Editing Rabbi Baruch (father of the Alter Rebbe)

Rabbi (Israel) Baruch of "The White Spring" (Weissqualiker) (1724 - 8th Cheshvan 1792) was the father of the Alter Rebbe and a hidden tzaddik among the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov.

Rabbi Baruch is the central figure in the Rebbe Rayatz's stories in "Sefer Hazichronos" (Book of Memories). There, his childhood years are recounted, along with his wanderings as a young man through various towns until his marriage. "Sefer Hazichronos" focuses on Rabbi Baruch's journey in searching for the correct path in serving Hashem, through various stories he heard and events that occurred to him, which influenced his path and shaped his personality, bringing him closer to the Baal Shem Tov and the Chassidic movement.

== Childhood ==
According to Sefer Hazichronos, Baruch was born in Vitebsk, Belarus to Rabbi Shneur Zalman, who was a children's teacher, and Mrs. Rachel Pozner. His parents initially lived in Pozna, where their eldest daughter Devorah Leah was born. However, due to the growing Haskalah movement, his parents moved to Vitebsk, and about three years later, their son Baruch was born.

Baruch was blessed with exceptional talents, and at a young age began studying with his father alongside older students, surpassing them in his level of understanding and knowledge. Baruch studied in his father's class for three years, during which time R' Shneur Zalman spent considerable time with him in enlightening conversations. He would take him on walks along the riverbank, and throughout their walks through the verdant fields, he would discuss Torah and the wonders of the Creator with his son. These walks under the open sky, with the Creator's beautiful world spread before their eyes, increased Baruch's love for nature and his desire to be alone, far from human company, immersed in his thoughts.

By his Bar Mitzvah, he was already well-versed in several orders of Mishnah and knew several Talmudic tractates by heart. At this stage, he was already capable of studying and understanding Talmudic discussions on his own, without a teacher's help. His father R' Shneur Zalman allowed him to study independently, providing only general guidance and setting the study schedule. Baruch, who from early childhood showed an inclination for solitude with nature, would take his books to the riverbank, sitting on a rock or sprawling on the soft grass to delve into his studies. Sefer Hazichronos relates several incidents that occurred during this period, which were etched in Baruch's memory and influenced him.

== Orphanhood and Wanderings ==
About a year and a half after reaching Bar Mitzvah age, Baruch was orphaned from both his father and mother. In Vitebsk, he had an aunt named Freida, who with her husband Kadish, took in Baruch and his sister Devorah Leah to raise them. However, the death of his parents deeply affected Baruch, and consequently, within a short time, he decided to leave Vitebsk (despite his aunt and uncle's objections). His sister Devorah Leah remained living in her aunt and uncle's home until her marriage.

For three years, he wandered through towns and cities around Vitebsk. Wherever he arrived, he would first enter the beis medrash and sit down to study. He never stayed in one place for long. In each location, Baruch tried to earn his living through his own labor, firmly refusing to accept tzedakah or free assistance. Baruch would study day and night in the beis medrash, and sustain himself frugally through whatever work he could find, for any payment. Baruch maintained his lifestyle with great determination and decisiveness, without regard for the opinions of those around him. As soon as he encountered even the slightest interference with his original lifestyle in any place, he would leave and wander to another settlement, where he would continue his path.

Sefer Hazichronos extensively describes Baruch's period of wandering, the places he visited, and stories he heard or saw during this time. The events and experiences of young Baruch greatly influenced the shaping of his character, which as the father of the future founder of Chabad philosophy, contributed significantly through his righteousness and lifestyle to the formation of this approach. During his wanderings, Baruch visited the cities: Dobromysl, Yanovitch, and Liozna. In Liozna, he befriended R' Avraham the Gardener, who later became his father-in-law.

At the end of his wanderings, Baruch returned to Vitebsk. His sister was already married to a yeshiva student from Smorgon named Yosef Yitzchak of Shrei, who later became one of the teachers in the Vitebsk Yeshiva. Her residence was at the edge of the city. Both his sister and his aunt and uncle wanted Baruch to stay with them, but Baruch preferred to earn his living through his own labor and not depend on anyone. Baruch decided to stay in Vitebsk and study in his uncle's yeshiva.

