published it.
i hate him for degrading chabad and to me that is a declaration of war. yes if he chose to go he has all the right to leave. but if you leave and badmouth us then we reserve the right to retaliate .
take the high road take the chabd road. love him as a jew but bury his anti chabd rhetoric.
i wont allow anyone om my kids to listen to his stuff. and i wont support anyone that supports him.
i may choose my way and he may choose his.
yitzie
This is pathetic! Why can’t all humans just be humans and not be judges by religion, race, geographical orientation or even sect WITHIN ONES OWN RELIGION!? Is this really how you guys look at other human beings? On an hierarchical level of who is closer to your tribe and who is not? You guys should all be ashamed of yourselves!!!
started with the sneakers
In the pre-sneaker era — regular shoes, black hat, polyester shirt hanging out, typical glasses, shy smile with Jimmy Kimmel — there was a keli for the bittul and light of Chabad. There was also a satisfaction — spiritual, emotional, intellectual.
This bittul was incredible, one that is not commonly found, especially in one with such fame.
The bittul transparency spoke to the world and perhaps was the key of success (al derech the story of the restiching of the porit’z garments by the Jewish tailor with bittul, as opposed to the first time he sowed them with gaavah).
Then came the sneakers. hip-hop style. The bittul was wearing off.
It was very hard to imagine such a thing happening. so we said: "but it’s only sneakers!" "they’re more comfortable!"
klipas halevushim, baby! that’s what they taught us from the old books. it is a symptom that exacerbates the illness and leads to further symptoms.
a holy man can become less holy (excluding a tzadik). al taamin b’atzmach ad yom moisach. The man is human. Hey, even yochonon kohen gadol became a tziduki after 80 years.
elah mai, the yeshus that started to creep in has not (yet, and hopefully never) led to detachment from yiddishkeit. But, a philosophy that in the end comes down to — not spirituallity, not ratzo and not shov!not "seeking the truth," not austerity, not being "good," etc. etc. — but a philosophy that in the end comes down to — bittul, does not speak so appealingly to a sneaker. even if the sneaker is a seeker.
so sneaker-seeker sneeks out to seek a philosohpy that is about the self–my feelings, my yearnings, my contradictions, my self-actualization, tikkun, etc. etc.
Bottom line is, ironically, that it is only through selflessness that one achieves self-actualization.
GO MATTIS!
A former fan
Lubavitch made him ….. now he defects like Uncle Moishe
no more L H
i think this is too much Lashon hara being dissscussed. let there be wat there is and leave it. the worst thing to do is bring bad out if this.
Chayah_Sarah
I’ve never been a listener or fan or Matisyahu. However, I’ve met plenty like him. They generally fall into 3 sub-categories:
1) They’re critical of Chabad, yet live here because they need the community as a safety net. Especially in case they get sick or down on their luck later.
2) They left Chabad for some other group that always seems more exotic. Doubtless these other communities have a romantic appeal. And what ba’al teshuva doesn’t go gaga over a streimel? (I’m also a BT, so I say this with authority.)
3) They claim they’re the Jewish equivalent of "citizen of the world." Which IMHO is a euphemism for Chabad. These eclectic types say they "just don’t fit in anywhere." Basically want to do their own thing. They’re obsessed with their individuality, but in reality have an ego the size of Texas which they refuse to deflate.
A religion, though, without a focus or direction leads nowhere. And a synagogue that just becomes a showcase for someone’s mannerisms offers no spiritual growth. As a Chabad rabbi said to me, "Someone who goes to every rebbe basically wants to be his own rebbe."
Forgive me for my cynicism, but these jaded eyes have just seen too much.
I doubt Matisyahu is going to remain in Breslov or Karlin-Stolin. Once they demand a certain conformity, he’ll bow out, not without disparaging them first.
Yeah, I know I’m a cynic, but I’ve
Zg
"don’t worry, he’ll come back around". How obnoxious! Who do we think we are?
chabad
If his music is not made for the frum crowd why is it being sold in our neighborhood???
And if some other people who didn’t make it so big but make other non jewish music why is that stuff being sold in our stores?
