Sholom Rubashkin Ponders Redemption

In honor of Chabad's day of liberation, Yud Tes Kislev, Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin sent a letter from his Otisville prison cell looking forward to his day of redemption.

Originally posted 11-27-10 at 7:56 pm CST.

I translated some of the Hebrew and Yiddish terms used by Sholom Rubashkin to make reading this easier for those of you unfamiliar with them. My translations are found in square brackets. Otherwise, the letter appears as Chabad.info published it.

What is most striking to me is that nowher in this letter does Sholom Rubashkin admit guilt or in any way express remorse for what he did:

Sholom Mordechai Ponders Redemption
In honor of the day of liberation, Yud Tes Kislev, Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin sent out a letter from his Otisville prison looking forward to his day of redemption.
Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin • Chabad.info

21 Kislev 5771 (28.11.2010)

In Honor of Yud Tes Kislev,

Dovid Hamelech says in Tehilim, "PODOH BESHOLOM NAFSHI KI BERABIM HOYU IMODI," the Tefillah of the Rabim helps for the Pediyah Bepashtus.

Yud Tes Kislev is the Yoim Toiv of the liberation of the Alter Rebbe [Schneer Zaman of Liyadi, the first Chabad rebbe], The day of liberation is mesugal for all liberations. It's also the same day of the Yahrtzeit of his Rebbe, the Magid of Mezritch, The Geulah [redemption, being freed from prison] of the Alter Rebbe came at the moment he was saying Tehilim - he was saying the Posuk "Podoh Besholoim Nafshi" when he was notified of his freedom.

In the absence of anybody to Farbreng [hasidic gathering; used a verb, the act of leading or participating in a hasidic gathering] with, I tried to write some thought on chassidus, what it is, etc. but it came out like a learning session and I really just want to Farbreng.

As I sit here , still in the, arrest, prison, mode of my story, I try to relate to the day of Chag Hageulah, the Yoim Tov of liberation and freedom. I know Beezras Hashem my liberation will come, and Hahsem will listen to all our Tefillois, like Dovid Hamelech says "KI BERABIM HOYU IMODI" that the Yidden (even the anshei avsholoim) all were Davening for him, that's how he had the "PODOH BESHOLOIM NAFSHI" and I will be free and reunited with my family and all Yidden. I know that the day of Geulah of the Alter Rebbe is the start and the pathway for my Geulah [redemption, release from prison] and all Yidden's Geulah [the coming of the messiah]. Geulah means liberation, in the simple term, going out of prison.

I think about the story of Yud Tes Kislev, and I learn Sichos and Maamorim [transcribed talks and hasidic discourses of the late Lubavitcher rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson], those that I have. I say the Tehilim, and I focus intensely on the pesukim of "PODOH BESHOLOIM NAFSHI" and i await the notice of my release and liberation. Obviously, I have Baruch Hashem, said these pesukim many times before, but, now they have a whole new meaning for me.

I think of two major points in the story of the Alter Rebbe.

One: It is clear that it is the Ruchniusdiker Kitrug [spiritual decree] in shomayim [heaven] that is the real cause for the incarceration in this world. It was due to the Alter Rebbe's insistence to spread out the teaching of Chassidus that caused the imprisonment of the Alter Rebbe and it was only through the Teffilois and the Avoidah of the Yidden that made the liberation a reality.

Two: the Alter Rebbe is teaching us all, how to liberate ourselves spiritually, and through that, physically. It's in the Posuk of Tehilim that he was saying when he was notified of his release he is teaching how every yid can have their own personal liberation.

Like in the story of the Alter Rebbe, every Yid must recognize that everything that is happening to him physically is only a reflection of what is happening in the spiritual worlds.

Everything in this world has two parts, its chitzoinius and its penimius. These are not two separate things but actually they are one being. Like the Guf and Neshama that make up one person. As everything comes from TOIRAH there is Nigleh of Toirah and Nistar of Toirah they are not two separate parts rather they are ONE TOiRAH.

When the Neshama is revealed in the Guf, when the Nesama is allowed to express itself, that is the liberation of the person. Otherwise, if the Neshama is not allowed to be revealed the person is actually it his own confinement or prison.

