Video: Is It Possible that Yoshke Is the Messiah?

Renowned author and lecturer Rabbi Manis Friedman was asked, “is it possible that Yoshke is the Messiah?” His response may surprise you.

100 Comments

  • WRONG ANSWER

    Yoshke cant be the Messiah being that he perverted the Torah! He deviated from Halacha!

  • Disturbed

    The header for this article is rather disturbing, distasteful provocative, not to mention heretical.

  • Yitzchok

    It sounds Kefira to me. He should not be preaching to our youth.

  • he needs help

    He should be banned by the Bais Din and Merkas from speaking to anyone esp kids

  • he needs help

    for a chosid to speak like that is terrible. He needs to be banned from speaking he is borderline KEFIRA and I am not a Michichist but the Rebbe himself said things about the previos REBBE that eh will lead us out of Gulus etc.

    He has no room in chabad and should be outlawed here

  • Moshiach Now

    Only an anti would ask this question. A meshichist knows the answer. Yechi Hamelech

  • Asher Vorst

    I was contacted by a member of Rabbi Manis Friedman’s team and asked to post his response to the video that was going viral earlier in the week and which I also sent out to selected contacts on my phone accompanied with a message that lately he has been talking kfira and border line kfira.
    In his response he explains that he was trying to REFUTE avoda zara and fails to understand that when he says it is CURRENTLY possible for a mesis umadiach who never had any of the qualifications of Moshiach – veaderaba- to be Moshiach that that is kfira.

    But here is the video which includes his response to my comment.

    https://www.facebook.com/ManisFriedman/videos/10150658349199984/

    At 4.24 he explains why the class was needed in the first place. They need to be able to ask questions and get an answer.
    I’m not in the field of chinuch and have no plans on going there but I’m just wandering why kids can’t ask quesions IN school. Are there no qualified teachers?

    At 4 58 he misquotes a rambam. ” Its NOT a mitzvah to believe in gd, it’s a mitzvah to KNOW Gd.”
    This is what he should have said. “In sefer haya”d the Rambam does NOT SAY that there is a mitzvah to believe but only mentions KNOWING. (that is not the same as saying there is no mitzvah to believe). In fact in sefer hamitzvos the Rambam says that there is a mitzvah to belive and to know. In derech mitzvosecha there is a chapter called Haamonas elokus. Not Yediaa’s elokus. There he explains the rambam at length. There are levels we can and should know and there are levels that transcend human understanding and can only be believed in.

    At about 5:30 there is another misquote.”In hilchos avoda zara the rambam says:” If a person says do you believe in avoda zara and u say no i dont belive. have you fulfilled the mitzvah? no. The mitzvah is that you have to explain to the other.

    My Rambam does not have this quote.

    he continues by referring to a sicha which is parshas noach in chelek 20. Thee the Rebbe talks about how strongly one needs to KN OW gd to the extent that he can refute ppl who have wrong beliefs. Please learn the first few chapters of Rambam to see what it actually says there.

    Please keep in mind that it is important to respect people especially rabbis who have done a lot of good to the world. But please remember that Kfira is unacceptable too.

    • Yidel Warter

      /25/2016 6:17 AM
      Read what  Yidel Warter  writes about the  Amoire Shmuel  who formulated his successful campaign against early Christians and devised a slogan that said “” (EIN BEIN ….)

      The following is the Satmer Rebbes opinion why Advocating Herzl’s plan to establish a Jewish government without Mesiach is in violation with 2 of the 13 principles of the Jewish Religion    A) Hashem punishes,    B). Waiting for Meshiach,

      1) It is important to remember that Jewish Sovereignty over Eretz Yisroel is CONDITIONAL !!!!

      2) At the Covenant of Hashem with our Father Abraham it was agreed that the  punishment for violating the Jewish faith, would be Exile/Gules,

      3) Hashem told us thru our NeVeim that the redemption of the Jewish people will be by  Mesihach.

      4) The Amoira Shmuel the biggest Poisek in his Generation indicates with using the term EIN BEIN: That Hashems decree on us to WAIT for Meshiach, is meant for Mesihachs EXCLUSIVE ACT to Restore A Jewish  Sovereignty and to reestablish a Jewish Government ,
      “”All other attributes to Meshiach can be disputed or advanced by Others in alliance with Meshiach.  “”

      5) The Rambam brings down LeHalucha the words of Shmuel as impartial: “Umri Chacumim” and states that   whoever does not WAIT for Meshiach (as described by Shmuel) is an Apikoires.

      6) The ReShab Writes a warning for our days: “That even if the Herzl plan would achieve their  goal, we must not listen to them in this matter “to make our redemption with our own power.”

      7) So any one who is ONLY in the OPINION that Meshiachs JOB may be achieved without him, is JUST  Not Waiting for Him and is an Apikoires,
      and The punishment for contemplating the Herzl plan is pre warned,

      To illustrate the above, envision yourself with the following Mushel:

      You see a group of people waiting at a bus stop, it is assumed that these people are waiting for a bus to arrive and to take them to a certain  destination,

      A taxi drives by, and yells out:  hop into my taxi  ,You people are waiting for noting, no bus will arrive and the bus shelter will collapse on your head, hop into my taxi,

      First group of Non Waiters

      A few people pass by and say we have been waiting at another stop, and the bus broke down in front of our nose so we started to walk, join us You people are waiting for noting, no bus will arrive and someone might ram their car into you ,

      Second group of Non Waiters

      Another group of people come by and say: Come help to push the broken bus

      Third group of Non Waiters

      A few cyclists drives by, his Device blaring: we want the bus now we don’t want to wait
       
      Fourth group of Non Waiters

      A horse and buggy passes by and yells out, I am a professional mechanic, if the bus will ever be fixed you won’t  be able to afford the fare, hop unto my buggy,

      Fifth group of Non Waiters

      As the group of Waiters dwindle, one  Waiter says  to the fellow next to him, why did the bus manufacturer tell us to wait for a bus when he also manufactures planes trains, ships, tanks cars, bike, scooters?, and why such lousy shelter?