== Marriage ==
Shortly after arriving in Vitebsk, Baruch entered into a shidduch with Rivka, daughter of Rabbi Avraham the Gardener from Liozna. Baruch presented several conditions to his father-in-law: 1. That he would not be supported by his father-in-law's table (as was customary in those days), but rather R' Avraham would build him a special house immediately after the wedding. Baruch's purpose was to create a guest house for hidden tzaddikim who wandered from city to city, whom he had met several times during his wanderings. 2. That he would not receive any dowry or wedding gifts from R' Avraham. 3. That immediately after the seven days of celebration, he and his wife would leave his father-in-law's table and sustain themselves solely through his own labor. His wife had to agree in advance to be content with little, according to whatever livelihood Hashem would provide, and not to need help from flesh and blood.

After his future father-in-law R' Avraham agreed, the shidduch was concluded. Baruch's aunt and sister wanted R' Avraham to also commit to allocating suitable land for Baruch to maintain a garden, because Baruch had told them that one of the main reasons he wanted to marry R' Avraham's daughter was that R' Avraham earned his living from gardening, and he too wanted to earn his living as a gardener like his father-in-law, pursuing the profession he had learned from him. R' Avraham agreed to this as well and allocated a plot of land several versts from Liozna.

Baruch stipulated with his father-in-law that the wedding should be postponed as long as possible. This was because he wanted a period of at least one year to continue his wanderings and complete his search for the correct path in serving the Creator. For this reason, he hurried to hold the engagement celebration.

Afterward, he remained studying in the yeshiva in Vitebsk for a full year. During this year, Baruch continued to behave as before, dedicating certain hours of the day to work for his livelihood, and the rest of the time to Torah study. Throughout the winter, Baruch studied according to the schedule his brother-in-law, the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, set for him. The program included much Gemara, Tanach, Mishnayot, Rambam, and various commentaries, along with mussar works, which he continued to study with great enthusiasm. When winter passed and Pesach was approaching, Baruch left Vitebsk and set out again. Although his relatives invited him to celebrate Pesach with them, he replied that he had his own plans and intended to celebrate Pesach elsewhere. Knowing that he would soon marry and begin a new life, Baruch wanted to visit his old friends again, with whom he had close contact and who had influenced him during his years of wandering. Thus, before Pesach, Baruch set out again on his journey and visited the towns of Yanovitch and Dobromysl. After that Pesach, Baruch decided to stay for a short period in Dobromysl.

Initially, R' Baruch (as part of his conditions with his father-in-law R' Avraham) set the wedding date for 18 Elul 5503. That year, 18 Elul fell on Shabbos, and R' Baruch set the chuppah time for motzei Shabbos kodesh. However, a few weeks before the wedding, R' Baruch informed his mechutan R' Avraham that he agreed to hold the chuppah on Friday, the seventeenth of Elul. And so it was - R' Baruch's marriage to Rebbetzin Rivka took place on 17 Elul 5503, erev Shabbos kodesh "Ki Savo".

After his marriage, R' Baruch lived on his dowry estate near Liozna, which was called "The White Spring" (in Yiddish "Weissqualik", today: Veleshkovichi). Many refugees from Prague and Pozna settled as families working the land on R' Baruch's large estate.

== His Connection to the Baal Shem Tov ==
After meeting with the hidden tzaddikim during his wandering years, learning much from them and greatly admiring them, the practices of the hidden tzaddikim, both regarding themselves and others, created in the tzaddik R' Baruch a great desire to be counted among them. During the eight years 5494-5502 from the Baal Shem Tov's revelation until the year when the tzaddik R' Baruch met with the Baal Shem Tov's disciples, the Baal Shem Tov's approach had already become more or less known.

