Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk (sometimes called RaMaM of Horodok) (1730-1788) became the "Leader of the Chassidim" after the passing of his Rebbe, the Maggid of Mezritch, as specified in the Maggid's will. His influence was significant throughout Lithuanian and Belarusian Jewry, during which time the Chassidic movement grew substantially in these regions.

His personality was characterized by great humility. He would sign every letter with the title "Truly Humble One," and even on his gravestone, he would not allow words of praise to be written, only his name.

Early Life[edit | edit source]

Rabbi Menachem Mendel was born in Vitebsk around 1730. His father, Rabbi Moshe, was among the close followers of the Baal Shem Tov, and Rabbi Menachem Mendel himself visited the Baal Shem Tov's home when he was nine years old.

He received most of his Torah education from the Maggid of Mezritch.

During the Maggid's time, he lived in Minsk. After the Maggid's passing, he returned to Vitebsk and settled in nearby Horodok, where he gathered thousands of chassidim around him, including many renowned figures among the Maggid's students, including the Alter Rebbe.

The Alter Rebbe and the Rebbe of Horodok[edit | edit source]

After the passing of the Maggid of Mezritch, the Alter Rebbe was, for a certain period, a chassid of Rabbi Menachem Mendel and even signed a letter of hiskashrus to him. He stayed with him together with his friend and former teacher, Rabbi Yissachar Ber of Lubavitch.

Once when the Alter Rebbe was asked by Rabbi Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl about the power of our Rebbe, the Alter Rebbe answered: Rabbi Mendel knew the thoughts of every person. Rabbi Nachum continued to ask: So what? The Alter Rebbe added: He also knew a person's thoughts throughout their entire life. But even this did not impress Rabbi Menachem Nachum. The Alter Rebbe then added: When Rabbi Mendel passed by a house, he felt everything that had ever been thought in that house since its beginning, and everything that would be thought in it until the end of time. This greatly impressed Rabbi Menachem Nachum.

In 1776, Rabbi Menachem Mendel appointed the Alter Rebbe as the leader of the chassidim in Russia.

In 1777, Rabbi Menachem Mendel traveled with the Alter Rebbe to Vilna to explain Chassidus to the Gaon and alleviate his concerns, but the Gaon refused to receive them. Following the strengthening opposition from the misnagdim, and wanting to avoid disputes and conflicts, he decided to leave the difficult battlefield in Lithuania and ascend to Eretz Yisroel.

In Eretz Yisroel[edit | edit source]

In Adar 1777, he led a group of three hundred chassidim to Eretz Yisroel.

They arrived on the 5th of Elul 1777 and initially settled in Pekiin. They later moved to Tzfas. Due to persecution from Arabs and Turks in the city, and because they were rejected by the existing community, they relocated to Tverya.

Even while living in Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Menachem Mendel maintained strong connections with his chassidim in exile through shelichim and letters, during which time the Alter Rebbe collected funds abroad for them.

His Passing[edit | edit source]

Before his passing, he instructed those standing beside him to leave the room, saying "for Hashem stands over me." After an hour, his soul departed in holiness and purity.

He passed away on Monday, Rosh Chodesh Iyar 1788, leaving behind his only son, Rabbi Moshe. He was buried in the old cemetery in Tverya in the section of the Baal Shem Tov's students.

On Thursday, 1st of Iyar 2013, his grave in Tverya was renovated for the 225th anniversary of his passing.

After His Passing[edit | edit source]

After his passing in 1788, the Alter Rebbe sent a letter to the residents of the Holy Land "to comfort them doubly for the passing of the famous Gaon, the holy man of G-d..."

Rebbetzin Devorah Leah testified that her son, the Tzemach Tzedek, was the first to be named after Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk in the Rebbe's family.

The Tzemach Tzedek also praised him greatly, saying that "when speaking about Rabbi Mendele, many candles need to be lit, for he was a true tzaddik and a light of truth."

His Seforim[edit | edit source]

Pri Ha'aretz (Kopust 1814)
Pri Etz (Zhitomir 1874)
Likutei Amarim (Lvov 1911)

His Niggunim[edit | edit source]

Nigun Hishpochis Hanefesh

External Links[edit | edit source]

Chassidim at his gravesite in Tverya