In a historic moment at a Las Vegas campaign rally, Rabbi Shea Harlig, the founding director of Chabad of Southern Nevada, delivered a Mi Sheberach to former President Donald Trump, who is seeking reelection as the coming president of the United States of America.
By Anash.org Reporter
In a historic moment at a Las Vegas campaign rally, Rabbi Shea Harlig, the founding director of Chabad of Southern Nevada, delivered a Mi Sheberach to former President Donald Trump, who is seeking reelection as the coming president of the United States of America.
Rabbi Harlig, who has transformed Jewish life in Las Vegas since 1990, offered a customary “Mi Sheberach” – a blessing of healing and protection, specifically adapted for the former president. In Hebrew, Rabbi Harlig recited the Mi Sheberach, asking Hashem to bless Trump in all his endeavors, particularly for his commitment to the safety of Yidden in Eretz Yisroel.
The blessing, translated from Hebrew, read: “May He who blessed our forefathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, Moshe and Aaron, Dovid and Shlomo, bless President Donald Trump, for his commitment to protect and defend Israel.” The prayer continued with wishes for Trump’s protection “from all trouble and distress” and success in his endeavors.
This moment will carry a momentous significance given Rabbi Harlig’s prominent position in the Jewish community. As the founder of Chabad of Southern Nevada, he has overseen its growth from humble beginnings in his living room to a network of seven thriving centers across the Las Vegas Valley, including a 65,000-square-foot educational campus and multiple community facilities.
Under his leadership, Chabad of Southern Nevada has become a cornerstone of Jewish life in the region, offering services ranging from education and outreach to crisis counseling and community support. The organization now employs 17 Rabbis and Rebbetzins, serving diverse needs across the greater Las Vegas area through multiple centers, including the Robert Cohen Desert Torah Academy Educational Campus, the Student Services Center at UNLV, and specialized programs for young professionals and individuals with special needs.
It must be noted that while individual Chabad Shluchim may engage with political figures and offer blessings, the Rebbe clearly directed that Chabad, as an organization, remains strictly politically neutral and does not endorse any candidates. This position remains fundamental to Chabad’s mission of reaching out to all Jews regardless of political affiliation.
VIDEO:
B”H
“that while individual Chabad Shluchim may engage with political figures and offer blessings” – imho, this is a blatant falsehood. the Rebbe wants chabad in its entirety, not just the central organizations, to be above politics. to participate in a rally (in contrast to a political candidate coming to the Rebbe or visiting a chabad house) is a very clear support for them and voicing an inarguable political opinion, which will definitely have an effect on shluchim everywhere.
in this derher https://derher.org/wp-content/uploads/Derher-5784-09-Iyar.pdf pg. 36-37, is an article about the Rebbe’s various horaos on this topic, i would strongly suggest every chossid to read it (especially those who plan to comment further).
and may i suggest for this entire post to be removed from the website, as notwithstanding the clarification at the end, gives a very strong sense of support
Dear fellow Lubavitcher,
I must say that yes, my initial reaction was, how could this Shliach favour 1 candidate over the other?!
But then after much thought, I said, If the Democratic Party has become so hateful to Eretz Yisrael, unprecedented, just as the Rebbe in a rare time, instructed to vote for Gimmel in Eretz Yisrael, so too now, perhaps the Rebbe would favour the Republican Party.
Except that the premise of your argument, that “the Democratic Party has become so hateful to Eretz Yisrael”, is false. 90% of Democrats vote in favor of Israel consistently. Way to try an alienate your allies. People who try to speak in the name of klal yisreol need to be aware of this and not do damage.
In 5723, the Rebbe was invited to join the seventh convention of the Herut party in Eretz Yisroel. The Rebbe responded:
“While I thank you for the honor and the well-intended [invitation], on a fundamental level doing so [joining the convention] is not possible for me, for one of the foundational stances of Chabad-Lubavitch is not to be identified with any party whatsoever, and therefore also not to participate in a partisan convention …”
-Likkutei Sichos vol. 33 p. 238f
Shocking action.
Thousands of Yidden that are very deeply against Trump are attending Chabad houses.
Did this shliach think about that?
If the editor would’ve actually watched the video he would’ve seen that the message he said can not be interpreted as anything but support for a political candidate. Not “above politics”. I hope this post was passed by the rabbinical Vaad overseeing this site to ascertain it’s fitting with the rebbe’s directives. Good shabbos
I always fought for Shamir’s rule as prime minister. And just as I did everything in my ability for the establishment of an Israeli government with Shamir it’s prime minister, so to if these discussions will continue, I, Menachem Mendel will be the first to wage a full force battle, and with all my strength, against Shamir, in order to dismantle his government.
Until today, only Mr. Shimon Peres opposed Shamir’s government, but if he’ll continue in the direction of these autonomy discussions, then I too, will oppose his government.
For if Shamir can’t withstand the applied pressures from other nations, let him publicly declare that he can no longer bare these pressures, and he can no longer act as prime minister (resign.)
My first reaction was, how could he take a side for a candidate?
But then I remembered, how the Rebbe in a rare occasion in Eretz Yisrael asked all to Vote for Gimmel.
The Democratic Party has a lot of hate for Israel. It’s Pikuach Nefesh! Perhaps this 1 time, the Rebbe would say to take a side.
Rabbi Yirmi Cohen
Honestly this was not something that was thought through. For most Shluchim in the field, this is something we need not at this moment. For yidden that clearly loathe that candidate, it still won’t help for Hafatzas Hamaayanos no matter what way you explain how ‘this case is different.’ It certainly is NOT something to be compared to Gimmel.
Agree. If there Rebbe wanted any political action aside from hafatzas hamaayonos, he would have given guidance on that. Instead he explicitly said not to do that.
Those claiming it’s pikuach nefesh should read the Rebbe’s sichos on many other occasions where the Rebbe considered the matzav to be pikuach nefesh. It’s not rational to think that the pikuach nefesh situation we’re in would be fixed by Trump. BOTH parties support Israel strongly, and alienating one party and turning them into the enemy will only cut Israel’s support in half!