INTRODUCTION
Jewish ultra orthodoxy is a reaction towards
the assimilation which seems threatened European Judaism in the 18th
century. This movement claims a strict application of divine’s Commandments by
trying to avoid all contact with the society and secular studies. Its maintains
specifics clothing rules like black hat, trousers, coat or caftan for men who
grow their beard too and sleeves, skirt, long dress for women who have to cover
their head if they get married. These clothing rules have to guarantee a modest
and no provocative appearance.
In ultra Orthodox Judaism, Hasidism (from
“Hasid”, i.e. “pious”) is a religious and social movement founded in Poland in
18th century when Jewish persecution and oppression was growing
up.The Hasidism preach the God’s sake in faith, the study of Torah as joy’s
source, fervour and enthusiasm in the fulfilment of divine’s prescription.
Fervent prayers, a religious spontaneity and a strict observance of
Commandments can afford to reach a privileged closeness with God, sign of a
real ecstasy. The most known movement is the Lubavitch also knew as Habad.
TRADUCTION
L’ultra-orthodoxie juive est une réaction à l’assimilation qui semblait menacer le judaïsme européen au XVIIIe siècle. Ce mouvement insiste sur une application stricte des Commandements* divins, en évitant dans la mesure du possible tout contact avec la société et les études profanes. Il maintient dès règles vestimentaires spécifiques, chapeau, pantalon, veste ou caftan noir pour les hommes, qui se laissent pousser la barbe et les papillotes (mèches de cheveux dans le prolongement des favoris), manches, jupe ou robe longues pour les femmes, tête couverte si elles sont mariées. Ces règles vestimentaires assurent une modestie en rejetant les tenues provocantes ou ostentatoires.
Au sein du judaïsme ultra-orthodoxe, le hassidisme (de « hassid », « pieux ») est un mouvement de masse religieux et social, fondé en Pologne au XVIIIe siècle, à une époque de persécution et d’oppression. Le hassidisme prêche l’amour de Dieu dans la foi, l’étude de la Torah comme source de joie, la ferveur et l’enthousiasme dans l’accomplissement des ordonnances divines. Des prières ardentes, une spontanéité religieuse et une observance stricte des Commandements doivent permettre d’atteindre un stade privilégié de proximité avec Dieu, véritable extase. Le mouvement le plus connu est celui des Loubavitch, appelé aussi Habad.
Vocabulary
Lubavitch: name of the town in White Russia
where the movement where based for more than a century. In Russian it’s mean
the “city of brotherly love”.
FIRST
PART
HISTORY
OF LUBAVITCH MOVEMENT
A/ HASSIDISM
*Hassidisme:
éléments d’histoire
http://www.loubavitch.fr/pages/histoire_hassidme.asp
Source analysis
This document is taken from the
French Lubavitch official web site. It’s an historical analysis sometimes not
really objective but its can afford us to have a global view of Hasidism in
order to understand Lubavitch movement.
Summary
The text
relate the history of Hasidism appearance in Judaism in the first part of 18th
century. In this century appears the idea of the Messiah in many spiritual and
religious movements. Socially, there failure caused material and cultural
damages in Jewish community. Hasidism is born in this particular context and
its main aim was to reconstruct moral and spiritual conscious of Jewish people.
However, Baal Chem Tov, the founder of Hasidism was suspected to be a menace
for the community order. Therefore, he was critiqued by the establishment even
if it doesn’t prevented the development of Hasidism owing to a reconciliation
with its opponents. Nowadays, Hasidism is divided in many sides whose Lubavitch
one.