Never Stop Believing in Matis
I don’t care if Matisyahu’s Chabad or not. He’s religious, wears his tzitzis proudly and is a frum Jew in every way, except he’s no longer a card-carrying Lubavticher. Chabad makes up 1% of Jewish people today. Are the other 99% not Jewish? Matisyahu can be not Lubavitch and a fine religious Jew. If you are a true Lubavitcher, do what every Chossid does first- WHAT WOULD THE REBBE SAY? Matsiyahu is STILL A JEW. Many people who call themselves a "chossid of the rebbe" are not even religious, l’havidl. Matisyhau didn’t "diss" the Rebbe- he’s "dissing" some irresponsible, un-Chabad-like shluchim who repeatedly tell him off for what he’s doign. It’s not OUR buisness to tell him what his shluchis is, what his shluchis WAS! He’s a "kosher" religous Jew and I will never stop listening to his music.
lm
hes looking for something deeper.and he doesnt realize that their isnt anything deeper. he is not finished searching, so i think that that he will soon be turned on for a few months by something else, and eventually by something else. to no end it will go on and on, until he realizes that its not for him, and it will be to late. hes over with chabad, and he will soon move out fo the community to somewhere in manhattan,and after that who knows what going to be of him, but i know one thing it doesnt look to good, and im talking about spiritually
YOSEF
BEAUTIFUL ARTICLE, EXTREMELY WELL WRITTEN!
Fed Up with CHers
i love how all the self-rightous Crown Heightser are offended by the way he used Lubavitch. Did he do anything to you? You all claim to be hurt when people use Shluchim to get what they want and then trash them. Are you a Shliach? Did he hurt you? All of a sudden you’re sooo concerned. If you’re that worried that he’s hurt Lubavitch, pick up your check book, and send a Shliach a donation. Yelling about it on a blog isn’t going to change anything. When I see a Shliach who persoanlly was hurt by this fiasco, I will let him talk. Everyone else should just shut up.
Yosefs Brother
the best thing Chabad could do now is to ignore him, something they should have done in the first place, because:
1) the Rebbe would never, ever have condoned his whole act, where he performed etc. – especially the fact that it gave a generation of chabad children the false belief that his music and its type were OK
2) his music was gimmicky. They should have seen right through to the fact that he was using his Hassidism as a PR stunt. A random white guy doing reggae is generally called karaoke
3) his hashkafah was highly questionable. Since when do we put someone with little to no jewish background on platform to act as our spokesman? Highly dangerous…and look what has happened. I hope the lesson has been learned.
YONI
My feelings are hurt personally that Matisyahu left Lubavitch. you can learn and be inspired by breslav chassidus, but why LEAVE chabad?? Personally whichever Lubavitchers were close to him should feel responsible for someone to leave lubavitch. Maybe it was the dumb fights that ostracized him but the philosiphy is the "deepest well spring" and I cant relate at all.
Not Happy
One thing is forsure, you can tell that he is a little imature…You dont become Lubavitch and then switch ‘cuz you wanted something else…He is probably doing this for attention…
to AcceptALLJews?
yes of course we accept them, them and not their ideas. I can love someone else and respect them just as much as any other Jew. We must separate their neshomo from their actions.
Another point – regarding his experiences with Shluchim.The shluchim had varied experiences with him. Some said he was a great example and ‘farbrenged’ with students, learnt all Shabbos etc. Others said he just wanted free food and lodging; he hardly spoke to anyone, didn’t come to the minyan, read goyishe books all day and was upset that the shliach invited students over because he just wanted to relax.
I guess it depended on his mood…
did anyone see the moody interview in Holland where he says how he is not happy, and religion doesn’t make him happy, and that he ‘sort of’ gave up drugs? I’m wondering if everything just depends on his mood.
Perhaps that is why he is more inclined to a Chasidus which is based on midos.
One-eyed Chossid.
My first reaction was one of disappointment, as can be expected. I am admittedly a one-eyed Lubavitcher, and I don’t like to see any slight on the Lubavitch name. However it then struck me what was really bothering me. Chabad has come in for a hammering in recent time (along with the positive reports), and for someone with such a high profile to put it out there like that; definitely contributes to the Chabad-bashers.
However, I then had 2 thoughts. Firstly; our biggest asset and what we have most to admire and be proud of is the Rebbe; and not Matisyahu! And quite frankly, we don’t need people attracted to Lubavitch because of Matisyahu. If they have not been attracted to Lubavitch of the merits of the Rebbe, I don’t want them gawking at us because we have Matisyahu. And secondly; I am of the firm belief that unless one has a traumatic experience; once a Lubavitcher, always a Lubavitcher. And if someone can leave the sect for no other reason than “he’s searching”, then to me that clearly demonstrates that he never grasped what Chabad Chassidus is all about in the first place, and thereby was never a true Lubavitcher Chossid to begin with.
I actually feel sorry for him that he never had the opportunity to embrace and comprehend such a beautiful Chassidus and way of life, but rather focused on all the external things, which once they changed, so did his thoughts and philosophy on Chabad.
P.S. If gambling were legal, I would start taking bets that by 2010 he doesn’t belong to his current group of Chassidim.
