Abraham Yehudah Khein

Abraham Yehudah Khein (, ; 1878 in Chernigov – 5 October 1957) was a Chabad-Hasidic Rabbi in the Ukrainian town Nizhyn. Rabbi Khein was a pacifist anarchist. During Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson's reside in Paris, Khein served as Rabbi of the synagogue where Schneerson prayed, as well as catering for Schneerson's hospitality needs. Khein was instrumental in Schneerson's ascent to becoming Rebbe, and the two maintained a relationship for the remainder of Khein's life.

Khein was a non-Zionist, committed to pacifism and nonviolence particularly during the Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine. He tried to relate his readings of Leo Tolstoy and Pyotr Kropotkin to Kabbalah and Hasidism. Rabbi Khein deeply respected Kropotkin, whom he called "the Tzadik of the new world", whose "soul is as pure as crystal" Interpreting various passages from the Talmud, Khein posited that there was never a moment when killing was justified, no matter how guilty the party, and used this theory to advise on the Jewish-Arab conflict at the time, writing to leaders such as the militaristic Ze'ev Jabotinsky.

Rabbi Khein's most known work is his three-volume collection of essays, .

Biography Russia Khein was born in, what was then, Chernigov to Rabbi David Tzvi Khein (1846–1926). Rabbi David Tzvi was incredibly close to Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn, the Rebbe Rashab, and he and his family would travel on foot to the town of Lyubavitchi to visit the Rebbe.

Khein studied under Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen Aronson [he], was ordained by Rabbi Mordechai Dov Twerski, and studied Jewish law with Rabbi Aryeh Leib Haft.

In 1902, he married Leah Mintzberg, and they would go on to have three children: Dov, Devorah and Shoshana.

During Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson's stay in Paris, Schneerson attended Khein's synagogue, and when Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Schneerson, the Rebbe Rayatz, briefly visited Paris, the Rebbe Rayatz stayed in Khein's home and was hosted by him.

During this period, Khein wrote his book For My Comfort, reflecting on the death of his father, where he discussed the notion of death and mourning in Judaism as well as detailing his family history and lineage. The book had a profound effect on the head of Agudat Yisrael, Rabbi Yitzhak-Meir Levin, who wrote:

"The book For My Comfort has a constant nature to it. I read it a second and a third time and I say to the holy author that I would like something to happen to this book, especially in my mood right now... many things within it sat well with my inner self, with my soul and spirit. It's a shame that the holy author is now taking the book from me. If there is somewhere where can I get a book like this, please let me know."

Israel In 1935, Khein immigrated to Tel Aviv, before moving to Jerusalem in 1937. Khein became rabbi at the 'Beit HaMidrash Rambam' and later the head of the Center for Religious Culture near the National Committee. After 1948, he became the head of the Department of Torah Culture in the Ministry of Education and Culture in the State of Israel until his retirement in 1954. He was also rabbi of the Beit Hakerem neighborhood in Jerusalem.

During his time in Israel, Khein became incredibly close with the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, who referred to him "my good friend, the total genius." Future President of Israel, Zalman Shazar also attended his lectures. Khein saw denial of this principle of Judaism as a denial of the foundations of the Torah.

Khein claimed to base this view off of the writings of Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe. Khein believed Judaism to be a tool that can be used in challenging governmental authority and to create an equal playing field for all humanity to operate within.

On Zionism

Khein advocated against the mainstream Zionism due to its militaristic tendencies. Essentially, if it were to forgo its militarism, Khein was ready to accept even statist Zionism.

Schneerson expressed interest in Khein's book, 'For My Comfort.'

When Khein died, Schneerson sent condolences to his daughter, Shoshana.

Books In the Kingdom of Judaism - Articulating a Jewish Anarcho-Pacifist mode of thought, rooted in Chabad sources For My Comfort - Reflections on death, mourning and the Khein family history Judaism and Blood - A defense of Menahem Mendel Beilis

Unpublished works: The Troubles of Israel - A treatise on the death penalty in Jewish thought Questions Which I Asked the Kohen Gadol - A record of childhood conversations with Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen Aronson