patroler, Administrators
2,524
edits
The Mitteler Rebbe: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
The bris milah was attended by several of the Maggid's greatest talmidim, including Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk and Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk. | The bris milah was attended by several of the Maggid's greatest talmidim, including Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk and Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk. | ||
== Education == | ==== Education ==== | ||
The Alter Rebbe hired a special melamed (teacher) from among the Maggid's talmidim to teach his son Torah and guide his development. An additional melamed was Reb Avraham of Liepli. | The Alter Rebbe hired a special melamed (teacher) from among the Maggid's talmidim to teach his son Torah and guide his development. An additional melamed was Reb Avraham of Liepli. | ||
From his earliest years, his extraordinary kochos (abilities) were evident to all. He would engage in pilpul (scholarly discourse) with his father's senior chassidim. He had a special interest in recording his observations of his father's hanhagos. From childhood, he was known for his ability to write with exceptional speed and clarity. | From his earliest years, his extraordinary kochos (abilities) were evident to all. He would engage in pilpul (scholarly discourse) with his father's senior chassidim. He had a special interest in recording his observations of his father's hanhagos. From childhood, he was known for his ability to write with exceptional speed and clarity. | ||
== Bar Mitzvah == | ==== Bar Mitzvah ==== | ||
His Bar Mitzvah celebration drew chassidim from throughout the region, despite the Alter Rebbe's general rule against chassidim visiting during Cheshvan and Kislev. The rule was suspended for this simcha. | His Bar Mitzvah celebration drew chassidim from throughout the region, despite the Alter Rebbe's general rule against chassidim visiting during Cheshvan and Kislev. The rule was suspended for this simcha. | ||
| Line 24: | Line 24: | ||
After davening, the Alter Rebbe delivered a maamar on the possuk "Ki lekach tov," followed by the Bar Mitzvah bochur's discourse on "Maggid d'vorov l'Yaakov." The Alter Rebbe entered a state of deep dveikus and began singing the [[Niggun Daled Bavos]]. | After davening, the Alter Rebbe delivered a maamar on the possuk "Ki lekach tov," followed by the Bar Mitzvah bochur's discourse on "Maggid d'vorov l'Yaakov." The Alter Rebbe entered a state of deep dveikus and began singing the [[Niggun Daled Bavos]]. | ||
== Marriage == | ==== Marriage ==== | ||
In 5548, at age 14, the Mitteler Rebbe was matched with Shaina, daughter of Reb Yaakov, a poor melamed from Yanowitz near Liozna. This shidduch came about when Shaina's father expressed concern to the Alter Rebbe about being unable to focus on his davening due to worry about marrying off his three daughters. The Alter Rebbe suggested his son as a match, knowing this would encourage other chassidim to seek shidduchim with the remaining daughters. | In 5548, at age 14, the Mitteler Rebbe was matched with Shaina, daughter of Reb Yaakov, a poor melamed from Yanowitz near Liozna. This shidduch came about when Shaina's father expressed concern to the Alter Rebbe about being unable to focus on his davening due to worry about marrying off his three daughters. The Alter Rebbe suggested his son as a match, knowing this would encourage other chassidim to seek shidduchim with the remaining daughters. | ||
== Guiding the Young Chassidim == | ==== Guiding the Young Chassidim ==== | ||
In 1790, at age 16, he was appointed by his father to guide the young married men (yungeleit), both those who learned in the Rebbe's court and those who corresponded from their places of residence, and he engaged in this with great energy. It is told that once during a farbrengen with the young men, he spoke with such great emotion that it harmed his health, and he became ill for several days. | In 1790, at age 16, he was appointed by his father to guide the young married men (yungeleit), both those who learned in the Rebbe's court and those who corresponded from their places of residence, and he engaged in this with great energy. It is told that once during a farbrengen with the young men, he spoke with such great emotion that it harmed his health, and he became ill for several days. | ||
| Line 41: | Line 41: | ||