Ha-Rav ReGOY Shlisa Amen
Mimi, as always I’m amazed at your clear concise points and really enjoy your rhythm as a writer.
What follows are a couple splashes of thoughts on this "issue.":
1) When people say: He shouldn’t bite the hand that fed him ~ Trust me, whether he was a Chabad Chasid or not his music would’ve been very successful. I agree that given the uniqueness of his whole image, ‘Chasid Rapper,’ it helped, but it’s not like Chabad exclusively did that for him. To think otherwise is very ethnocentric.
2) I’m with Mim when she says that he could have more tact. Nine out of ten times reactions are formed on how NOT what.
3) As long as he’s moving forward with exploration of religion and giving us (Jews, yes "Jews" a better image, supportJewish Brother. What Matis did with 1 Album and a couple music videos did more for positive Jewish identity than one could ever conceive.
4) I think I’m going to start buying Eitan G’s CD’s. He’s G’Smacht. B’Emes: )
My Take on the Issue
It seems quite a few people ARE taking this personally, and DO have a problem with him leaving Lubavitch, not just badmouthing. I was a little upset in the begining, but quickly calmed when a my mother quipped, "As long as hes serving the Aibeshter." PLEASE- let’s not turn this into an ego battle. If any ordinary person did this, it wouldnt cause such an uproar. Because he is no ordinary person, in the public limelight, we have to make sure to watch ourselves extra carefully, and not just critize based on half a story. Mimi- that is a very well written article, and very mature. Thank You.
My Take on the Issue
It seems quite a few people ARE taking this personally, and DO have a problem with him leaving Lubavitch, not just badmouthing. I was a little upset in the begining, but quickly calmed when a my mother quipped, "As long as hes serving the Aibeshter." PLEASE- let’s not turn this into an ego battle. If any ordinary person did this, it wouldnt cause such an uproar. Because he is no ordinary person, in the public limelight, we have to make sure to watch ourselves extra carefully, and not just critize based on half a story. Mimi- that is a very well written article, and very mature. Thank You.
Zg
LOSHON HORRO! Have some of you forgotten he is human and can read? FAME is not a lisence for mass RECHILUS.
Lubavitch Doctor
ON THE FLIP SIDE…………
THESE ARE 2 POSTS FROM PEOPLE OFF MATISYAHU’S WEBSITE—-
—————————————-
BaalasTeshuva06 – 12:30am EST
I became frum a year and a half ago, to the tunes of Jerusalem and King Without a Crown. Matisyahu was (and still is) a role model to me, of where I was gonna be heading one day (with the help of G-d). When my parents started making it tough on me about the fact that I was becoming frum, I would turn on "Chop ’em down" and that was how I would get through the rough patches. I identify with the Chabad sect at the moment, and I love it. When I am old enough, I want to be a shlucha of the Rebbe, and I can’t wait for that time to come speedily. I know this is none of my business, and I feel really stupid posting on this forum, but I would just like to know why you (Matisyahu) no longer identify with the Chabad movement. I in no way mean to offend you, but I am at a point in my life where I am trying to find out who I am, and what I want to do. Matisyahu is a figure I have always looked up to, and I would just like to know what may have prompted him to make this decision.
May we merit the building of the Beis Hamikdash speedily in our days!
-Chana
—————————————-
Okay, I now repeatedly read that Matisyahu left the Chabad movement. But as a Christian, I don’t really understand this. If he is not Chabad anymore, what is he now? (Sorry for these stupid questions, but I don’t know much about it, but I’m eager to learn!)
And when did he leave the Chabad sect?
I’m sorry if I sound stupid.
Oh, another question that got into my mind: What if he sings, for example, "Got no water" live, does he leave out the lines where he sings about "Chabad philosophy, that’s the deepest well-spring…" ?
I really do sound stupid, do I? But if I don’t ask, how will I get to know it?
—————————————
MY COMMENT TO YOU, Matisyahu; is I wish you only good, but you still have a responsibility of a role model that people will continue to look up to you as seen from the comments above. Don’t forget it.
& always be proud of you frumkiet.}
Move on
I’m sitting here reading all these comments trying so hard to figure out: Could I possibly care less? I tried to, but I don’t think I can. Non Lubavitchers reading the article already forgot it as soon as they put it down and used it as a placemat for their morning coffee. As my high school biology teacher used to say (lovingly) when we told her why we couldn’t complete our homework or study for a test: "Nobody cares. Really. Nobody cares."