      The first Waiter replies, I do not understand the logic behind His plan, but HE said when the bus will arrive the plan will be self-understood

      WAITING is a Stage of a Resolute Determined Unyielding Inactive Passive Behavior

      Jews have to wait for Meshiach to create a Jewish State, creating a Jewish state without him, one becomes a Non Waiter, which the Rambam calls an APIKOIRES,”

      SUMMERY

      WAITING  when decreed by a SUPER BEING,  has to become a frame of mind, Like it or not,  practical or not, popular or not

      Jews have to wait for Meshiach to create a Jewish State, creating a Jewish state without him, one becomes a Non Waiter, which the Rambam calls an  APIKOIRES,

      In the beginning of the Common Era the Amoire Shmuel formulated his successful campaign against early Christians and devised a slogan that said:
      “” (EIN BEIN ….)The ONLY difference between before Meshiach and after Meshiach is HIM establishing  a Jewish Independent Government.””” ,
      which Yoshke failed to accomplish ,

      Bavli prods 5 times the soundness and scope of Shmuels slogan, by analyzing 5 statements that broadens the scope of Meshiachs Actions/Era , but all 5 statements agree that the reestablishing of a Jewish government is exclusively  Meshiachs role for the Jewish people,(V”Yoel Moshe) and the Rambam Codifies this as Halacha by Proclaiming for us today :

      1) Jews wait for Meshiach to be free of non-Jewish governments, by Meshiach Himself establishing a Jewish Sovereignty,

      2) All other objectives that might result at the era of Meshiach does not necessarily have to happen by Meshiach Personally,

      3) Do Not Talk about the OTHER OBJECTIVES when highlighting Meshiachs Objective (as Shmuel has done in his campaign),

      4) Whoever does not believe the above or does not WAIT  for Meshiach to do the Creation of the Jewish State is an  A P I K O R E S

      Please be open minded by joining the Satmers in prayers, that Hashem should not punish us again, because of  those who are actively Non-Waiters

      Yidel Warter

  • Chaim

    Very clear and straight forward response.

    The main thing is to bring Moshiach, who he is, doesn’t matter!!!

    • Ch'er

      Excuse me. Are you serious. Wow

      To me he sounds like he’s putting J and — levahdil — the Rebbe in the same boat.

      Maybe that’s what you meant when you wrote ” very clear and straight forward”

  • annonomous

    this goes against anything we were taught there’s no flow no intellect no sources how could a respected rabbi talk like this and to talk about the rebbe his grandfather dovid and yoshke in the same sentence is revolting without saying lehavdil pure blasphemy please stop this nonsense my grandfather olov z”l used to say seichel is a teire zach may we merit to have the true redemption with our rebbe at the lead

  • WHAT

    I am not usually put off by things Manis says, and surely not offended, but to throw yoshke in to the same boat as My Rebbe….

  • What did he say at first?

    Would like to know Rabbi Friedman’s opinion on,
    whether or not, the Rabbi is still Moshiach, SOON after Gimmel Tammuz.
    If all the Meshichists want to change their way, now that so much time has passed, and the world is not perfect, we welcome you.

  • Possible . . .but does it make sense!

    Does anything really make sense in this area of tradition . . .?!

  • Really Rabbi Friedman?

    Is this the best Rabbi Friedman can come up with?

    Is any of this consistent with what the Rebbe said and wrote? (if not, what is the Rebbe to us? Are the Rebbe’s words part of Torah?).

    Isn’t Rabbi Friedman’s grandfather a Cohen? Could he be Moshiach.

    This is an extremely disappointing wishy/washie talk.

    • 1:44

      He says it perfectly @1:44. Yoshke is not moshiach
      For those living in a dream world of mass hysteria, beliving that moshiach is revealed and they see R”L the Rebbe walking through the schvill in 770 3 times a day, this is totally shocking.
      BUT, to those who learned the Rambam, WE know that until the beis Hamikdash is rebuilt etc etc MOSHIACH AND THE GEULA ARE NOT HERE YET. B’chezkas Moshiach,yes. Moshiach vadai. There is too much sickness, pain and suffering. We want Moshiach now, but we are still waiting.
      Thank you Rabbi Friedman for daring to be the voice of normalcy and truth.

  • . . . .Another issue is . . .

    If you can’t predict the future (which we obviously cannot – other than basing our assessment of the future on consistent events of the past, like that the sun will rise, and that mortals die etc.) . . . how do you even know there will be a moshiach at all? and if you answer because that’s what the prophets said, who says that your understanding of the prophets is correct?! Perhaps moshiach is here, perhaps everyone is moshiach . . .!

  • Sad to say....

    This guy has lost it…. He seems to have snapped…..

