Chana Gurary
Chana Gurary (25 Av 5659 / 1899 – 15 Adar 5751 / 1991) was the eldest daughter of the Rebbe Rayatz, and the wife of Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary.
Life HistoryEdit
Early YearsEdit
Chana was born on 25 Menachem Av 5659 / 1899 in the town of Lubavitch to her father and mother, Rebbetzin Nechama Dina.
As a 'gift' for her birth, the Rebbe Rashab gave the Rebbe Rayatz the maamar "Baruch She'asah Nissim" that was delivered on 25 Kislev by the Alter Rebbe in the year 5563 / 1802.
In her childhood, she received special closeness from her grandfather, the Rebbe Rashab.
In 5678 / 1918, she moved with her family from Lubavitch to Rostov.
On 11 Sivan 5681 / 1921, she married Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary. The wedding was held in a limited setting due to the persecutions that were taking place in those days. The Rebbe Rayatz and several distinguished chassidim attended the wedding.
On 15 Sivan 5687 / 1927, when NKVD agents came to arrest the Rebbe Rayatz, she argued with them with mesiras nefesh.
The day after Simchat Torah 5688 / 1927, she left with her family for Riga, and in 5693 / 1933, she moved to Warsaw.
In the month of Menachem Av 5693 / 1933, she went with her mother, Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, to Riga on a mission from the Rebbe Rayatz.
In 5695 / 1935, she moved to Otwock.
On 25 Shevat 5696 / 1936, her son Barry's bar mitzvah celebration was held, with the participation of the Rebbe Rayatz.
During World War II, she was by the side of the Rebbe Rayatz in Warsaw and throughout all his journeys. On 9 Adar 5700 / 1940, she arrived with her family in the United States.
In the United StatesEdit
In the month of Elul 5700 / 1940, the Rebbe Rayatz settled in the 770 building, and she, her husband, and their son settled on the third floor of 770.
From 5710 / 1950, the Rebbe Rayatz's library was under her care, and the librarian Chaim Lieberman worked on her behalf.
Since the passing of the Rebbe Rayatz, she devotedly served her mother, Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, and employed various bochurim to care for her mother.
Between 5710 / 1950 and her mother's passing on 10 Tevet 5731 / 1970, she managed the Revenishul Fund together with Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka.
In 5713 / 1953, her son Barry Gurary married Mina Gurary, daughter of Rabbi Alter Dober Chaskind.
On Simchat Torah 5738 / 1977, when the Rebbe had a heart attack, she was concerned for him. She went down to his room and tried to persuade him to eat. Afterward, she frequently spoke with the Rebbe's doctors, requested information about his condition, and encouraged them to continue their work.
In the summer of 5740 / 1980, she requested to appoint Rabbi Shalom Dober Levin, who was at that time the librarian of the Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch Library, as the librarian of Agudas Chassidei Chabad Library, but the Rebbe opposed the appointment. In 5747 / 1987, after Didan Netzach, the Rebbe instructed to unite the two libraries into one, with Rabbi Shalom Dober Levin as the chief librarian of both.
The Library CaseEdit
In 5745 / 1985, when her son Barry Gurary stole books from the library during the period known as the Library Case, she stood by his side and sued in court to transfer some of the books to him, while her husband, Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary, remained loyal to the Rebbe.
On Shabbat Parshat Pinchas, 24 Tammuz 5745 / 1985, she was injured in the face by one of the bochurim who knocked hard on her apartment door, and she opened the door (because she thought it was one of the bochurim who helped her with household chores) and when she discovered it was someone else, she tried to close the door, and he - in an outrageous action that was strongly condemned by the Rebbe - slammed the door in her face, which was injured as a result. An ambulance from Hatzalah Crown Heights branch was called to the scene, as well as Dr. Moshe Feldman, and she was rushed to Cornell Hospital during Shabbat. At the end of the farbrengen that Shabbat, the Rebbe's secretary Rabbi Berel Junik approached the Rebbe and said l'chaim and asked for a blessing for her, and asked how to inform Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary, and the Rebbe answered that they should inform him after Havdalah and that a doctor should be present. After being discharged from the hospital, she never returned to her apartment, but spent her last years in her son and daughter-in-law's home in New Jersey. All her possessions, including her personal items and even her personal wardrobe, remained in the apartment on the third floor until the complete end of the Library Case and its aftermath in 5750 / 1990, and then the contents were packed and sent to New Jersey. Subsequently, Chana needed to undergo a dangerous surgery and was in danger. The night before the surgery, her condition improved, and in the morning, when the doctor examined her, he said: "Someone worked here at night..." and determined that she did not need surgery. When the Rebbe heard this, he asked whether the doctor knew who it was that worked at night...
Her PassingEdit
She passed away on 15 Adar - Shushan Purim 5751 / 1991. Many Satmar chassidim participated in her funeral, and her coffin was brought past 770.
The Rebbe expressed his wish that she be buried in the Rebbetzins' plot of Agudas Chassidei Chabad near the Ohel of the Rebbe Rayatz, and even sent a special delegation to her son, Barry Gurary, for this purpose. The delegation members were: Rabbi Chaim Meir Bukiet, Rabbi Shmuel Zvi Fox, Rabbi Chaim Shalom Dober Lipsker, and Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky. Initially, he agreed, but ultimately, she was buried in New Jersey, in the Munkatch-Satmar section of Floral Park Cemetery.
Her FamilyEdit
- Her husband - Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary (Rashag)
- Her son - Shalom Dov Ber (Barry) Gurary
- Her sister - Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka