Messianism in ChabadReferred to as Chabad messianism, Lubavitch messianism, or meshichism. (Hebrew: משיחיות בחב"ד) refers to the belief within some of the Chabad-Lubavitch community—a prominent group within Hasidic Judaism—regarding the Jewish Messiah (, or ). Central to this belief is the conviction that Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty, is the awaited Messiah and leading the Jewish people into the Messianic Age.
History The concept of the Messiah is central to Judaism, representing an anticipated savior and bringer of universal peace and justice. Expected to restore Israel and gather in the Jewish diaspora, the Messiah is often linked to the Davidic lineage as foretold in the Hebrew Bible. Over centuries, beliefs about the Messiah have shaped Jewish thought, prayer, and tradition, reflecting a deep longing for spiritual fulfillment and communal restoration. The belief among Hasidic Jews that the leader of their dynasty could be the Jewish Messiah is traced to the Baal Shem Tov—the founder of Hasidism. During Schneerson's life, some Chabad members hoped he would be revealed as the Messiah, with the idea gaining attention inside and outside the movement during his final years. A few years before his death, a group within Chabad formed around their expressed belief that Schneerson was, indeed, the foretold Messiah, becoming known as mishichists (). A typical statement of belief for Chabad messianists is found in the song "Long live our Lord" (), which is also chanted as a refrain.The full text is Yechi adoneinu moreinu v'rabbeinu melech ha-moshiach l'olam vo'ed ("Long live our master, our teacher, and our rabbi, King Messiah, for ever and ever). Customs vary among messianists as to when the phrase is recited.
Since Schneerson's death in 1994, some followers of Chabad have persisted in believing in him as the Messiah. Some Chabad messianists believe Schneerson will be resurrected from the dead to be revealed as the Messiah; others profess that Schneerson did not die in 1994 and is waiting to be revealed as the Messiah. After Schneerson's death, a halakhic ruling from some Chabad-affiliated rabbis declared that it was "incumbent on every single Jew to heed the Rebbe's words and believe that he is indeed King Moshiach, who will be revealed imminently". Outside of Chabad messianism, both in mainstream Chabad and in broader Judaism, these claims are rejected.
The concept of a Jewish Messiah as a leader who would be revealed and mark the end of Jewish exile is a traditional Jewish belief. Additionally, it was not uncommon to attribute this messianic identity to various historic Jewish leaders. An early example of this type of belief is found in the Talmud, where various living sages are considered to be the Messiah.Sanhedrin 98b
Treatment of this topic in Jewish law is not common to Jewish legal texts, with the exception of the writings of Maimonides. Maimonides delineated rabbinic criteria for identifying the Jewish Messiah as a leader who studies Torah, observes the mitzvot, compels the Jews to observe the Torah, and fights the Wars of God. Additionally, the status of Messiah may be determined first through a presumptive status (b'chezkat mashiach) and later a verified status (mashiach vadai).Mishneh Torah, Law of Kings, 9:4, Maimonides
The concept of the Messiah is also prominent in Hasidism. In a notable incident, the founder of Hasidism, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, recounts a vision of an encounter with the Messiah, who relates to him how the Messiah's arrival may be hastened. Yehuda Eisenstein records in his book Otzer Yisrael that followers of Hasidic Rebbes will sometimes express hope that their leader will be revealed as the awaited Messiah. According to research by Israeli scholar Rachel Elior, there was a focus on messianism in Chabad during the lifetime of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the father-in-law of Menachem Schneerson. The upsurge in messianic belief among Chabad adherents began in the 1980s, when followers of Menachem Schneerson started believing that he would be the Messiah, a hope initially kept quiet until the early 1990s. Additionally, the hope for the leader to be the awaited Messiah also involved Menachem Schneerson, who spoke of his deceased father-in-law as the awaited Messiah.
Schneerson's positions and responses
Beginning with his very first farbrengen as Rebbe, Schneerson spoke of this generation's mission to complete the Dira Betachtonim, and urged everyone to do all within their power to help the world reach its ultimate state of perfection, when godliness and goodness will be naturally apparent and prevalent, with the final redemption. Schneerson would finish almost every public talk of his with a prayer for the imminent arrival of the Messiah. As early as the 1970s, he sought to raise awareness of the Messianic Age by encouraging people to learn and become knowledgeable in the laws of the Holy Temple, laws that will be applicable only when the Messiah actually comes. Schneerson would frequently quote the many sages who stated that this generation was the last generation of the exile and would be the first generation of redemption and would quote Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim) and others, who stated that actively asking for the Messiah's coming is crucial.
