Editing Rebbetzin Devorah Leah Altshuler

Rebbetzin Devorah Leah Altshuler was the daughter of the Alter Rebbe and mother of the Tzemach Tzedek.

== Life History ==
She was born in Vitebsk in 1766, to her father Rabbi Shneur Zalman - the Alter Rebbe, and her mother Rebbetzin Sterna.

She married Rabbi Shalom Shachna Altshuler in 1788, and approximately a year and a half later, their only son, the Tzemach Tzedek, was born.

== Her Passing ==
In 1792, a great kitrug (heavenly prosecution) arose against the Alter Rebbe and his approach to spreading Chassidus. He needed advocates and those who would awaken mercy, and for this purpose, he sent special messengers to the holy resting places of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch.

On Motzei Shabbos Selichos at the end of 1792, the Alter Rebbe called some of his elder students and told them about the serious situation of the kitrug, and that he had reason to believe that on the coming Rosh Hashanah - 1793 - the prosecutors would transfer their prosecution from Chassidus to him personally. The Alter Rebbe asked them to awaken mercy and also to make arrangements for how to help his son, the Mitteler Rebbe, in guiding and leading the chassidim and matters of Chassidus.

When she heard everything her father had told his select students, she decided to take her father's place, and contemplated how to accomplish this.

On Erev Rosh Hashanah after Mincha, Rebbetzin Devorah Leah entered the small minyan's beis medrash, where the Rebbe's family and select students were present, immersed in saying Tehillim. Rebbetzin Devorah Leah approached the aron kodesh, opened its doors and declared: "Let all the congregation be witnesses that before the holy Torah scrolls, I accept upon myself with clear mind, with oath and vow, that I, Devorah Leah daughter of Sterna, exchange places with my father Rabbi Shneur Zalman son of Rivka, that he should remain alive."

On Erev Rosh Hashanah after Mincha, the Rebbetzin established three chassidim as a beis din and informed them that they are witnesses that she accepts upon herself with clear mind and with oath and vow, that "I, Devorah Leah daughter of Sterna, exchange places with my father Rabbi Shneur Zalman son of Rivka, that he should remain alive."

On the first night of Rosh Hashanah after davening, the Alter Rebbe came out and asked where Devorah Leah was. When he saw her, he began to say "Leshanah..." He only managed to say the word "Leshanah," and Rebbetzin Devorah Leah jumped in and said: "Leshanah tovah tikasev v'seichasem, father, don't speak..." and didn't let him finish his blessing.

The next day, on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the Alter Rebbe said Chassidus until Havdalah. After Havdalah he called his daughter Devorah Leah and her husband Rabbi Shalom Shachna to his room (and she was there all night).

On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Rebbetzin Devorah Leah became ill, and the next day on Tzom Gedaliah - 3 Tishrei 1793 - she went to the mikvah in the morning and in the middle of the day passed away with clear mind until the last moment, and was buried in the cemetery in Liozna.

Her final request from her father was that he educate and guide her only son - who would become the Tzemach Tzedek.

The Hishtatchut (visitation) niggun printed in Sefer HaNiggunim was sung by the Tzemach Tzedek when he would visit her resting place on her yahrtzeit.

== Further Reading ==
Kuntres HaRebbetzin Devorah Leah, Kehot Publication Society, Brooklyn NY, 1993