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The Rebbe Rashab: Difference between revisions
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Every day, the Rashab would enter with his brother [[Reb Shneur Zalman Aharon Schneerson - The Raza|Rabbi Shneur Zalman Aharon Schneerson]] to their grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek, who would play with him and take interest in his studies, and even gave them various coins regularly. In his childhood, he played a lot with his older brother the Raza, and in the Chabad tradition there are many chassidic stories related to this period. The Rebbe used to tell these stories and derived instructions in divine service from them. | Every day, the Rashab would enter with his brother [[Reb Shneur Zalman Aharon Schneerson - The Raza|Rabbi Shneur Zalman Aharon Schneerson]] to their grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek, who would play with him and take interest in his studies, and even gave them various coins regularly. In his childhood, he played a lot with his older brother the Raza, and in the Chabad tradition there are many chassidic stories related to this period. The Rebbe used to tell these stories and derived instructions in divine service from them. | ||
== Early Achievements == | ==== Early Achievements ==== | ||
By age five, he showed extraordinary hasmada. At age eight, he began attending the Rebbe Maharash's maamarim, and by age nine, his father began teaching him p'nimius. Before his bar mitzvah, he was already boki in all of Tanach, Shisha Sidrei Mishna, and Shulchan Aruch. | By age five, he showed extraordinary hasmada. At age eight, he began attending the Rebbe Maharash's maamarim, and by age nine, his father began teaching him p'nimius. Before his bar mitzvah, he was already boki in all of Tanach, Shisha Sidrei Mishna, and Shulchan Aruch. | ||
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== Marriage == | == Marriage == | ||
The shidduch between | The shidduch (match) between Rebbe Rashab and his cousin Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah was proposed by their grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek, when the Rebbe was only 4 years old. | ||
As the wedding time approached, the Maharash instructed his son, the groom, to be tested and receive rabbinic ordination (smicha), as was the custom in the Rebbe's household. When the wedding date arrived, the Maharash insisted on holding the wedding in a holy place comparable to Jerusalem during the time of exile - in the town of Lubavitch. In practice, due to various circumstances, this did not materialize and the wedding took place in the bride's hometown of Avrutch. | |||
On Saturday night of Parshat Teitzei, on the 11th of Elul 5635 (1875), the wedding took place in the city of Avrutch. The plan was for the bride and groom to return immediately after the wedding together with Rebbetzin Rivka Schneerson to Lubavitch, but due to an unexpected delay, they arrived in Lubavitch only the following Saturday night. | |||
The groom's father, the Maharash, did not attend the wedding because of his health condition. His wife, Rebbetzin Rivka, traveled with the groom to the wedding. A week before the wedding, on Sunday the 5th of Elul, the Maharash traveled to accompany his son to the town of Acharmove. There he delivered Chassidic teachings (Dach) and shared wonderful stories. When he finished sharing the Chassidic teachings, he said to his son the groom: "Now is the revelation of the aspect of mochin d'ima (mother's consciousness), therefore the groom's mother travels, but in the future to come, when mochin d'abba (father's consciousness) will be revealed, I myself will also be there." | |||
The Maharash told his son the groom not to wear the shtreimel at his wedding, and in general to wear it only in Lubavitch. In the carriage was placed a box containing a hat with a feather, a gift from the groom and his mother to the bride. The Maharash asked for the hat and removed its feather. | |||
The groom's father wished for the bride, groom, and all their escorts to return to Lubavitch immediately after the wedding, so that at least he could celebrate the "Shabbat Sheva Brachot" with them. However, the bride's father tried to delay them further, and they ended up leaving Avrutch late and could not reach Lubavitch before Shabbat, arriving only on Saturday night. When the groom returned, his father told him, "I have regards for you from Father (the Tzemach Tzedek), from Grandfather (the Mitteler Rebbe), and from Great-grandfather (the Alter Rebbe), with an understanding heart." | |||
Although the groom himself was not present in Lubavitch, the Maharash was in an especially elevated state of joy throughout the seven days of celebration, and even delivered an enormous number of Chassidic discourses (32). On the Shabbat of Sheva Brachot, the Rebbe held three farbrengens (gatherings). | |||
== Accepting the Nesius == | == Accepting the Nesius == | ||
On 13 Tishrei 5643, the Rebbe Maharash | On 13 Tishrei 5643 (1882), the Rebbe Maharash, father of the Rebbe Rashab, passed away. This event affected him very deeply. The process of the Rebbe Rashab accepting the leadership continued for about eleven years. A few days after the passing, on the second day of Sukkot, 16 Tishrei, the Rebbe Rashab delivered a maamar (Chassidic discourse) beginning with "Kesser Yitnu Lecha." During Chanukah, he delivered another maamar. These maamarim were copied and sent to the chassidim who received them with joy (among Chabad Rebbes, delivering a maamar serves as a sign of accepting leadership). | ||
