Chabad Messianism

Chabad messianism, or Lubavitch messianism, is a spectrum of beliefs within the Hasidic movement of Chabad-Lubavitch regarding their late leader Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson and his purported status as the Messiah. While some believe that he died but will return as the Messiah, others believe that he is merely "hidden." A very small minority believe that he has God-like powers, or is the "creator" while others negate the idea that he is the Messiah entirely. The prevalence of these views within the movement is disputed, though very few will openly say that Schneerson cannot be the Messiah.

The belief that Schneerson is the Messiah can be traced to the 1950s; it picked up momentum during the decade preceding Schneerson's death in 1994, and has continued to develop since his death. The response of the wider Haredi and Modern Orthodox leadership has been almost universally antagonistic to this belief, and the issue remains controversial within the wider Jewish community.