CCAR RESPONSA
New American Reform Responsa
3. The Rebbe’s Picture
QUESTION: The Lubavitch group has placed many advertisements with large pictures of its rebbe. Is this in keeping with Jewish tradition? Does not Jewish tradition frown upon a display of any image? Does this include such photographs? (Rabbi Amiel Wohl, New Rochelle NY)ANSWER: Although portraits have rarely survived the Middle Ages we have a picture of what is assumed to be Maimonides, now unfortunately found on the label of an indifferent kosher wine. We possess portraits of various other figures, for example, Manneseh ben Israel, several paintings by Rembrandt of Jews who did not seem to hesitate about sitting for him, etc. In more recent times various Orthodox authorities have been reluctant about photographs so for example, the Hungarian custom of placing photographs on the tombstone of a deceased has been denounced (Greenwald Kol Bo al Avelut pp 380 ff). Similarly Jacob Emden felt it was wrong to have a portrait done. We can see that in the last centuries there was some reluctance to move in the direction of portraits, but it was usually overcome in favor of a picture as long as it did not appear in the synagogue. Two dimensional pictures as well as portrait busts were permitted in the older tradition, we as Reform Jews have no objections to them even in the synagogue (S. B. Freehof Modern Reform Responsa #33). We should remember, however, that with the Lubavitch Rebbe we have an additional problem of adoration verging on idolatry. This is an issue which should be appropriately addressed by that group and by their Orthodox colleagues as such adulation is not appropriate within the Jewish tradition and approaches avodah zarah.December 1989
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