Chabad messianism

Messianism in Chabad (Hebrew: משיחיות בחב"ד) refers to the belief within some of the Chabad-Lubavitch community—a prominent group within Hasidic Judaism—regarding the Jewish Messiah (Hebrew: מָשִׁיחַ, mashiach or moshiach). Central to this belief is the conviction that Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty, is the awaited Messiah and leading the Jewish people into the Messianic Age.

History

The concept of the Messiah is central to Judaism, representing an anticipated savior and bringer of universal peace and justice. Expected to restore Israel and gather in the Jewish diaspora, the Messiah is often linked to the Davidic lineage as foretold in the Hebrew Bible. Over centuries, beliefs about the Messiah have shaped Jewish thought, prayer, and tradition, reflecting a deep longing for spiritual fulfillment and communal restoration. The belief among Hasidic Jews that the leader of their dynasty could be the Jewish Messiah is traced to the Baal Shem Tov—the founder of Hasidism. During Schneerson's life, some Chabad members hoped he would be revealed as the Messiah, with the idea gaining attention inside and outside the movement during his final years. A few years before his death, a group within Chabad formed around their expressed belief that Schneerson was, indeed, the foretold Messiah, becoming known as mishichists (משיחיסטס, 'messianists'). A typical statement of belief for Chabad messianists is found in the song "Long live our Lord" (יחי אדונינו, Yekhi Adoneinu), which is also chanted as a refrain. Customs vary among messianists as to when the phrase is recited.