Editing The Rebbe Maharash (section)

== Assumption of Leadership and the Division of Chabad ==
At the beginning of 5626 (1866), six months before the passing of the Tzemach Tzedek, he instructed his son, the Rebbe Maharash, to begin delivering Chassidic discourses publicly. Simultaneously, he issued a note to the Chassidim stating:<blockquote>"To him you shall listen as you listened to me"</blockquote>During this period, the Tzemach Tzedek also wrote a letter to his son, expressing his satisfaction with his Chassidic teachings and blessing him to continue delivering them. In another significant moment, the Tzemach Tzedek told his son: "The spiritual oil with which the Baal Shem Tov anointed his disciple, the Maggid of Mezritch, to anoint the Alter Rebbe for leadership for generations - with this power my father-in-law, the Mitteler Rebbe, was anointed, and with this power I have anointed you."

Beyond these hints, the Chassidim recognized his unique qualities and exceptional gifts: supernatural wisdom in both the revealed and mystical aspects of Torah, knowledge of worldly sciences (particularly medicine), mastery of various crafts, and fluency in multiple languages.

The Tzemach Tzedek had six sons, with the Rebbe Maharash being the youngest. After their father's passing, all the brothers began delivering Chassidic discourses, with some even having their teachings transcribed. The Chassidim would listen to all of them, with each person following the Rebbe to whom their heart connected, but there was no clear consensus about who would officially succeed the Tzemach Tzedek. Moreover, compared to his brothers, the Rebbe Maharash maintained a more reserved demeanor and exhibited a somewhat modern external conduct, which initially made it difficult for some Chassidim to connect with his spiritual leadership style.

A pivotal moment occurred one Shabbos night when the Rebbe Maharash delivered a Chassidic discourse. The next morning, his brother Rabbi Yehuda Leib repeated the discourse with his own innovation. On Saturday night, the Rebbe Maharash again delivered the discourse with additional insights. This pattern continued, with each brother adding their own insights to the discourse. On Tuesday evening, when the Rebbe Maharash delivered the discourse for the fifth time, Rabbi Yehuda Leib approached him and said, "This time it was father speaking, and I do not wish to stand against father."

Following this incident, and due to additional signs of the Tzemach Tzedek's special affection for his son Shmuel, it was decided that the Rebbe Maharash would succeed his father in leading Chabad Chassidus, establishing his seat in Lubavitch. However, this did not prevent a division, as four of the Tzemach Tzedek's sons began leading their own courts, resulting in a split within Chabad Chassidus.

Many distinguished Chassidim aligned themselves with the Rebbe Maharash's leadership. R' Yekusiel Liepli, one of the elder Chassidim from the time of the Alter Rebbe, decided to follow him based on the quality of his Chassidic discourses. R' Shmuel DovBer of Borisov told a young Chassid, "We cannot distinguish between the Rebbe's sons for they are all tzaddikim, therefore I cannot tell you whom to follow. What I can tell you is that I will travel to the youngest son (the Rebbe Maharash)."

The other brothers relocated to different cities (Lyadi, Kopust, and Nezhin), where they established their own Chabad centers and delivered Chassidic teachings to their followers.

==== Public Activity After Assuming Leadership ====
After assuming the leadership of Chabad Chassidus, the Rebbe Maharash continued his extensive public activity for the benefit of the Jewish people. In 5628 (1868), he traveled to France to meet with community activists. In 5629 (1869), he established a permanent committee in Petersburg dedicated to public affairs and the protection of Jewish rights. Between 5630-5640 (1870-1880), he made numerous journeys both within Russia and abroad for communal matters. In 5640 (1880), at great personal risk, he worked to quell the pogroms known as "Storms in the Negev."
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