    This is not the same guy who I used to listen to his lectures. Something very off here…..

  • mendel z

    I think his very argument works Against him.
    He is trying to allow for questions, which is good and correct and is a core point in yiddishkit as by the Pesach seder.
    However ppl are looking also for answers and clarity, they ask because they feel confused and want/need direction NOT MORE CONFUSION. His “answers” only result in more confusion and ambiguity.
    Say it the way it is, not the way you think ppl want to hear.
    This I feel has been his mistake lately. Namely that he wants ppl to feel the g-d is reachable so instead of bringing them to g-d, he is diluting g-d to them.
    The mistake is that not only he is diluting g-d but that he thinks all ppl what to think of g-d as their friend and not this higher power

  • Take a bresth

    I don’t understand why you posted this. Just to fan the flames of a potential machlokes?? Rabbi Ms answer is plain and clear, and anyone who isn’t looking for a story or a scandal understands.

    Please go back to reporting news and good Jewish material.

    Oh, and by the way, the rabbi addressed this silly tumult in his live facebook Q&A.

  • emmanuel shochet??

    I never heard someone discussing it in a Jewish home and even trying to talk about what we already know. Why bring a klipa and tumah topics into the home? Why should this even be a topic of discussion in our homes? Is there a heter for everything to be discussed by the “Elite”? Ochen vai to people who were once leaders and speak about such topics.

  • mendy

    Dear rabbi manis
    i understand that you where trying to bring out a point
    however
    the statement everything is possible is wrong and border line against torah,
    torah, hashem does not agree that everything is possible,
    not everything is possible
    its like saying g-d forbid that maybe g-d did not give us the torah since every thing is possible
    to say that to bring out a point is real border line

    thank you for your understanding

  • Subtle Logic

    I think it’s inappropriate to put the possibility of Yushkeh being moshiach on par with that of the Rebbe’s, lhavdil. In the beginning of the video, he talks on a very broad stratosphere of reality, whereby anything and everything is possible and we know nothing. On this level, our whole existence may stem from our imagination and we may not even really exist. Or we could have just been created an instant ago with the memory of everything that’s happened to us. On that level, anything is possible, even the fact that Yoshke is Moshiach.

    The Tzemach Tzedek addressed this level of awareness and said we ultimately choose to believe in Hashem because the Torah says Breishis Bara… and everything that derives from that. So while it may be possible, it’s not what we believe.

    Then there is the possibility that the Rebbe is Moshiach. That possibility exists within Torah, and Talmud as we know it. That possibility exists under the common assumptions of reality as we know it. Moreover, whatever position you may take, the Rebbe left enough ambiguity that very bright people that lived with him for decades have come out on opposite sides of the issue. So one can argue that that possibility even originates from the Rebbe himself. To equate that to Yushke is inappropriate. Not to mention by his logic you shouldn’t believe in Moshiach all together, since that is predicting the future and is not plausible. Though to his defense he may say that that is indeed a belief mandated by the Torah, unlike the identity of Moshiach.

  • Take a breath

    What is the purpose of this post?? Could it be that you published something JUST to fan a potential machlokes???
    Rabbi Ms answer is plain and clear. Anyone who isn’t looking for s scandal, doesn’t see one here.
    Please publish news.

    Agav, rabbi m addressed this knee-jerk moral outrage in a live Q&A. Put it to rest forver.

    Publisher, you should be ashamed of yourself.

    • diarrhea

      Yeh, I guess we should all get over it… like a case of diarrhea…

  • confused

    very very confused its going against everything i’v ever learnt.

  • shocked

    Rabbi friedman with all due respect how could you put on the same
    level r”l the Rebbe and אותו האיש
    The Rebbe said clearly in shichos נשיא הדור הוא משיח שבדור your answers should come from the Rebbe and not made up by us and if you’re saying that because it’s after gimmel tammuz there’s no more dor hashvi , the you can scrap everything from yud shvat and on r”l. I can’t believe this is how a frum, let alone lubavitcher yid can answer such a simple question in such a way.

  • Subtle Logic2

    It is disingenuous of him to say it’s not plausible after he sets the definition of Moshiach. By way of illustration, if i show you a formula that says x+y=20,000. And I ask you can x be 5? You’ll say of course x can be five. and then i say but Y is equal to 10,000 so x being 5 is implausible! You’ll naturally say “Yes, given your definition of Y being equal to 10,000, X being 5 is implausible.”

    The same occured here. He defined identity of moshiach as being synonymous with a perfect world. That may be true of moshiach vadai, but what about chezkas moshiach? The question didn’t specify which type of moshiach they were talking about. So of course once he closes out all the variables but one he will lead you to conclude that x can only be 5 and any other possibility is silly. Classic intellectual manipulation. As someone once said “let me set the criteria, and you can make the decision”.

    The right answer is that Yushkeh cannot be Moshiach and the Rebbe, lehavdil, can be. Why? Because we believe in the Torah. Why do we believe in the Torah versus Christianity? Firstly, because of belief. But here you can begin talking about relative plausibility  (eg 6 million person revelation versus a single individual, continuity of Yiddishkeit in its pure form in the face of everything etc etc) This doesn’t prove anything beyond all possibility. But it does show the RELATIVE plausibility of Yiddishkeit  vs Christianity lehavdil as a whole.