The Mitteler Rebbe's journey to Vitebsk lasted about three months. In every place he arrived, he delivered deep maamarei chassidus and received chassidim for yechidus. The entourage was received with great honor everywhere by chassidim, Jews, and also by government officials and police officers who received instructions from the Interior Ministry to show special respect to the Mitteler Rebbe, the son of the Alter Rebbe, who had done much for the homeland by assisting in the war effort against Napoleon of France. During the journey, many chassidim joined the Mitteler Rebbe. | The Mitteler Rebbe's journey to Vitebsk lasted about three months. In every place he arrived, he delivered deep maamarei chassidus and received chassidim for yechidus. The entourage was received with great honor everywhere by chassidim, Jews, and also by government officials and police officers who received instructions from the Interior Ministry to show special respect to the Mitteler Rebbe, the son of the Alter Rebbe, who had done much for the homeland by assisting in the war effort against Napoleon of France. During the journey, many chassidim joined the Mitteler Rebbe. | ||
== Lubavitch == | ==== Lubavitch ==== | ||
The journey concluded with the Mitteler Rebbe choosing the town of Lubavitch as his residence, arriving there with thousands of chassidim on the 18th of Elul 5573. Upon arrival, the Mitteler Rebbe told the chassidim that the Alter Rebbe had studied in Lubavitch during his youth under Rabbi Yissachar Ber of Lubavitch. He added that the Alter Rebbe had appeared to him and requested that he establish his seat in Lubavitch. | The journey concluded with the Mitteler Rebbe choosing the town of Lubavitch as his residence, arriving there with thousands of chassidim on the 18th of Elul 5573. Upon arrival, the Mitteler Rebbe told the chassidim that the Alter Rebbe had studied in Lubavitch during his youth under Rabbi Yissachar Ber of Lubavitch. He added that the Alter Rebbe had appeared to him and requested that he establish his seat in Lubavitch. | ||
[[File:העיירה ליובאוויטש.jpg|thumb]] | |||
Prince Tchekhovskiy, who ruled over the town, commanded his workers to cut trees from his forests to build homes for the Rebbe and the chassidim. | Prince Tchekhovskiy, who ruled over the town, commanded his workers to cut trees from his forests to build homes for the Rebbe and the chassidim. | ||
| Line 62: | Line 62: | ||
On the eve of Wednesday, 9 Kislev 5588, the Mitteler Rebbe began saying a chassidic discourse with great hislahavus (enthusiasm) on the possuk "Acharei Hashem teileichu" (After Hashem you shall follow). Toward dawn, he concluded the maamar with the words "ki imcha mekor chaim mechayei hachaim" (for with You is the source of life from the Life of life) and was nistalek at age 54. His honorable resting place is in Nezhin. | On the eve of Wednesday, 9 Kislev 5588, the Mitteler Rebbe began saying a chassidic discourse with great hislahavus (enthusiasm) on the possuk "Acharei Hashem teileichu" (After Hashem you shall follow). Toward dawn, he concluded the maamar with the words "ki imcha mekor chaim mechayei hachaim" (for with You is the source of life from the Life of life) and was nistalek at age 54. His honorable resting place is in Nezhin. | ||
[[File:מצבת אדמור האמצעי.jpg|thumb]] | |||
The Mitteler Rebbe left a Sefer Torah that was inherited by his son Rabbi Menachem Nachum and from there to his grandchildren, the Popka family; R' Yitzchak Chaim Popka and R' Mordechai DovBer Popka. Today, the Sefer Torah is kept in the "Beis Torah Damesek Eliezer" synagogue in Flatbush. | The Mitteler Rebbe left a Sefer Torah that was inherited by his son Rabbi Menachem Nachum and from there to his grandchildren, the Popka family; R' Yitzchak Chaim Popka and R' Mordechai DovBer Popka. Today, the Sefer Torah is kept in the "Beis Torah Damesek Eliezer" synagogue in Flatbush. | ||
== Explanation of His Histalkus on His Birthday == | ==== Explanation of His Histalkus on His Birthday ==== | ||
The Mitteler Rebbe was nistalek on his birthday, 9 Kislev. The Rebbe (the Lubavitcher Rebbe) noted regarding this the Chazal's statement that "HaKadosh Baruch Hu sits and fills the years of tzaddikim from day to day and from month to month, as it says: 'The number of your days I shall fill'" - from which we see there is a special quality when a tzaddik's histalkus occurs on his birthday, making his years and days complete. The Rebbe adds that all tzaddikim have this quality of Hashem filling their years, but for most, it isn't visible in the physical realm. This was the special quality of the Mitteler Rebbe - that this concept was expressed even in gashmiyus (physicality). | The Mitteler Rebbe was nistalek on his birthday, 9 Kislev. The Rebbe (the Lubavitcher Rebbe) noted regarding this the Chazal's statement that "HaKadosh Baruch Hu sits and fills the years of tzaddikim from day to day and from month to month, as it says: 'The number of your days I shall fill'" - from which we see there is a special quality when a tzaddik's histalkus occurs on his birthday, making his years and days complete. The Rebbe adds that all tzaddikim have this quality of Hashem filling their years, but for most, it isn't visible in the physical realm. This was the special quality of the Mitteler Rebbe - that this concept was expressed even in gashmiyus (physicality). | ||
