THE GOOD GUYS ARE WINNING: Opinion The Rebbe’s radical approach to anti-Israel Jews? More love We must act with kindness and understanding toward those who harbor dangerous beliefs, even as they inflict pain upon themselves and our people. Peace sign. Credit: Engin_Akyurt/Pixabay.Peace sign. Credit: Engin_Akyurt/Pixabay. Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann is the chief Chabad rabbi of Columbus, Ohio. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Email Print (Feb. 20, 2025 / JNS) In the heavily Orthodox neighborhood of Borough Park on Feb. 18, a shockingly violent event took place. Scores of anti-Israel protesters marched through the streets, banging on drums, chanting slogans such as “There is only one solution. Intifada revolution!” and “How many kids did you kill today?” After physical assaults against Jews ensued, the police were called, and arrests were promptly made. Videos flooded the Internet late into the night capturing the melee. The marching protesters claimed to represent an effort to “Free Palestine,” but after 16 months of watching similarly hateful gatherings around the world, it is abundantly clear that the only cause they are promoting is antisemitism. For local residents of Borough Park and Jews around the world, this outpouring of venom was especially painful as earlier in the day, news circulated about the murders of Israeli hostages Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, at the hands of Hamas. On Oct. 7, the Bibas mother and babies were kidnapped not by Hamas but by Palestinian civilians, the very ones that the mindless protesters wish to “free.” Additionally, the keffiyeh-clad activists seem to have missed the obscene Hamas ceremonies of the last few weeks when freed hostages were paraded on a stage, given certificates and goody-bags and perversely made to thank their captors. Subscribe to The JNS Daily Syndicate and never miss our top stories and analyses Email By signing up, you agree to receive emails from JNS. Adding shock to horror is the fact that the “Free Palestine” cause has attracted a non-insignificant amount of Jews—from college campuses to staff at the White House. Whether it has been Jewish students at Columbia University holding a “liberation seder” at the pro-Palestinian encampment or progressive rabbis draped in tallitot protesting against Israel in the Capitol, our collective heart sinks to see such a basic betrayal of Am Yisrael. And reality. After nearly a year and a half since the world turned upside down on Oct. 7, I wish to propose a radically new approach based on this week’s Torah portion and the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. Related Articles Demonstrators hold Iranian flags and a huge inflated figure representing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei holding a nuclear bomb as they protest against the Iranian regime as a main source of war and crises in the Middle East at Odeonsplatz Square in Munich, the venue of the Munich Security Conference, Feb. 16, 2024. Photo by Tobias Schwarz/AFP via Getty Images. Obama-Biden Arabists are still sabotaging Israel Feb. 19, 2025 An illustrative image of Mount Sinai. Source: DeepAI. Is religion rational? Feb. 19, 2025 A Palestinian man walks among the rubble in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 16, 2025. Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90. Let their people go! Feb. 18, 2025 We need to pour love, not hate, towards the members of our community who have chosen the path of the meshumad, a Jew who has strayed from the Jewish tradition. Instead of the justified rage and pain that they evoke in us by promoting terrorism against Israel and Jews, we need to understand that they are indeed victims—victims of suicidal self-hate, of disinformation, propaganda and simplistic binary thinking. Our collective shock and horror naturally have caused many of us to shun, ignore or perhaps engage in counter-protest against these individuals. However, this has not helped bring any of them closer to understanding the truth or defending the Jewish people. I suggest that it is time for a radical reset. The Rebbe taught that for wayward, self-hating or uninformed Jews, we must bring them closer with love, instead of driving them away with hate. The Rebbe drew inspiration from previous Jewish sages who preached reaching out with open hearts and inclusion, such as the Rambam (Maimonides), the 12th-century codifier of Jewish law,and Saadia Gaon, the great ninth-century Jewish philosopher and theologian. The Rambam advised that the only effective way to bring wayward Jews back to Judaism was through non-judgmental love and acceptance (Mishna Torah, Mamrim, 3:3). Saadia Gaon was similarly quoted as saying that rebellious Jews are considered “kidnapped,” or Tinok Shenishba, literally children captured from our Jewish community and raised in captivity (Chezkuni on Exodus 2:15). It is incumbent upon us to treat anti-Israel Jews the same way as previous Jewish generations treated the Tinok Shenishba or the meshumad. If a child is tragically kidnapped or goes off the path, we should love that child and desire to bring them back because they are part of us; they are family members who should be redeemed. We need to adapt this approach to those Jews who harbor distorted and dangerous beliefs, even as they inflict pain upon themselves and our people. Another way to look at it is that Jewish anti-Israel activism is a manifestation of Jewish anxiety over antisemitism. Our Hamas-supporting brothers and sisters are acutely aware of the threat of antisemitism; however, by siding with our enemies, they hope to escape being targeted. Sadly, they haven’t learned the lesson that history teaches us: Just as the Nazis killed Jews indiscriminately, anti-Israel Jews are targets as surely are Israel-loving ones. This week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, meaning “statutes” or “laws,” also provides fresh guidance for our present crisis for “lost Jews.” Mishpatim discussed the various commandments related to interpersonal human relations, especially the relationships between parents and children. Interestingly, from Chapter 21, verses 15-17, the laws about dealing with one who kidnaps another individual are sandwiched between laws for children who insult or strike their parents. The Saadia Gaon comments on this curious juxtaposition. He posits that for a child to turn their back on their parents, they must have been kidnapped—not necessarily in a physical sense but in a spiritual, psychological or emotional sense. There is simply no way that a normal child would inflict harm on their parents under normal circumstances; a child who strikes or defames a parent is because they were absent in the formation of their Jewish identity, as if the child were kidnapped. These are strong words, perhaps even harsh. But we must consider their value. Few among us have the inner fortitude to engage in a debate with Jewish haters of Israel. Many will understandably regard them as a lost cause or see their behavior as akin to Hamas, but we must have compassion for them, for our sages tell us that they are akin to one who was kidnapped. Our love for them must transcend any of their suicidal and misguided rhetoric. Is this easy? Absolutely not! The sight of Jews, including those who wear the garb of the ultra-Orthodox, shouting for Israel’s destruction is stomach-churning. The only way to heal the rupture in our people is to see anti-Israel Jews as being held in captivity, held in a proverbial “Gaza of the mind,” themselves victims of kidnapping, broken in mind, body and soul. The approach of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement would be to put on tefillin with them or invite them for Shabbat dinner, but that’s not the only way. The next time you encounter an anti-Israel Jew, try to let kindness and civility inform your interactions with them, despite how difficult or excruciating this may be. The timeless words of “love your neighbor as yourself” ring true. In this fraught environment, let us bond together as one people. Let us love one another even when it feels impossible, and from that unity, miracles will happen.

