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After his marriage, the Tzemach Tzedek was supported by his father-in-law, the Mitteler Rebbe, and served as Rosh Yeshiva under him, choosing not to make his living from Torah but rather from his own work. He invested the three hundred rubles he received as dowry in establishing a wax seal manufacturing business (used for sealing mail) as a source of income. He took the chassid Reb Nechemiah of Dubrovna as a partner. Throughout their work, they would discuss divrei Torah. After about a month, one night they became deeply engrossed in a particularly complex sugya (Talmudic topic) and the vat containing the raw adhesive material caught fire, and they barely managed to escape from the factory that went up in flames. Afterward, the Tzemach Tzedek decided to work in carpentry, but the Rebbe's court preferred that he not engage in manual labor and appointed him as a melamed (teacher). | After his marriage, the Tzemach Tzedek was supported by his father-in-law, the Mitteler Rebbe, and served as Rosh Yeshiva under him, choosing not to make his living from Torah but rather from his own work. He invested the three hundred rubles he received as dowry in establishing a wax seal manufacturing business (used for sealing mail) as a source of income. He took the chassid Reb Nechemiah of Dubrovna as a partner. Throughout their work, they would discuss divrei Torah. After about a month, one night they became deeply engrossed in a particularly complex sugya (Talmudic topic) and the vat containing the raw adhesive material caught fire, and they barely managed to escape from the factory that went up in flames. Afterward, the Tzemach Tzedek decided to work in carpentry, but the Rebbe's court preferred that he not engage in manual labor and appointed him as a melamed (teacher). | ||
== Accepting the Nesius (Leadership) | == Accepting the Nesius (Leadership) == | ||
After the histalkus (passing) of the Mitteler Rebbe on 9 Kislev 5588 (1827), an assembly of elder Chabad chassidim convened and decided to appoint the Mitteler Rebbe's son-in-law, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, to assume his father-in-law's position in leading Chabad Chassidus. This decision was based on the Mitteler Rebbe's own words when he had expressed his desire to make aliyah to Eretz Yisroel. The chassidim had asked him, "How can our Rebbe leave us like sheep without a shepherd?" To which the Mitteler Rebbe replied, "Don't you have my son-in-law, the Rov HaGaon Rabbi Menachem Mendel? He will be your faithful shepherd." | After the histalkus (passing) of the Mitteler Rebbe on 9 Kislev 5588 (1827), an assembly of elder Chabad chassidim convened and decided to appoint the Mitteler Rebbe's son-in-law, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, to assume his father-in-law's position in leading Chabad Chassidus. This decision was based on the Mitteler Rebbe's own words when he had expressed his desire to make aliyah to Eretz Yisroel. The chassidim had asked him, "How can our Rebbe leave us like sheep without a shepherd?" To which the Mitteler Rebbe replied, "Don't you have my son-in-law, the Rov HaGaon Rabbi Menachem Mendel? He will be your faithful shepherd." | ||
The decision from this assembly was publicized throughout all Chabad chassidic centers in Russia. A delegation of distinguished elder chassidim, including Reb Hillel Paritcher, Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Vitebsk, Reb Yitzchak Moshe of Yass, Reb Peretz Chen of Chernigov, and others, presented themselves to the Tzemach Tzedek with the assembly's decision. However, the Tzemach Tzedek refused to accept the crown of nesius. Additional delegations of chassidim came and went, but Rabbi Menachem Mendel refused them all, claiming that the nesius rightfully belonged to his uncle Reb Chaim Avraham Schneuri, the Alter Rebbe's son and the Mitteler Rebbe's brother. | The decision from this assembly was publicized throughout all Chabad chassidic centers in Russia. A delegation of distinguished elder chassidim, including Reb Hillel Paritcher, Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Vitebsk, Reb Yitzchak Moshe of Yass, Reb Peretz Chen of Chernigov, and others, presented themselves to the Tzemach Tzedek with the assembly's decision. However, the Tzemach Tzedek refused to accept the crown of nesius. Additional delegations of chassidim came and went, but Rabbi Menachem Mendel refused them all, claiming that the nesius rightfully belonged to his uncle Reb Chaim Avraham Schneuri, the Alter Rebbe's son and the Mitteler Rebbe's brother. | ||
In the month of Nissan, the chassidim decided that before Shavuos, all the elder chassidim would come to Lubavitch to devise a plan. About two weeks before Shavuos, several elder chassidim arrived in Lubavitch, including Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Homel, Reb Hillel Paritcher, and Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Vitebsk. They held another assembly and sent delegations to the Tzemach Tzedek, but these too were unsuccessful. He continued to demur, suggesting instead that they should choose either Reb Chaim Avraham (the Alter Rebbe's son), or Reb Menachem Nachum (the Mitteler Rebbe's son), or Reb Aharon of Kremenchug (one of the Alter Rebbe's grandsons). | In the month of Nissan, the chassidim decided that before Shavuos, all the elder chassidim would come to Lubavitch to devise a plan. About two weeks before Shavuos, several elder chassidim arrived in Lubavitch, including Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Homel, [[Reb Hillel Paritcher]], and Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Vitebsk. They held another assembly and sent delegations to the Tzemach Tzedek, but these too were unsuccessful. He continued to demur, suggesting instead that they should choose either Reb Chaim Avraham (the Alter Rebbe's son), or Reb Menachem Nachum (the Mitteler Rebbe's son), or Reb Aharon of Kremenchug (one of the Alter Rebbe's grandsons). | ||
On Tuesday, 3 Sivan 5588, three of the greatest chassidim - Reb Peretz Chen, Reb Hillel Paritcher, and Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Homel - came to the Tzemach Tzedek's room and pleaded with him to accept the nesius. Finally, he agreed, but with the condition that they not trouble him with requests for advice in material matters. Reb Hillel Paritcher responded saying, "Chassidim want to hear Chassidus." Shortly after, word spread that the Tzemach Tzedek would come to the shul to say Chassidus. | On Tuesday, 3 Sivan 5588, three of the greatest chassidim - Reb Peretz Chen, Reb Hillel Paritcher, and Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Homel - came to the Tzemach Tzedek's room and pleaded with him to accept the nesius. Finally, he agreed, but with the condition that they not trouble him with requests for advice in material matters. Reb Hillel Paritcher responded saying, "Chassidim want to hear Chassidus." Shortly after, word spread that the Tzemach Tzedek would come to the shul to say Chassidus. | ||