  • S.B

    b’h

    Shocking and non-nonsensical.
    What should have been a clear and concise answer became a confusing non answer.
    The person in question was a heretic, went against Torah and at best, would be labeled a novi sheker. End of the discussion.

    Why even bother to say anything else?

    If the person in question was Bar Kochba, Yehudah haNossi, etc. – that would warrant a deeper and more detailed answer.

    Very strange indeed, this answer…

  • Ma Rabbi

    The title is misleading and can cause problems.
    A better title would be ” Why Yoshke cannot be the Moshiach.”

  • calm down everyone

    That was very interesting, Rabbi Friedman.
    It opened my eyes to realness.
    Were not predicting the future, lets bring moshiach!
    Thank you!
    Moshiach now!

  • Dina Dmalchusa Dina

    In order to stay relevant, manis has been pushing the envelope as far as it will go. Unfortunately, it seems that he has gone too far. His brand of anything goes can be rather dangerous, as the above clip demonstrates all too well. Todays youth are confused. Telling them your grandfather may be moshiach won’t help anyone in the short or long term.

  • Yitzchok

    Thank you crownheights.info for publicizing this. People have to be aware of the danger. This speaker preaches to our youth almost on a daily basis. The schools and institutions need to see this in order to disallow their students to hear his nonsense and Kefira.

  • Controversy!!!!

    Hooray!!! We have some controversy!! That the Chabad community is so in to this stuff is the best case in point that moshiach is still not here. R”L.

    So you say reb manis speaks kefirah, shouldn’t be speaking to our kids, banned by Merkos, yada yada yada.

    First, tell it to the literally thousands of Jews he alone brought back to Torah and Mitzvos that he’s a kofer.

    Then tell it to the hundreds of families that’s are healthy and functional because he alone helped them.

    Then tell it to the Rebbe who trusted him to, among other things, translate the farbrengens to the world.

    After you’ve done that, you continue criticizing and denouncing him in all that spare time you have because you’re not out there doing the rebbes work.

    Bottom line is, reb manis owes nobody an explanation. He has a unique and extraordinarily successful teaching style.

    The only mistake is letting out-of-context video clips be shared with golus-minded mochlokes mongerers, who are too intilectually lazy and dishonest to see the larger point.

    Reb Manis, please, PLEASE, for the sake of all those who havebeen helped by you, and those will yet, please don’t be bothered by this nonsense at all. Thank you for all that you did for me and for my children.

    May the Oibershter continue to bless you with amazing success and nachas from that success. And you continue giving your Meshaleach abundant nachas.

  • Chutzpah!

    As a religious jew to utter the words “its possible etc.” is quite revealing of this persons view.

    My impression of him was a good one until a few months ago when he came to farbreng with us in our soul and he came across as such a cold fish… he gave off this sense that he’s talking to lowly people.. very unimpressed.

  • Heartbreaking

    It is indeed a tragedy that we who call ourselves by the name Chabad, who Barim Zich with the mantle of Sechel, can’t understand a simple idea. He’s speaking from the beginning. Let’s go back to where anything is indeed possible, and let’s use our Sechel to eliminate those options which don’t make sense. Is that Kefira? Or is that a way of educating that people who can’t or don’t think have a hard time getting comfortable with?

    The reason we have and have always had mashpiim in Lubavitch is to explain things to us, even when we think we understand them. Rabbi Friedman is one of the few specific people that the Rebbe trusted to understand and explain Chassidus. He is one of the most effective teachers Chabad has today. So all you do nothing’s and know even lessers should go back to your darkness, and allow those people who take Anan Po’alei D’yemama Anan seriously to keep spreading Toras Habaal Shem Tov so that Moshiach can finally come. Golly Geepers!

    • Disgrace.

      I never ever heard of a mashpia talk this way and it never happened.

      Please show me or tell me when and where the rebbe made a remake that we should trust him.

      And as it says in Torah if a prophet it tells you to do something and you know it’s against that of what the Torah says, “he is a false prophet”.

      It’s a disgrace for you to defend him.

  • Big Z Schapiro

    all I can say is I’m going to say it again we want moshiach and that’s what we need now

  • Chaim

    oh noooooo! someone used logic to make a point!!!

    If you don’t listen to Manis classes regularly, don’t comment here, you don’t understand his style of teaching.

    If this goes against everything you were taught, sorry buddy, you weren’t taught correctly. Go learn for real!

    • Chaim Yankel

      Manis Friedman is a pompous huckster. He rarely cites sources when giving a shiur and wades in pseudo-logic to give listeners the illusion of competence and grandeur. This video just proves it.

      BTW I don’t listen to Manis’ classes regularly and just commented. What are you going to do about it, tough guy?

    • Chaim

      “BTW I don’t listen to Manis’ classes regularly and just commented. What are you going to do about it, tough guy?”

      Oh look at you, so smart and sooo brave.

      Why the aggression?

  • ..................

    Dear Crownheights.info.
    Please take this off your site.
    For 2 reasons:
    First of all:
    This is Kefirah Mamash!
    For our young generation to see this, is terrible and disturbing.
    Second of all:
    Rabbi Manis Friedman has taught and lectured Chassidus for decades. Let’s maintain our respect for him.
    Obviously, if he can say what he said, in public, he lost it!
    Let’s remember him for all the תורה he brought into this world, not this.
    Please take this off immediately!

