Editing Menachem Mendel Hornstein

Born on April 11, 1905 in Annopol, Volyn to his father Reb Moshe Hornstein, who was an important Boyaner chossid, and his mother Chaya Mushka Hornstein, daughter of [[the Rebbe Maharash]].

He was educated in Annopol. In 1922, at age 17, he moved with his family to Warsaw. Later he studied in Otwock.

== Marriage ==
On May 15, 1932, the tenaim (engagement) of Reb Menachem Mendel to Rebbetzin Sheina took place.

On the day of the tenaim, [[The Rebbe Rayatz|the Frierdiker Rebbe]] delivered a maamar beginning with "Shir Hamaalos L'Dovid Hinei Ma Tov Uma Naim."

The wedding took place on June 9, 1932 in Landwarow, Poland. From a letter by the Frierdiker Rebbe, the wedding location was specifically chosen due to border and documentation restrictions at the time. During one of the Sheva Brochos meals, Reb Chaim Ozer Grodzinski danced with the Frierdiker Rebbe for some time.

The Rebbe left a detailed account describing the wedding, customs, etc.

In winter 1933, the couple moved to Paris where he studied at university together with [[the Rebbe]] for four years.

The couple had no children but adopted his nephew, Yekusiel Yaakov Yosef Lis (perished in the Holocaust), son of Reb Kalman and Sarah Lis (Sarah was Reb Menachem Mendel's sister; she and her husband passed away at a young age).

They later returned to his parents in Otwock, Poland. When the [[World War II|war]] began, his father Reb Moshe Hornstein was ill and bedridden. Reb Menachem Mendel had the opportunity to leave Poland at the start of the war but didn't want to leave his sick father alone. He stayed by his bedside until his passing on March 27, 1941. After his father's passing, it was too late to leave as the borders were closed.

== Death ==
When the Frierdiker Rebbe left Poland in January 1940, he wanted his daughter and son-in-law to leave with him, but being Polish citizens this wasn't possible. While the Frierdiker Rebbe was in Riga, his efforts secured U.S. entry visas for Reb Menachem Mendel and Rebbetzin Sheina, but these weren't delivered.

When the Frierdiker Rebbe arrived in [[The United States|America]] in March 1940, he tried sending them the visa, which they received in Naples, Italy, planning to travel to America from there. However, ships stopped sailing from Italy to America during that period.

The Frierdiker Rebbe tried obtaining visas for another country through which they could exit, but these efforts were unsuccessful, and they remained trapped in Nazi territory.

Eventually, news reached the Rebbe about their martyrdom in Treblinka.

To avoid causing pain to the Frierdiker Rebbe, they didn't reveal this to him.

Only on November 25, 1950, did the Rebbe publish their fate:

According to Mr. Mordechai Unrad, who was in Treblinka camp in 1942, he shared a barracks with Reb Menachem Mendel. His mother Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka and wife Rebbetzin Sheina were in another barracks. On September 14, 1942, the Kapo brought Reb Menachem Mendel a note from his wife saying that on September 13, his mother was taken to the gas chambers. On September 23, 1942, the Kapo told them that on the second day of Rosh Hashanah 5703, his wife was taken to the gas chambers. On November 14, 1942, when Mr. Mordechai returned from work, he didn't find Reb Menachem Mendel in the barracks. Those who worked with him said he was taken with a group of Jews to the gas chambers.

His life story was written by Reb Eliyahu Shvecheh and printed in his wedding teshura collection.

[[Category:Beis HaRav]]
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