Chanan Levin

Rabbi Chanan Levin (6 Tevet 1911 - 30 Nissan 1996) was a Shadar and Rosh Mesivta of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim Brunoy.

Life History

Born on 6 Tevet 1911 in Preslov to his father Rabbi Avraham Levin. In his childhood, the family moved to Kiev, where he utilized his time to spread Yiddishkeit. He had a talent for writing, and through this succeeded in publishing an article titled "Ein Od Milvado" in a secular children's newspaper.

In Kiev, he studied at Tomchei Temimim Kiev. In those days, this required mesiras nefesh, and the students were investigated several times. But Reb Chanan did not give up.

In Tishrei 1939, he became engaged to his wife Mrs. Esther Rachel, daughter of Reb Eliyahu Michel Haft. They married on 10 Elul 1939.

At the Front

A week after his wedding, World War II broke out and he was drafted to the front.

In 1940, Rabbi Chanan was released from service, but in 1941 the Nazis invaded Russia and he was drafted again, immediately after his daughter was born - whom he managed to see with great effort.

With mesiras nefesh he kept the mitzvos of the Torah - and succeeded throughout his service not to be defiled by treif food and not to miss a single day without putting on tefillin, for which he even jumped into frozen water.

During his service, he wrote a diary describing his mesiras nefesh during the war.

After his service, he was offered to sign on permanently and remain in the army, but he evaded with various excuses.

In one of the years, he and his brother changed their family name to "Ariol" (eagle in Russian) because of the Russian authorities, but eventually (he and most of his family) returned to Levin.

He returned to Kiev where he met his brother, Shaul Levin, and learned that their parents were murdered in Babi Yar and that his wife and daughter were in Samarkand. He immediately traveled to Samarkand and met his wife. His daughter initially claimed he wasn't her father... but eventually accepted it.

With Our Rebbeim

In the famous escape ('Exodus from Russia 1946') Reb Chanan fled with his family in Elul 1946.

He wanted to travel immediately to the Frierdiker Rebbe but Reb Nissan Nemenov asked him to stay in France to be a Shadar for Tomchei Temimim in Brunoy. His intense longing for the Rebbe gave him no rest, but then the instruction came - to stay in France, and Reb Chanan stayed.

For years he traveled with mesiras nefesh for the yeshiva - and never stopped, after all "the Rebbe commanded."

In 1957 he traveled to the Rebbe for the first time, where the gabbai Rabbi Yochanan Gordon offered him to become the chazzan at the Rebbe's minyan, but he refused saying "Who am I to stand before the Rebbe?"

His Passing

In 1996 he became very ill and suffered greatly. On 30 Nissan he said viduy, proclaimed "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach L'olam Va'ed" and clarified that he was saying this out of faith in the Rebbe's words that this proclamation hastens the "Hakitzu V'ranenu Shochnei Afar." Afterwards he proclaimed Yechi again and his soul departed on the word "Melech."

His Family

• His wife, Esther Rachel - passed away 7 Shevat 2006
• His son, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Levin, lives in Lod, Israel
• His son, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Levin, lives in Sarcelles, France
• His son, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Levin, lives in Crown Heights, New York
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Mordechai Blinov, lived in France
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Yisroel Lebkowski, lives in Crown Heights, New York
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Levi Pariz, was a mashpia in Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim London, England

Further Reading

• Teshurah from his grandson Rabbi Shmuel Levin's wedding, Rosh Chodesh Nissan 2006
• Teshurah Levin Family, 2020