  • Without entering in a שקלא וטריא

    Till this moment I considered rabbi M. F. a serious rabbi with his wisdom, lectures, etc. Till this moment.

  • off the wall all the way

    Definitely possible for your grandfather to be moshiach than lehavdil…..
    in the same breath and tone says of the Rebbe as lehavdil elf alfei havdolos …!!
    here he goes again opens his mind and mouth!

  • DIFFERENTIATE

    If you are asking whether Manis answered based on Jewish text or not I think he didnt..Yoshke is not the Messia not only because he didnt fix the world but for so many other reasons as well…why not mention them..nor just say anything is possible…

    If you want to get into whether we can no for sure anything …I think Manis is correct in saying anything is possible…we just cant know for certain…

    Todays boys and girls are going to want real answers not just thats what the books say…we have to take on the information coming out of the science community…we cant just ignore them…we believe in their medicine and technology etc.. we cant ignore them! Will someone please step up? Someone that can research it all and help our youth!

  • Dov

    The rambam gives certain standard to what moshiach has to do inorder to be moshiach, and if someone did not succeed through these standards (or if he was killed) even if he was righteous we know that he is not moshiach,
    Regarding yoshke not only was he not successful but he failed miserably to the opposite of these standards (and more) including to change the תורה which to that the רמבם writes “this is for sure a רשע and אפיקורס” so this is why its IMPOSSIBLE for yoshke to be moshiach.

    While there is many riches people (that descends from dovid hamelech) through history that its possible for them to be moshiach regarding our Rebbe not only its possible but its likely that hes moshiach, because 1) some of the standards that the Rambam writes was fulfilled by the Rebbe, 2) even after ג’ תמוז the success of the Rebbe and fulfilling these standards is still continuing on (the Rambam used the word killed as to state that somebody is not moshiach but does not use the word passed away)
    Look in length to the second to last perek in the rambam and ההלכות מלאכים and לקוטי שיחות חלק ע”י בלק ב
    Moshiach Now

  • S.B

    Valid points were made about this controversial clip.

    Question:

    A person could well be a respected and valued teacher for decades and had the merit to translate the Rebb’es sichos – does that make him infallible?Just because someone has a great track record, is that a reason to excuse things he says that are outlandish and beyond the pale? the story of Yochanan Kohen gadol comes to mind.

    Also – why should it be assumed that posting this clip was done with bad intention, to cause strife? Could it not be equally seen as a service, a warning so that we be cautious when it comes to those who teach our youth and not take things for granted.
    When it comes to chinuch – we cannot be too careful.

    I hope we can learn something positive from this.

  • Sad to say....

    To all of the one person who keeps defending this and are busy trying to twist this into something it isn’t. Please stop bashing the author or website for posting this. This is very important for all Adas Hachasidim and Shluchim to know.

    please stop defending him. He revealed himself for all to see. There is something very wrong here. Stop pretendingthat this has to do with some type of intelligence. It is not. It is sadly pathetic.

    There is no need to spend big money on bringing this guy out to speak at your venue. He will not inspire as he himself is not inspired.

  • Warning!! Beware!!

    This is the person who speaks to your children that are in Oholei Torah 8th grade and mesivta, and “answers” questions about Emuna and other topics.

    This is the person who gives your children “guidenc” in dating and marriage, And causes engagement brakeoffs and divorces in this community.

    He should be banned from speaking and lecturing in this community, especially to children and to those dating who are in a sensitive stage of transformation and decision making.

    And it’s sad that people are only now realizing this, when it has been going on for quite a while, and due to him there is a lot of children off (I know them personally) and as I mentioned before a lot of engagement brakeoffs and diverses.

    It’s a bush!

  • My take

    The title of the article was so bad I couldn’t bring myself to see the video. BUT…. just generally, the Manis Friedman of late is not the Manis Friedman I remember from Gimmel Tammuz. I remember a heartbroken man who put an end to my 2 days of wondering about Moshiach and who set me on the right path of dealing with our fundamental loss. I have no idea what is going on today, but it seems the clarity of his points is very murky these days.

    Again…. I didn’t watch the video, nor am I going to. But this formerly non-controversial and rational teacher seems to be going a bit off the path. Maybe leave that to the “Rabbi to the Stars” (you know who I mean.) Rabbi Friedman is rapidly losing support not just through this particular issue but through others in the recent past.

  • to 41

    Let’s say that everyone should understand that that is what he is doing which doesn’t seem to be so simple to most readers here and i’m afraid young boys also didn’t understand that. But what exactly is the refute? That it isn’t plausible because it took a long time? How about that he didn’t have any of the qualifications and that he was actually an oved avoda zara

  • Don't get so excited

    (1) Correct: His main point that there is no peace in the world, and since Yeshka, the world has gotten worse, so he’s not Moshiach – that’s straight up Rambam Hilchos Moshiach in the continuation taken out by the censors.

    (2) INCORRECT: We know the future because the Torah is nitz’chius and says that the future Moshiach will not be an apikores.

    (3) INCORRECT: We know that Dovid HaMelech will not be Moshiach, cuz according to the Rambam, the Moshiach has to be someone whose acts are from this generation – Likutei Sichos, Vol. 35, Parshas Vayigash, Sicha 3, footnote 6

    (4) INCORRECT: We know that the Rebbe is not just “going to be Moshiach”, but rather, a psak din of all Rabbonai Chabad declared that the Rebbe is the “chezkas Moshiach” (in 5752), so if anything, the Rebbe is going to be Moshiach “vadai”. See Rambam Hilchos Moshiach.