In that summer of 5503, when R' Baruch stayed for a time in Dobromysla, he studied with the young chassid R' Yitzchak Shaul, son of the chassidic gaon R' Nissan Melamed, and also studied for a time with the tzaddik gaon R' Yissachar Dov of Kabilnik. Several times they studied the writings of the Baal Shem Tov's teachings that R' Yosef, the father-in-law of R' Yissachar Dov the Maggid of Lubavitch, had recorded, and then R' Baruch became connected to the Baal Shem Tov.

R' Baruch became one of the hidden tzaddikim. There was a period among the hidden tzaddikim when they didn't know each other, and after they became acquainted, the Baal Shem Tov strongly warned them not to reveal themselves. The Baal Shem Tov's disciples knew that R' Yosef Yitzchak was among the Baal Shem Tov's chassidim, but about R' Baruch no one knew, only his wife Rebbetzin Rivka knew.

R' Baruch and his brother-in-law R' Yosef Yitzchak were both distinguished disciples of the Baal Shem Tov. Both would travel to the Baal Shem Tov in secret, concealing this from each other. Once in 5507, they met together at the Baal Shem Tov's court, and the brother-in-law was very amazed, because R' Baruch was considered a baal middos (master of character), and how could he have concealed all this time that he travels to the Baal Shem Tov.

Later, R' Baruch became known among the Baal Shem Tov's disciples and was considered honored among the other disciples of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch. From time to time, rabbis and chassidim would come to Liozna to farbreng with R' Baruch about Torah and chassidus.

== Birth of the Alter Rebbe and His Childhood Years ==
When a year passed after his marriage and his wife Rebbetzin Rivka had not conceived, R' Baruch was distressed. After consulting with his friend R' Yitzchak Shaul, he decided to go to the Baal Shem Tov, and with his wife Rebbetzin Rivka's agreement, they traveled in the month of Menachem Av 5504 to Mezibuzh to the Baal Shem Tov.

The Baal Shem Tov would hold a feast every year on 18 Elul and give a Torah teaching. So it was on 18 Elul 5504, which fell on Wednesday. In the l'chaim blessing that the Baal Shem Tov gave R' Baruch, he said "At exactly this time next year you will embrace a son." Even before this, the Baal Shem Tov had mentioned that there was a new soul that needed to descend to the world. At that time R' Baruch was with the Baal Shem Tov, but even he didn't understand what this meant. And from the Baal Shem Tov they concealed the matter (that it referred to the soul of the Alter Rebbe).

Before R' Baruch and his wife Rebbetzin Rivka's return journey from Mezibuzh, they entered to receive the Baal Shem Tov's farewell blessing. Rebbetzin Rivka, who was in a state of great spiritual awakening, said to the Baal Shem Tov, "When Hashem fulfills the holy blessing of our teacher the Baal Shem Tov with a living and healthy son, we will dedicate him to Torah and divine service in the path of our teacher the Baal Shem Tov." R' Baruch asked the Baal Shem Tov if he should move to live elsewhere, and the Baal Shem Tov answered that for the child's soul it would be better to live in a place with few people, meaning few sinners. The Baal Shem Tov saw the great spiritual awakening of R' Baruch and Rebbetzin Rivka, blessed them, and they traveled home happy and content.

As is known, Rebbetzin Rivka was learned, and had daily study sessions in a fixed schedule, but this was done privately, and besides her husband R' Baruch, no one knew about it. When Rebbetzin Rivka returned home from her visit to the Baal Shem Tov, she traveled to her sister-in-law Rebbetzin Devorah Leah in Vitebsk, to tell her what the Baal Shem Tov had said to them, what she had heard and seen of the Baal Shem Tov's ways of conduct, and what she had heard about his holy disciples' great wonder at the Baal Shem Tov's order of divine service and conduct that Tishrei, which was different from all other years. Rebbetzin Rivka asked her sister-in-law to give her a schedule of what to study in her fixed sessions, and since she was confident that the Baal Shem Tov's blessing would be fulfilled, she wanted her to give her a schedule of conduct in prayer and study during pregnancy. Rebbetzin Rivka was confident in the Baal Shem Tov's blessing and promise, and how happy she was to tell her husband R' Baruch that the Baal Shem Tov's blessing was being fulfilled with good fortune.

