Editing The Split of Chabad Chassidus (section)

==== Relations Between Lubavitch and Chabad Kopust ====
The relationship between Lubavitch and Kopust was accompanied by great tension from the year the branch was established, and especially after the Maharil passed away.

Among other things, there were differences of opinion between Lubavitch and Kopust on abstract matters in Chassidus, and even in customs. For example, a dispute arose between the Chassidim of Lubavitch and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn, author of "Magen Avot" from Kopust, on the question of whether the Tzimtzum affected the letters of the Reshimu or not. The Rebbe Maharash wrote that the Tzimtzum did not affect the letters of the Reshimu, while the author of "Magen Avot" disagreed and claimed that the Tzimtzum also affected the letters of the Reshimu. (The famous Chassid, R' Dov Tomarkin - a Chassid of the Tzemach Tzedek and the Rebbe Maharash - debated this in an exchange of letters with the Admor, author of Magen Avot of Kopust). Even in the customs of Chassidim there were slight differences - for example, the Chassidim of Kopust were careful to celebrate the holiday of redemption, 19th of Kislev, on the night of the 19th of Kislev, whereas the Chassidim of Lubavitch customarily celebrated the 19th of Kislev specifically on the night of the 20th of Kislev.

Chabad Lubavitch Chassidim were careful during the split period not to study the book "Derech Mitzvotecha" because it was first printed by Kopust and the introduction to the book was written by them. Once when the Rebbe Rashab saw a Chassid studying the book Derech Mitzvotecha, he took the book from him.

Despite the dispute, the Rebbe Maharash instructed Shmaryahu Noach Schneersohn in 5632 (1872) to be appointed as the rabbi of the Chassidim in Babroisk.

After the passing of the Rebbe Maharash, the Chassidim of Lubavitch went to Vilna to print his book "Likutei Torah" for three Parshiyot. The Chassidim of Kopust who heard about this wanted to devise a scheme to replace the discourses written there by the Rebbe Maharash with discourses by the Tzemach Tzedek based on the same verses, thereby "proving" that the Rebbe Maharash did not innovate anything but merely repeated his father's discourses. Indeed, the emissaries who came to Vilna to print the book did not notice that the pages in their possession containing the discourses of the Rebbe Maharash had been replaced with the discourses of the Tzemach Tzedek, and so they initially printed the Likutei Torah for the three Parshiyot. When they brought the book to Lubavitch and it began to circulate, the Chassidim of Kopust made a great commotion, claiming that it was an imitation of the Tzemach Tzedek's discourses, and the book's circulation was halted for several years.

It is told that once Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn came to visit Lubavitch to prostrate himself on the grave of the Tzemach Tzedek, and afterward he came to visit the Rebbe Maharash. When they met, the Rebbe Maharash said to him: "Do you know why you didn't find the Rebbe [at the gravesite]? - Because he was with me."

On Simchat Torah 5671 (1910), the Rebbe Rashab stated that there is no innovation in the discourses of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn, and that the Chassidus in Kopust is "without any foundation at all." In contrast, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman praised the Rebbe Rashab, saying that he was a person with great fear of Heaven.

Before Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn, author of "Magen Avot," passed away, he sent a pidyon nefesh to the Rebbe Rashab to be read at the grave of the Tzemach Tzedek. When the Rebbe Rashab returned from the gravesite, he appeared troubled and sad. When Rebbetzin Rivka saw this, she asked him why he looked downcast, and the Rebbe Rashab answered her that as soon as he lit the candle for the merit of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman, it went out. Indeed, shortly afterward, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn passed away.

A significant event occurred in 5672 (1912), when the Chassidim of Kopust separated from Colel Chabad following several disagreements between the Rebbe Maharash"n of Babroisk and the Rebbe Rashab, which was under the control of all the Admorim of the different branches, and opened a new Colel called "the Special Colel Chabad," indicating that it was in order to return and reunite and quiet the dispute that had arisen in the meantime. It should be noted that when the Rebbe Rayatz visited the land of Israel in 5689 (1929), three years after the last of the Kopust Admorim passed away and the split officially ended, the people of the Special Colel Chabad officially accepted the leadership of the Rebbe Rayatz over the Colel.