  • response to response

    The Apikores doesn’t even try to explain how he can say that a Meisis Umediach can be Moshiach. He only says that it’s not enough to say he can’t, you also have to know to explain why.
    Well it’s very simple: Moshiach must be a Frum Jew. Yoshkeh was a Meisis Umediach. End of story. If you’re speaking to a Frei audience you will have to quote Psukim about how Torah can never be changed and how Moshiach must be a Tzadik, and maybe even bring proofs from the New Testament that Yoshkeh was a Meisis Umediach, but to say that the only reason that he isn’t Messiah is because he didn’t do his job, but it’s impossible to say there won’t be a second coming were he will do it and be Messiah, is borderline Kfira if not worse.

  • What Rambam really said

    Unbelievable he makes up a rambam that does not exist and forgets about the rambam that says the exact oposite!
    here is what the rambam really says.
    ספרים רבים חברו עובדי כוכבים בעבודתה היאך עיקר עבודתה ומה מעשיה ומשפטיה צונו הקדוש ברוך הוא שלא לקרות באותן הספרים כלל ולא נהרהר בה ולא בדבר מדבריה ואפילו להסתכל בדמות הצורה אסור שנאמר אל תפנו אל האלילים ובענין הזה נאמר ופן תדרוש לאלהיהם לאמר איכה יעבדו שלא תשאל על דרך עבודתה היאך היא אף על פי שאין אתה עובדה שדבר זה גורם להפנות אחריה ולעשות כמה שהן עושין שנאמר ואעשה כן גם אני.

    וכל הלאוין האלו בענין אחד הן והוא שלא יפנה אחר עבודת כוכבים וכל הנפנה אחריה בדרך שהוא עושה בו מעשה הרי זה לוקה ולא עבודת כוכבים בלבד הוא שאסור להפנות אחריה במחשבה אלא כל מחשבה שהוא גורם לו לאדם לעקור עיקר מעיקרי התורה מוזהרין אנו שלא להעלותה על לבנו ולא נסיח דעתנו לכך ונחשוב ונמשך אחר הרהורי הלב מפני שדעתו של אדם קצרה ולא כל הדעות יכולין להשיג האמת על בוריו ואם ימשך כל אדם אחר מחשבות לבו נמצא מחריב את העולם לפי קוצר דעתו כיצד פעמים יתור אחר עבודת כוכבים ופעמים יחשוב ביחוד הבורא שמא הוא שמא אינו מה למעלה ומה למטה מה לפנים ומה לאחור ופעמים בנבואה שמא היא אמת שמא היא אינה ופעמים בתורה שמא היא מן השמים שמא אינה ואינו יודע המדות שידין בהן עד שידע האמת על בוריו ונמצא יוצא לידי מינות ועל ענין זה הזהירה תורה ונאמר בה ולא תתורו אחרי לבבכם ואחרי עיניכם אשר אתם זונים כלומר לא ימשך כל אחד מכם אחר דעתו הקצרה וידמה שמחשבתו משגת האמת כך אמרו חכמים אחרי לבבכם זו מינות ואחרי עיניכם זו זנות ולאו זה אע”פ שהוא גורם לאדם לטרדו מן העולם הבא אין בו מלקות.

  • THE RAMBAM SAYS IT CLEARLY (part 1)

    The Rambam (Hilchos Melochim chapter 11 halocho 4) stipulates clearly the initial criteria for being Moshiach:
    TO BE FROM THE HOUSE OF DOVID, WHO, LIKE DOVID HIS ANCESTOR, DELVES DEEPLY INTO THE STUDY OF THE TORAH AND ENGAGES IN MITZVOS AS PRESCRIBED BY THE WRITTEN TORAH AND THE ORAL TORAH, AND WILL INFLUENCE ALL JEWS TO WALK IN THIS PATH AND REPAIR THE BREACHES (IN ITS OBSERVANCE).

    Yoshke obviously does not meet this criteria AT ALL!
    To even suggest anything different is outright kefira!

  • who needs an eruv anymore

    I didn’t know manis is starting Jews for j right here in crown heights! When can I sign up?

    • believing Jew

      Ok so when is mr know it all gonna come out with a response saying that we all just didn’t understand his superior logic?

  • THE RAMBAM SAYS IT CLEARLY (part 2)

    The Rambam (Hilchos Melochim chapter 11 halocho 4 – censored by the goyim in many editions) continues:
    YESHUA THE NAZARITE IMAGINED HE WAS MOSHIACH… CAN THERE BE A GREATER STUMBLING BLOCK THAN HIM? ALL THE PROPHETS SPOKE OF MOSHIACH AS THE REDEEMER OF THE JEWS AND THEIR SAVIOR, WHO WOULD GATHER THEIR DISPERSED ONES AND STRENGTHEN THEIR OBSERVANCE OF MITZVOS. IN CONTRAST, HE CAUSED THE JEWS TO BE SLAIN BY THE SWORD, THEIR REMNANTS TO BE SCATTERED AND HUMILIATED, THE TORAH TO BE ALTERED, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD TO SERVE A GOD OTHER THAN HASHEM.

    The Rambam explains it very clearly! Anything else is nonsense!

  • Much Hatzlocha

    Yup, the answear should of started with’no’…Isn’t there a gemorah that describes the gehenom yoshkeh is in?

