Rabbi Bentzion Shemtov

Rabbi Ben Tzion Shem Tov (16 Cheshvan 5662 - 5 Tammuz 5735/1901-1975) was a dedicated emissary who was known for his profound spiritual connection to the Rebbe. He was appointed by the Rebbe on Shemini Atzeret 5731 (1971) as the "authority" over England. He possessed an extraordinary love for his fellow Jews, to the point of self-sacrifice.

Early Life and Education

Rabbi Ben Tzion Shem Tov was born on 16 Cheshvan 5662 in the city of Druya to his father Rabbi Katriel and mother Batya. He studied at the Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva in Poltava from 1915 until 1925. Rabbi Ben Tzion excelled in his studies and was among the outstanding students. The Previous Rebbe wrote about him: "Ben Tzion is a scholarly young man, God-fearing, with exceptional talent in both revealed and mystical Torah study, knowledgeable in Talmud and many laws in Yoreh Deah and Choshen Mishpat, and great achievements in Torah study were predicted for him."

He married Mrs. Esther Golda (who passed away on 23 Cheshvan 5724/1964), sister of the renowned mentor Rabbi Mendel Futerfas.

Activities and Mission

He was among the ten Temimim (yeshiva students) with whom the Previous Rebbe made a covenant to dedicate themselves until their last drop of blood to matters of Judaism and Chassidism. He fulfilled this commitment with actual self-sacrifice.

At the beginning of 1926, the Previous Rebbe sent Rabbi Ben Tzion and another young man to the towns of Vohlin to strengthen the Jews there in matters of Torah and mitzvot. The Vohlin district was a place where the Yevsektzia (Jewish Section of the Communist Party) ruled with full force, and in most cities there were no cheders (Jewish elementary schools) or Torah institutions, and Jews were afraid to conduct lives of Torah and mitzvot.

Rabbi Ben Tzion and his colleague arrived at the location and "transformed" Vohlin. The Previous Rebbe wrote about him: "He was the first to reveal his desire to work, and was given the Vohlin district to work in, traveling to towns and awakening interest in cheders, public Torah study sessions, improving mikvahs and more. For two and a half years he worked with great diligence, establishing many dozens of cheders, delivering passionate speeches about setting times for Torah study, establishing societies for studying Talmud, Mishnah, Jewish law and aggadah, Tiferet Bachurim, and words of awakening regarding the purity of Jewish daughters, and a different spirit clothed Vohlin. In four places, large yeshivas were established (secretly) with outstanding Torah scholars as heads of yeshivas, and about three hundred students studied Talmud in these four locations with great depth and good conduct."

Imprisonment

At the end of 1927, the Yevsektzia discovered his activities and arrested him. The Previous Rebbe wrote: "For about three months he felt that someone was following his footsteps and counting his steps, but being devoted to his work, he did not find enough strength within himself to leave the work and travel to another region for a few months. One day in the month of First Adar 1927, they caught him in the city of Ovruch and sent him bound in iron chains under heavy guard to the city of Kharkov, where they put him in prison. They allowed him his tefillin, and he sat there for about two months... They granted his request to be free for the holiday days... When he returned, they told him he was free to stay in Kharkov until they would permit him to travel completely. Their desire was to see what he would do during that time so that through this they could learn with whom he was in contact, and although he engaged in his work matters, naturally in complete secrecy, thank God they could not find anything."

When they took the Previous Rebbe to prison on 14 Sivan 1927, on that same day they took him back to prison (after releasing him on condition that he remain in Kharkov as mentioned above) and interrogated him about the Previous Rebbe's activities, but he naturally did not reveal anything.

Leaving Russia and Later Life

After the war, when Polish citizens who had fled to Russia were permitted to return to their country, the opportunity arose for Russian citizens to obtain forged documents as Polish citizens and leave Russia. Rabbi Ben Tzion took advantage of this opportunity and left Russia in 1947 on one of the freight trains that the Russian government allocated to the Poles.

He arrived in Poland and from there continued to England where he served as the Rebbe's emissary. He was well known for his dedication to the Rebbe, in his holy campaigns, in publicizing his Torah teachings, and especially in his dedication to convincing the elder Chabad Chassidim in Europe to accept the Rebbe's leadership.

Spreading the Rebbe's Teachings

He had a special enthusiasm for studying and spreading the Rebbe's talks, and was particularly involved in this during his later years when he spent periods in the United States and the Holy Land.

He was among the founders of the "Committee for Spreading Talks" and near the time of his passing established the "Levi Yitzchak Institute" in the Holy Land for printing and publishing the Rebbe's Torah teachings in Hebrew.

In his final period, he moved to the Holy Land and lived in Kfar Chabad.

Rabbi Ben Tzion was severely injured in a traffic accident near Kfar Chabad and passed away after several days on the holy Shabbat, 5 Tammuz 5735 (1975). He is buried in the Mount of Olives cemetery.

He merited to establish a generation of Chassidim, connected ones, and the Rebbe's emissaries throughout the world.

Family

His wife, Esther Golda, passed away on 23 Cheshvan 5724 (1964) and is buried in London.

His sons:

• Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shem Tov - Chassidic activist residing in Crown Heights
• Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Shem Tov - The Rebbe's emissary to Detroit, Michigan
• Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Shem Tov - The Rebbe's emissary to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad
• Rabbi Yisrael Shem Tov - Chassidic activist residing in Crown Heights

His sons-in-law:

• Rabbi Nachman Sudak - The Rebbe's emissary in London, England
• Rabbi Shmuel Azimov - The Rebbe's emissary in Paris, France