During the year of | During the year of mourning, the Rebbe Rashab adopted special practices; he would pray in his father's room, and after prayer, he would close the door and remain in the room throughout the day, where he ate, studied, and slept. He refused to receive anyone and did not answer questions or requests for advice. He dedicated all his time to prayer and Torah study, and was generally engaged in solitude and inner spiritual work. During that year and in the years that followed, he traveled several times to other cities and distant countries for health reasons. | ||
In 5650, | In 5650 (1890), the Rebbe Rashab began receiving people for yechidus (private audience) on a temporary basis. On Rosh Hashanah 5654 (1893), he also began to pray in his father's regular place, to receive chassidim for yechidus on a regular basis, and to respond in writing to the chassidim's questions. He would also deliver his Chassidic discourses for the chassidim to copy, distribute, and study. | ||
It was very important to the Chabad chassidic community that the Rebbe Rashab formally and fully accept the leadership. On one occasion, Reb Gershon Dov of Nevel said to the Rebbe Rashab regarding his refusal to accept the leadership: "The Alter Rebbe kindled the light of Chassidus, and you want to extinguish it?" When the Rebbe Rashab heard this, he burst into tears. After many requests and pleas, he agreed to formally and fully accept the leadership. | |||
== His Torah == | |||
The Rebbe Rashab is known as the "Rambam of Chassidus," due to his lengthy discourses in which he extensively explained complex topics in Chassidus. His discourses were published over the years in volumes of maamarim. | |||
The letters of the Rebbe Rashab were printed in the Igros Kodesh series in six volumes. | |||
==== Chazara ==== | |||
The Rebbe Rashab would deliver a Chassidic discourse on Friday nights, holidays, and other special occasions. After the team of chozrim (those who would memorize and transcribe) thoroughly memorized the discourse throughout the night of Shabbos, in the morning the meinichem (editors) would enter the Rebbe's room and repeat the discourse before him. He would correct their mistakes and explain what needed clarification. | |||
==== The Chozrim ==== | |||
" | * Rabbi Meshulam Yedidya Kuratin (called "Reb Shilem"). Served as the head chozer | ||
* Rabbi Yisroel Noach "HaKatan" Chatzkovitch | |||
* Rabbi Eliyahu Yachil Simpson | |||
* Rabbi Mordechai Chefetz | |||
* Rabbi Alter Shimchovitz | |||
* Rabbi Moshe Rosenblatt (known as Reb Moshe der Chozer) | |||
* Rabbi Yaakov Landau | |||
== Public Activities == | |||
During his leadership, he worked extensively to improve both the physical and spiritual condition of Jews in general and Russian Jews in particular. He first began to engage in public activism in the year 5640 (1880), when he would update his father regarding a decree that was imposed on the Jews in Russia at that time. In 5652 (1892), the Russian government decided to expel all Jews from Moscow. The Rebbe Rashab tried various ways to cancel the decree, but without success. Nevertheless, during the implementation of the decree, he ensured that the Jews of Moscow were settled in suitable locations. | |||
In 5655 (1895), the Rebbe Rashab began to become more involved in public activism, especially in strengthening Colel Chabad in the Holy Land. In 5657 (1897), he began to work against the establishment of schools by the Society for the Promotion of Enlightenment, and tried at least to prevent the establishment of a school in the town of Lubavitch by appealing to Baron Naftali Hertz Ginzburg. After the school was already established, he tried at least to prevent funding for the school and initiated a struggle on the issue. | |||
In 5662 (1902), he established a weaving and spinning factory in Dubrovna in order to employ Jews, and he even requested support from the Jewish organization JCA to finance the factory. | |||
During the Russo-Japanese War (5664-5665 / 1904-1905), the Rebbe Rashab arranged for matzos and Pesach necessities for Jewish soldiers who were then in the Russian army. In 5665 (1905), he established a special committee to handle this matter. In the summer of that year, he first proposed during a Colel Chabad conference the establishment of a Chabad yeshiva in Hebron. The yeshiva Toras Emes was founded several years later in 5672 (1912) in Beit Romano in Hebron. | |||
In 5665 (1905), a rabbinical assembly was held in Vilna, where the government demanded that rabbis teach secular studies. During the assembly, the Rebbe Rashab said:<blockquote>This all nations on earth must know, that only our bodies were handed over to exile and subjugation of kingdoms, but our souls were not handed over to exile and subjugation of kingdoms. We must declare openly before all, that regarding everything known to our religion, Torah and mitzvot and Jewish customs, no one has any authority over us Children of Israel and no coercive power may be used for this purpose. We must declare with the strongest Jewish stubbornness, with the Jewish self-sacrifice of a thousand years - Do not touch my anointed ones and do not harm my prophets! | |||
