Leading Chabadnik Rabbi Blames Hurricane Irene On US Middle East Policy

Rabbi Sholom DovBer Wolpo, who holds no official position in Chabad but who is arguably the most popular rabbi in the Chabad street in Israel, says God sent punishment to the US in the form of Hurricane Irene to punish America for its Mideast policies.

Rabbi Sholom DovBer Wolpo

According to Kikar Shabbat, Rabbi Sholom DovBer Wolpo, the Chabadnik rabbi who the head of SOS Israel and who has called for the overthrow of Israel's government and the establishment of a theocracy in its place based on the teachings of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, blames Hurricane Iriene on US policy toward Israel and the Palestinians.

Wolpo is arguably the most popular and most influential rabbi for Chabad followers in Israel, even though he holds no official position in the movement.

Kikar Shabbat also notes several other forays into theodicy by right wing and haredi figures, including Rabbi Ovadia Yosef blaming Hurricane Katrina on President George W. Bush's Middle East policies and saying that New Orleans was full of black people and black people don't learn Torah and are therefore not good for anything, so God drowned them.

[Hat Tip: Burich.]

Comments

[Mark]

Stupid story.

Next.

[Phelps]

I thought the hurricane was caused by New York passing same-sex marriage...

[Adam Neira]

I'm sorry to have to tell Rabbi Sholom DovBer Wolpo but he is wrong. The role of the Na'vi is an interesting one. They are both prophets of future events and also interpreters of current day events. (Please see my comments on Irene and the USA here at FM on the other Hurricane related article.) He is playing to a certain audience with a political bias. The danger is now that many people who are clutching for leadership and guidance will listen to anyone they perceive as having some sort of authority. This bias reinforcement is a problem. G-d is trying to rid the world of false conceptual models right now. Watch the next 23 days. People need to rapidly reassess their assumptions right now, for their own wellbeing. Toxic denial can either be worked on and healed or it can be shattered.

Also, for all the prophecy buffs out there...The prophecies of Gog and Magog and the ones related to the end times whereby all the nations turn against "Israel" are completely misunderstood. The Armageddon lovers and their Jewish brethren who have twisted the words into some kind of State of Israel versus 192 other nations final super military battle have got it completely wrong.

Prophecy and interpretation is a very special skill indeed. It is reserved for real tzaddiks. As Maimonides explains you can't attain prophetic insight without first being righteous. Now there is also another idea contained in the Tanach that says that prophecy will be commonplace for all of humankind in the mature Messianic Era. For this to happen there needs to be the right command structure in place. All thoughts are a result of setting. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Moses, Solomon, Malachi, Jeremiah et al. all received prophetic insight when they were relatively safe and alone. In the Abraham Maslow Self Actualisation idea they had some basic needs met. The reason that prophecy is not more widespread these days is that the right command structure has not been fully established.

If a Na'vi is installed in his rightful position in Jerusalem soon and people heed his wisdom this will change. As the word of the lord goes forth from Jerusalem public policy all around the world will change and clear thinking which leads to prophetic insight will become normal.

BTW, for all the cynics out there...People with prophetic insight do exist right now on Planet Earth. False prophets give real prophets a bad name.

[Adam Neira]

To Phelps,

It is true that if a nation institutes certain negative policies en masse it is in danger of being sucked into a downward spiralling vortex of evil, Sodom and Gomorrah like. Now the United States of America like all nations on Planet Earth at this time is neither completely evil nor completely pure. Legalizing same sex marriage definitely attracts national demerit points. Nations or states that do it are cutting their own spiritual throat.(BTW, even if you try and discuss this issue with some people they are beyond reason. As the prophecies suggest, at some point in human history many people would fail to understand the difference between right and wrong. That time is now.)

Now as I explain on my other Hurricane Irene post here at FM, America is certainly redeemable. In fact this divine shot across the bow may just have woken many people up out of their ethical and spiritual sloth. America has a vast number of merit points. It is a truly great nation with many great people.

P.S. If you want to see G-d's spreadsheet of national merit scores as at 2011 you need a special password into his mainframe.

[Adam Neira]

Correction...

I repeated Jeremiah's name twice. Silly me. Jeremiah, Isaiah and Malachi are my three favourite prophets BTW.

:)

[Deafening Silence]

The Yeshiva Bochur in Japan was found innocent.

[Adam Neira]

To Deafening Silence,

You've introduced something new here. What is your point and what news do you speak of ?

[Shmarya Gets It Wrong]

HE's so popular he's practically in cherem except among the most fanatic of the yellow flag brigade.

[Western Jew]

Wow. Now even the ChaBaD is getting into evil soothsaying!!!!!
No surprise. They are really a bunch of idol worshippers who pretend to look like Jews worshipping our Almighty. I discredit ChaBaD with the future of our religion.

[Deafening Silence]

To Adam Neira,

Sorry, I jumped the gun.
R' Shmarya has it up now on the next post.

[Adam Neira]

To Deafening Silence,

Yes Shmarya is pretty quick on the draw. I wouldn't take him on at the Hot Topic Corral.

P.S. My favourite western is "A Fistful of Ravioli".

[Adam Neira]

To Shmarya Gets It Wrong,

Who is the "you" you are referring to re. excommunication from the Jewish community ?

And the yellow flag brigade you are talking about must be the Lubavitcher M.M.S. messianists yes ?

Are you making non-sensical comments to distract, confuse or spam ?

Does it bother you that some people can see through you ?

Do you understand that the people that need to know what important points are being discussed here at FM know how to sort the wheat from the chafe ? i.e. They know who to heed and who to ignore.

[Dr. Dave]

So Bush caused Katrina and Obama caused Irene.

Wow! The president of the U.S. is the most powerful man on earth!

[Yosef ben Matitya]

of course,
that and the existence of wolpo and minim of his kind led to hurricane irene hitting crown heights

[Adam Neira]

To Yosef ben Matitya,

We are entering the Twilight Zone. The ability to establish cause and effect is almost gone. Reason has left the building. People can't even read the dots in front of their very eyes, let alone connect them. This time was prophesied to arise. Another prophecy is relevant now though.

“Zion will be redeemed in judgment"

- Isaiah 1:27

[Western Jew]

To Adam Niera:
I agree. Mr. Shmayra was foully treated by ChaBaD and that is how ChaBaD deals with their 'problems' which they seemingly have many many more over time.
Poor guy. Its not easy to be ostracized and outcast by a religious society.
But this site is a way of justice in some measures and he should be congratulated.
The ChaBaD is a broken affiliate of our more religious people in our faith and they serve only to personify their rebbe as their greatest leader and to try to bring otherwise decent jewish people into their cultlike folds to increase their revinue and claim that they are bringing Jews to Torah. Most Jews are already organized and have a good calling to begin.
So I am not going to be for the ChaBaD as I have also been treated poorly in my breif experience in that group and I will support any persons right to speak out against treachery and foul conduct. I know that the ChaBaD wont be responding to internal inquiries and mail.

To the fellow who attacked Mr. Shmayra above:
Good luck in heavenly cherem as that is your future for making a statement against a fellow jew regarding his own right to be a part of our communities.

[seymour]

wrong

innocent of smuggling drugs but he thought he was smuggling antiques

is that innocent?

[Shmarya Gets It Wrong]

Neira and Western:

Take all of your meds every day.

Shmarya:

Get help to deal with your low self-esteem.

[seymour]

why is it that god punish people because of what others do

yet never what the frummies or rebbies do themselves?

maybe god punished us because the frummas steal cheat and furthermore the rebbioum never ever condemn such actions.

[Adam Neira]

To SGIW,

Don't lump me in with WJ. Making comments about another's level of self esteem is gutless schoolboy stuff. I'm sure Shmarya can deal with it though. Be careful who you cast aspersions on. G-d is watching. We don't want you to go mad do we ? BTW, I don't take drugs.

You really are a funny guy. Like a sniper on laughing gas or a comedian on the midnight shift of the Titanic.

[Shlomo]

Wow. And this people control hundreds of nuclear war heads?

[moshe]

another idiot rabbi heard from. There seems to be an unlimited supply of them

[Kol Tzfardayah]

Maybe all these tragedies and bad events happen because of the corruptness of rabbis / 33 concert ban, drek, his father, rubashkin, sereshefsky, organ selling rabbi.... Why don't they confess and repent?

[rickster]

Did you know that in the 80's the rebbe told someone to tell wolpo that he is starting a War against the Rebbe. This guy is a known fanatical opportunist

[Gevezener Chusid]

It is this constant bullshit that has driven me away from Judaism. I call myself "gevezener chusid" (former chasid) but pretty soon it will be gevezener Yid. i'm just sick of it!

[Racytorah]

It's because of the gay marriage. racytorah.blogspot.com

[Reuvain]

The Rebbe once wrote him that if he continues with his assertions about Moshiach he is "oso Melchama Kenidi", making a war against me. Anyone who knows how the Rebbe was careful in his expressions will realize that this is a shocking statement.

When he ran the Chabad Yeshiva some 25 years ago in Kiryat Gat he brought it bankruptcy and was replaced. In fact due to his mismanagement he was stripped of his position in Kiryat Gat.

Get real he is no leading Chabad rabbi just a loudmouth who failed at everything in life.

[Racytorah]

read "woman's rights before the flood" by racytorah.blogspot.com

[Shmarya Gets It Wrong]

"Get real he is no leading Chabad rabbi just a loudmouth who failed at everything in life."

Like Shmarya, except that Rav Wolpo was mekarev Yidden and did write a book of some value in his earlier, saner days.

[No Light]

Adam - it's obvious to all you're not taking drugs. You're not a prophet, you don't have access to Santa's Naughty List er... sorry, "God's Database", and you aren't about to change the world.

So, drugs - thorazine is a good one, haloperidol, quetiapine, any of those taken orally backed up with a depot injection of flupenthixol should clear up those delusions of grandeur.

remember, bobbleheads = good, messianic delusions = bad.

[Korbendallas72]

If any of these would-be prophets had a goddamn clue, they would have figured out what #Fukushima means for America and started getting people the hell out.

But no, it appears that these high and mighty rabbonim are more interested in seizing notoriety with these ridiculous interpretations.

[Fleishike Kishke]

Mendel-Christ did not mind that Wolpe believed that Mendel-Christ was King Moshiach, he just didn't want Wolpe to publicize it. The "oso Melchama Kenidi" talk would have been the perfect opportunity for Menachem Schneerson to disabuse the sheep of his flock of the idiot notion of Menachem Schneerson as promised redeemer. But instead Mendel-Christ only objected to the publicizing aspect of this belief, reinforcing the idea in the mind of his Hasidim that he was the long-awaited Christ, but that the world wasn’t yet ready to hear it. And that idea of masking the true belief is still is the driving force of the "Anti" Messianic camp, led by the trouble-maker Mr. Shemtov, who with one hand leads the "Anti" camp, allegedly denying their belief in Schneerson the Messiah and with the other fans the flames of the most extreme Schneerson-as-Creator ideology.

[Q]

According to him, everyone who is against the policy should'nt have been affected by the hurricane.... But of course, everyone likes to believe that Gd is just like they are, which would make the Gd of the Lubobs cooky, weird, and irrational....

[Dovid]

I agree that the hurricane is a punishment from Hashem for the US Middle East policy, which is a policy of transferring billions of dollars no strings attached to a country that doesn't need it, and of standing behind Israel for everything it does, however wrong and however bad for America.

[R. Wisler]

Bravo Fleishike Kishke!

Just like the arrogant pig Schneerson could have diffused the Crown Heights riots by making a simple and heartfelt apology for the innocent boy's death at the hands of one of his fanatical followers, he could have easily made a public statement that he was simply a leader of a Chassidic movement, not the Messianic King.

But instead, he insisted on leading innocent sheep down the path of destruction so that he could luxuriate in the self-gratification of his own messiahship.

[Shmarya Gets It Wrong]

Ah, so you can call the Rebbe, one of the greatest men of modern times, an arrogant pig, but I cannot call Shmarya what he is.

You people are somewhere between insane hatred for yourselves and just plain insanity.

The newer anti-depressives and anti-psychotics may help.

[Shmarya Gets It Wrong]

Adam is more of a Geodon or Abilify man. He has probably already been treated unsuccessfully with every one of those older generation drugs.

Shmarya might be a Prozac or Effexor case.