In the Neshama there are levels, those Koichois of the Neshama that are revealed and seen, and the essence of the Neshama that is hidden and needs to be revealed. Chasidus teaches us how to reveal the Etzem Hanshama, our real essence. When the Etzem Hanshama is revealed, there is Sholoim, then the person has his Pediyah, liberation from prison spiritually and that will bring the liberation physically.

Podh Besholoim Nafshi

The Alter Rebbe explains, that true Liberation comes when its from "Sholoim". Sholoim means that there are no opposing parties that exist, when all agree to want the same, then there is the Sholoim.

Simply put in Avoidah:

We have many Koichois how we function. When all the Koichois are in harmony to serve Hashem then the Neshama is free from all and any constraints and imprisonments of the Yetzer Hara.

The Koiach of Sechel: we learn Toirah and we understand that we need to do mitzvois. Our Sechel is whole with Hashem. But that is not Sholoim yet. Avoidah to Hashem that is based on Reason, because that's how its understood, there still is no real Sholom because there is the ability to understand differently. Therefore, in the world of Sechel, or reason, there is an opposing party or idea that can come later. A person is not liberated by serving Hashem only with reason.

The koiach of Rotzoin: Even when a Yid's Avoidah to Hashem is based on his Rotzoin, higher than any reason, when he clearly only wants Hashem because that's his Rotzoin, that means that he overpowers any desires or urges that are not for Hashem by his WILLPOWER. Although there is only the desire for Hashem, it's not a total Sholoim, because, its the strong will, or Rotzoin that exists now, that is the reason for no opposition, but, if that will power were to leave, there is the possibility of a change in the Rotzoin to Hashem. And as long as there is even the possibility of change of the will of the Yid, there is still no Sholoim.

The Koiach of Yechidah: Chasidus reveals the essence and the Penimius of the Yid and shows the Yid how to serve Hashem with his Yechidah, The Mitteler says that EVERY YID can serve Hashem with their Yechidah.

Yechidah is the part of the Neshama that has no opposing force. Yechidah is not overpowering anything, because there in Yechidah there is nothing else, by Yechida there can not be any Rotzoin other than Hashem. Yechidah is what the Yid IS, a "chelek Eloka memaal mamosh."

"Podoh Besholoim Nafshi", there is Sholoim when Yechidah is revealed because that can't change. The Yid's essence, Neshama, is one with Hahsem, and that can never change. A person cannot change what he IS.

KI BERABIM HOYU IMODI that the Tefillois of the RABIM help in PODOH BESHLOIM NAFSHI.

Chassidus teaches us how to reveal our essence, our Yechidah. Chasidus teaches us who we are and reveals the unlimited strength of Yechidah, to all our other Koichois Hanefesh of Sechel, Middos and Rotzoin, that is why the Chosid is not intellectually dull or unemotional. Yechidah is infused, and brightens our understanding. We start understanding greater levels of Hashem what was before beyond our bounds, now we can understand and feel. We are able to understand and connect to Lemaaleh Mehagbala, no limits, is the whole concept of what liberation is also.

I would like to thank all of you and all the Yidden for saying Tehilim, Davening, increasing in Toirah and Mitzvois, for my Zechus, that I could merit a Geulah Protis and together we will all go to our Geulah Klolis with Moshiach Tzidkeinu, AMEN

Sholoim Mordechai Halevi [Rubashkin]

Comments

[chaim36]

Sadly NO remorse was ever shown for this worldwide chilul hasem that he caused.It is not too late even now to show some remorse.Better late than never.

[sage]

+++What is most striking to me is that nowhere in this letter does Sholom Rubashkin admit guilt or in any way express remorse for what he did:+++

And this is why he will serve out his full prison term.

[WoolSilkCotton]

They will make this letter a new chapter of Tanya, under Igeres Hakodesh.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Makes one wonder about the real reason Schneur Zalman was imprisoned. 'Spreading yiddishkeit'? Is that a code phrase for smuggling or counterfeiting? Just wondering.

[Robert Wisler]

It's amazing to see how these deluded cult-members attribute supernatural powers to these chassidic frauds such as Schneur Zalman etc. Idolatry is forbidden by God as the worst sin in Torah, and yet these fools insist on perpetrating this fraud to their own destruction in the World-To-Come.

