Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel Slonim
Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel Slonim (19 Kislev 5559 - 24 Shevat 5648 / 1798 - 1888) was the daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe who made aliyah to Eretz Yisroel and settled in Chevron.
Life History[edit | edit source]
The Rebbetzin was born on Tuesday, 19 Kislev 5559, the same day the Alter Rebbe was released from prison.
When her father, the Mitteler Rebbe, was informed that a daughter was born to him, he said: "From now on we will have menucha (rest)" and therefore named her "Menucha". The name "Rochel" was after the Alter Rebbe's youngest daughter who passed away in her youth.
The Rebbetzin greatly yearned to make aliyah to Eretz Yisroel. Once when she became ill and the doctors gave up hope for her life, her father instructed to whisper in her ear in his name that she would recover and merit to make aliyah to the Holy Land, and she immediately recovered.
After her marriage to Rav Yaakov Kuli Slonim, the couple lived in Lubavitch. In 5592 (1832) her firstborn son R' Yehuda Leib was born, in 5593 (1833) her son R' Levi Yitzchok was born, and in 5600 (1840) her son R' Mordechai DovBer was born.
In the Holy Land[edit | edit source]
Following the advice of the Tzemach Tzedek, she made aliyah with her family to the Holy Land in 5605 (1845) and settled in Chevron.
When the Rebbetzin went to take leave of the Tzemach Tzedek, she complained that she was worried about traveling due to the rains. The Tzemach Tzedek answered her: "So what? You will travel between the raindrops!" From that day on, not a drop of rain fell on her until her last day.
Upon arriving in Chevron, she established the Chabad community there. The Jews of the city and even the non-Jews regarded her as a tzadeikes, called her "Di Bobe Menucha Rochel" and many came to receive her blessings. The Admor of Lelov (Rabbi Elazar Mendel) would visit her home during his stays in Chevron, standing before her the entire time, and before leaving would ask for her blessing. There are many stories of miracles that the Rebbetzin performed. Every bride would visit Me'arat HaMachpela and afterwards would come to the Rebbetzin to receive her blessing.
She was very particular not to spill or throw away any Shabbos food, as she received from the Alter Rebbe. She educated and served as a personal example of purity and cleanliness, and would say in the name of her grandfather and father: "Where there is purity and cleanliness, there is kashrus and Yiddishkeit."
Passing and Commemoration[edit | edit source]
When her granddaughter Mrs. (Mushka Devorah) was preparing for her wedding, Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel called her and told her not to look for an apartment or purchase things for the wedding as she was giving her the apartment with all its contents as a gift.
Shortly thereafter, the Rebbetzin passed away and the house passed to her granddaughter. On the eve of Rosh Chodesh Shevat 5648 (1888), she wrote a letter to the Rebbe Rashab. She gave it to her grandson (R' Zev Dov) to send by mail and warned him not to open the letter. The grandson, understanding that something important was in the letter, brought it to his father, R' Yehuda Leib. After opening the letter, he discovered that the Rebbetzin had written that this was her last letter to the Rebbe Rashab.
On her last night, she asked her great-granddaughter Pesha Hadassa (Slonim, and after marriage - Halperin), who was about 12 years old, not to sleep by her as usual but rather the servant Zisel who was about 90 years old. In the middle of the night, she woke Zisel and asked her to boil water so she could wash and change clothes. Afterwards, she asked to call all family members and during all this time her lips were murmuring chapters of prayer. In her final moments, R' Ephraim HaLavan (of Chevron's rabbis) sat by her bed. When he felt these were her final moments, he wanted to go out and call a minyan to be present for yetzias neshama, but the Rebbetzin, who was clear-minded, signaled him not to go as there wouldn't be time, telling him "My ancestors are here with me" and immediately her soul departed. During her tahara, the Chevra Kadisha asked her to straighten up and she did so.
All the Jews of Chevron participated in her funeral, and the city's children walked before the bier with lit candles in their hands while reciting chapters of Tehillim.
The Rebbetzin passed away on 24 Shevat 5648 (1888) and was laid to rest in Chevron.
In 5742 (1982), the Gaon Chossid Rabbi Shmuel Elazar Heilprin zt"l initiated the renewal of visiting her grave on her yahrtzeit, since the liberation of Chevron in the Six Day War. The visits received the Rebbe's blessing and encouragement, and since then (except for 5748 when visits were not possible due to security issues), hundreds of her descendants and Chabad chassidim from around the country visit annually, particularly righteous women who come in masses on her yahrtzeit and throughout the year. There is also a real phenomenon of giving Jewish girls her name, and hundreds or perhaps thousands of girls proudly carry her name.
The Menucha Rochel Synagogue, which is the oldest Chabad synagogue in the world, is named after her, and today also houses some of the Chabad House activities in Chevron.
Her Family[edit | edit source]
Sons:
- R' Yehuda Leib
- R' Mordechai DovBer
- R' Levi Yitzchok
Daughters:
- Mrs. Roza Mina (husband R' Boruch Mordechai Efrat)
- Mrs. Sarah Freida (husband R' Binyamin Rivlin)
- Mrs. Sterna Roza (husband R' Shalom Kazarnovsky)
Grandchildren:
- R' Zev Dov Slonim
- Rabbi Avraham Zalman Kazarnovsky-Schneerson
- Mrs. Mushka Devorah Epstein-Levin
- R' Shneur Zalman Slonim - great-grandson of the Mitteler Rebbe
- R' DovBer Efrat