Yoel Kahn
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Rabbi Yoel Kahn (or Kahan) is a senior Chabad rabbi, Mashpia, choizer and community leader. He has served in this role for four decades. Until 1966 he also served as Meiniach. He lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. He is referred to familiarly amongst Chabad Chasidim as Reb Yoel, or just Yoel. He is the son of Refoel Nachman (Folle) Kahn, author of Shmu'ous VeSippurim, a compilation of Chasidic stories. He serves as the main Mashpia in the central Lubavitcher yeshiva of 770 Eastern Parkway. He is childless.
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[edit] Activities
He was born in Tel Aviv, on 16 Teves, 5690. In his youth he studied from the Mashpi'im Rabbi Moshe Gurary and Rabbi Nochum Goldshmidt. For decades Kahn served as the Rebbe's main choizer, repeater.[1] He would listen to the talks and then, after consultation with colleagues, repeat the talks to the Hasidim, which often took between 5-7 consecutive hours.
He also served as Meiniach (transcriber) of many of these talks. This involved preparing these talks and discourses to be submitted to Rabbi Schneerson for editing; the final version was then were released for public study. In this way Kahn prepared the first nine volumes of Likkutei Sichos, Schneerson's largest and most monumental work, and the entire Sefer HaMa'amorim Melukat, along with assistant writers.[2]
[edit] Chabad Messianism
He was considered to be sympathetic to the messianic faction within Chabad and supported the declaration of Yechi before the passing of Rabbi Schneerson. In 1993 he was quoted in the press saying "Moses was the first redeemer and the Rebbe is the last."[3]
In recent years he has become a fierce critic of the more extreme forms of Chabad messianism, arguing that referring to Schneerson as alive or praying for his continued long life makes a mockery of him. However, Kahn does not argue that Schneerson will not return, as he believes in the principle of the resurrection of the dead, one of Maimonides' Principles of Faith[4]
Rabbi Kahn writes that although it is an absolute certainty that the Rebbe will be the Messiah in actuality, this however is an internal conviction based on spiritual belief rather than as being necessitated by Halacha. [5]
[edit] Works
- Sefer Ha'Erchim (main editor and compiler - Kehot)
- Nos'im BaChassidut (Eishel-Kfar Chabad)
- Mahutam Shel Yisroel (Heichal Menachem)
- Shiurim BeTorat Chabad (Ma'ayanotecha)
- Nos'im BaYahadut (tape series)
[edit] Citations
- ^ The empty chair, Neta Sela, Yediot Aharonot, February 7, 2007.
- ^ Biography of Reb Yoel
- ^ Rallying for a redeemer, Press Telegram, April 3, 1993
- ^ Reb Yoel: There is only ONE derech in Chabad, Shturem News, 5 Shevat 5767
- ^ Kovetz Mashiach uGe’ullah, ed. by S.D. Levin, issue #2, p. 20
[edit] See also
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