Customer Reviews

Communicating the Infinite: The Emergence of the Habad School

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Dr Loewenthal's impressive and impeccable research has uncovered the true origins of the missionary zeal in the Lubavitch-Habad school of Hassidism. Much to the surprise of many (including this reviewer) the mission to other Jews did NOT start with the founder of Habad (Rabbi Schneor Zalman of Liady - the Alter Rebbe) but with his son and successor, Rabbi Dov Ber (the Mittler Rebbe). Not only that but it caused a schism within the Alter Rebbe's hassidim with many of the older generation succeeding from the movement. A fascinating read for someone looking for an intellectual treatment of the origins of Habad.

Dr Loewenthal's impressive and impeccable research has uncovered the true origins of the missionary zeal in the Lubavitch-Habad school of Hassidism. Much to the surprise of many (including this reviewer) the mission to other Jews did NOT start with the founder of Habad (Rabbi Schneor Zalman of Liady - the Alter Rebbe) but with his son and successor, Rabbi Dov Ber (the Mittler Rebbe). Not only that but it caused a schism within the Alter Rebbe's hassidim with many of the older generation succeeding from the movement. A fascinating read for someone looking for an intellectual treatment of the origins of Habad.

I've briefly skimmed through the book, and can only give you my opinion based on that. I was quite impressed with Dr. Lowentahl's book (Communicating the Infinate: The emerge of Habad School) it seemed to be very well and extensively researched, it reveals some unfamiliar conepts concerning the habad hassidic movement's origins. Fastinating to me, was that the the author seems to adapt some very important lessons conveyed by Rabbi Schneur Zalman and his succesors, how they can relate into our own mundane lives. No wonder why the Habad movement has become so worldly reknown, to the extent that in fact, today there is hardly a place on the face of earth that the movement hasn't reached. The title is explanitory to the founder of the movement and all the way through the current leader, Rabbi M.M. Schneerson. I certainly strongly recomend it, and surely trust that you'll gain plenty.