I pray that Chabad's proselytizing and idolatry will continue to be exposed for the absolute evil that it is in its very essence.

[Robert Wisler]

One credit I will give to Mr. Rubashkin is that he referred to MM Schneerson as "the late". At least he acknowledges the demise of that evil man.

[Isa]

""""Makes one wonder about the real reason Schneur Zalman was imprisoned.""""

In the 'good old days' all workers in the Soviet Union were given jobs [or a pick] by the labor commissar -not that you HAD to take THAT job BUT you had to find a job and work it. IF you didn't take a job then one was regarded as an economic parasite [black market smuggler etc] and were given a few years in the Gulag then maybe when you get out you will be happy to work the job the government gives you.

[Dave]

Robert, I agree with you 100%.
However a lot of secular Jews give money to Chabad, because they feel guilty because they're not observant. The answer is "Tanach for all Jews- reclaim your heritage". I am starting a group about this- if you're interested to help me- please contact me at superdave8002@hotmail.com
Shavua Tov to all.

[Yoel Mechanic]

>Makes one wonder about the real reason Schneur Zalman was imprisoned. 'Spreading yiddishkeit'? Is that a code phrase for smuggling or counterfeiting?

I thought (and heard, via Rabbi Berel Wein) the facts were clear: he was collecting and sending money to Yeshivahs and Jews in Palestine(sic) which was under Turkish administration at that time. The problem with that? Nothing...except that Russia was at war with Turkey, and therefore he was guilty of treason: giving aid and comfort to the enemy!!

[Menachem Mendel lll]

Could someone please tell the convicted felon, embezzler scammer and comandante of a child labor camp aka "Rabbi" Sholom Rubashikin that his day of redemption coincide with the arrival of the Moshiach.

Burn in hell!

Moshiach Uber Alles!

[danny]

Goodness, this letter was unreadable. He is talking gibberish. The man is in prison (and will be for many years) and needs to come to terms with his reality.

Instead, he wraps himself in delusion and "spirituality". I'm afraid for his mental health.

[ben]

sholom rubashkin can always hope . it might help him to survive his 27 years in jail.

anyone can dream . i also dream to win lottery . but it never happens .

[Menachem Mendel lll]

That a so called "Rabbi" Rubashkin was evil beyond reproach thinking the words of Jeremiah and Hosea did not applied to him.

Jeremiah 21:14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

Hosea 4:9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

Hosea 12:2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

Rubashkin was so rich and powerful he fucked with The US government, poor men, women, innocent defences impoverished children and dare I say pissed on Ha'shem.

Isaiah 49:26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Jeremiah 30:16 Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

Jeremiah 30:20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.

[Anon please]

Very sad. No one with whom to Fabreng...
What is this word? "Sholoim".
Never saw it before.
He spelled it that way on the Chabad Info site...
and "Toirah"

[A E ANDERSON]

What is most striking to me is that nowher in this letter does Sholom Rubashkin admit guilt or in any way express remorse for what he did

....which is entirely consistent with his position all along! He doesn't believe he did anything wrong. Others, more powerfully placed (e.g., judge and jury) obviously disagreed. I have no doubt he considers himself a victim or a religious sacrifice of some kind.

[Mr. Apikoros]

If Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior, he shall be redeemed on Judgment Day just like any other sinner who has done so.

He's already made the first move, having embraced Menachem Mendel Schneerson as the Messiah. All he has to do now is get his Messiah right.

[Mr. Apikoros]

MM III, you're being too hard on the guy. Jesus has saved worse.

[Jeff]

yet these fools insist on perpetrating this fraud to their own destruction in the World-To-Come.

So, they're deluded cult members, while you, who live your life in fear of postmortem vengeance, have a handle on absolute truth.

Right.

[WoolSilkCotton]

He can count the days with his fellow inmate Mordecai Samet, also serving 27 years for fraud.

