ON 13 TEVET (11 January), I published an article in Ha'aretz that aroused a stormy discussion is Israel and the diaspora. I noted a new rabbinic ruling requiring all of us to believe in the messiahship of the Lubavitcher Rebbe as well as developments that I regard as manifestations of avodah zarah.

In the wake of the article, we have seen defences of even the most frightening formulations, but we have also been privileged to hear sharp denunciations of the practitioners of avodah zarah emanating from various Chabad circles, including those of committed messianists. It remains to be seen whether participants in extremist publications who have not repented will be removed from their posts as educators, spiritual mentors (mashpi'im), and directors of Chabad Houses.

If this does not happen, the aura of danger and suspicion that now envelops the movement will remain intact, and the argument that we are dealing with entirely marginal phenomena will be publicly exposed as worthless. If it does happen, we will be able to feel reassured at least with respect to avodah zarah.

On the other hand, the rabbinic ruling itself has not been the object of vigorous criticism on the part of the movement's leadership. On the contrary, the latest advertisement indicates that the plague of messianism has spread to the point where the number of signatories on the ruling has grown from six to fifty, among them rabbis of cities and heads of rabbinic courts.

Let us imagine that, ten years ago, we would have approached a rabbinic decisor with the following question:

‘Before us is a candidate for a position as head of a rabbinic court, or as a rabbi, or as a principal or teacher or ritual slaughterer or kashrut supervisor. He commands broad knowledge and is endowed with superb talents. Nonetheless, we feel conflicted as a result of one small drawback that concerns us a bit. This individual is a major spokesman for a movement of false messianism that has attracted thousands of observant Jews.

‘He declares that a person who was buried in Queens, New York three years ago is Messiah son of David.