  • Who's who

    He was telling the bochur how to refute a gentile who asks such a question.

    In that he did a good job.

    See you at sweet expressions!

  • Number 44

    Didn’t watch this class, but R’ Manis definitely has a distinct style that surprises and often shocks the uninitiated. Especially when he smiles along with some seemingly outlandish statement.

    Don’t know if this applies to this class.

  • Moshe is in the haggadah

    ויאמינו בה’ ובמשה עבדו
    (ובמכילתא) ויאמינו בה’ ובמשה עבדו… ללמדך שכל מי שמאמין ברועה נאמן כאלו מאמין במי שאמר והיה העולם. כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר וידבר העם באלקים ובמשה (במדבר כ”א), אם באלקים דברו קל וחומר במשה, אלא זה בא ללמדך שכל מי שמדבר ברועה נאמן כאילו מדבר במי שאמר והיה העולם. גדולה האמונה שהאמינו ישראל במי שאמר והיה העולם בשכר האמונה שהאמינו שרתה עליהם רוח הקודש ואמרו שירה.

  • Rabbi Friedman Chazak Veamatz!

    Rabbi Manis simply said that when Moshiach comes and is revealed THEN we will know who Moshiach is.

    To quote the Rebbes own words “Ayn Chiyuv Klal Layda Mee Hoo Melech Hamoshiach”

    Our job is to do all we can to bring Moshiach. The Rebbe is our Rebbe and we don’t need more than that.

    Who Moshiach is??? Who cares??

    We have our Rebbe and that’s all we need.

    And please give Rabbi Friedman the proper derech eretz he deserves.

    He has educated and continues to educate and mekarev thousands of Yidden with inspiration and guidance from our Rebbe.

  • Simple as A B C

    Very simple, and you don’t need to be an intelligent lecturer to know this. J is not Messiah because he did not follow Torah and therefore does not qualify. end of story.
    The Rebbe has perfected the world and continues to do so….(and it is our duty to continue on what the Rebbe left us to do) how can Rabbi Manis not acknowledge that, and we believe the words of the Rebbe (that moshiach will come in this generation, and from Bais moshiach aka 770) Therefore, he is highly qualified… and more than just possible. The end.

  • OMG NOT AGAIN!!

    Hey R’ Manis PLEASE watch your words,

    they could be a bit too smart for people to get your sense of humor.

    it’s not funny.

    Just give a clear answer like”NO, and here’s why”

  • S.B

    b’h

    This will hopefully serve as a lesson to us all – to be very careful when we speak and teach – and say only things which come from straight Torah sources, without embellishment and injecting our own “brilliant” insights.
    We in general should train ourselves to take the “me” (the messenger) out of the equation and be a vessel for the message, the spreading of Torah.

  • friend

    lets say he wants to explain his thoughts about moshiach, but why is the caption on this article start about yoshke -which is not the point he wants to say?
    saying the first few words in this clip is revolting to any frum jew.-no answer can explain this.
    if someone makes a mistake must his dirty laundry be publisised?

  • get a life

    all the yelling and nonsense – I almost can imagine and know who is writing these comments.

    R’Manis is brighter then you and me – same with Reb Yoel who so many disparaged..the typical usual’s will yell, rant and squeal but many of us know whats the bottom line.

    • Pedant

      Speak for yourself.

      Reb Yoel is courtside and Manis has bleacher seats at center court.

  • Anonymous

    Ok Manis is Moshiach! End of story .. Let’s just chill and be friendly each other .. No one is trying to hurt anyone ..

    Enough!

  • Not everything is possible

    I highly disagree with what he is saying it is 100% against everything i have ever learnt in my life, so please don’t say such things this is making me very emotional

  • Leizer

    The best thing that could come out of this video would be a genuine soul searching in lubavitch as to how a bochur follows up an answer about yoshke with, r”l, a question about the rebbe.

    Whose fault is that? Whose mess is manis cleaning up? Whose insanity taught a generation of bochurim that being moshiach is some kind of ikkar in hiskashrus? After the rebbe pleased and begged and threatened that we should stop it? And it’s manis’ fault?

    When very soon we’ll be with the rebbe, who is the rebbe going to thank: you, for never stopping to push that the rebbe is moshiach, which he specifically asked us not to do, or manis, for trying to mop up the awful mess you and your ilk created for bochurim by making a toful into an ikar and confusing passion with hiskashrus? The answer is obvious.

    Sheesh. If you have a better way to clarify things, go right ahead. But for heavens sake, leave manis alone to do his work. Again, sheesh.

  • Nechemia

    When I showed a nutty bochur in 770 a new piece about yoshkeniks comparing…to the rebbe, and asked him how he’s going to answer for this when the day comes, for his mindless advocacy of the rebbe “rising from the grave to be moshiach” when the rebbe asked us to do no such thing and quite the opposite, he laughed and laughed and called me a kofer. I’m the kofer? The meshichist movement changed the rebbes reputation in many minds from a selfless leader to a man who, horror or horrors, had an agenda to have himself crowned as the messiah, which has no basis in truth whatsoever. Have they EVER apologized for that? Have they even taken responsibility for that?

