Will you be for or against him?

[tefillin]

A few months before GT I was learning in Morristown. I asked my chavrusa what would happen if the Rebbe, chas ve'shalom, passes away. "We don't talk about this", he answered me. He wouldn't speak any further about it.

I would like to ask whoever might be willing to answer what would happen if another tzaddik began to show signs of the Rambam's criteria for "presumed moshiach" and even fulfill these criteria? Would you join and help him? Or would you consider him a false moshiach?

Just like my chavrusa in Morristown refused to discuss a very important question before GT, this is also a very important question that needs to be discussed openly. I believe it's even more important than the question I asked my chavrusa. How will Chabad chassidim who believe the Rebbe is MBD deal with a "presumed moshiach" who is not the Rebbe? Will they be for him or against him?

[Eitan770]

You err in your assuming that we won't answer this question because we simply want to "avoid the issue." We won't answer the question because it's an impossibility. What will you do if the sun doesn't rise in the East tomorrow morning?

[rebyoel]

This question was already asked to the Alter Rebbe, here's the answer:

בית רבי (א, פרק כה, בסופו): שמענו מאחד מאנ"ש הנאמנים, ששמע בעצמו מאדמו"ר בעל 'צמח צדק' נ"ע שסיפר לבניו, שרבינו [הזקן] התראה פעם אחת עם הרב הצדיק [מו"ה זיסקינד מהוראדנא] בעל "יסוד ושרש העבודה" זצלה"ה. וסיפר, שהרה"צ הנ"ל שאל מרבינו בדרך בדיחותא: מה יהיה משיח צדקנו, חסיד או מתנגד? ורבינו השיב לו גם-כן בדרך בדיחותא, שלפני הנראה יהיה מתנגד. כי אם יהיה חסיד לא יאמינו לו המנגדים, אבל החסידים יאמינו לו איך שיהיה כו'.

[Majorthinker]

Originally Posted by Eitan770

You err in your assuming that we won't answer this question because we simply want to "avoid the issue." We won't answer the question because it's an impossibility. What will you do if the sun doesn't rise in the East tomorrow morning?

You do know that for hundreds of years, the sun rose in the west and set in the east . . . don't you?

Anything is possible.