Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson
| Rebbetzin Chana | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | 28 Tevet 5640 |
| Passing | 6 Tishrei 5725 |
| Works | A Mother in Israel:The Life and Memoirs of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson of Blessed Memory |
| Spouse | Rabbi Levi Yitzchak |
| Children | The Rebbe |
Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson (28 Tevet 5640 - 6 Tishrei 5725) was the daughter of Reb Meir Shlomo Yanovsky, wife of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson who served as the rabbi of Yekaterinoslav, and mother of the Rebbe.
Throughout her husband's decades of rabbinical service and public activity, she stood by his side, and even when he was arrested and exiled by the Communist regime, she followed him to his place of exile. After World War II, she left Russia and arrived in Pöking, Germany, from there she wandered to Paris. The Rebbe came to Paris and brought her to New York, where she lived in Crown Heights from then on.
Life History[edit | edit source]
Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson was born on 28 Tevet 5640 in the Romanovka settlement in Ukraine, to her father Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky, who later became the rabbi of Nikolayev, and her mother Rebbetzin Rachel.
Her paternal grandfather, Rabbi Avraham David Lavut, was the rabbi of Nikolayev, her grandfather Rabbi Yisrael Leib Yanovsky replaced him as the city's rabbi after his passing, and after him, her father.
Her parents gave her a foundational Chassidic education from a young age. In those days, Nikolayev was home to a vibrant community of Chabad Chassidim. When a Chassidic discourse would arrive from Lubavitch, Rebbetzin Chana would copy it in beautiful handwriting for the benefit of the Chassidim.
Rebbetzin Chana was blessed with exceptional musical talent, which she inherited from her father Rabbi Meir Shlomo, who also composed several Chabad niggunim of spiritual devotion.
Marriage[edit | edit source]
At age twenty, Rebbetzin Chana married Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson. The Rebbe Rashab suggested the match. The wedding was set for Thursday after Shavuot, but due to the bride's illness, her father wanted to postpone the wedding. The bride's father, Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky, sent a special messenger to the Rebbe Rashab to get his consent to postpone the wedding, but the Rebbe instructed to hold the wedding as scheduled and gave his blessing. The wedding took place on Friday, 11 Sivan 5660 (June 8, 1900).
After the wedding, the Rebbe Rashab sent a letter of blessing to the groom's father, Rabbi Baruch Shneur Schneerson, in addition to the telegram he sent on the wedding day itself.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana lived in Nikolayev after the wedding.
The Rabbi and Rebbetzin had three sons: the Rebbe, DovBer, and Yisrael Aryeh Leib.
Rebbetzin of Dnepropetrovsk[edit | edit source]
The couple lived in Nikolayev until 5667 (1907), when Rabbi Levi Yitzchak received an offer to serve as rabbi in Yekaterinoslav (today Dnepropetrovsk), which was the central city for Jewish affairs in Ukraine (which was at that time a province in the Soviet Union).
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak accepted the offer and moved with his family to the city, where he served as rabbi for 32 years. Throughout this time, Rebbetzin Chana stood by his side, involved and active in community life.
During World War I, she was among the leaders of the "committees" established to find help for all war refugees who arrived in Dnepropetrovsk, including shochtim, rabbis, yeshiva heads, and others.
The Rebbe's Parents' Influence[edit | edit source]
The Rebbe mentioned on various occasions how his parents' self-sacrifice for the community influenced him regarding leadership and caring for all of Israel.
In 1929, their eldest son, the Rebbe's wedding was held in Warsaw, Poland. The Rebbe's parents were forbidden from leaving Russia and attending the wedding due to their Jewish activities. On the wedding day, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana held a mitzvah feast despite the severe prohibition on religious gatherings.
Exile[edit | edit source]
In 1939, her husband was arrested by the authorities due to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's fight for observing mitzvot and his activities in spreading Judaism, which were forbidden under Soviet Union laws.
