Menachem Mendel Schneerson declares himself the Messiah

It's early 1993, the height of the Messianic frenzy surrounding the late Lubavitch rebbe. He declares he is the Messiah, come to restore the Temple and usher in the World to Come. What happens in the Jewish community worldwide? How do people react?

And now the other scenarios:

1) The rebbe declares himself the Messiah but performs seemingly miraculous acts as proof. What happens?

2) The rebbe declares himself the Messiah, performs seemingly miraculous acts, and then dies a couple of weeks later. What happens?
 
What about the option

C) declare himself the messiah, doesn't do squat miraculous, everybody start to think he's nut :D
 
Rabbi Schneerson as the Messiah? THAT would be interesting - not to mention irritating for the Orthodox religious establishment (as well as Reform and Conservative Jews).
 
Rabbi Schneerson as the Messiah? THAT would be interesting - not to mention irritating for the Orthodox religious establishment (as well as Reform and Conservative Jews).

You sure a guy with such a long name would be accepted as a messiah?
 
Remember, bar Kochba called himself the "Messiah". What happened there? Besides, the Baal Shem Tov, IIRC, NEVER called himself the Messiah - I say it was a smart move.
 
I personally don't think he'd do something like this.

But if he had, his movement would definately not hold nearly the influence that it does today; outside the Lubavitcher movement, who else would believe him in his claim?
 
who else would believe him in his claim?
I was counting on the flashy supernatural powers he claims to have. Basically, how receptible to the idea of Moschiach was the Jewish community at that time? As far as I know, there hadn't been a Messiah-claimant for hundreds of years. So it's not as if everyone will simply ignore his claims.

People pray for his arrival everyday, now someone comes along claiming to be that man. I was thinking that many Jews would simply get caught up in the excitement, especially with the millenium approaching.
 
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Look Out Tim Lahay

He would probably try to rebulid the temple.
and Kickith the H out of the Palastineines.
He might try to help, restore the Iranian monarchy, since Palavahi,
believed in friendship with Israel
 
It's not the Jewish millennium :)

Most Jews aren't religious and just don't care.

Most religious Jews are not Hasidic and would be unconvinced the Messiah would be a "Rebbe."

Most Hasidic Jews aren't Lubavich and would be unconvinced the Messiah would be from that sect.

Not all Lubavichers would be convinced the Rebbe is the messiah; this is a problem for the sect now, but it would be worse then.

I should note Rebbes performing miracles is SOP in Hasidism.
 
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