[yidandahalf]

Sham Wow is still in the honeymoon stage of his new life in prison. In this stage he clings to religion with a fierceness that is truly amazing, all in order to provide himself with a superior denial mechanism. In about a year this will begin to fall away and the physical strength he came in with from his previous existence will also become a remnant and then in turn fall away. At that time he will realize that he is in fact, not going anywhere. Someday I will visit him and he won't know who I am. I will gloat over him and his misfortune. He will do every sorry day in prison less, perhaps some time off for good behavior parole which will be of negligible value, because by then he will be a broken man.
The depth of the religious clap-trap he digs up is astounding, well, he surely has plenty of time to come up with it. I agree with Apikoros. I INSIST that every christer on the planet with a missionary zeal in their heart, make their way to SholomMordechai (pronounced as one word ala Leah) and have at it like there is no tomorrow. There is no time to waste. His soul is in danger as we speak.

[WoolSilkCotton]

I wonder how he and Samet are getting along?

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/30/nyregion/
14-hasidim-are-indicted-on-charges-they-
ran-a-fraud-scheme.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/us/
16prison.html?ei=5088&en=e1b7a66d9efff737&ex=
1360818000&pagewanted=print

http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/
2001/03/30/2001-03-30_14_are_indicted_
in__fraud_fa.html

[YbM]

oh, yud tet bekislev!
sure, that is the chabad equivalent of the winter solstice.
not exactly das yeshu, as it comes on the 19th of kislev (the jewish equivalent of Dec), and not on the twenty fifth, of kislev (considered 1st day of hanukka by jews of all denominations) neither is it das yeshu's x'smas holiday.
but it lies there somewhere between the hindu diwali and x'smas.
i wonder if they have any special liturgy equivalent to the jewish al hanissim, or to the christian midnight mass?
in any case, per 'das yeshu', they get drunk too.
any jewish style hallel? musaf? bringing out of their theuyroh?

[YbM]

In the 'good old days' all workers in the Soviet Union were given jobs [or a pick] by the labor commissar -not that you HAD to take THAT job BUT you had to find a job and work it. IF you didn't take a job then one was

Isa, R' SZ of Liadi was during the time of the Czar. (September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812) during the time of the Napoleonic wars. Another of them sect, the Rayyatz the one that preceded their Mamesh, was later imprisoned by the USSR.

[YbM]

They will make this letter a new chapter of Tanya, under Igeres Hakodesh
WSC, they probably did, practically if not actually :-)

" will continue to be exposed for the absolute evil that it is in its very essence. "
omein, Robert.
well put, that's their atzmus umahus essence. :-)

[YbM]

So, they're deluded cult members, while you, who live your life in fear of postmortem vengeance, have a handle on absolute truth. Right.
not so simple, jeff, the torah has absolutely no mercy on those who twist it's words.

[yidandahalf]

I can find nothing in any of the anti-Rubash-in posts on this thread that indicates the commentor is living in fear of postmortem vengeance. A bit of remorse and reasonable composisiton without the holy crap, would do Sham Wow a great deal of good when next he sits down to pen one of his prison shiurim meant for who the hell knows.

[harold]

Thank you for posting his letter, it is a source of chizuk. Much appreciated.

[yidandahalf]

What? harold, you have revealed your lowly status for sure now. How is it that a relentless ass licker such as yourself did not receive a letter directly from Reb Sham Wow?

[Yoel Mechanic]

>He's already made the first move, having embraced Menachem Mendel Schneerson as the Messiah.

Why cloud a difficult situation? Christians use the word "messiah" to mean something completely different than the Jews use it. I appreciate the need for humor, but if one objects to Chabad philosophy one should say so directly rather than shlep a rather unrelated religious group into the fray. Also, the idea that within Chabad there are only two groups, open meshiachists and those who want to keep it quiet is a stereotype that the meshiachists themselves are promoting. One need consider that other groups do exist, at least as far as I can tell they do exist.

[YbM]

A bit of remorse and reasonable composisiton without the holy crap, would do Sham Wow a great deal of good when next he sits down to pen one of his prison shiurim meant for who the hell knows.

not really yidandahalf
his personality, as that of his likes, is warped like orwell would have it. good is bad and bad is good, light is darkness and vice versa.
his holy crap is his way of 'apologising' to the real 'powers' thaty control his personna. according to these powers, he has nothing to be remorseful for. his 'remorse' is a subterfuge to get himself out of the hole he dug himsdelf into.

