Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson (Wife of the Tzemach Tzedek)

Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka (1790 - 8 Teves 1861) was the wife of the Tzemach Tzedek and daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe.

Life History

She was born in the town of Liozna in 1790 to her father, the Mitteler Rebbe. On 5 Kislev 1803, she married the Tzemach Tzedek.

About three years after her marriage, in 1807, the Alter Rebbe requested from her to bring him some of her husband's writings, among them was the maamar "Shoresh Mitzvos HaTefillah." Upon seeing the writings, he called Rabbi Yehuda Leib (the Alter Rebbe's brother) and Rav Pinchas Reizes and asked them to answer "Amen" to his blessing of "Shehecheyanu."

The matter became known to the chassidim who began to honor the Tzemach Tzedek. When the Tzemach Tzedek learned of this, he became very upset and wanted to divorce the Rebbetzin for doing this without his knowledge. Despite the Rebbetzin's claim that she was obligated to honor her grandfather - the Alter Rebbe, since the mitzvah of honoring a grandfather takes precedence over honoring a father. The Tzemach Tzedek replied that he needed to study the law, and since he held resentment toward her, he could not live with her until he completed his study. For several days, the Rebbetzin cried continuously and waited two months in case her husband would change his mind, after which she told her father about it. The Mitteler Rebbe discussed the matter with his son-in-law, and when he saw that his mind was firm, he went to the Alter Rebbe and presented the matter to him.

On Shabbos Parshas Mikeitz, after the Alter Rebbe said a Chassidic discourse in his room and waited for everyone to leave, he turned to the Tzemach Tzedek and told him that he heard he was studying a matter of halacha, but since he was personally involved it would be difficult for him to arrive at the truth, he wished to study it together with him, and two divine souls would be able to reveal the truth of the halacha. After their joint study, the Tzemach Tzedek retracted and regretted that he had thought of divorcing his wife. The Alter Rebbe promised to study with him, blessed them that the verse would be fulfilled in them "You shall plant your pleasant saplings... on the day of your planting you shall see growth and in the morning your seed shall blossom" (Isaiah 17), asked him to remove all resentment toward the Rebbetzin and to make her happy, sighed and added: "The harvest has fled on the day of illness and of incurable pain." On Motzei Shabbos Parshas Vayigash, the Rebbetzin entered the Alter Rebbe's room and thanked him for the domestic peace and for the blessing.

Every day she would recite much Tehillim.

Her Passing

The Rebbetzin passed away on Erev Shabbos Parshas Vayigash, 8 Teves 1861, and was laid to rest in Lubavitch in the ohel of her grandmother Rebbetzin Sterna and her mother Rebbetzin Sheina.

On Motzei Shabbos, the Tzemach Tzedek said to his son R' Shmuel - the Rebbe Maharash - that the holy words of the Alter Rebbe were fulfilled - 54 years had passed since he sighed and said to him "The harvest has fled on the day of illness."

Upon her passing, her husband the Tzemach Tzedek said "My world has darkened before me."

After her passing, the Tzemach Tzedek said to his children: "Until now you had a mother here, in this world, and from now on you will have a mother in Gan Eden. But for me she is missing..." From then on, the Tzemach Tzedek stopped receiving people for yechidus, saying that now he was without counsel.

Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka was surrounded on all sides by our Rebbeim: She was the wife of a Rebbe - the Tzemach Tzedek, daughter of a Rebbe - the Mitteler Rebbe, granddaughter of a Rebbe - the Alter Rebbe, mother of a Rebbe - the Rebbe Maharash, grandmother of a Rebbe - the Rebbe Rashab, great-grandmother of a Rebbe - the Frierdiker Rebbe, and great-great-grandmother of a Rebbe - the Rebbe.

Her Family

She had seven sons and two daughters:

Sons:

• Rabbi Boruch Shalom
• The Rebbe Maharil of Kopust
• The Rebbe Rchashaz of Liadi
• The Rebbe Maharin of Nezhin
• The Rebbe Rayatz of Avrutch
• The holy Rabbi Yaakov of Orsha
• The Rebbe Maharash

Daughters:

• Rebbetzin Rada Freida Schneerson, wife of Rabbi Shneur Schneerson
• Rebbetzin Devorah Leah Zalmanson, wife of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Zalmanson