Rabbi Baruch Shalom HaKohen

Rabbi Baruch Shalom HaKohen (? - 13 Shevat 1932) was one of the chassidim and mekusharim of the Rebbe Rashab and the Rebbe Rayatz. In his final years, he was involved in establishing the chassidic underground in Moscow and managing its finances.

Life History

Rabbi Baruch Shalom was born in the city of Asviye near Drisa to a chassidic family on both his father's and mother's sides. He was a sixth-generation descendant of HaRav HaGaon Raphael ben Rabbi Yekusiel Ziskind Katz, author of "Toras Yekusiel" and the responsa "VeShav HaKohen."

Even in his youth, his work brought him to the Lubavitch area, and he would visit the court of the Rebbe Rashab in Lubavitch and have yechidus (private audiences).

He married his wife Mrs. Slava in the town of Rudnia near Lubavitch, and they lived in his hometown of Asviye for about three years.

Later, he moved to Warsaw (around 1900) where he became close with the wealthy chassid Reb Menachem Monish Monezohn. In Warsaw, he worked in real estate brokerage and assisted Anash in this field. He would travel to Lubavitch frequently and was connected to the Rebbe Rashab. He took his son Folleh with him to Lubavitch for Rosh Hashanah when he was just five years old. When his son turned ten, he sent him to study at Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim.

He worked energetically for Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim, and every year sent bochurim from Warsaw to try to be accepted to the yeshiva.

He assisted the Rebbe Rashab in various matters at his request, and once when asked to purchase mattresses for the Rebbe and Rebbetzin, he wasn't satisfied until he acquired mattresses that were made for Czar Nicholas, which he sent to Lubavitch.

Around the end of 1904, he lost his wealth, and his real estate business wasn't successful. Following the Rebbe Rashab's advice, he traveled to Moscow to do business. Later, they moved to Wolomin near Warsaw where there was a city yeshiva, and in exchange for donations he gave to the yeshiva, he arranged for Reb Mordechai Perlov to be sent from Lubavitch to teach Chassidus there.

In 1915, he moved to Moscow to be close to the Rebbe's court which had meanwhile moved to Rostov. In Moscow too, he worked extensively for Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim and his home was open to Anash and the Tmimim.

During World War I, when the Rebbe Rashab left Lubavitch and settled in Rostov, Reb Baruch Shalom helped move the yeshiva to Kremenchug and assisted the older Tmimim who remained studying in Lubavitch for some time by sending money and other support.

During the Rabbinical Assembly in Moscow in 1917, which the Rebbe Rashab attended, Reb Baruch Shalom helped host the Rebbe in the city and took responsibility for preparing royal meals for the Rebbe.

He was in Rostov when the Rebbe Rashab passed away. Afterward, he became ill with typhus and sent his son to deliver a pan (pidyon nefesh) to the Rebbe Rayatz although he had not yet assumed leadership. This may have been the first pan the Rebbe Rayatz received as Rebbe.

He greatly assisted in maintaining the underground chadarim in Moscow under the direction of the Rebbe Rayatz, until his passing in Moscow on 13 Shevat 1932.

His son, Reb Folleh Kohen, wrote an overview about him in Bitaon Chabad issue 14.

Brotherly Love

The book "Brotherly Love" is an English biography about Reb Baruch Shalom's sons: the brothers Reb Raphael Nachman Kohen and Reb Michael Yehuda Aryeh Leib Kohen, chassidim of the Rebbe Rayatz who worked with mesiras nefesh in the Soviet Union to spread the wellsprings of Chassidus.

The book was written by Reb Chaim Dalfin, contains rare photos, documents and letters sent by the two, and remarkable stories. It was published in 2004.

Family

• His son, Reb Raphael Nachman Kohen
• His son, Reb Michael Yehuda Aryeh Leib Kohen
• His grandson, Reb Yoel Kahn