Don’t waste good Yiddishe energy on this. Go learn something, help someone, say tehillim or raise money for a moisad.
hypocrites unite
Why is everyone making such a big deal about matisyahu annoying us with a few bad one liners. do you all know that uncle moishe started out in chabad and id you would know how he spew such venom and hatred against lubavitch. He is not shy to tell anyone willing to hear about his feelings for us. However, everytime there is a childrens program a chol homaed event happening in crown heights who is the guest appearance… none other than UNCLE MOISHE.. WHAT HYPOCRYSY, stand up for your beliefs all the way.
Chassidishe Mother
What never ceases to amaze me is the number of people who produce hate-filled, illiterate invectives directed at people they don’t know & whom they believe to harbor the same emotions as they. In this case, I am the recipient of such missives.
I know, I know, I’m using complex sentences and big words, some with more than 3 syllables, which makes it hard for you all to comprehend.
Nevertheless, let me say this…there was no anger, hatred, or anything like those emotions which clearly you feel. (You really should learn not to project YOUR insecurities onto me!!) I merely feel disdain at someone who used my Rebbe and his Chassidim to further his own, material ends. When it suits him, he jumps ship.
That’s OK…as I said earlier, I couldn’t care less how he prays. Mind you, I’m not sure if Montana has mountains. I know the English language very well, but my geography could use some help.
Have a great day, people, and chill! To MOVE ON…THANK YOU!! From here I plan to do just that!! :)))
Nice article but I am still disappointed
Lubavitch is famous. Chabad is known world wide.
there are lots of little puny reggae artists all over the place, with out the spice of "CHASIDIC reggae artist" mattisyahu would NOT have made it. THat is a fact.
On JIMMY KIMMEL they announce him as the "chasidic" reggae artist, if it wasnt for the Chabad CHasidic name he would have been you average no fame reggae artist. I harbor no hard feelings to Matisyahu, but Honestly Chabad gave him A WHOLE LOT, in fact EVERYTHING, he is still riding the wake…….. he should have shown more decency in how he dealt with "exploring judaism instead of the insensitive comments he made which has angered thousands… i personally know soooo many people even not frum chabad house people that have done away with his music……You can not blame people for being hurt by his comments.. many of them feel cheated and used as a cheap frill
I wish him only the best, as chabad we love all yidden!
G-d Bless all Jews with the coming of Moshiach Speedily
Something to Consider
This whole discussion really casts light on a bigger, more pressing issue that we, as Lubavitchers, need to review: Baal Teshuvas. Telling it straight, the way we carry out the Rebbe’s wishes by reaching out to Jews, inspiring them and bringing them into Yiddishkeit is inadequate, lacking and long overdue for change. Let’s use this incident to review the total process of taking a Jew from being frei, through education in a our Baal Teshuva Yeshivas,onto shidduchim and marriage, and keep going into their married life and integration with the various communities. In my opinion, Shluchimi, Baalei Batim and miftzoim Bochur do great work inspiring and educating Jews and encouraging them into the Yeshivos or advancing their Yiddishkeit. I believe the Yeshivas, however, do incomplete work and fail to properly prepare young men and women for the challenges of living a frum live, being married and raising and supporting a family. They are simply not prepared. Many never get to resolve their traumas and issues from being raised frei, nor are they ready to assume the demanding financial responsibilities of having large families. Finally, where is the ongoing support? Our obligations to each neshama we bring closer to the Rebbe and Yiddishkeit doesn’t end when they start keeping Shabbos, or enter a Yeshiva, or even when they get married. Actually, after the chuppa is, perhaps, the beginning of the most crucial time; a time when the desperately need support adjusting to married life, a life without learing Torah all day, yet staying strong nontheless as Baalei Batim. It’s totally neglegent and irresponsible to play with people’s lives by offering them a broken, incomplete, noncomprehensive and insufficient path to Teshuva. Let us use this story as encouragement to review our entire process of making Baalei Teshuvas, from beginning to end product, from mivtzoim interaction to frum homemaker. Let us courageously identify weaknesses,make systemic changes and provide people a wholesome and healthy path to Yiddishkeit and Chassidishkeit as the Rebbe envisioned it.
chossid
Matty is not going to renounce to all the money he made as a Lub Rggae singer
The fact that he remains a hassidic, does not show any spiritual grow,is b/c this is where his money comes from.He has to continue look as a Chassidic singer.
Leaving CHAABaD and The Rebbe is going down spiritualy, for anybody, NOt just for him
I wish the best for Matty, but I think that he just became very megusham
The bright side
Could have been…Avrom Fried, Eli Lipsker, Chaim Fogelman..
tehilla lankin
I’m not sure where I stand on this issue for several reasons. He may have been misquoted especially if it was reported in an anti-chabad newspaper. And learning from non-chabad people or davening in their shul is certainly no crime.
But I must say that I’m really enjoying watching all of your true colors come out. People in Crown Heights, especially the one’s who have multiple posts on this topic (this site and others) have way too much time on their hands.
