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This remains an unresolved debate in the minds of many friends of mine. Yes, I do have some friends. Albeit not too many.
Enter: Ayn Rand
Born Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum
February 2, 1905
Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire
Enter: The Rebbe
Born April 5, 1902
Nikolaev, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire (present-day Mykolaiv, Ukraine)
Both Russian-Jewish giants presented radically different mentalities and philosophical outlooks. Are the two at all reconcilable? The two being Objectivism and Chassidism. The former is anti-altruism and the latter is arguably all about altruism. What do you think? Can you have your Atlas Shrugged and your Tanya?
You're right Ayn Rand was a heretic and she was an avowed atheist not too dissimilar from the Soviets she loathed. What are your thoughts about The Rebbe potentially having been "Messiah" material? He certainly wasn't revealed as such and I know this is a very touchy subject. I apologize in advance if some find it unsettling.
Agreed. I've never wanted to vex my Chabadnik friends. But I never understood the Messianism some of them hold given that the Rebbe didn't fulfill many of the requirements of Messiah.
I remember hearing a funny quip about Chabadniks, 80% of them believe he is or was Moshiach and the other 20% either don't know it or are liars! : )
Which one of those two Russian-Jews has impacted more lives? It's tough to say isn't it. I'd like to say the Rebbe, but then again Ayn Rand's writings for better or worse have inspired millions too. The greatest export in the waning days of the Russian Empire and also the waning days of the Soviet Empire was its brain power. Take Sergey Brin for example.
Agreed. I've never wanted to vex my Chabadnik friends. But I never understood the Messianism some of them hold given that the Rebbe didn't fulfill many of the requirements of Messiah.
You mean: He didn't fulfill ANY of the requirements.
Haha, I suppose you are right. Although, won't Messiah be a man and Jewish? In that respect, he presumably fulfilled those two. : )
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