Rabbi's Blog - Chabad Lubavitch of Idaho

Integration or Transcendence?

Friday, December 26, 2025 - 6:55 AM

It was a trial that had the potential to sabotage the sanctity of a movement. Yesterday, we celebrated Hey Teves, the 5^th of Tevet. In Lubavitch, this is a holiday particularly devoted to the purchase and study of new Torah books. It stems from a tragic incident in which an estranged relative of the Rebbe was surreptitiously stealing treasured and sacred books from the revered library of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. This library was painstakingly collected and brought to the United States by the Sixth Rebbe of Lubavitch Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn.

On the 5^th of Tevet in 1987, the U.S. Federal court ruled in favor of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, restoring its rightful ownership of the holy books.

Why do Chassidim celebrate the court ru… Read More »

A Look to the Future

Friday, December 19, 2025 - 9:44 PM

On January 1, 2000 the New York Times ran a special edition called the Millennial Edition. One of the front pages projected the future events of January 1, 2100. This fictional page included a welcome to the fifty-first state of Cuba and a discussion on whether robots should be allowed to vote.

Then on the bottom corner was a small announcement. It read:

“JEWISH WOMEN/GIRLS LIGHT SHABBAT

candles today 18 minutes before sunset. In New York 4:39 PM. Elsewhere touch for local times and for information.”

No one paid them to include that.

When asked why it was included, an editor responded, “We worked for a long time on this mock-up, and we spend a lot of time thinking what could possibly be the news a hundred years from n… Read More »

Day After Day

Friday, December 12, 2025 - 6:15 AM

Jimmy Carter was the first US President to participate in a public menorah lighting ceremony. During the height of the Iran Hostage Crisis, he left the White House for the first time on December 17, 1979 to participate in the lighting of the first National Menorah.

It was the fourth night of Chanukah, and the beleaguered president spoke of the Chanukah lights as a source of confidence for the future. As the ceremony was winding down, President Carter looked at the four lights of the menorah (plus the Shamash), and asked, “Why don’t we light them all? Wouldn’t it look better if they were all lit?”

Incidentally, I sometimes receive a funny “Good Samaritan” message along similar lines, when a well-… Read More »

A Deep Burial

Friday, December 5, 2025 - 6:15 AM

“Tuesday is Rosh Hashanah,” I told my kids today.

You might think I am off by a couple of months, but I do indeed remember that we celebrated Rosh Hashanah this year on September 22-24.

Tuesday is, however, Yud Tes Kislev – the Chassidic New Year. It is the date that commemorates the release from prison of Chabad’s founder, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi. To Chassidim, it is the Rosh Hashanah for the teachings of Chassidus, which were able to flourish as a result.

So, what is Chassidus?

Many view Chassidism as a way of life – a dress code or mode of conduct. That is a pitifully shallow perspective.

Chassidim are people who subscribe to Chassidus and endeavor to live their lives based on its teachings.… Read More »