Matisyahu: we were proud to have you, were sad that your gone and I hope one day you’ll have an interest in us again. Because there’s more to Chabad than I think you’ve explored.
chill
finally,someone with some sence on this issue.
graet job mimi notik.
Chaya
i love matisyhu’s music and i’ll still listen 2 it even if he’s switched he’s spirtiual path….who cares as long as hes still a frum jew
my take on the situation
I find matis very much like George w bush.
you love him as a leader, yet embarrassed to hear him in an interview.
To ask what where would he be without chabad, is a good question, yet, for some reason they say that chassidus is like a bullet, it will either save you or kill you.
Using Chassidus as a platform on what to base his music was powerful, very powerful, so powerful that it atracted so many people without using a single dirty word in any of his lycics.
However, this level of power, comes with great nisyonos, the nisyonos are so large, that it is dificult to contain oneself. Which is why the rebbe said that everyone should have both a mashipa, as well as a rav, [a mentor, as well as a coach.]
without these support systems, it is truly dangerous. with that said, we have to give chizuk to Matis, and show love and encouragement, and support he is going to need it.
At the levaye of R’ Shlomo Carlbach A"H without saying any names, but 1 of our heavy hitter chasidim, were there, begging for michilla and crying and saying out loud, "we are sorry for saying to you all these years that the rebbe was upset with you, and the rebbe did not want you near 770."
the policy is that the rebbe never wanted anyone chased out of 770, and when carlbach left we never said, we knew it was a mater of time. its shtusim to say that.
the rebbe never wanted to have anyone use mivtzoim as an excuse to violate halacha.
Matis is not violating halacha in the name of Mivtzoim, i am not sure if his mission is mivtzoim, i dont think it needs to be. I think once a deal was signed with Sony, he no longer has any say, they paid him $2 million but he must bring in $4 million, its a simple equation. Once he is no longer the flavor of the year, and the pressure of conformity will go away, Mattis will come running back to Rabbi wircberg and Rabbi Goldberg.
For the meantime, we haveto give him chizuk, and if he find something else in a place where they could care less where he performs, and when he performs, then be it.
In the meantime in Crown heights we have many more problems then worriying about if mattis will grow his payos into 2 massive clonkers.
just rambling again,
enough already
when misnagdim would be horrible to chabad, how did the Alter Rebbe respond?by reciprocating their behavior?no he said to despite how they act HIS STUDENTS should act with ahavat yisroel.
i don’t believe that matisyahu used chabad for publicity and neither do the dozens of people who KNEW HIM PERSONALLY. even when he was chabad he was still critisized for making a chilul chabad ect ect. … so what do you wan’t from him now? maybe he thought he would do chabad a favor by leaving us.but so many people have such MEAN comments to say. do you really want your children to be like you ?
the REALITY IS his music DID MAKE PEOPLE FRUM.and the reality is chabad is maybe a tinsy bit a machine. again the people who knew him personally knew he did NOT USE CHABAD FOR PUBLICITY he used it becuse he believed in it .for all you people who claim to be chassidush for sure you are in alot of ways but you have to have the pnimius also .bashing jews unless they do a crime close to murder is not what a children will respect.and the truth is alot of children leave the derech for diff reasons and a big one is because they see SHALLOW BEHAVIOR TOWARDS OTHERS.enough already when did critisim ever work?
girl
to all browbeaters out there.wake up to the reality. how many lubav kids are out at bars and clubs?better that they should see him there then some other sitra achra
Zg
chassisishe mother: pretty much everyone who read your words drew the same conclusions regarding your feelings. Perhaps you are proficient in "three-sylabled words", but obviously your communication skills need some work…
Now that you’ve explained yourself, I’m sure your second post was written with a smile, but it gives off the same angry impression as the first.
Please be careful in the future – the Torah puts special emphasis on protecting people’s feelings.
back to the rebbes chabad
Ihave one word and I hope everyone thins about it…. Mishichist… That is the chabad of repeditive indocternation and it is impossible to supplement it with chabad study it does not fit with the proclemations and need to force logic on one issue again and agaiin the mesichist movment is distroying us becouse the emphasis is on the wrong thing come on we all k now what I am talking about
Give them a break!
I think we lubavitchers become repulsive with people who don’t tow party line.
Shmuely Boteach was given the same cold shoulder approach and all his peulos became treif as soon as he was axed from Chabad, now we are seeing matisayahu being given the same treatment. Even so Chabad embraced his "shtick" as lomg as he was saying the things that made us feel secure and happy.