Much of his public | — '''Sefer HaSichot 5702''', pp. 105-106.</blockquote>In the year 5670 (1910), a general rabbinical assembly was held in the city of Petersburg on behalf of the authorities, which dealt with fundamental questions regarding the physical and material condition of the Jewish people. This assembly was attended by 42 representatives of Jewish communities in Russia, and through it the authorities sought to establish regulations and rules that contradicted accepted tradition, primarily regarding the status of religious rabbis. | ||
During the assembly, government representatives threatened that if the rabbis did not yield, they would begin pogroms throughout the country. The Rebbe Rashab responded:<blockquote>"We are not afraid of this at all, since there is no decree from Above for this, God forbid." | |||
— '''Sefer HaMaamarim Kuntreisim''', p. 350.</blockquote>The Rebbe Rashab took an active part in the Beilis trial, and even established a special committee that worked to defend Mendel Beilis. | |||
The Rebbe Rashab was one of the prominent Jewish leaders who opposed Zionism. He pushed for the publication of the book "Or L'Yesharim" that presented the views of Torah leaders against Zionism, and even wrote his own letter for the book: "And if, God forbid, they succeed in holding onto the land as they imagine, they will defile and desecrate it with their abominations and evil deeds, and thereby lengthen the duration of the exile." The Rebbe Rashab was initially among the founders of Agudas Yisroel, but due to its proximity to Zionism and broad emphasis on aliyah to the Holy Land without connection to spiritual conditions, he withdrew from it. | |||
Much of his public activism was done in cooperation with great Rebbes and rabbis such as Rabbi Chaim of Brisk, Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, and the Chofetz Chaim, with whom he maintained regular correspondence and in some cases even met with several of them. | |||
== Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva == | == Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva == | ||
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In winter 1903, he traveled to Vienna with his son the Rayatz and met Dr. Sigmund Freud due to loss of feeling in his left hand. Freud gave The Rebbe Rashab electrical treatment and they discussed various matters. In their conversation, the Rebbe explained how to connect mind and heart so the mind could spiritually enrich the heart. | In winter 1903, he traveled to Vienna with his son the Rayatz and met Dr. Sigmund Freud due to loss of feeling in his left hand. Freud gave The Rebbe Rashab electrical treatment and they discussed various matters. In their conversation, the Rebbe explained how to connect mind and heart so the mind could spiritually enrich the heart. | ||
== Move to Rostov == | == His Last Years == | ||
==== Move to Rostov ==== | |||
In Cheshvan 5676 (1915), the Rebbe Rashab left Lubavitch and moved to Rostov due to World War I. | In Cheshvan 5676 (1915), the Rebbe Rashab left Lubavitch and moved to Rostov due to World War I. | ||
== Passing == | ==== Passing ==== | ||
In winter 5680 (1920), the Bolsheviks captured Rostov after a long civil war. Due to dangerous roads and the occupation, the court diminished and the Rebbe requested people not come. Prayers and maamarim were conducted with minimal minyanim. | In winter 5680 (1920), the Bolsheviks captured Rostov after a long civil war. Due to dangerous roads and the occupation, the court diminished and the Rebbe requested people not come. Prayers and maamarim were conducted with minimal minyanim. | ||
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All Rostov Jews participated in the funeral. Before burial, the Frierdiker Rebbe designated R' Avrohom Boruch Pozner, R' Eliezer Krasik and another chossid as a special beis din, stating the burial was conditional and he retained rights to transfer the holy remains to his ancestors' graves in Lubavitch. An ohel was erected over the Rebbe Rashab's grave. | All Rostov Jews participated in the funeral. Before burial, the Frierdiker Rebbe designated R' Avrohom Boruch Pozner, R' Eliezer Krasik and another chossid as a special beis din, stating the burial was conditional and he retained rights to transfer the holy remains to his ancestors' graves in Lubavitch. An ohel was erected over the Rebbe Rashab's grave. | ||
== Moving the Ohel == | ==== Moving the Ohel ==== | ||
In winter 5699 (1939), Rostov authorities planned to destroy the cemetery to build new buildings. The chassidim decided to move the ohel to another cemetery on Takucheva Street 155. The Frierdiker Rebbe approved the transfer. Instructions for handling the holy remains came from R' Levi Yitzchok Schneerson (the Rebbe's father). | In winter 5699 (1939), Rostov authorities planned to destroy the cemetery to build new buildings. The chassidim decided to move the ohel to another cemetery on Takucheva Street 155. The Frierdiker Rebbe approved the transfer. Instructions for handling the holy remains came from R' Levi Yitzchok Schneerson (the Rebbe's father). | ||