Is the Rebbe Moshiach? Or Not?

Although much of this documentary is in Hebrew, there is enough English to understand the main point: Is the Lubavitcher Rebbe Moshiach (the Messiah) or not? It is quite clear that there are different opinions within the Lubavitch camp. But clearly, the naysayers seem to be sad and crying, and the ones who believe are joyful. So which is it?
According to Torah sources, Moshiach is a human being of flesh and blood, descended from King David, accomplished in Torah wisdom and in the commandments, and a king who will strengthen the Jewish people in their laws and traditions.
However, Moshiach will also correct the whole world. To this end, the Rebbe emphasizes the 7 Noahide Laws, universal laws that G-d gave to Noah and his children for a sane and habitable world. The Rebbe asks that these 7 Laws be publicized to the nations as keeping these laws is their share in bringing the final Redemption.
Many Jewish sources indicate that there will be a time when Moshiach is concealed, only to be revealed again. For example, in the book of Daniel, on Verse 12, "Fortunate is he who waits...," the commentary says, "for our King Messiah is destined to be hidden after he is revealed and to be revealed again."
One thing people should know: With every appearance after his stroke in 1992, when he no longer spoke, the Rebbe insisted and encouraged the multitude in singing one song and one song only, whose words were: "Yechi Adonenu Morenu V'rabbenu, Melech HaMoshiach L'olom Voed." "Long live our Master, our Teacher, our Rebbe King Moshiach forever and ever."

Try this link to the documentary:
http://www.chabadinfo.com/?url=article_en&id=29763

Israeli Prime Minister Acknowledges Chabad's Role in the Unfolding of Jewish History.

Is Israel a nation-state like any other? Or are the Jewish people  “the chosen people” with a unique destiny among mankind?

In the Jewish liturgy, one of the most beloved passages is: “You have chosen us from among all the nations. You have loved us and found favor with us. You have raised us above all tongues and made us holy through Your commandments.”

Yet one of the early leaders of the Jewish state, David Ben-Gurion, suggested that this passage be deleted from prayer books.

In a recent videotaped message on the 200^th anniversary of the passing of the Alter Rebbe, founder of Chabad-Lubavitch, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, thanks the worldwide Chabad Lubavitch movement and its great Chassidic leaders for awakening the Jewish people after times of great travail, uniting them and strengthening them. He does not mention the special role of the Jewish people on the world stage nor the ultimate goal: the complete and final Redemption when all the world will acknowledge the G-d of Israel.

Arab Tweeter Under Death Sentence for Insulting Mohammed.

On February 22, 2012, this blog posted an item headlined, "Islam Cracking? Saudi Tweets Blast Mohammed." Arab journalists featured in this post expressed their doubts about Mohammed, the founder of Islam, and whether or not he was really worth following. One of the writers, a 23 year old poet,  Hamza Kashagari, is now in a Saudi prison, and clerics have called for his death.

Although he has issued an apology which was published, his imprisonment continues. Human rights organizations are monitoring the situation.

Effectively, the offending poem he tweeted saying that he was not impressed with Mohammad has now received worldwide attention.

Perhaps this is a prelude to what the great sage Maimonides forecast for the Messianic Era regarding the world's religions:

“When the true Messianic king will arise and prove successful, his (position becoming) exalted and uplifted, they will all return and realize their ancestors endowed them with a false heritage; their prophets caused them to err.” (Laws of Kings, Chapter 11)

11 months ago

After Twitter Incident, Liberal Blogger Hamza Kashagari Hunted Down By Saudi Inquisition

Poet Hamza Kashagari

Three Tweets. Such are grounds for a death sentence in Saudi Arabia.

On 4 February, 23-year-old Hamza Kashagari, a well-known Saudi writer, journalist and commentator, decided to commemorate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad by tweeting a personal poem about Him. He has now been detained by authorities in Malaysia — possibly because of these tweets — and faces possible extradition back to Saudi Arabia where Islamists in the country are calling for his execution.

In three tweets, in Arabic, he wrote:

“On your birthday, I will say that I have loved the rebel in you, that you’ve always been a source of inspiration to me, and that I do not like the halos of divinity around you. I shall not pray for you,”

“On your birthday, I find you wherever I turn. I will say that I have loved aspects of you, hated others, and could not understand many more,”

“On your birthday, I shall not bow to you. I shall not kiss your hand. Rather, I shall shake it as equals do, and smile at you as you smile at me. I shall speak to you as a friend, no more.”

Translation courtesy of the Daily Beast

The tweets were always going to be controversial in Saudi Arabia. Kashgari must have known this and steeled himself for responses, not realizing that these 536 characters may eventually threaten his very life. Within hours came 30,000 tweets filled with vitriol, anger, and violence; then came the death threats, followed by the drawing up of a petition for his trial and execution; finally, Saudi King Abdullah issued the arrest warrant in Kashgari’s name. The unthinkable had happened.

In scenes reminiscent of a religious inquisition, Islamic scholars and commentators lined up on Saudi TV seeking to outdo each other in their calls for Kashgari’s death to satisfy his theological affront. It became an ugly, bloodthirsty witch-hunt, but one that has been long called for by the Saudi clerical establishment to root out “liberals” like Kashgari who seeks a more modern, open and tolerant approach in Saudi society.

Top religious figures have now pre-emptively arranged for his trial in a Shariah court of law for blasphemy. The punishment, if he is found guilty, is death by beheading or stoning.

Kashgari’s reaction to this was understandable: he apologized, deleted the offending tweets and fled the country. Today, however, he is held in Malaysia awaiting extradition to Saudi Arabia. When returned to Saudi Arabia, he will face arrest, imprisonment, trial and, very possibly, death.

Saudi Arabia is not a safe country in which to hold non-mainstream ideas. It is a country where opinions are cloaked, theories shielded, and discussions conducted in hushed tones. In Saudi Arabia you implicitly trust your audience and carefully select your listeners, mindful at all times of the potential consequences your words or intellectualisms may bring.

Yet, there was a very modern exception to this inflexible rule: Twitter.

On Twitter many Saudis expound, share and look up information, eager to inform and be informed of both their country and the world. For years they thought they were safe from scrutiny of the police, the state and the religious establishment; safe in an Internet haven from where they could feel connected to the international community and be “controversial.” With Hamza Kashgari’s arrest and future trial this is now finished.

Outside Saudi Arabia, we use Twitter to disseminate our views on the world, politics, celebrities, sports and perpetrate the occasional “Rickrolling.” But for young Saudis, Twitter is a lifeline of news, information and debate lacking in their country. We in the West rarely take time to appreciate or enjoy the freedoms we have through this social networking site, nor do we reflect on people like Kashgari who face barbarous, unjustified punishment for merely expressing a non-mainstream viewpoint. We should all take a moment and think about the rights we all-too often take for granted, because men like Kashgari face death for lack of them.

For many of us a tweet takes a second to send, for Hamza Kashgari it may end up taking his life.