I think WE Chabadnicks have large enough sholders to accept people of high profile who may not tow the party line and do their own thing without getting bent out of shape about it.
mm
matisyahu, we’ll keep the light on for ya!
opinionated bocher
Move on wrote
your comment is the best
its a shud [pity] that yours is at the bottom [ai mine is even lower tzarich iyun vedoi"k veka"l]
i personaly think [being that i got all the way to the bottom of the comments i had enough time to form an opinion] that he was never really frum and just became so called "frum" because otherwise he wouldnt have made it big [as he originaly tried but it didnt work because there are many reggae singers who sing better then him [viyesh loimar that even my touches sings better-ahhh that was good]]
so his frum was fake
and now lechaim again [its only my fourth one [bottle]]
gulp
gulp
realistic
To ZG
how about protecting Chassidishe mother’s feelings & her right to say she’s disappointed & upset. I didn’t see her as angry. She just doesn’t have much respect for the great Matisyahiu, not like his groupies round here. And I think her communication skills are fine.That’s my opinion anyway.
You’re quick to judge her, but you’r doing what you criticize her for. You’re a hypocrite.
SYLLABLES has 2 ll’s. I looked it up.
give me a break!!
Chassidishe mother:
Since you are so well versed in the English language, please explain the difference between "disdain" and the other emotions which people ascribe to you from your venomous ravings.
observer
THe Negative comments have value to them, they are not against non-lubavitchers, that is not there point nor would it fit with chabad doctrine. HOWEVER they have every right to FEEL cheater, embarressed, used, and spit out, by someone who OWES his career to the BLACK HAT, JACKET, LIFESTYLE, and HASIDIC LYRICS, that MADE HIM EVERYTHING HE IS/was/will be!
Mattisyahu owes chabad more then he gave us, by spitting us out like a chew toy!
No ones telling him he cant learn ben ish chai, or Karlin, or Artscroll but why trash chabad on the way….
either way, chilren unfortunately looked up to him, and for your average lubavitcher fan, looking for other paths may now be an option……
reminds me of a book i once read……
sickened wrote
It sickens me to see how he can be blamed for people going off. Wake up he is another yid, so he sings and you heard about it so its not our style so what, he is another yid and Hashem loves him like he loves you to. So the Jewish week was able to write an article and get information out of him. So what he is another yid growing in yiddishkeit so he is expressing it his way.Why do you think he using Lubavitch for his fame? He is growing and this is how it is working out for him.Why are you so upset for sheluchim? They are used to dealing with all kinds of yidden and he is just that another yid.
Why do you act so out of caracter for Chabad? Look at yourselfs and remember he is another yid, just like you, your kids, your neighbour, your family etc.Treat him like another yid, like you wish for yourself and loved ones to be treated.
Sarah
I think Mimi did a great job in demonstrating what it means to live and think like a true Chosid: to promote Ahavas Yisrael and always seek to find the good in everyone, without lowering your own personal standard.
About Matisyahu: He didn’t exactly come out and say terrible things about Chabad like some of you think.
Here’s a quote:
"It was about becoming part of this machine and feeling like it was taking away from my service of God, not adding to it." (from the Jewish Week Article)
What he is saying is that he is more of an individualist than a communal person. If you followed his path to Yiddishkeit, you will see that he really did it on his own, with help from people that he turned to for guidance. When he met Chabad, his teachers shepherded him into the system. He became enamored for a short time with Lubavitch and now the honeymoon is over. Now he met some other people and he’s using them to guide him in his pursuit of whatever he is looking for.
It boils down to this: Matisyahu is a searcher, who will constantly be looking for a spiritual home. He is a restless spirit, which is what led him here in the first place.
This happens to many Balei Teshuva, except it doesn’t happen in front of an audience of thousands.
In addition, his leaving Chabad is not exactly going to bring the system to a screeching halt. I mean really, where do you live?
What WOULD have more of an impact is people writing things like "We never wanted him anyway, he’s bringing pritzus in, etc." Basically, insulting someone who you don’t know, probably have never met and have no intentions of getting to know.
Matisyahu has little impact on the work Chabad does globally. He added some "name brand recognition" so people who were already associated with chabad thought hey, that’s cool, somoene else is connecting to his Yiddishkeit through Chabad.
And to those people who are so distraught over his abdicating his throne as the Lubavitcher King of Chassidic Regae, please get a life.
The irony is that no other Chassidic or main stream orthodox comunity, would have accepted him so readily and so warmly as Chabad.
His biggest mistake? Moving to Crown Heights. His teachers should have encouraged him to live in a quiet suburb with a nice establsihed Chabad community, instead of living in the fishbowl.
I personally hope his journey brings him and his family together to a place where he’s happy and still Torah observant.
