“Chabad Demands P’nimius” – Is It An Empty Slogan?
Op-Ed by Rabbi Gershon Avtzon: Picking up on the words “empty slogans,” I would like to discuss an often-quoted slogan that is repeated often in Chabad but is used by many in the opposite of its true intent: “Chabad demands P’nimius.” While the obvious intent is that a Chassid should also focus on his internal Avodas Hashem – and that his internal self should match what he looks like externally – to too many people the interpretation is: In Chabad, we don’t care about externals and we only focus on the internals. • Full Article
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
This Shabbas is the Shabbas before Yud-Shevat, which Chassidim call the “Rosh Hashana of Hiskashrus,” I would therefore like to start with an important letter of the Frierdike Rebbe (Igros Volume 8 page 222) about Hiskashrus:
“I was pleased to hear you thanking HaShem for your connection with me. However, you must consider whether you are truly connected with me, or whether it is all imaginary, or perhaps it is just an empty slogan. True Hiskashrus must bring one to action. You know that I demand from all talmidim, especially those connected with me, to bring the light of Torah and mitzvos into Yiddishe homes and to create an atmosphere of Torah and Yiras Shamayim. What have you done to be connected to me? Until you take part in one of those activities, your words about Hiskashrus are empty slogans.”
Picking up on the words “empty slogans,” I would like to discuss an often-quoted slogan that is repeated often in Chabad but is used by many in the opposite of its true intent: “Chabad demands P’nimius.” While the obvious intent is that a Chassid should also focus on his internal Avodas Hashem – and that his internal self should match what he looks like externally – to too many people the interpretation is: In Chabad, we don’t care about externals and we only focus on the internals.
To elaborate: Every frum community has its own ideology and accepted behaviors, culture and dress codes. When a person grows up in a certain community or culture, they naturally tend to look and act like the standards of that particular community. Too many times, a person growing up in a certain community just “goes with the flow” and follows the social norms and dress of the community without internalizing the ideology of the community. In simple and practical terms: There are many yungeleit that will come to a 19 Kislev Farbrengen, wear a Kapote and and consider themselves Chabad chassidim, without having a set time to learn Chassidus and work on their Avodas Hashem as Chassidus Chabad demands.
While in many other Chassidic circles and communities, such behavior may be tolerated and acceptable, in Chabad we say “Chabad demands P’nimius” and we must work on our inner self that it should match the external chassidic look that we are portraying. It should never be used in a context that allows for a lowering of our external standards because “in Chabad we only focus of Pnimius”.
This mistake has led to tremendous confusion and the dropping of standards in Tznius by men and women. The following is a quote from a real email that I recently received from a Yungerman:
“I spent a few days at a resort with a bunch of Poilishe Chasidishe couples. Please allow me to share my observations: Someone I was sitting/speaking with noticed my kosher phone, and told me he heard that in Chabad everyone has smartphones. Their women also act on a much higher standard of Tzniyus. I saw a woman from far, I thought “That lady must be a Lubavitcher” – the way I knew is not something to be proud of.”
Another way this quote is used in a wrong way is when there are those that use this slogan as a reason not to talk to others and spread Moshiach with external ways of communication. They say that Moshiach is very “inner concept” and Chabad is not external and superficial.
The Rebbe (Pinchas 5751) completely negates this approach and explains at great length that the contrary is true. In explaining why the “lottery (that decided which parts of Eretz Yisroel went to each tribe) spoke”, the Rebbe clarifies that for someone that is truly passionate about something, it will be expressed externally in his words and actions. If it does not come out in an external way, it shows that it is not truly connected to your essence.
I will share a true story: When I was in Yeshiva Ketana, I had a mashpia that was not happy that certain students had Moshiach messages on their Yarmulka. After I got married, I met this yungerman (who was now on Shlichus in a certain city) and he saw my “Yechi Yarmulka” on my head (as I was taking off my tallis). He commented with a smile that “certain people will never grow up” as it is time to act like a mature adult.
Instinctively, I told him to take off his hat. I saw that he had the logo of his Chabad House on his Yarmulka. When I pointed out to him the obvious contradiction, he said: This logo is not external, it is expressing my essence! I smiled and said that maybe it is possible that to certain Chassidim, Moshiach is their essence…
***
Rabbi Gershon Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well-sought-after speaker and lecturer. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the above by sending me a R’ Avtzon email: [email protected]
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