Early efforts by Chabad Hasidim to refer to Schneerson as the Jewish Messiah resulted in strong opposition from Schneerson. In 1965, in what is likely the first record of Chabad Hasidim referring to Schneerson in messianic terms, a Hasid in Israel named Avraham Parizh printed and distributed letters that spoke of Schneerson as the Jewish Messiah. In response, Schneerson reportedly telegrammed Parizh in Israel stating that he strongly objected to the disseminated letter and requested that Parizh cease its distribution. Schneerson also reportedly instructed Parizh to recover all the distributed copies of the letter and confirm its collection.Echad Hoyo Avrohom Page 160
In 1984, another Israeli Hasid, Shalom Dov Wolpo, raised the issue publicly by publishing a booklet identifying Schneerson as the Messiah. Schneerson reportedly responded by banning the publication and forbidding Wolpo from involvement with any related efforts.The Revelation of Melech HaMashiach (King Messiah), "Yechi HaMelech", Sholom Ber Wolpo, "The Committee for Fulfilling the Rebbe's Directives" Schneerson publicly denounced these actions several times, saying that those involved in such publications were creating new opposition to the Chabad movement, and that he wished to never have to speak about the topic again. On Shabbat Bereshit, when Wolpo began singing a song that had become popular in Chabad which referred to Schneerson as the Messiah, Schneerson abruptly stopped the singing and ordered that it never be sung again.Sefer Hisva'aduyos 5745, Vol. 1, p. 465 Wolpo would later argue that despite the Rebbe's strong opposition, all Chabad Hasidim must still consider and proclaim the Rebbe as the Jewish Messiah, arguing that the rebbe also declined to be called 'rebbe' in earlier years, only accepting the title later, because the time had not yet come.
Eventually the rebbe appeared to reverse his ban, and soon after began encouraging publicly a song identifying him as the Messiah, going so far as to authorize one of Wolpo's articles to be translated and published in a newspaper. Wolpo would argue that the precept of the acceptance of the Jewish Messiah is an act that must be performed by the Jewish people and not by the Messiah himself.
In 1988, after Schneerson called for Chabad rabbis to issue a Jewish legal ruling (psak din) to declare that the Jewish Messianic Era must commence, a Hasid named Yitzchak Hendel issued a ruling stating that Schneerson was the rightful Jewish Messiah. In response to the ruling, Schneerson did not protest and actually stated that "Hendel is competent rabbi who knows what he's talking about".Cheshbono shel Olom page 56. It was not until April 1991 that Schneerson began openly encouraging the 'yechi' song identifying him as the Messiah.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Schneerson's talks became increasingly focused on the topic of Moshiach, that Moshiach was about to come, and what was needed to accomplish this. A statement of this kind by Schneerson was the view that the Jews living in the modern age were the last generation to live in exile (galut) and the first generation of redemption (geulah). On 2 November 1991, during the Rebbe's talk at the International Conference of Shluchim (emissaries), he stated that their work had been completed and the only task that remained was to welcome the Messiah. In the early 1990s, Hasidim became more vocal about Schneerson being the Moshiach, even submitting a petition to him asking that he reveal himself as the long-awaited Messiah. On one occasion in 1991, as the Rebbe was leaving the evening prayers when traditionally someone would start a song and the Rebbe would encourage it on his way out of the synagogue, some Hasidim began singing one of the Rebbe's favorite lively songs, adding the words of Yechi – "Long live our master, our teacher, our Rebbe, King Moshiach." A few months later, a few people did muster the courage to start singing at an intermission in a Shabbos farbrengen a less overt song that implied that the Rebbe was the Messiah. Within a few seconds the Rebbe heard it and immediately became very grave and said: "Really, I should get up and leave [the room]. Even if some people consider it is not respectful that I need to [be the one to leave], I don’t need to reckon with the views of a small number when [what they are saying] is the opposite of reality. However, first of all, it will unfortunately not help anyway. Secondly, it will disrupt the shevet achim gam yachad (brethren to dwell together in unity), for if I were to leave, others will leave, too."Sichos Kodesh, Parshas Noach 5752
In 1992, a journalist from Israel said to the Rebbe, "We appreciate you very much, we want to see you in Israel; you said soon you will be in Israel, so when will you come?" The Rebbe responded: "I also want to be in Israel." The journalist insisted, "So when, when will you come?" The Rebbe responded, "That depends on the Moshiach, not on me." The journalist persisted, "You are the Moshiach!" to which the Rebbe responded, "I am not." In 1991,20 April Rabbi Dovid Nachshon received a bottle of vodka from the Rebbe for his effort of getting people to sign a declaration accepting the Rebbe's kingship. After Rabbi Nachshon announced (as customary) what the bottle was for, he announced the words of 'Yechi' declaring the rebbe "King Moshiach" three times. The Rebbe responded by saying "Amen".
One explanation for the apparent contradictions in the Rebbe's responses is that the Rebbe only took issue when this idea was published, but made nothing of it when addressed to him in private.
However, in 1993, after the Rebbe was no longer speaking following his stroke, the Rebbe responded to the "Yechi" chant almost daily during the course of that year by nodding his head and moving his arm, including on live television in 1993.31 January In addition, the Rebbe allowed himself to be referred to as "The Rebbe King Moshiach, May He Live Forever" for the first time, in a book titled "Besurat HaGeulah" that was first published in 1993.