Résumé
Ce texte relate l’histoire de l’apparition du
Hassidisme au sein du Judaïsme dans la première partie du 18éme siècle. Cette
époque est marquée par l’apparition grandissante de l’idée de messianisme dans
de nombreux mouvements spirituo-religieux. Socialement leur échec se traduit au
sein de la communauté juive par un appauvrissement matériel et culturel. C’est
dans ce contexte qu’est né le Hassidisme avec pour ambition de reconstruire la
conscience morale et spirituelle du peuple juif. Mais son fondateur Baal Chem
Tov sera vu comme une menace pour l’ordre communautaire établi, d’où les vives
critiques dont il est victime de la part de l’establishment. Mais cela
n’empêchera pas le développement du mouvement qui se rapproche même de ses
opposants et se divise en plusieurs mouvances dont celle des Loubavitch.
Vocabulary
B/ THE FIGURE OF THE REBBE SCHNEERSON
Sources analysis
*Menachem Mendel Schneerson
http://www.answers.com/topic/menachem-mendel-schneerson
The first document is a biography
of Menachem Mendel Schneerson the
seventh and the last heir of Hasidism Habad dynasty, the rebbe and the messy of
Lubavitch movement. He lead the movement
from 1950 to is death in 1994. The web site answers.com is a
free, ad-supported, reference search service. Even if it’s created to provide
answers on over a million topics, the results are concise and complete. It’s
also interesting because we have many links. In fact through the text, each
unusual word (from Lubavitch movement or Jewish tradition) lead to a link
explaining it. Then this doesn’t need a vocabulary part.
*The Rebbe
http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/default.asp
The second document as we said is
taken from chabad.org, Lubavitch official website. Even if we haven’t an
objective analyze, all the website is well done particularly the part dealing
with the rebbe. Indeed, we have an idea of his life, his wisdom, his action
with links leading to the rebbe essays and letters and even a multimedia one.
It tell us that rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson guided post-holocaust Jewry to
safety from the ravages of that devastation.
Summaries
*Menachem Mendel Schneerson
http://www.answers.com/topic/menachem-mendel-schneerson
The site exposed the Rebbe political
point of view in United States where the Lubavitch headquarters is and in
Israel. We have also the point of view of other Jewish organizations about the
messianism of late Lubavitch leader, a critical analyze compared to the the
document extract from the Lubavitch official website.
In the United States, the rebbe was
appreciate because of the way he led the building of schools, community
centers, youth camps, college campus centers… He had also a high level degrees
in physics, geology and many Jewish scientists turned to him for advice on
their scientific research. Thus, a part of being the Messiah, Lubavitch leader
act concretely in Jewish community.
*The Rebbe
http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/default.asp
On
Lubavitch official website, the part presenting the Rebbe is divided in five
parts: his life, his wisdom, his action, the community of Lubavitch and video
magazine featuring the Rebbe’s application of Torah to timely events and
issues.
Résumé
*Menachem Mendel Schneerson
http://www.answers.com/topic/menachem-mendel-schneerson
Ce site permet d’avoir une idée de l’action
politique du rabbi de Loubavitch aux Etats-Unis où se trouve le siège du
movement mais aussi en Israel. Il permet également de voir comment les
Lubavitch sont perçus par les autres institutions juives.
Par ailleurs, il aura aussi permit de
constater qu’en dehors de l’idée de méssianisme, le rabbi a agit de manière
concrète sur la communauté juive par la creation d’ecoles par exemple et qu’il
était erudit non seulement en matière religieuse mais aussi en sciences profanes.
*The Rebbe
http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/default.asp
Sur le site officiel des Loubavitch, on a une
presentation en cinq parties de la biographie du rabbi de Loubavitch: sa vie,
sa sagesse, son action, la communauté Loubavitch à travers le monde et surtout
une partie multimedia où l’on peut voir des videos du rabbi dans lesquels il
interpréte les commendements de la Torah et leur application dans le monde
moderne.
Vocabulary
Chabad: Hebrew acronym for the three intellectual
faculties of: chachmah-wisdom, binah-comprehension and da’at-knowledge
PART TWO
AFTER THE REBBE: TODAY’S LUBAVITCH MOVEMENT PERCEPTION
Schneerson lived in Brooklyn
(New-York City) from 1941 to 1994 which remains Chabad Lubavitch headquarter.