[[File:אדמור האמצעי.jpg|thumb]] | |||
This aspect fits with his avodah throughout his life - to bring the highest concepts of Chassidus even into physical flesh and material matters. As his son-in-law, the Tzemach Tzedek, expressed: "If they would cut my father-in-law's finger, Chassidus would flow instead of blood." He influenced his chassidim in this direction as well, stating that his desire was "that when two young men meet in the marketplace, they should discuss Chassidus," and that "when young men understand Kesser like they understand their five fingers, I will have satisfaction from this." | This aspect fits with his avodah throughout his life - to bring the highest concepts of Chassidus even into physical flesh and material matters. As his son-in-law, the Tzemach Tzedek, expressed: "If they would cut my father-in-law's finger, Chassidus would flow instead of blood." He influenced his chassidim in this direction as well, stating that his desire was "that when two young men meet in the marketplace, they should discuss Chassidus," and that "when young men understand Kesser like they understand their five fingers, I will have satisfaction from this." | ||
| Line 106: | Line 106: | ||
# Maamarim Yekarim - His holy manuscripts of teachings received from his father, the Alter Rebbe | # Maamarim Yekarim - His holy manuscripts of teachings received from his father, the Alter Rebbe | ||
# Igros Kodesh - His letters that reached us. Printed in two volumes containing letters of the Alter Rebbe, the Mitteler Rebbe, and the Tzemach Tzedek | # Igros Kodesh - His letters that reached us. Printed in two volumes containing letters of the Alter Rebbe, the Mitteler Rebbe, and the Tzemach Tzedek | ||
== His Regulations and Innovations == | |||
This section is incomplete. Please contribute to Chabadpedia and complete it. There may be more details on the discussion page. | |||
He was the first to initiate the home charity boxes (tzedakah boxes) that are common today in every Jewish home. At the beginning of his leadership, he increased and expanded contributions to Kollel Chabad by distributing home charity boxes through emissaries (shadarim), and the money that accumulated in these boxes was collected periodically by the messengers. The heads of other kollelim who were active during that same period saw the great success and began to imitate the idea, and within a short time, home charity boxes spread throughout the world. | |||
The Mitteler Rebbe established the field of Chabad musical tradition by organizing a choir of the Mitteler Rebbe's chassidim, known as "the Kapelye," which operated in his court and engaged in singing and composing deep niggunim (melodies) in the spirit of Chabad Chassidus. Additionally, it is told that there were times when he would command some of his chassidim who were designated for this purpose to ride horses, with the Kapelye playing music in the background, while the Mitteler Rebbe watched them. One of the riders was his son, Rabbi Menachem Nachum, who once fell from the horse and fainted. | |||
== His Facial Features == | == His Facial Features == | ||
| Line 135: | Line 142: | ||
* Rabbi Shalom DovBer Levin, Imprisonment and Liberation of the Mitteler Rebbe | * Rabbi Shalom DovBer Levin, Imprisonment and Liberation of the Mitteler Rebbe | ||
* Silent Storm - The Way the Mitteler Rebbe Led and Guided the Chassidim in His Time, Kfar Chabad Weekly Issue 1933 page 51 | * Silent Storm - The Way the Mitteler Rebbe Led and Guided the Chassidim in His Time, Kfar Chabad Weekly Issue 1933 page 51 | ||
== External Links == | |||
* The Rebbe tells about the Mitteler Rebbe - Audio file from Chabad Info (link not active, 28 Iyar 5783) | |||
* The secret of the Mitteler Rebbe's soul - A story by Menachem Zigelboim on the Chabad Israel website | |||
* R' Shneur Zalman Berger, Why Nezhin? • Special review for 9 Kislev | |||
* The Rebbe receives the key to the ohel in Nezhin (link not active, 28 Iyar 5783) | |||
* The passing of the Rebbe like the passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, 'Ki Karov' bulletin issue 39 - Lag B'Omer 5780 | |||
* The Mitteler Rebbe's resting place on Google Maps: Photos, location | |||
* '''"Padah B'Shalom": Biography and redemption story of the Mitteler Rebbe''' | |||
[[he:רבי דובער שניאורי (אדמו"ר האמצעי)]] | [[he:רבי דובער שניאורי (אדמו"ר האמצעי)]] | ||