Yoseph Yitzchak
If I lived and Crown Heights these days and Davened in 770 these days I’d probably move on to Bellvue rather than Breslov and Karlin.
I’m still waiting for Uncle Moishe to come home!!
Disenchanted
Back the the Rebbe’s Chabad – you are 100% correct in your comment, unfortunately the Mosdos in Crown heights & Seagate that cater to BT’s are producing an army of people who learn the same few sichas again and again, repeat the same mantras and focus on one largely skewed aspect instead of chabad chassidus as a whole! Matisyahu was introuduced to Chabad Chassidus by products of these yeshivos and it is no wonder that he says the teachings got old! They choose not to explore all that our chassidus has to offer and it is not their fault! the fault lies with the hanholas of these yeshivas and seminaries who set about to program every person interested in living a meaningful life into a meshichist! These people do not get to see amazing events like the Heichal Menachem Yud Tes Kislev event where all kinds of Chassidim are together, they don’t get to learn what Lubavitch and Chassidus really is – no, they are too busy being taught to say Yechi, wave yellow flags & obsess about the same few Sichos!
To Sarah
Sarah, your view on this issue is the most objective and non-judgmental of them all. I totally agree with all that you’ve said. It’s so sad how many narrow-mnded people are out there.
agreed
Sarah exelent. Thankyou
Campus Rabbi
While it’s wrong to bite the hand that fed you the chicken soup and I wished he would have said "I still love Chabad BUT…"
Everybody take a chill pill and leave this yid alone. He has done nothing wrong. Why do you have to judge? What happened to "love a fellow Jew…"
In the end he will come back – as they always do!
Areye Leib Krayzman
Disancheted. i’m sure you learnt every sucha amamr there is, and you know them fluently, and it’s thats same judgment on a bltsuvas your showing right now. You think that were half lubavitchers, but you know what, these yeshivas take a guy who has no backround knowledge of yidishkiet in his twenties, there is only a limitited of time to learn maybe 2or 3 years, its not a whole liftime of learning like in oheli torah. And what you say about the learning one sicha. who could learn 100 times and everytime get something more. Hl;eay we sjhould completly understand once sicha
BrookAve
Dred locks, allspice, jerk chicken, steel drum, insense, hard dough bread? As all of the above experts are in agreement that he is still searching, I think that the "Kingston" he is dreaming about is the "Kingston" in Jamaica, and NOT the "Kingston", corner of Eastern Parkway.
chaya
some people might be hurt about htis, but your brain must rule your emotions=mattisyahu is JEW and thats all that matters, and its not like hes not frum!!
besides one of the rabbim said that once you taste chabad youll come back to it, chabad is the best and im sure he’ll realize this some day!
open minded
Fine- don’t like his music.
Fine- be hurt that Matisyahu’s not exclusively Lubavitch anymore.
But to hold it against him?!?!?!
You must be one of the narrow-minded crown-heightsers. (Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of openminded 1s too. But you’re not 1.)
He’s a person, let him live his life! As long as he’s Shomer Torah and Mitzvos, why do you care? If you truly wanted to exemplify Chabad and the Rebbe you would go out and hug his family, invite them for a Shabbos meal, show them we STILL love them.
I leave the choice to you.
DAVID
POOR SOUL! TOO MUCH FOR HIM TO BEAR. WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? MATHEW MILLER GOT SIGNED AND MADE IT WITHIN 3 YEARS OF BEING OBSERVANT (FRUM). HIS FOUNDATION WAS FRESH OR MAY I SAY VERY WEAK. THIS GUY WAS NEVER SOLID. I CAN’T BLAME THE GUY. HE’S NOT STABLE. TODAY HE’S LUBAVITCH, TOMORROW HE’S BRESLOV. NO BITTUL! DON’T YOU SEE THAT ITS ALL ABOUT MATISYAHU & HIS SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, HIS OWN TRIP. HE’S A YESH. TRULY A YESH! FOR MATISYAHU ITS ALL ABOUT ME!ME!ME! WHAT EVER TURNS HIM ON NOW. WHO KNOWS MAYBE HE WON’T LIKE THE LONG BEARD ONE DAY AND CUT IT OFF!! MAYBE HE’LL GET BORED WITH HIS JEWISH SPIRITUAL TRIP AND DECIDE TO BECOME A JEW FOR JESUS OR A BUDDIST. WHO CARES ABOUT A YESH!
david benveniste
Bs”d
IF YOU ARE CHABAD YOU KNOW THE SHEETA (WAY) OF THE ALTER REBBE. HE LOOKED INTO THE BRESLOV WAY AND SAW THAT WAS EMOTIONALLY MOTIVATED AS OPPOSED TO CHABAD’S WAY OF WISDOM CONTROLLING THE HEART.THAT’S THE MEANING OF THIS. HE’S A PERFORMER AND HE NEEDS THIS WAY TO LIVE RIGHT NOW.
