ז׳ כסלו ה׳תשפ״ו | November 26, 2025
‘Leave the Cat Petting and Stick to Chassidus’
In response to a clip shared by a public speaker of him playing with cats, Rabbi Chaim Dalfin published a critique of a broader trend among some to turn to newfangled messages instead of “old-fashioned Chassidus.”
In response to an inspirational clip published by a public speaker of himself engaging with cats, Chabad author Rabbi Chaim Dalfin published a sharp critique of a broader trend among some to turn to newfangled messages instead of “old-fashioned Chassidus.”
“There’s nothing wrong with petting cats, but that’s not how we prepare for Yud Tes Kislev,” Rabbi Dalfin said in the message.
Rabbi Dalfin urged teachers, mashpi’im, speakers, and anyone addressing the community to remain grounded in the authentic Lubavitch mesorah, to teach “the good old-fashioned traditions,” and to avoid inventing new messages that stray from the Rebbeim’s ideals.
“It’s about time that the teachers, mashpiim, and speakers speak the truth. Communicate to people and to Anash wherever you’re going to speak, teach, and farbreng about the good old-fashioned traditions of Lubavitch.
“If you don’t know the mesorah, you shouldn’t be in a position of speaking. It’s become a hoopla of anyone, everyone who has a good tongue is a speaker. There’s a mesorah, and the mesorah needs to be given over.
“This isn’t directed to one person or two people. It’s for all of us. We’re losing the nekuda. We’re losing the point. We’re going off on sidebars and tangents and fascinations.”
Even if some of these new theories have validity, Rabbi Dalfin notes, they are a distraction from the true ideal. As the maamorim explain that the pikeiach, wise person, is not drawn to shiny side rooms filled with gold and silver, but he heads straight to the king’s chamber. Likewise, we need to keep focused on the ideals of Chassidus and not get distracted by interesting cultural or philosophical ideas.
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COMMENTS
Instead of making a video complaining why others don’t teach the mesorah, make a video of you teaching the mesorah. Pointing out a fault in others is easy. Being the change you want to see in the world is what the Rebbe demands of us.
I follow your thoughts as ive responded at length on youtube. For i felt there it reaches a larger audience, more so the non ChaBaD crowd.
My point there was. Attacking an individual a Rabbi a respected lecturer and author is absolutely the opposite of what Yud Tes Kislev stands for & meant to be.
Rabbi C. Dalfin for the sake of YTK
For the sake of chabad for the sake of our holy Rebbe. Please follow up with an apology post. That will bring Moshiach one step closer.
Moshiach Now.
till when will we let our rebbe be hijacked? till when will people come shame us? we need people like R Chaim to stand up for our honor!
the only sane voice left, go on chazak v’amotz, may we each really go to the real Chabad roots as R chaim says
not every Mitzvah you do has to be boasted, yes you took in 2 cats, no need to tell everyone….
Chas vesholom!
We are not Reform – that cut edges for the sake of peace and love.
You are generally right but here you are wrong. It needs to be called out. We have gone so far off the path…it needs to be stopped
Why are you assuming Rabbi Dalfin doesn’t do alot to teach the Mesorah. His book who’s who in Chabad and his other projects are teaching the Mesorah.
Btw I have no idea what he’s referring to and what this is about.
What’s not the Chabad Mesora is to make a horrible video like this.
Sounds like a pre Rosh Hashana mussar speech putting down yidden.
The Rebbe spoke against those that would put down Jews in attempt to get them ready for Yom Hadin.
I hope Rabbi Dalfin sees this comment and come back to the Chabad Mesora
This myth that Chassidus does not allow for any critique is a disservice to ourselves and our community.
אהוב את הביקורת, כי היא תעמידך על הגובה האמיתי.
The Rebbe explains the difference between Chassidus and Mussar is whether the goal is the putting down or the improvement.
Just read the Rebbe’s sichos from the original and see how often the Rebbe spoke sharply about various practices.
The true Chabad mesorah is not to shy away from saying the truth.
ובלשון הרב: בדרכי נועם ובתוקף המתאים
It’s one of the reason’s we’ve reached this low point….Hashem y’rachem.
whats this about? some details please…
Someone said [in connection with the necessary service for the blind rachhmono litzlon] that a dog couldn’t be any worse than the donkey of R Pinchad Ben Yair. The Rebbe’s response? גרופע וגרעוע. Pet owners let their hearts get stolen. My personal and family experience is that it is an emotional addiction, and the grief of mourning has caused premature aging and much worse. A Jewish Heart is sensitive. Why overwhelm it with strange fire? Impossible to understand until experienced.
yes! to the point, moshiach now
Bring a source and we’ll analyze it.
I’m sure the mussar zuggers also say it’s too improve the person.
The Rebbe wouldn’t make a random 5 minute rant.
What happened was that during a farbengen in connection to what was being spoken the Rebbe spoke against something.
Maybe times the Rebbe would say he was forced to speak about it.
But there was a lot behind the scenes before the Rebbe spoke.
Not chsv like here where one sees something and rants about it right away publicly.
Bikoros is supposed to be in private, this is Halacha.
the rebbe wouldn’t make a so called 5 minute “rant”, and the rebbe wouldn’t pet cats.
between the petting and the ranting, the rant is in the right! the “rant” is maybe wrong but what he says is the way of chassidim, while the cat, although behaving nicely has nothing with chassidum and chassidus
This article is embarrassing. It weaponizes “mesorah” to publicly shame a fellow Yid over style and optics, as if a cute, relatable video automatically cancels out serious avodas Hashem. That’s not “protecting Chassidus,” that’s turning personal taste into a herem list.
From the standpoint of “ve’ahavta lere’acha kamocha” and perek 32 of Tanya, it’s completely upside down: the Alter Rebbe demands seeing another Jew first and foremost as a neshama, judging favorably, and binding yourself to them in love, not blasting them in print because their approach looks “newfangled.” How is this article’s tone of mockery and delegitimization remotely consistent with our mesorah? If there’s a concern about content, the Chabad way is to guide, deepen, and be mechazek with kavod—never to humiliate someone who’s clearly trying to inspire Yidden.
Chanoych le’naar al pi darkoy. Shivim Ponim LaTorah.
Every person can have a different message for someone else, in order to make it audience-appropriate.
Personally, the cat-petter’s message(s) resonates strongly with me and others I know – he is a very real and down-to-earth person with his own style of message. He obviously is an animal-lover and a great ba’al rachemen and that automatically gives him loads of points in my books. He thus doesn’t have to fit into R’ Dalfen’s style in order to be credible and worthy.
Respectfully R’ Dalfen, you are a smart man and an incredible story-teller! Your knowledge and scope of Chabad history is breathtaking. That is your forté and you should pursue along that line. But please don’t dis others who approach matters from a differnt pov than yours. There is always someone out there who can benefit from a new and innovative, perhaps unconventional approach.