Even though they were certain that the Baal Shem Tov knew about the fulfillment of his blessing, R' Baruch and his wife Rebbetzin Rivka decided to inform him of it, and at the beginning of the second month of Adar, R' Baruch traveled to the Baal Shem Tov. R' Baruch told the Baal Shem Tov that his blessing had succeeded, and his wife the Rebbetzin had conceived. The Baal Shem Tov was very happy to hear this news and was particularly interested in when the pregnancy had begun.

When R' Baruch told him the date, the Baal Shem Tov instructed him to recite the Shehecheyanu blessing without saying Hashem's name and kingship, to travel home immediately to deliver a mazal tov message from him to the Rebbetzin, and warned him with several cautions. R' Baruch returned home happy and content.

On Wednesday, 18 Elul 5505, the Alter Rebbe was born at his father's estate.

For Yom Kippur 5506, R' Baruch traveled to the Baal Shem Tov. When he entered, the Baal Shem Tov warned him not to tell anyone that he had a son, or the name they had given him. When R' Baruch was about to travel back home, the Baal Shem Tov gave him instructions on how to conduct himself with the child, to protect him in general, and during summer times to be with him in the fields. The Baal Shem Tov strongly warned him to guard the child from onlookers in general, and from talkative women in particular.

When R' Baruch came to the Baal Shem Tov for Rosh Hashanah 5507, the Baal Shem Tov asked him in detail about the child's upbringing, and again warned him not to tell anyone about this child. After Sukkos when R' Baruch was ready to return home, the Baal Shem Tov gave him a schedule of conduct for a full year for the child, and strongly warned him about protecting the child from onlookers, and not to tell about his wisdom as some parents do.

When R' Baruch came to the Baal Shem Tov for Rosh Hashanah 5508, he again inquired about the child's schedule of conduct. R' Baruch told the Baal Shem Tov that when he arrived home, his wife the Rebbetzin said that on the child's birthday on 18 Elul, he began to speak better, and during the year 5507, the parents noticed that the child had an extraordinary memory and unusual comprehension - whatever the child heard once was as if stored in a box for him. The Baal Shem Tov again strongly warned R' Baruch to conceal that Hashem had blessed them with a son, and when asked, he should answer briefly that they hope to Hashem that surely it will be successful.

When R' Baruch entered to receive permission to travel home and receive a farewell blessing, he told the Baal Shem Tov about their decision to bring the child to him on the next 18 Elul, when they would need to cut his hair and leave his peyos. The Baal Shem Tov agreed, and warned again to protect the child from onlookers, and that the mother and aunt Devorah Leah should travel with the child, that they should come on 18 Elul after prayers, and after he cuts his hair and leaves his peyos, they should travel back immediately. And they should be careful that no one knows about this.

When R' Baruch arrived home, he found that during the two months he wasn't home, the child had become well-versed in many chapters of Tehillim. He felt that the child had an unusual comprehension and extraordinary memory, and whatever he heard once he would always remember.

On Wednesday, 18 Elul 5508, Rebbetzin Rivka and her sister-in-law Rebbetzin Devorah Leah came with the child to Mezibuzh, to the Baal Shem Tov. Immediately after the Baal Shem Tov initiated the child with his peyos and blessed him, he warned them to travel back home immediately, and not to talk between themselves about where they had been, and he blessed them with a good year and proper journey.

When the Alter Rebbe was six years old, he studied with his brother R' Mordechai in the fruit garden, the verses "These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land" with Rashi's commentary. R' Mordechai couldn't understand how one could know which soil was better for growing certain fruits. His brother the Rebbe explained it to him and demonstrated with conclusive proof, saying that one can hear how the water springs flow in the ground, and under the white stone hill, the Alter Rebbe told him, a strong water spring passes. Over time, the spring burst through the white stone hill, and a large pool of water formed, which years later during a cattle plague brought blessing and goodness to all the surrounding towns, and they called the pool "The White Spring" (Byeli Rotches).