After more than a year of imprisonment, he was tried and sent into exile in the village of Chaili in Soviet Kazakhstan. Rebbetzin Chana hurried to join him to care for all his needs.
Despite the harsh conditions, when writing materials were unavailable in their place of exile, she managed with great dedication to provide what was needed so Rabbi Levi Yitzchak could write down his Torah teachings by producing ink from herbs. Later, she risked her life by taking his writings during her wanderings, and ultimately succeeded in smuggling these writings out of the Soviet Union, which were later printed in a series of books called Likutei Levi Yitzchak.
After the years of exile, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak moved to Alma Ata (Almaty), but due to the hardships of imprisonment and exile, he became seriously and terminally ill there, from which he passed away on the 20th of Menachem Av 5704 (August 9, 1944) and was buried there.
Leaving Russia[edit | edit source]
In winter 5706 (1946), the Rebbetzin left Alma Ata. With the help of friends, she managed to reach Moscow. The Rebbetzin stayed at R' DovBer Rickman's house in Kraskovka, a suburb near Moscow. Initially, she insisted on leaving Russia officially, claiming she had a son in the United States, and refused to cross the border illegally through 'echelons' using a forged Polish passport.
Eventually, she decided to smuggle across the border to Poland, where she wandered from city to city. Those who accompanied her were the young women Hadassah (Perman) and Yocheved (Zalmanov) of the Gurlick family, whose family and father she knew from Alma Ata, and agreed to journey with these girls.
In Europe[edit | edit source]
Extended article - The Rebbe's Visit to Paris
From Poland, she arrived in Germany, where she settled in the Pocking camp, and several Chassidic families who knew her supported and assisted her in many ways.
Yocheved Zalmanov again came specially to the refugee camp to accompany the Rebbetzin to France to meet her son the Rebbe, encountering difficulties along the way and surviving even gunfire. At the end of the journey, the Rebbetzin thanked her for protecting her with her body, saying she had saved her life.
In France, the Rebbetzin arrived in Paris, where her son, the Rebbe, met her.
Near Purim 5707, the Rebbe arrived in Paris by plane, which was the only time the Rebbe ever flew in an airplane.
Chabad Chassidim in the city wanted to honor the Rebbe by bringing him from the airport, but while waiting for his estimated landing time, they received a telegram from the Rebbe Rayatz saying "Blessed are you in your coming" and the Chassidim understood that the Rebbe had already arrived. Indeed, after a few minutes, the Rebbe arrived at the house where his mother was staying by taxi.
When the Rebbe arrived, the Rebbetzin went shopping and the Rebbe entered the synagogue on the upper floor of Rabbi Zalman Schneerson's house and prayed, then went down to the room where his mother was staying on the second floor, and met her for the first time after twenty years of separation. They entered a side room together, and after some time he went out to gather with the Chassidim and during the gathering spoke about how Joseph hadn't seen his father for twenty-two years, and while speaking wept profusely.
Following the Rebbe Rayatz's instructions, they sailed together by ship (rather than flying) and reached the shores of the United States on the 28th of Sivan 5707 (1947).
The Rebbetzin lived her last seventeen years near 770 (on President Street, at number 1418, which is now connected to the Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva dormitory).
In Crown Heights[edit | edit source]
Three years after arriving in New York, the Rebbe Rayatz passed away and her eldest son, the Rebbe, took his place. Despite his busy schedule, the Rebbe made sure to visit his mother every day without exception.
The Rebbetzin was involved in the lives of the Chassidim in Crown Heights. Many Chassidim would visit her home, converse with her, and share memories of her husband, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak. She regularly attended prayers and farbrengens at 770 and Chassidic celebrations.
Rebbetzin Chana served as a member of the presidency of N'shei uBnos Chabad in the United States.
Her Passing[edit | edit source]
The Rebbe shedding tears at his mother's funeral The Rebbetzin's resting place
The Rebbetzin passed away at Mincha time on Shabbat, 6 Tishrei 5725 (September 12, 1964), and thousands of Chassidim attended her funeral. She rests in the Rebbetzins' section near the Rebbe Rayatz's ohel in Queens, New York.