[YbM]

One need consider that other groups do exist, at least as far as I can tell they do exist.
r' yoel u r right. but they are all treif from day one when the baal hatanya come out with his alternative theuyro.
messitim umeddichim, zkeinim mamrim, all of them. all the sects.

[WoolSilkCotton]

++yidandahalf | November 28, 2010 at 09:14 AM++

LOL!

[Jeff]

not so simple, jeff, the torah has absolutely no mercy on those who twist it's words.

By Torah, I assume you also mean Talmud, as the Torah proper doesn't say anything about forfeiting one's share in the World to Come, or any such nonsense. Not that I assign any significance to either source.

Threats. Just like the Christians - it's all you have.

[YbM]

jeff,
i never mentioned anything about the world to come.
(although i am a rabbanite jew & do not distinguish between the tora and the talmud that compliment each other).
although u don't have to go to the talmud. deuteronomy is full of references against altering the words of the torah.
so what brought the world to come to your note, or the talmud, i have no idea?

[unProfessor]

The viciousness is just disgusting.

I don't think there's anyone here who would like to be judged personally the way they have judged Sholom Rubashkin.

And don't fool yourself that you are so innocent and never do anything wrong.

[Yoel Mechanic]

>but they are all treif from day one when the baal hatanya come out with his alternative theuyro.
messitim umeddichim, zkeinim mamrim, all of them. all the sects.

So the complaint here is not with Chabad, but with all of Chasidim in general. I thought this was past history; but if you wish to be persuasive you need to explain all these terms and make a careful rational appeal.

[yidandahalf]

I love the viciousness. I have no fear to be judged personally by you, G-d, or any other entity. I am not entirely innocent and I often do wrong. If I die tonight, I have not one thing on my conscience because I consider my actions and thoughts throughout my waking hours lest I do something to another that I would not want done to me. So eat shit and die, asshole.

[Jeff]

i never mentioned anything about the world to come... so what brought the world to come to your note, or the talmud, i have no idea?

I don't know why I'm bothering, but because you said:

yet these fools insist on perpetrating this fraud to their own destruction in the World-To-Come.

[Isa]

"""I don't think there's anyone here who would like to be judged personally the way they have judged Sholom Rubashkin.

And don't fool yourself that you are so innocent and never do anything wrong."""

I have not cheated people out of their health insurance, overtime, pay, made them work on dangerous machinery, losing their fingers.etc etc
I have not tortured animals,etc etc
AND IF I did what Rubashkin did...
I would done a Michael Vick, get down on my knees , beg forgiveness, cry my eyeballs out even cut the Human Society in on future earnings!!!
Michael Vick did NOT accuse the judge and etc of being vicious KKK racists like Rubashkin did with the judge

[YbM]

i don't know why u bothered either, jeff

i don't seem to remember saying:
" yet these fools insist on perpetrating this fraud to their own destruction in the World-To-Come."

[YbM]

"So the complaint here is not with Chabad, but with all of Chasidim" ??!!

never said that.
by " all the sects", I meant, meshichistens or not , the overts and coverts and the sub categories that were mentioned: " One need consider that other groups do exist," etc ... although frankly speaking, i am more comfortable with the lithuanian rites.
as to explaining each term, let those who want to dispute do some research. :-)

[Jeff]

It wasn't you, it was Robert Wisler. Why were you even responding to me in the first place?

God, Shmarya, you have so many lunatics spewing their crap here, I can't keep them straight.

[Yoel Mechanic]

>never said that.

When you said "Baal HaTanya", that means 100% you are saying all Chasidim are treif because all Chasidim recognize the Baal HaTanya as a completely valid kosher source. The fact that you referred to him by his generic title only underscores this. I'm only saying that if you are going to make such attacks you should be ready to back them up with a rational argument.

[YbM]

all Chasidim recognize the Baal HaTanya as a completely valid kosher source.

really? and they 'all' celebrate 19 kislev too?
as a distinctive yom mishteh vesimcha and a defining holiday?
hmmm. i didn't know.

[Mr. Apikoros]

Michael Vick has made a mentsch out of himself. Can't say the same for the Meat Messiah. Nor for their acolytes who post here.