    And what about the confusion and the questions without answers that they created out of thin air and crazy need for the rebbe to be moshiach? Did they ever apologize for that? If rabbi Friedman is trying to bring the rebbe back to minds of the young by undoing the sinful violation of the rebbes clear instructions to leave him alone with being moshiach and focus on what he did tell us to do, and NOT to search for remazim and kuntzen in sichos etc, then what taana do you have to him? If he says the rebbe can’t be moshiach, who cares? Did the rebbe ever say differently? (Incidentally, ten seconds after this chopped up clip, he says the rebbe is the moshiach of our generation etc).

    We’ve lost our minds my friends. Chabad used to be mature and thoughtful now it’s a mob mentality.

    • nechemya

      “did the rebbe ever say dfferently”
      in all tjhe sichos kodesh: the nosei hador is the moshiach tzidkainu.
      period!

  • Dovid

    Which idiot doesn’t understand that “anything is possible” is an ironic phrase? Like sarcastic. Like my grandfather could be moshiach. You don’t get that?

    Come on my friends. Unless these comments are all written by twelve year olds, we’re doomed. Chabad is chagas.

  • FW

    There isn’t a marriage counselor in the world who hasn’t caused a divorce. Don’t go to him if you don’t want his opinion. Very simple.

    But to let out all this hatred against him because you disagree with his opinion is shameful.

  • Leah N

    It’s amazing how this is simply a lineup of people who like him or don’t like him. Not one person addressing what he said. He basically quoted the rambam with his explanation of why y can’t be moshiach and what’s your problem with it? That you don’t like his nose? Or is the Rambam also a kofer?

  • Rabbi Friedman

    With all due respect I would imagine that you can do much better than that. It wouldn’t hurt to prepare
    before you answer. Your response was on the same
    level as the question…

  • Analyzing a session with the Rabbi.

    More conversations with 8th grade Oholei Torah.
    https://www.facebook.com/ManisFriedman/videos/10150655743704984/

    Let’s take a look at what goes on in a sessions.

    First minute. How will the chazer become kosher in the future? they will chew their cud (right answer) How will that be possible?
    The scientists will play around with… (WRONG!!!! Is this coming from a Rabbi????)

    From the 13th minute we hear about dinosaurs.
    – “Of course there were dinosaurs” (questionable)
    – The scientists found bones that were created buried in the ground. (correct answer)
    – They for sure existed and there were 2 on the teiva. (source???)
    – So how come they don’t exist anymore? If you only have 2 of them, (laugh) very easy to become extinct. (reallly now? Hashem made sure to save 2 of each of the non kosher animals so they could continue to exist after the mabul but these 2 he wanted to become extinct after saving them?)
    – “One of them tripped. they’re clumsy animals (laugh)” (Are you for real? Do you really believe this nonsense? how old are you? Freeandahalf?)

    At 23 minutes a kid asks a very good question. If he likes his friend so much that he takes a bullet for him is that selfish because he is doing it out of HIS love?
    The correct answer would be that all love is indeed selfish to an extent.
    Instead the wrong answer is given that it is selfless.
    Then he goes on to explain that bittul doesn’t mean that “I am nothing” but that you recognize that the other is more important to the extent you’ll give up your life for that. (mixing up 2 concepts here. The question was about yesh mi sheohev and now we started talking about bittul by recognizing the greatness. But it gets better.)

    “So selfless doesn’t mean I’m nothing but you are everything – and btw if the Aibershter created the world,it’s because we are more important to him than he is to himself”

    (So he is selfless and has bittul to US because we are everything?????)

    “He has to give up part of himself in order for us to exist” (So now there is him and us? Let’s take out the words hashem echad from the siddur!)

    “He is not happy being himself – he is happy when you exist.” ( Poor baby isn’t happy :( Are we talking about a human with feelings?)

    Let’s skip to the end. Kid asks what will happen after techiyas hameisim and the world will start to overflow with people. -” he’ll make another one” (just made that up on the spot. Not very plausible) -(laugh) ” i don’t know, I don’t know” (the answer you should learn to say whenever you don’t know rabbi!!!!)

  • ridiculous

    Did the negative writers only listen to half the words? I don’t understand the controversy here. You are the messiah when the world is perfect, until then you are only a possible or plausible one. And if you die, well that makes things even less in your favor, though still possible. To project who will be the messiah is ridiculous.

    Strange thing that people get so bent out of shape about arguing about things about which they have no control and do so little about things they do have control – like what they actually say and do in positive energy for their fellow human who is alive.

    Oh, right. One is just hot air, the other requires actually working on oneself

  • yonason

    I take issue with his “everything’s possible.” It’s a (too) nice way of saying no, without saying “no.” Otherwise, no disagreement. We are, after all, still in Golus, and Jews are still suffering.

    As to the Rebbe being Moshiach: One of my Chabad Rabbis told me he has a handwritten letter from the Rebbe to himself, in which the Rebbe writes that “Moshiach must be alive.” Naturally you don’t know if my information is reliable, but my Rabbi does, and so do I, and that’s good enough for me.

    Another Rabbi said he should publish it in order to clarify matters. But even if he did, would that change the minds of those who really want to believe? And furthermore, should it? I don’t know. But when Moshiach is revealed, may it be soon, he’ll clear that up, if it even still bothers us one way or the other at that point.

  • GOOD LUCK FOR NEXT GENERATION

    THE ANSWERS THAT THEY ARE GETTING TODAY WILL NOT MAKE THEM FEEL SATISFIED AND WILL ONLY CONFUSE THEM…