*What really happens when prophecy fails: the case of Lubavitch
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0SOR/is_3_62/ai_79353385
Source
The article is extract from
FindArticles a website of publication where subjects are organized by major
categories. This on is dealing with the Lubavitch in sociology of religion.
Thus we have here a scientific and serious study. The author Simon Dein is a
Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry and his study derived from three years
(1992-1995) of fieldwork in Stamford Hill Lubavitch Community in UK.
Summary
The author met the Rebbe and have
examined messianic propaganda. The last part of his article show how the idea
of the messiah of the Rebbe is perceived just after his death. The first thing
he noticed is a distinct lack of leadership. Otherwise, until the moment of the
Rebbe burial, there was still a feeling of hope expressed. Some Lubavitchers
were dancing and singing in anticipation of his resurrection and the imminent
redemption.
However, some lubavitchers admitted
that they had been wrong, but even if the prediction fails, the members of the
group do not abandon the movement. The aim is now to resolve the dissonance by
turning the messianism into a supernatural belief.
Résumé
L’auteur a rencontré le rabbi et s’est intérèssé de prés à la propaganda méssianique. La dernière partie de son article nous révèle comment l’idée de messianisme en la personne du rabbi a été vécu juste après sa mort. La première chose qu’il a eu à noter, c’est qu’il n’y avait pas d’autres leaders. De plus, jusqu’à ce qu’il soit enterré, des lubavitchs espéraient la resurrection et l’imminence de la redemption en chantant et en dansant.
Cependant ,d’autres loubavitchs admettent qu’ils ont eu tort, mais que meme si la prediction ne s’est pas réalisée, les members du groupe ne laissent pas tomber le movement. L’objectif est maintenant de résoudre cet impair en retournant le méssianisme en une croyance surnaturelle.
Vocabulary
Withstand: resister à
Extent: importance
Senior lecturer in psychiatry: conférencier en psychiatrie
Worship: culte
Subdue: asservir
Hindrance: gene
Overwhelm: accabler
*Black hat blitz
http://www.momentmag.com/archive/aug00/feat1.html
Source analysis
As the largest independent Jewish
magazine in North America, Moment is as commited as ever to being an
independant forum, in which disparates opinion and ideas are addressed in
provocative ways. This article try togive too a view of Lubavitchers after the
Rebbe. But its a view over structures, financial supports, infrastructure.....
Summary
This article maintain that the
movement’s infrastructure has expended over 30% since the Rebbe’s death. More
than 3700 emissary couples work in more than 100 countries, aided by almost
50000 professionals. Chabad’s investment are really astounding. For example:$7
million dollar for a Jewish Community in Moscow, $15 million dollar for
girls’school in Paris....
Résumé
Cet article soutient que les infrastructures du mouvement Loubavitch ont connu une croissance de prés de 30% depuis la mort du rabbi. Plus de 3700 couples d’émissaires travaillent dans plus de 100 pays, soutenus par prés de 50000 professionels. Les investissements du Chabad Loubavitch sont pour le etonnant. A titre d’exemples: 7 millions de dollar pour une Communauté Juive à Moscou, 15 millions de dollars pour une école de jeunes filles à Paris...
*Les Loubavitch ne veulent pas lâcher GAZA
Pro Choix Le blog:
http://www.prochoix.org/cgi/blog/2005/01/05/42-les-loubavitch-ne-veulent-pas-lacher-gaza
Source analysis
The article is taken from Prochoix,
a “feminist, pro-gay, anti-facist, and for the separation between religion and
politic”. Prochoix is “a network for reflection and action, dedicated to issues
as varied as abortion, women’s right, homosexuality, euthanasia, illegal
immigrants and secularism”. We choose because it’s definitely opposite to the
information from Lubavitch’s website. We don’t think that it’s an objective
gaze, but it would be very interesting to know why the Lubavitch movement is
said to be a “sect” or indexed as integrist.