SO?
EVERYMAN IS A JEW WHEN YOU LOVE .
Ariel
Like myself and so many I have met that were micarved by Chabad we will forever be thankful to Chabad.
There comes a time when a B.T. wants to learn Gemara and grow in learning skills and then decide it’s time to go to Yeshiva (or Sem on a woman’s case). Chabad does have Yeshivas and Sems, but not every Shaliach encourages that people leave his Chabad and go to learn.
Many people simply outgrow any KIRUV program whatever that program may be.
Also there are other types of Chassidus outside of Chabad, all are slightly different and that is why we had 12 shevetim working TOGETHER!
I may not be frum today if it hadn’t been for Chabad and for that I will always be thankful!
DG
As a secular Jew who has attended Chabad Shuls for the last 15 years, I find some of the comments comical, and in some cases shameful. First, I am confident the Rebbe did not concern himself, while on this earth, nor does he now, in Heaven, with such trivial childish insecure matters.
I feel the Rebbe and Chabad, have done more for Judaism in modern times than any other Jew or organization in the 20th and 21st century. The Rebbe is all about love of all Jews and spreading the beauty and wisdom of Judaism. The Torah doesn’t change. It is constant, timeless and Divine; regardless as to whether you call yourself a Chabadnik or a Karliner, G-d nor the Torah change. G-d is G-d. Torah is Torah.
I have found several things in my own journey:
1) Chabad is a wonderful, excepting organization, made up of beautiful, warm, loving people. You have enhanced my life and my Judaism. You have touched Jews around the world and brought them back into the fold, a mission which was paramount to the Rebbe.
2) Like any organization or group of people, through, there are those that are judgemental, that feel there way is THE way.
3) When I first got involved, I felt like everyone should be involved with Chabad. While your appeal is great and wide, it is not necessarily the path to G-d for everyone. Just like there will always be antisemetism in this world until the time of Mashiach, and we must accept that fact, you too must accept the fact that some will come through Chabad and then move on to another path. You should stand proud of all that you accomplish but don’t hold grudges because someone has found a new path to G-d.
4) I haven’t read what Matisyahu has said about Chabad, but there is a good chance he was turned off by some judgemental son of a gun, that offended him. When he was just getting started, I saw incredible pride from Lubavitchers, but at the same time, I always saw many who where judgemental, like
Chassidishe Mother, who slammed him and were afraid of him because his approach was different.
Know this, as much as Chabad has done for world Judaism, Matisyahu has had a tremendous impact on Jews, Jewish Youth, and youth of all religions a nationalities; a much broader impact on the world. Who are some of you to judge him? Only G-d can truly judge. If G-d truly impacts our every day lives, then it was G-d who has lead Matisyahu on a different path and journey. Maybe He feels he can now have an even greater impact on people and the world by having him break away.
The Lubavitchers I study with, embrace anyone who carries on the Rebbe’s mission and message, regardless of whether they call themselves Chabad, Chai, Karliners, or yes, I’ll say it, Kabbalah Center. The Rebbe just happened to be a Lubavitcher. He was born into Lubavitch and he was comfortable with that path. But from what I’ve learned of your Rebbe, I don’t think he really cares what you call yourself, or what path you take to grow closer to G-d. As long as you grow in your Yiddishkite and your observence to Mitzvot, neither H-shem, The Lubavitcher Rebbe, or Moshe Rabenu care what you call yourself.
In the times of the ancient temple, there were Jews of all sects praying side by side, all seaking to grow closer to G-d. Continue helping Jews like me to grow and stop worrying what Matisyahu calls himself or who he affiliates with. Praise him in his journey and all he has done. If he speaks badly of Chabad, and all of you retaliate with similar slander, will that cause him to come back to Chabad? Will that cause young Jews who enjoy his music, to find Chabad? If nothing but love and respect for him and his mission comes out of Chabad, how can he continue to speak badly of Chabad (I never saw negative comments but if you say so). Remember what Hillel taught. Remember Karma. Remember the Law of Attraction, and remember the teachings of the Great Rebbe.
Re-examin your position. Pull yourself out of insecurity. All that the Rebbe and Chabad have done cannot be erased by one man’s comments. Give Matisyahu his props for all he has done. Let him find his path. He needs Chabad as much as Chabad needs him; even if he doesn’t call himself Chabad. We all need each other. That was the Rebbe’s message.
With love to Chabad. Thank you for all you do!!
DG