Menachem Mendel Schneersohn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Menachem Mendel Schneersohn | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lubavitcher Rebbe | ||
 |
||
| Term | 1831-05-05 – 1866-03-17 OS | |
| Full name | Menachem Mendel Schneersohn | |
| Main work | Tzemach Tzedek | |
| Born | 1789-09-09 OS | |
| Liozna | ||
| Died | 1866-03-17 OS | |
| Lyubavichi | ||
| Buried | Lyubavichi | |
| Dynasty | Chabad Lubavitch | |
| Predecessor | Dovber Schneuri | |
| Successor | Shmuel Schneersohn | |
| Father | Shalom Shachna | |
| Mother | Devorah Leah (daughter of Shneur Zalman of Liadi) | |
| Wife | Chaya Mushka (daughter of Dovber Schneuri) | |
| Issue | Baruch Shalom Yehudah Leib of Kopys Chaim Shneur Zalman of Liadi |
|
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (1789-09-09 - 1866-03-17 OS) also known as the Tzemach Tzedek was an Orthodox rabbi and the third Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
The Tzemach Tzedek was born in Liozna, on 29 Elul 5549. His mother Devorah Leah died just three years later, and her father Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi raised him as his own son. He married his first cousin Chaya Mushka, daughter of Rabbi Dovber Schneuri. After his father-in-law/uncle's death, and a three-year interregnum during which he tried to persuade the hasidim to accept his brother-in-law Menachem-Nachum Schneuri or his uncle Chaim-Avraham Boruchovitch as their leader[1], he assumed the leadership of Lubavitch on the eve of Shavuot 5591 (1831-05-05 OS).
He was known as the Tzemach Tzedek ("Righteous Sprout" or "Righteous Scion"), after the title of a voluminous compendium of halakha (Jewish law) that he authored.[2] He also authored Derech Mitzvotecha ("Way of Your Commandments"), a mystical exposition of the Mitzvos. He compiled major works of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi for publication, including the Siddur Mi'Kol Ha'Shanah (commonly known as Siddur Im Dach), Likutei Torah and Torah Ohr. He also authored a philosophical text entitled "Sefer Chakira: Derech Emuna" (Book of Philosophy: The way of Faith).
The Tzemach Tzedek had close ties with other Jewish leaders. In the course of his battle against the Haskalah in Russia, he forged a close alliance with Rabbi Yitzchak of Volozhin, a major leader of the misnagdim, which led to warmer relations between them and the hasidim.[3]
According to Baruch Epstein, his father Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein spent six months under the Tzemach Tzedek's tutelage, and learned most of his mystical knowledge during that time. This story is disputed.[4]
His close friendship with professor I Berstenson, the Tsar's court physician often helped the delicate negotiation relating to the welfare of the community.[1]
He set up an organisation called Hevras Techiyas Hameisim to assist Jewish boy-soldiers who were being recruited and converted to Christianity by the Russian army. These soldiers known as Cantonists were taken away from the Jewish community to other villages. Schneersohn arranged for his students to pay them regular visits to keep up their spirits and discourage them from converting.[1]
In 1844-45 he took steps to increase the enrollment and viability of the Chabad Yeshivas in Dubrovno and Kalisk, expanding their enrollment to around 600 students in total.[1] Repeated attempts by the authorities to entrap him using informers such as Hershel Hodesh, Benjamin the Apostate and Lipman Feldman failed.[5]
He died in Lubavitch on 13 Nissan 5626, leaving seven sons and two daughters.
[edit] Sons
The Tzemach Tzedek had seven sons.[6] They were:
1. Rabbi Baruch Shalom (1805-1869) never became a Rebbe. He led his life in a very humble way despite his greatness. His great-great-grandson is the Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch.
2. Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn (Maharil) (1808-1866) settled in Kopust. A few months after the death of his father (and the brothers were not able to reach an agreement), he moved to Kopust as Rebbe. He died two months later. He had three sons:
- Rabbi Shlomo Zalman (1830-1900), who assumed his father’s position in Kopust. He left no worthy successor. He is the author of Magen Avos.
- Rabbi Shalom Duber (-1908) served as rabbi in Retzitza. He had a following after the death of his brother Rabbi Shlomo Zalman. He had no successor.
- Rabbi Shmaryahu Noach (1842-1924) was Rav in Babroisk. He had a following after the death of his brother Rabbi Shlomo Zalman. He and his son had a Yeshiva in Babroisk. He is the author of Shemen La'maor. He had no successor.
3. Rabbi Chaim Schneur Zalman (1814-1880) was Rebbe in Lyady after his father, the Tzemach Tzedek died. He was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Yitzchak Duber (1835-1910) of Liadi, author of Siddur Maharid, and his son-in-law, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak (-1905) of Siratin, a scion of the Rebbe of Radzimin. 4. Rabbi Yisroel Noach (1815-1883) of Nizhyn, although officially a Rebbe, had only a small following.
5. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (1822-1876) was a Rebbe in Ovruch. He was compelled to do so by his father-in-law, Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel of Cherkas (son of Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl and son-in-law of the Mitteler Rebbe) against his father’s wishes.
6. Rabbi Yaakov, although leaving descendants, died at quite a young age. Little is known about him.
7. Rabbi Shmuel (Maharash) (1834-1882) of Lubavitch, his youngest son succeeded him as the Rebbe of Lubavitch.[1]
[edit] Ohr Hatorah
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson said of the Tzemach Tzedek's work "Ohr HaTorah" that it contains in it all the previous and future teachings of the Chabad Rebbes.[7]
[edit] External links
- A brief biography of Rabbi Menachem Mendel, the "Tzemach Tzedek"
- The Tzemach Tzedek and the Haskalah movement in hebrew
- The Tsemach Tzedek Family Tree
- The Complete Published Works of the Tzemach Tzedek (Hebrew)
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ a b c d e Encyclopedia of Hasidism, entry: Schneersohn, Menachem Mendel. Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. ISBN 1568211236
- ^ "Tzemach" (צמח) has the same gematria as "Menachem" (מנחם), and "Tzedek" (צדק) has the same as "Mendel" (מענדל). The original responsa Tzemach Tzedek were those of Menachem Mendel Krochmal. Schneersohn's responsa are known as Shu"t Tzemach Tzedek Hachadashot, "the new Tzemach Tzedek responsa". Rabbi Menachem Mendil Hager, the first Viznhitzer Rebbe, called his commentary on the Torah Tzemach Tzadik (צמח צדיק), because he spelled his name with an extra yod (מענדיל).
- ^ The Tzemach Tzedek and the Haskalah Movement, Official Chabad history.
- ^ The claim is in Mekor Baruch, chapter 20. But see Mekor Baruch - Mekor Hakzavim by Yehoshua Mondshein.
- ^ Sefer HaToldos Rav Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn MiLubavitch, Glitzenstein, A. H.
- ^ The introduction to HaYom Yom, a book written by the Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
- ^ Sefer HaSichos 5752, Vol. 1, p. 6
| Preceded by Dovber Schneuri |
Rebbe of Lubavitch 1831—1866 |
Succeeded by Shmuel Schneersohn |
