On Ahavas Yisroel and Kiruv...
This post is dedicated to the readers who think that my problems with chabad (insert any other branch of Orthodox Judaism) is mainly due to the laymen and fools who twist and misinterpret the meaning of what the Rebbe (insert any other gadol here) said and that I should just look to the real leaders for inspiration instead of focusing on which bochur said what to whom when they were drunk at a farbrengen.
The same Rebbe who spoke about the importance of Ahavas Yisroel and considered each Jew as precious as a diamond, apparently also stressed to his chassidim that "our poorest surpasses their best" (unzer ziburis is besser vi zeier idis) when comparing Lubavitcher chassidim to other chassidim and other groups of Orthodox Jews.
Here are five links to where the Rebbe used this line.
As of right now I am very disappointed. I had already comes to terms with the fact that shluchim (and others in kiruv) sing one rosy song to those who are not yet frum and another to those who are true chassidim. But it seems like the Rebbe was in on this too. I am open to being convinced otherwise, however. If you are going to try, please explain why this exact language was used. It seems that in order to promote pride in one's derech or give chizzuk to chassidim who were feeling down, the Rebbe could have found a way to deliver that message without really denigrating other Orthodox Jews.
I have harsher words to say but being that this post is about the Rebbe, I will stop and allow his defenders to respond.