Wednesday, December 20, 2006

"Doesn't The Box Become Shaimos If It Has A Picture Of A Tzaddik?"

I'm Haaretz, Ph.D.: Last night's explosion on my Rebbe picture menorah (received via e-mail from Soccer Dad)

posted by A Simple Jew @ 12:39 PM   6 comments

6 Comments:

At December 20, 2006 at 1:04:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

A picture of a tzaddik isn't techinically shaimos, but the commercialization of the Rebbe's picture and the complete lack of respect in its use is definitely outrageous. I have always felt this way – even as a child.

It gets so ridiculous – I once proposed to a guy who had a table outside 770 selling Rebbe pins, clocks, stickers, cards and other stuff, that we could make a life-size cut out of the Rebbe for photo-ops with 770 in the background, and charge $10 a pop for people to have their picture with the Rebbe - We could clean up!

He just looked at me...

(I’m actually surprised it hasn’t happened yet)

 
At December 20, 2006 at 2:10:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

CE: I see your point, but why not look at it like this: You know the famous mashal that the Baal Hatania (?) gave about teaching kaballah to the masses: crushing the precious jem and feeding it as medicine to the sick prince, and although most will go to waste it's still worth it. Same could apply here. I'm always very inspired when I see the Rebbe's picture, even in the most unexpected places.

 
At December 20, 2006 at 2:29:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It wouldn't bother me so much if many - most - of the people resposibile didn't know better; but the fact is that most of them really should. Moreover, people in positions of influence shouln't be fostering it - they should be trying to educate against the practice.
Does anyone think that every poster or piece of paper needs the picture of the Rebbe on it?
How many of these pictures end up laying in the garbage, or on the floor, in the mud, the street, etc?...

 
At December 20, 2006 at 2:57:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

A picture is not sheimos, though it is deserving of a certain amount of respect (Most sheimos these days is not, technically, sheimos . . .)
Why the picture is on the candle box is beyond me . . . some people just don't know how to control their hergeishim.
I understand the use of the Rebbe's picture in 'outreach' brochures and the like -the effect that the picture can accomplish is worth the 'risk'

 
At December 20, 2006 at 5:03:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

CE: I guess my perspective is one of a non Chabadnik, I really don't know what it's like in Crown Hights...

 
At December 20, 2006 at 6:43:00 PM EST, Blogger Alan aka Avrum ben Avrum said...

Dear ASJ,

On the one hand it is, indeed, unfortunate the designers of this package were thoughtless yet profit driven enough that the likely consequence the Rebbe's picture would end up face down in a trash heap ... seems not to have entered in to their chesbonos!

On the other hand, what if the picture of another gadol had been used? Say ... the "Rav' or Rav Moshe Feinshtein-in other words, a Torah giant of that caliber but whose followers never claimed was Moshiach?

It strikes me that there is the slightest suggestion being made that the use of the Rebbe's picture,in particular, makes this whole thing problematic.

Isn't the definition of "shemos" a worn out or desecrated ritual object though usually holy writ made holy by the presence of the yud kai vav kai? A page from a siddur, parshios from tfilin, a worn Torah mantle, but a photo-no matter the poor taste of those who chose to exploit the image for their benefit-seems to be stretching it somewhat, no?

I remain ...

Very Sincerely yours,

Alan D. Busch

 

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