One story tells of a Chosid (if my memory serves me, Reb Aizik Homlyer) told by the Tzemach Tzedek to direct his question in Etz Chaim (in Kabbalah) to the Rebbe Maharash, who went to the house late at night and noticed through the window the Rebbe Maharash deep in study with a table full of seforim. When he knocked on the door and was allowed to enter, the table was clear and a paper was in their place. When he mentioned his purpose and the Rebbe Maharash acted innocent and wondered why the Tzemach Tzedek would send a question in learning to him, Reb Aizik informed him that he had been "caught" learning.
The Rebbe's public persona until he became Rebbe was similar in a limited way. He could not disobey the previous Rebbe; he had to farbreng with the students of the Yeshivah when he visited, publish and edit the books of Kehos, and farbreng once a month with all the Chasidim. Yet what he could avoid, he did: wearing a grey hat, a short jacket, sometimes even walking around with newspapers, or avoiding having his name listed as the editor of HaTomim, the Chabad Yeshiva journal in Poland.
At the same time, the Rebbe's nature and habits were clear to anyone who came into contact with him. He spent all his free time secluded in the Bais Medrash (in Berlin) or at home (in France) in study. He was overly careful in every Mitzvah that he performed, going to great lengths to keep to his self imposed standards. He gave Torah classes in Paris at various locations. There are many individuals who attest to all of this.
However, certain elements have used these facts to "tell" their own story. With conjecture and anonymous sources, they wink and claim that the Rebbe led a not so kosher life in Paris, and perhaps before as well. The Rebbetzin's actions are up for grabs for them as well, although they provide no concrete "stories", only adjectives such as "modern". They claim that the Rebbe in fact ran away to France out of a burning desire to study secular subjects.
JEM has yet another segment on the upcoming video, and in this interview the son of the man who handled the money transfers from the previous Rebbe to the Rebbe states categorically that the Rebbe did not want to be in University, that the previous Rebbe insisted on it. One conjecture is that this was done so the Rebbe could accompany his younger brother in law, who did want to study. I can only hope that time will give us the reason for the previous Rebbe's insistence as well.
If anyone has any doubt as to what the Rebbe did with his time while living in France, why don't you take a look online at http://www.lahak.org/ and read the section of Reshimos. These are the journals of the Rebbe from his life before reaching the US. There is no French philosopher's pontification, there is no modern life to be seen there. Only authentic Jewish Torah thought.
The truth is hesitant, it takes time to emerge. Lies are instantaneous, they can be provided at the tip of a hat. Beware the magician.
This leads us to the next post: What difference does all this make?