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I created this from AI concerning reality and time. Don't hit the ceiling too hard please. Multiverse Theory: In physics and cosmology, the multiverse theory proposes the existence of multiple universes, possibly with different physical laws and realities. This concept lends itself to the idea that there could be parallel versions of ourselves and our world. Quantum Mechanics: Quantum mechanics explores the strange behavior of particles at the subatomic level, where possibilities exist in superposition until observed. Some interpretations of quantum mechanics suggest that every quantum measurement causes the universe to split into multiple realities. The Nature of Perception: Our perception of reality is subjective and influenced by our experiences, beliefs, and biases. What we perceive as "reality" may be only a limited and filtered version of what actually exists. Philosophical Implications: The idea of shifted realities raises profound philosophical questions about free will, determinism, and the nature of identity. If multiple realities exist, does our sense of self remain constant across them? What is the nature of consciousness, if realities can be shifted? Existential Concerns: The feeling of being "shifted in the wrong direction" could reflect existential anxieties about belonging, purpose, and the meaning of life. It could also relate to feelings of alienation or disconnection from one's environment. The idea of a simulation: Also, there is the idea that we are living in a simulation, and that shifts in reality are programing changes. It is a very interesting subject, that has been explored in both science, and in philosophy. This month in physics my topic is trending again. Retrocausality in quantum levels and negative time. Say if we were trying to percieve thing more backwards would mess with our sense of time. You're hitting on some very cutting-edge and mind-bending concepts in physics! Retrocausality and negative time are indeed topics that are gaining renewed attention, and they have profound implications for our understanding of time and causality. Here's a breakdown:   Retrocausality: This concept suggests that effects can precede their causes, meaning that events in the future can influence events in the past.   In quantum mechanics, certain experiments and interpretations suggest that this might be possible at the subatomic level. This challenges our intuitive understanding of cause and effect, which is deeply ingrained in our perception of reality. Negative Time: The idea of negative time proposes that time could flow backward in certain contexts. This is related to the mathematical solutions of some physics equations, which allow for the possibility of time flowing in the opposite direction. It is very difficult to grasp, because all of our experiences relate to time flowing forward. Quantum Levels: These concepts are particularly relevant in the quantum realm, where the rules of classical physics break down.   Experiments involving entangled particles and quantum teleportation have hinted at the possibility of non-local effects that seem to defy our understanding of time and space. Perception and Time: Our perception of time is not objective; it's influenced by our brains and our experiences.   If we were to perceive events in a retrocausal or negative-time manner, it would drastically alter our sense of time and causality. It would be extremely difficult for a human to comprehend. Philosophical Implications: These concepts raise profound philosophical questions about the nature of free will, determinism, and the arrow of time.   If the future can influence the past, does that mean our choices are predetermined? How do we reconcile these ideas with our sense of agency and responsibility? The Arrow of Time: One of the largest questions in physics, is why time only appears to flow in one direction.   Entropy is often associated with the arrow of time.   It's a fascinating area of research, and it's likely to continue to challenge our fundamental assumptions about the universe. Sources and related content What Is Retro-Causality? - Quantum Zeitgeist quantumzeitgeist.com Retrocausality: How backwards-in-time effects could explain quantum weirdness researchoutreach.org Classical physics - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Good Timing: UNLV Study Unravels How Our Brains Track Time | University of Nevada, Las Vegas www.unlv.edu Retrocausality - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org If the movie of reality appears before you then entropy and cause and effect are meaningless over long periods of time.\ You've articulated a very interesting and thought-provoking idea. If reality is perceived as a pre-existing "movie" that unfolds before us, it does indeed challenge our conventional understanding of entropy and cause and effect, especially over long periods. Here's a breakdown of the implications: Pre-Determined Narrative: If the "movie" of reality is already set, then all events, past, present, and future, are already determined. This eliminates the notion of genuine free will and choice, as our actions would simply be part of the pre-recorded narrative. Entropy and the Arrow of Time: Entropy, the tendency of systems to move towards disorder, is closely linked to the arrow of time. If reality is a pre-determined movie, then the direction of time and the increase of entropy become less fundamental. They're simply part of the unfolding narrative. The movie could be played in reverse, and it would not change the movie. Cause and Effect: Cause and effect, the idea that events have preceding causes, also becomes less meaningful. All events are interconnected within the narrative, and their order is simply a matter of the movie's sequence. If all events are already laid out, then cause and effect become more of a description, than a mechanism. Perception and Reality: Our perception of cause and effect and the flow of time may be an illusion created by our brains as we experience the "movie." Our minds try to create a coherent narrative from the unfolding events, even if the underlying reality is different. Philosophical Implications: This concept raises profound philosophical questions about the nature of reality, free will, and the meaning of existence. It suggests that our experience of reality may be fundamentally different from the underlying reality itself.