Summary
Lubavitch are against the plan of evacuation initiated by
Ariel Sharon. Thus they try to convince Tsahal’s soldier to refuse to participate
to this. They recognize Jewish state in order to have more influence in the
Knesset and then be able to take some political decisions.
Résumé
Pro Choix se présente comme une « revue d’investigation, de réflexion et d’analyse au service de la défense des libertés individuelles menacées par l’essentialisme, le racisme, l’intégrisme et toute idée anti-choix ou totalitaire ». Mais en réalité, il s’agirait plutôt d’investigation et d’analyse unilatérales d’extrémistes laïcs qui ne tolèrent pas la moindre manifestation de la foi. Nous avons néanmoins pris le pari d’analyser l’article sur le démantèlement de la bande de Gaza qui nous apprend par exemple que le rabbi avait permis l’engagement des Loubavitch dans Tsahal, ce qui pour une mouvance religieuse juive est peu commun. Toutefois, s’il est avéré que les Loubavitch s’investissent beaucoup pour amener les juifs laics à la pratique orthodoxe, i
*Myths and facts about Chabad
Something Jewish
http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/349_myths_and_facts_abou.htm
Source analysis
SomethingJewish from Jewish.co.uk is
part of jewish media and online community service provider JMT Ventures
Limited. It’s presented as “the inclusive jewish web site for everyone. This
article is exact opposite view of Pro Choix one’s or even received ideas about
Lubavitchers. Its try to response to some ideas conveyed about the Lubavitch
owing to opposition between myths and facts.
Summary
This article is like an interview
trying to debunk the most usual myths surrounded Lubavitch movement. Then, its
said that its not necessary to be an orthodox to beneficiate of Chabad
programs. They don’t want to make other jews orthodox but just to help all the
community by an educational organization. This to say that they avoids
labelling non-practicing jews.
Résumé
Cet article est structure à la manière d’un interview qui éssaye de demystifer les idées qui entourent souvent le courant Lubavitch. Il affirme ainsi qu’il n’est pas nécessaire d’être orthodoxe pour bénéficier des programmes du Chabad Loubavitch. Par ailleurs, il pretend que les Loubavitch n’entendent pas converter tous les juifs à la pratique orthodoxe mais juste aider tous les members de la communauté grace à leur organisation educationnelle. Tout cela pour dire que les Loubavitch n’etiquettent pas les juifs non-pratiquants.
Vocabulary
Debunk: démystifier
Surround: entourer
Imbued with: imprégné de
Prerequisite: condition préalable
Renown: renommée
Commitment: obligation
Rebuke: réprimander
Stinging: cuisant
*Chabad, Lashon Hara and Jewish Unity
http://www.haam.net/articles.asp?ID=32
Source analysis
Haam.net a Jewish student magazine
is a part of the bruinwalk.com network. It’s the most
critical article against Lubavitchers that we found in a Jewish web site.
Summary
The author
maintains that the Chabad Loubavitch fell into schismatic chaos since the Rebbe
‘s death. They are now divided in two groups : the messianists and the
non-messianists. Then, there is a controversy surrounded Lubavitchers.
Otherwise,
he says that the belief that the Lubavitch Rebbe is or was the Moshiach may be
misguided and entirely wrong. Saying that the Rebbe is omnipotent and
omniscient would be considered Apikorusut i.e Heresy.
Résumé
L’auteur affirme que les Loubavitch ont sombré dans un profond chaos depuis la mort du rabbi. Ils sont désormais divisé en deux groupes: ceux qui croient au méssianisme du rabbi et ceux qui n’y croient plus. D’où toute la controverse qui entoure le mouvement.
Par ailleurs, il soutient que la foi au méssianime du rabbi peut être imprudent et entiérement érroné. Dire que le rabbi est omnipotent et omniscient n’est rien d’autre qu’une pure hérésie.
Vocabulary
Moshiach: Méssie
Apikorusut: Hérésie
Misguided: imprudent
Bash: coup
Narrow: étroit
Trend: tendance
Split: fente