[Western Jew]

To: Shmarya Gets It Wrong
Unfortunately, there is no room in Judaism for a nazi like yourself. Good luck with your holocaust of "medications". I am sure that the psychiatrists might agree that you are the poor fellow who might need some mental health attention. Good luck with your inquisition of the fellow yidden (if you are even a Jew).

[Western Jew]

"Shmarya Gets It Wrong" is another example of the deluded antisocial thinking that crosses our nation in the unorthodox "orthodox" who think that they have the right all the time and that the rest of the people who may in fact have been oppressed by their great ChaBaD nation are not anything to be discussed or dealt with as Jews or even as a fellow man.
Good luck to you Mister. I am sure the gates of heaven will be sure to be your friend in their day.
Wow a holocaust of medications. Are you sure you aren't in the care of a psychiatrist yet? Maybe not a competant one from the drivel and magnaminous postings you seem to share here.

[Korbendallas72]

Dovid: Don't worry, we'll all be long gone from your irradiated wasteland long before you get to kick us out.

[Mashiach agent]

hurricane Irene has hit America cause klal yisroel has still not woken up to do teshuva thus leaving Hashem no choice after 7 tzaddikim left the world in a matter of 5 weeks & then an earthquake before irene hit

NOW IS THE TIME FOR TESHUVA BEFORE IT GETS WORSE CHAS V'SHALOM

[Western Jew]

Mash agent, your bitterness and low esteem are significantly egregious in the light of the fact that these are natural occurrances. This is not the way that our Creator calls us to make amends. And you should know that you have a duty to make tschuvah regardless of the weather and the taste of your day.
Good luck.

[ock]

what makes him a leading chabadnik?!

can anyone decide to be a leading chabadnik and earn the same headline?

laughable

[Uzi Ben Asher]

I agree that the hurricane is a punishment from Hashem for the US Middle East policy, which is a policy of transferring billions of dollars no strings attached to a country that doesn't need it, and of standing behind Israel for everything it does, however wrong and however bad for America.

-- Dovid

There are two tiny problems with your argument.

1. The US doesn't stand behind Israel all the time, which is a matter of great consternation to a significant portion of America's Jewish population, as well as to many Christians.

2. Your comment shows that you're one sorry Hasidic sack of shit, who refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the Israeli government because it isn't a theocracy like the illegitimate village of Kiryas Joel, although Israeli scumbags much like yourself are trying very hard to turn Israel into one.

[RONININJA]

It reminds me back in the days (1970's - 1980's)when Fidel Castro used to teel the Cuban people that every time there was a hurricane that razed the Island it was made by a machine the United States had control over.

What does this have to do with the article? Manipulation of IGNORANCE

[New Skvere for Old Rectangles]

This man is such a gaon. How did he figure this out?

[Korbendallas72]

TL;DR

[RONININJA]

How about this one...Hurricane Irene and the recent East coast earthquake were directed at America's politicians, according to a statement from Michele Bachmann.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/bachmann-claims-hurricane-earthquake-were-god-messages-politicians-155051199.html

You see, the Hassids do not own copywrights on sheer stupid ignorant comments.

[A E ANDERSON]

In all fairness to Chabad and its mainstream, I think Walpo must be labeled a "Chabad sectarian" or a leader of a Chabad breakaway faction, or something to distinguish him.

I doubt that Rabbis Krinsky and Shemtov would consider Walpo's pronouncements or writings as legitimately Chabad. Of course, you could ask them; they aren't that hard to reach. But that might actually smack of journalism, egads!

I can tell you, from my own conversations with Rabbi Abraham Shemtov and Rabbi Yoel Cahan, that Walpo is not considered to be a legitimate spokesman for Chabad and that the Chabad leadership categorically abjure his pronouncements and publications, because of their source and their content.

Of course, you know this, Shmarya, but are intent on misleading your readership no matter what the facts are, or what the actual principals say.

It is misleading to present Walpo, his pronouncements and publications as illustrative of authoritative, mainstream Chabad thought, no matter what associations you might draw from his place of residence or Israeli yeshiva connections.

I challenge you: put the question on Walpo to the Agudas Chassidei Chabad and Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch (including the Shluchim Office) in writing and publish their response. These are the authoritative organs of the Chabad movement as designated by the late Rebbe's will (ok, you can add Machne Israel, but the boards are largely overlapping). See what they say. Inquiring minds would like to see the matter of the associations you allege settled for once and for all.

