The Rebbe once said, “They are not really opposing me. They are merely opposing a person who is doing the things they fabricate against me, and they are correct in opposing such a person.”
Those who were against the Rebbe invented all sorts of false accusations against him. These accusations were totally without foundation and did not apply to the Rebbe at all. However, a person who was guilty of what was contained in these accusations would certainly be worthy of their opposition. Therefore, these people are not opposing the Rebbe at all. If they actually knew of the Rebbe’s greatness and holiness, they would certainly not oppose him. They would run to follow him with the greatest zeal and enthusiasm. But they are actually opposing a fictitious character of their own making. They created a character who did the things they were accusing the Rebbe of doing. It would certainly be proper to oppose such a person.
The Rebbe said, “Zei haban zich ois geshnitzt a mentch, un krigen oif ihm – They have carved out a man, and are opposing him.” They are not actually opposing the Rebbe, but the fictitious character they have portrayed in his place.
פַּעַם אַחַת עָנָה וְאָמַר: "עָלַי אֵין חוֹלְקִים כְּלָל, רַק הֵם חוֹלְקִים עַל מִי שֶׁעָשָׂה כָּךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבּוֹדִים הַחוֹלְקִים עָלָיו, וְעַל אִישׁ כָּזֶה בְּוַדַּאי רָאוּי לַחֲלֹק".
The Rebbe once said, “They are not really opposing me. They are merely opposing a person who is doing the things they fabricate against me, and they are correct in opposing such a person.”
כְּלוֹמַר, כִּי הַחוֹלְקִים בּוֹדִים עָלָיו כְּזָבִים וּשְׁקָרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָלוּ עַל לִבּוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה כָּךְ וְכָךְ מַה שֶּׁהַכֹּל שֶׁקֶר וְכָזָב, וְעַל אִישׁ כָּזֶה שֶׁעָשָׂה כָּךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים הֵם, בְּוַדַּאי רָאוּי לַחֲלֹק. נִמְצָא שֶׁעָלָיו אֵינָם חוֹלְקִים כְּלָל, כִּי אִם הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין גֹּדֶל צִדְקָתוֹ וּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ וּמַעֲלָתוֹ וְכוּ', בְּוַדַּאי לֹא הָיוּ חוֹלְקִים עָלָיו, רַק אַדְּרַבָּא הָיוּ רָצִים אַחֲרָיו בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת נִפְלָא כָּרָאוּי, רַק הֵם חוֹלְקִים עַל מִי שֶׁעָשָׂה מַעֲשִׂים כָּאֵלֶּה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵם אוֹמְרִים. עַל אִישׁ כָּזֶה בְּוַדַּאי רָאוּי לַחֲלֹק.
Those who were against the Rebbe invented all sorts of false accusations against him. These accusations were totally without foundation and did not apply to the Rebbe at all. However, a person who was guilty of what was contained in these accusations would certainly be worthy of their opposition. Therefore, these people are not opposing the Rebbe at all. If they actually knew of the Rebbe’s greatness and holiness, they would certainly not oppose him. They would run to follow him with the greatest zeal and enthusiasm. But they are actually opposing a fictitious character of their own making. They created a character who did the things they were accusing the Rebbe of doing. It would certainly be proper to oppose such a person.
וְאָמַר: שֶׁהֵם חָתְכוּ וְצִיְּרוּ לְעַצְמָם אָדָם וְחוֹלְקִים עָלָיו – זֵייא הָאבִּין זִיךְ אוֹיס גִּישְׁנִיצְט אַה מֶענְטְשׁ אֵין קְרִיגְן אוֹיף אִיהם (הַיְנוּ כַּנַּ"ל שֶׁאֵינָם חוֹלְקִים עָלָיו רַק עַל זֶה הָאִישׁ שֶׁצִּיְּרוּ לְעַצְמָן בְּשֶׁקֶר שֶׁעָשָׂה כָּךְ וְכוּ' וכנ"ל).
The Rebbe said, “Zei haban zich ois geshnitzt a mentch, un krigen oif ihm – They have carved out a man, and are opposing him.” They are not actually opposing the Rebbe, but the fictitious character they have portrayed in his place.