When his son reached the age of 10, his father R' Baruch began teaching him Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat. R' Baruch himself was a great gaon and expert in Seder Nezikin, and as he himself related, he received his extensive knowledge in this from his father-in-law R' Avraham the Gardener, who was also a gaon and expert in Seder Nezikin. Thanks to R' Baruch's expertise in this area, both the Alter Rebbe and R' Moshe's brother became great scholars and experts in Seder Nezikin. The Alter Rebbe once said that he received his pleasure in Choshen Mishpat from his father R' Baruch, and received giluy Eliyahu and ruach hakodesh from his mother Rebbetzin Rivka (and the Rebbe Rashab once remarked that what was printed on the title page of the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch in the Kopust edition, the verse "May your spring be blessed," hints that the Alter Rebbe's knowledge of Choshen Mishpat came from his father R' Baruch).

In his home, the Alter Rebbe would see how his father cherished and honored simple people, and this influenced him deeply. Later, the Alter Rebbe would say that from his father R' Baruch he learned what ahavas Yisrael is, from his uncle R' Yosef Yitzchak he learned what ahavas haTorah is, and from the Maggid of Mezritch he learned what ahavas Hashem is.

From time to time, the chassidim who visited R' Baruch would also converse with the Alter Rebbe, who was then a child of about ten, and they were greatly amazed by his great genius and talents. However, his father R' Baruch was very displeased with this, as mentioned earlier, having received instruction from the Baal Shem Tov not to let others know about or publicize his son. Once when Rabbi Meir Eizik of Harki, who was one of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid, a renowned scholar engaged in chassidic ways, was staying with them and conversed with the Alter Rebbe, he was greatly impressed by the depth of his knowledge. When Pesach arrived, R' Baruch told him to return to his city and not rely on the substitute rabbi who remained there. When R' Eizik returned to his city, he discovered that indeed the substitute had erred in a matter of halacha, and thanks to his return to the city, everyone was saved from a stumbling block.

Towards the Alter Rebbe's Bar Mitzvah, many geonim gathered at R' Baruch's estate from Vitebsk, Minsk and Plotzk. The geonim who took central roles in the celebration were: R' Baruch, father of the Alter Rebbe; R' Yosef Yitzchak of Shrei, R' Baruch's brother-in-law; R' Moshe Reuven, son of the gaon R' Avraham from Beshenkovitz, who filled his place as head of the yeshiva there; and R' Avraham Meir, student of the Seder HaDoros. R' Moshe of Pozna, R' Baruch's grandfather, also arrived, and together they held a great celebration that lasted seven days, with each day having a seudas mitzvah with many Torah insights. As told, the Bar Mitzvah boy's own insights surpassed everyone else's, and then the geonim ordained the Alter Rebbe for rabbanus, and the local rabbi wrote this in the Chevra Kadisha ledger as a memorial for generations.

== Continuation of His Life History Until His Passing ==
Regarding the continuation of his life history until his passing, not many details are known. The Rebbe Rayatz writes in his notes: "Rabbi Baruch, father of my great-grandfather the Alter Rebbe, was a hidden tzaddik, an exceptional scholar and was involved in matters of tzedakah, conducting himself simply like one of the settlement owners."

In Beis Rebbi it is told that Rabbi Baruch lived in the city of Liozna. He could not bear that his son the Alter Rebbe showed him honor, so he left the city and began to conduct galus, wandering from city to city, until he reached the city of Sulish, where one of the wealthy men asked him to stay in his home. That day the wealthy man succeeded in his business - making spirits - and understood that the success came to him because of his guest, therefore he asked Rabbi Baruch to stay with him permanently. Rabbi Baruch agreed and the wealthy man took upon himself to care for all of Rabbi Baruch's needs.

In this city he passed away on 8 Tishrei 5552. After his passing they buried him with great honor and interred him in an important place, and the Chevra Kadisha erected a monument on his grave.