On the day of her passing, her chair in the women's section at 770 caught fire.
On Yom Kippur, which fell during the shiva, the Rebbe asked R' DovBer Junik to arrange a minyan for Mincha prayer in her apartment.
Her Legacy[edit | edit source]
Starting from Shabbat Bereishit 5725, the Rebbe began explaining Rashi's commentaries on the weekly Torah portion during Shabbat farbrengens, week after week. The Rebbe also published a booklet of Igeret HaTeshuvah with a dedication in her memory.
In 5725, the Rebbe held farbrengens every week (while in those years he would usually only hold farbrengens on Shabbat Mevorchim) and would edit the complete transcription of the farbrengen. This practice continued until Parshat Vayishlach. Nevertheless, that year the Rebbe held more Shabbat farbrengens than usual and delivered many maamarim.
From 5726 until 5748, the Rebbe held a farbrengen on 6 Tishrei - her yahrzeit, and often spoke about her character. In 5749 and 5750, he also gave a sicha. On these occasions, the Rebbe often encouraged the three mitzvot connected to Jewish women and girls associated with her name: Challah, Niddah, and Hadlakat HaNer (candle lighting).
Many girls carry the name Chana, and numerous institutions were established in her memory.
Among these are 'Keren Chana' which helps fund girls who wish to study in Jewish seminaries, the "Beit Chana" network of high schools for girls, Nachalat Har Chabad neighborhood in Kiryat Malachi was also founded in her merit, and 'Machon Chana' for newly observant women.
In 5772 (2012), at the annual religious affairs conference in Kazakhstan, the Rishon LeZion Rabbi Shlomo Amar presented Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev with the Rebbetzin's diary translated into Russian on behalf of Kazakhstan's Jewish community and Israel's Chief Rabbinate, after mentioning her in his speech before religious leaders.
The Rebbetzin's Memoirs[edit | edit source]
In New York, Rebbetzin Chana wrote down her life experiences in Soviet Russia. These life chronicles are full of hardships but also filled with spiritual strength and self-sacrifice. The Rebbetzin gave a typed copy of these memoirs to Chassidic writer Nissan Gordon to publish in Di Yiddishe Heim, which were indeed published there in a series of articles in 5724, with additional details from interviews Nissan Gordon conducted with the Rebbetzin, omitting all parts about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's suffering (as per the Rebbetzin's request, who wished not to pain the Rebbe with the painful information).
About 15 years later, Rabbi Eliyahu Alter Friedman from Tzfat compiled the book "Em B'Yisrael" and translated these memoirs into Hebrew, reorganizing them chronologically. For some reason, all sections about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's suffering were included in the book. In 5753, some students received the aforementioned copy of the memoirs, typed everything, and it was published in order in "Tzaddik L'Melech" booklet 4, typed according to the original writing order (not chronological order).
In 5772, the original notebook of the Rebbetzin's memoirs came into the possession of Vaad Hanachos B'Lahak, along with an additional notebook of memories she wrote later, including memories from the Rebbe's childhood up to her thoughts while watching the Rebbe at farbrengens after accepting the leadership.
The notebooks were transferred to the Agudas Chassidei Chabad Library.
Women who knew her personally relate that she was a rare personality. She suffered for many years, yet contained her pain and radiated joy in life.
Memories of R' Yosef Nimotin[edit | edit source]
R' Yosef Nimotin, son of the Chassid Rabbi Shmuel Nimotin, lived in Alma Ata, Kazakhstan during World War II and was involved in saving lives. He merited to serve and care for the Kabbalist Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson and Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson, the Rebbe's parents. During the 'Great Escape from Russia' in 5706, he entrusted Rabbi Simcha Gorodetzky with the shofar used by the Rebbe's father, which was inherited from the Tzemach Tzedek, to pass on to the Rebbe. Rabbi Nimotin remained in the Soviet Union until 5739, maintaining Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's holy gravesite, ensuring its cleanliness and upkeep. After leaving Russia, he settled in Crown Heights and received special attention from the Rebbe due to his closeness and assistance to his father.