You might throw in Yitzhak Ginsburgh and the others on the Chabad lunatic fringe who you so often present here as mainstream Lubavitchers.

You can send your query to Rabbi Zalman Shmotkin at zshmotkin@chabad.org and I am certain he would be delighted to see your legitimate questions answered by the Chabad powers-that-be.

I too would like to be edified by their answers.

[RONININJA]

@SAMLIQUIDATION..you had too much coffee or forgot to take your meds, OR BOTH. I rarely do this, but after reading your post you are a bona fide certified IGNORANT who has seen conspiracy theory movies too many times. I bet you used to get off watching the X-files. I recommend you a hobby, like cycling, running..or how about hiking? yes, perfect that way you can take a HIKE! Imbecile.

[Korbendallas72]

Hurricane Irene was directed at my ass for being so flatulent. Sorry about that.

[Shmarya Gets It Wrong]

Samliquidation is a mental case who runs an anti-Semitic website full of ramblings like this.

Only one step below Shmarya and his screwless followers like Western Jew and Adam.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Goodnight Irene!

[Western Jew]

Wow. I am notorious now. Thanks "shmarya gets it right".. You seem to be on the derech!!!! Go fetch your bone!!

[Dovid]

So Uzi Ben Asher: I'm a "Hasidic...Kiryas Joel...Israeli scumbag..."

In what fantasy/drug-induced world are you living? Amazing how people like you project some kind of weird vision inside your head.

In any case, aside from your delusions, the fact that a small number of loudmouth Right-Wing Jews and a bunch of evangelical nutjobs (whose "love" for Israel is questionable at best and highly doubted by 90% of American Jews) believe that the US doesn't stand behind Israel at all times, is irrelevant.

See under "$8 billion."
See under "UN Veto"
See under "US Govt does nothing when Netanyahu gives US President the finger"
etc etc etc

[Yosef ben Matitya]

I doubt that Rabbis Krinsky and Shemtov would consider Walpo's pronouncements or writings as legitimately Chabad. Of course, you could ask them; they aren't that hard to reach. But that might actually smack of journalism, egads!

maybe not mr anderson,
but you would be aware of their speaking of multiple side of their mouth in order to either please donnors or to avoid scaring off certain sympathisers.
otherwise, sure you would know they are to the right of glen beck.
they never complain about the necromancy in visiting that 'tent' in queens in fact mainstream "congregations" of theirs encourage their members -and sundry- to visit the mausoleum.
I wonder if they make sure cohanim do not embark on such pilgrimages.
so why should they think any different then the volpo?
they are anti obama just the same, even if he were not president. merely for being a black man in a position of power. they were anti rabin z'l anti sharon and wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice bibi if he would deviate from their ways!

[Yosef ben Matitya]

I too would like to be edified by their answers. A E ANDERSON

a great idea, why not as they say, hamatchil bamitzva omrim lo gmor, present the question yourself to r' shmotkin and inform us of his written official reply.
your private talk with r' shemtov maybe 'off the record' and therefore not so convincing.

[Adam Neira]

To SGIW,

I warn you now to keep slandering certain people. Be very careful !

[Adam Neira]

Correction...

To SGIW,

I warn you now to STOP slandering certain people. Be very careful ! The internet is a great communication tool but cowardly anonymous snipers like you pop up from time to time.

[Uzi Ben Asher]

Adam, you're a bloated self-important pompous messianic ass.

[Adam Neira]

To Uzi BenAsher,

Responsa...

(a) I'm 85 kgs, 6 foot tall and walk 45 kms per week. Ever since one of my favourite girls in the world put me on to them I do like an occasional Bulmers, but I never get bloated. Sometimes it is necessary to speak up. Call it holy boldness.

(b) "If a King, who must maintain his dignity and for whom a certain level of pomp is proper..."

The Chumash, Stone Edition. Page 1030, referring to Deuteronomy 17 / 14-20 "Appointing a King."

(c) Well you never know with the right help, bizrat hashem, over the coming 38 years I may just be able to accomplish all of the messianic imperatives.

(d) I'm not a donkey, but you would be aware of the prophecy with that animal in it. I am humble of means that is true.