Editing The Alter Rebbe (section)

== The Arrest and Liberation of the Alter Rebbe ==
In 5559 (1798), the Alter Rebbe was arrested by the Russian authorities on charges of inciting rebellion against the government. The accusations were based on his efforts to strengthen Jewish communities and his support for the Jewish settlers in Eretz Yisrael, which some claimed was a political threat to the Russian Empire.

During his imprisonment, the Alter Rebbe wrote extensively, composing many of the teachings that would later be included in his works. After 53 days in prison, he was released on the 19th of Kislev, a day that has since been celebrated as the “Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus.”
[[File:מבצר פטרופבלסקי.jpg|thumb|The Prison Where The Alter Rebbe Was Held]]
The liberation of the Alter Rebbe was seen as a divine endorsement of Chassidus, and it strengthened the resolve of the Chassidim to continue spreading its teachings.