In recent years the gravesite was renovated and an ohel was built over it.

== Rabbi Baruch's Monument ==
On the monument:

Here lies A simple and upright man, the rabbi The distinguished and exceptional Mr. Israel Baruch son of Mr. Avraham, of blessed memory, Passed away 8th of the month of Tishrei year 5552 May his soul be bound in the bond of eternal life

The Rebbe accepted this monument, even though Rabbi Israel Baruch's father's name is written as Mr. Avraham. The Rebbe Rayatz relates that his father's name was Shneur Zalman, and his father-in-law's name was Avraham. Many have addressed this over the years and tried to resolve the contradiction, including the Rebbe.

In the Beis Moshiach weekly, a letter from the Rebbe's secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel was published noting that the current monument is a new monument.

== Customs and Sayings Attributed to Him ==
In Sefer HaSichos 5702 (talk of second night of Rosh Hashanah), the Rebbe Rayatz writes: "The customs of our Rebbes are received from the Alter Rebbe. Already in his youth, the Alter Rebbe would spend the entire first day of Rosh Hashanah, from after Mincha of Erev Rosh Hashanah until Maariv of the second night of Rosh Hashanah, reciting Tehillim. As he saw his father Rabbi Baruch conduct himself this way, and the Alter Rebbe maintained this practice even when he grew older."

In Sefer HaSichos 5703 (p. 153), the Rebbe Rayatz writes: "Most wedding dates for Chabad Rebbes were set for Friday, and this is in memory of Rabbi Baruch and Rebbetzin Rivka's wedding, which was on Friday, 18 Elul."

In Sefer HaSichos 5699 (p. 356), the Rebbe Rayatz relates in the name of the Rebbe Maharash: "I heard from my elderly uncle R' Chaim Avraham, who was told by the chassid R' Yitzchak Eizik of Vitebsk, that in his youth he served the elders who were with the Baal Shem Tov, and remembered R' Baruch, father of the Alter Rebbe, and his brother-in-law R' Yosef Yitzchak, and from them he received this teaching, which they transmitted in the name of the Baal Shem Tov..."

== More Sayings and Customs ==
In Sefer HaSichos 5709 (p. 336): "My father the Rebbe would sometimes ask me 'What do you remember?' and would explain to me matters that happened in the past that I recalled. The phrase 'What do you remember?' is received from the tzaddik R' Baruch, father of the Alter Rebbe, whom the Baal Shem Tov asked this. And so the Baal Shem Tov would ask other disciples..."

In Sefer HaSichos 5707 (p. 102): "When I was a child, I heard from my father the story that the Alter Rebbe heard from his father R' Baruch, that when he was by the Baal Shem Tov on the Seder night of Pesach, the disciples asked our teacher the Baal Shem Tov 'Mah Nishtana' with the text 'Tatte ich vel dir fregen fir kashes' and with the known niggun for it."

== His Family ==
His children:

# Rabbi Shneur Zalman - the Alter Rebbe
# Rabbi Yehuda Leib - the Maharil of Yanovitch
# Rabbi Mordechai Pozner
# Rabbi Moshe

== For Further Reading ==

# Sefer Hazichronos - memoirs of the Rebbe Rayatz recounting R' Baruch's life story
# Yemei Chabad 8 Tishrei
# Mendy Kortz, "How I Discovered the Monument" - Rabbi Menachem Mendel Wilhelm tells about discovering the adjacent monument of the 'son of the innkeeper' which confirms the tradition about attributing the adjacent monument to the Alter Rebbe's father, along with discoveries about the place by Rabbi Baruch Oberlander, Kfar Chabad weekly 1938 page 30
# "Gam Baruch Yihye", Raphael Bachar, Sefer Dmuto Shel Chassid pp. 209-214
# R' Baruch - The Life History of Rabbi Baruch, father of the Alter Rebbe, wedding memento of Meir Shlomo and Chasia Yocheved Wilhelm, 2 Adar Sheni 5784, Kfar Chabad
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