His memories about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe's parents, were published in HaTamim issue 54, Beit Moshiach supplement Sukkot 5785.
Her Family[edit | edit source]
- Her Brother: Israel Aryeh Leib Yanovsky - born in 5646 and passed away at age fifteen from typhus.
- Her Sister: Rebbetzin Miriam Gittel Schneerson, wife of HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn.
- Her Sister: Mrs. Ettel, wife of R' Zalman Mariashin. In 5702, she fled to the city of Ufa in Russia where she passed away.
- Her Husband: Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson.
- Her Sons: The Rebbe, R' DovBer Schneerson and R' Israel Aryeh Leib Schneerson.
- Her Granddaughter: Mrs. Dalia Rotman.
- Her husband's brother: Shmuel Schneerson, was married to Rebbetzin Chana's sister.
- Her husband's brother: Reb Sholom Shlomo Schneerson was married to Rebbetzin Rachel, daughter of Rabbi Dovid Tzvi Chen, and their daughter is Zelda Mishkovsky (Schneerson).
Further Reading[edit | edit source]
- Rabbi Alter Eliyahu Friedman, Em B'Yisrael published by Kehot, 5743 (1983).
- Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Gottlieb, Toldot Levi Yitzchak, Volume 3, published by Kehot.
- Em HaMalchut published by Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Bukiet, 5761 (2001).
- Menachem Herman, Rebbetzin Chana: Milestones and Stories about the Righteous Rebbetzin Chana, Mother of the Rebbe, 5774 (2014)
- R' Eliyahu Matusof, R' Shneur Zalman Berger, The Exodus from Russia (book), Second Gate: In Pocking Camp, Chapter on Rebbetzin Chana
- Shneur Zalman Berger, Rebbetzin Chana in the Pocking Displaced Persons Camp, Beis Moshiach weekly, Issue 1198 page 38 and onward (5780)
- Shalom Imi Morati, 'Holy Manuscripts from the Royal House' Kfar Chabad weekly Issue 1842 page 14
- Visits of My Son Shlita, 'Nashi' supplement to Kfar Chabad weekly Issue 1877 page 19
- Memories of Rebbetzin Chana, Esther Sternberg, Beis Moshiach weekly 1429 pp. 42-44
- Memories of Em HaMalchut, Sarah Katzman, Ateret Chaya supplement of Beis Moshiach weekly 1429
- Eli Wolf, Em HaMalchut, Kfar Chabad weekly Issue 2079 page 64
External Links[edit | edit source]
- Memories of Rebbetzin Chana on the Vaad Hanachos B'Lahak website
- Tehillim book of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana.
- Video of the Rebbetzin's funeral on the JEM website.
- Lag BaOmer in Paris.
- Mrs. Zalmanov's memories of Rebbetzin Chana.
- Collection Em HaMalchut, Vaad Talmidei HaTemimim, 5771 (2011).
- Imeinu HaMalka Vaad Chayalei Beis David Tishrei 5773 (2012)
- Em HaMelech - 50 Years Since the Passing of the Rebbetzin Vaad Chayalei Beis David Tishrei 5775 (2014)
- The Passing of Rebbetzin Chana Account of her passing within the teshurah from the Yunik family celebration
- Collection of references from the Rebbe regarding 28 Tevet, his mother the Rebbetzin's birthday, within the teshurah from the Liberow-Broin family weddings, Tevet 5781 (2020)
- The rare interview with Rebbetzin Chana, two years before her passing • Special
- For 6 Tishrei: Moving photo gallery of Rebbetzin Chana
- Following the Rebbetzin's memories of Chiali - Alma Ata | Watch