Asher Sasonka: Difference between revisions
Created page with "Rabbi Asher Sassunkin (Sasanka), also known as "Asher Batumer", (1908 - 5 Cheshvan 5748) was a Chabad chossid who was arrested and exiled by Soviet authorities for spreading Yiddishkeit. After his release from Russia, when he moved to live in the United States in his later years, he served as the shamash in the synagogue at 770. Rabbi Asher Sassunkin was born in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine in 1908 to his father, the chossid Rabbi Nachum Shmarya Sassunkin and his mother Mrs...." |
No edit summary |
||
| (4 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
Rabbi Asher Sassunkin (Sasanka), also known as "Asher Batumer", (1908 - 5 Cheshvan 5748) was a Chabad chossid who was arrested and exiled by Soviet authorities for spreading Yiddishkeit. After his release from Russia, when he moved to live in the United States in his later years, he served as the shamash in the synagogue at 770. | Rabbi '''Asher Sassunkin''' (Sasanka), also known as "Asher Batumer", (1908 - 5 Cheshvan 5748) was a Chabad chossid who was arrested and exiled by Soviet authorities for spreading Yiddishkeit. After his release from Russia, when he moved to live in [[the United States]] in his later years, he served as the shamash in the synagogue at 770. | ||
Rabbi Asher Sassunkin was born in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine in 1908 to his father, the chossid Rabbi Nachum Shmarya Sassunkin and his mother Mrs. Feigel. | Rabbi Asher Sassunkin was born in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine in 1908 to his father, the chossid Rabbi Nachum Shmarya Sassunkin and his mother Mrs. Feigel. | ||
Between 1924-1931, he studied in various branches of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim. | Between 1924-1931, he studied in various branches of [[Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim|Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim]]. | ||
After he and his first wife, Sarah, had three children, his wife contracted typhus and passed away from her illness. His daughter Rachel was raised in the home of her grandfather, Rabbi Nachum Shmarya Sassunkin. In his second marriage, he married Mrs. Freida Menia, daughter of Rabbi Ephraim Shmuel Levin from Lipovitz. The couple had a boy and a girl. After R' Asher was caught by the KGB and exiled to Siberia, his wife went shopping and left the children at home. When she returned, she discovered that the children had perished in a fire that broke out due to playing with matches. About a year and a half after his release from prison, they had a child who was named Yosef Yitzchak. | After he and his first wife, Sarah, had three children, his wife contracted typhus and passed away from her illness. His daughter Rachel was raised in the home of her grandfather, Rabbi Nachum Shmarya Sassunkin. In his second marriage, he married Mrs. Freida Menia, daughter of Rabbi Ephraim Shmuel Levin from Lipovitz. The couple had a boy and a girl. After R' Asher was caught by the KGB and exiled to Siberia, his wife went shopping and left the children at home. When she returned, she discovered that the children had perished in a fire that broke out due to playing with matches. About a year and a half after his release from prison, they had a child who was named Yosef Yitzchak. | ||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
During his first Yechidus with the Rebbe in Tishrei 5725 (1964), he presented the Rebbe with a pack of cigars from Russia. The Rebbe thanked him and said "I don't smoke at all," but nevertheless took one cigar from the package and instructed him to distribute the rest of the cigars in the zal downstairs. | During his first Yechidus with the Rebbe in Tishrei 5725 (1964), he presented the Rebbe with a pack of cigars from Russia. The Rebbe thanked him and said "I don't smoke at all," but nevertheless took one cigar from the package and instructed him to distribute the rest of the cigars in the zal downstairs. | ||
In Sukkos 5725 (1964), the first farbrengen after leaving Russia was held in Rav Yisroel Duchman's sukkah. This farbrengen especially expressed R' Asher's way. The heart and soul friends, R' Asher and R' Mendel Futerfas, participated. R' Asher, in his holy way, demanded from those at the farbrengen to learn the Likkutei Torah of the parsha every week and to daven with deliberation. He even added that he felt disappointed, as he expected every tomim in Eretz Hakodesh to know all of Tanya by heart. R' Mendel, who had a completely different temperament, scolded him to stop being in a state of merirus, and compared it to a story of a person who constantly complained about smelling something unpleasant, until they discovered dirt stuck under his nose. R' Asher immediately responded with his own story, comparing it to travelers who lost their way and suddenly found a sign showing the direction - no matter how it looks, they will follow it because it tells the truth. The farbrengen continued for hours and the elder chassidim never forgot it. | In Sukkos 5725 (1964), the first farbrengen after leaving Russia was held in Rav Yisroel Duchman's sukkah. This farbrengen especially expressed R' Asher's way. The heart and soul friends, R' Asher and [[Rabbi Menachem Mendel Futerfas|R' Mendel Futerfas]], participated. R' Asher, in his holy way, demanded from those at the farbrengen to learn the [[Likkutei Torah]] of the parsha every week and to daven with deliberation. He even added that he felt disappointed, as he expected every tomim in Eretz Hakodesh to know all of [[Tanya]] by heart. R' Mendel, who had a completely different temperament, scolded him to stop being in a state of merirus, and compared it to a story of a person who constantly complained about smelling something unpleasant, until they discovered dirt stuck under his nose. R' Asher immediately responded with his own story, comparing it to travelers who lost their way and suddenly found a sign showing the direction - no matter how it looks, they will follow it because it tells the truth. The farbrengen continued for hours and the elder chassidim never forgot it. | ||
In 5726 (1965), he entered for Yechidus with the Rebbe, during which he presented the Rebbe with a question on the commentary of the "Tiferes Yisroel," and said that if the Rebbe doesn't look at the "Tiferes Yisroel" he would read the words to the Rebbe from the sefer. The Rebbe took the sefer and examined the question, and afterward said that "in the past there were chassidim who didn't look at 'Tiferes Yisroel'" and asked R' Asher if he studies the sefer, noting that "I look at it because it's a good and convenient commentary." R' Asher replied that if the Rebbe looks at the sefer, then he will look at it too. | In 5726 (1965), he entered for Yechidus with the Rebbe, during which he presented the Rebbe with a question on the commentary of the "Tiferes Yisroel," and said that if the Rebbe doesn't look at the "Tiferes Yisroel" he would read the words to the Rebbe from the sefer. The Rebbe took the sefer and examined the question, and afterward said that "in the past there were chassidim who didn't look at 'Tiferes Yisroel'" and asked R' Asher if he studies the sefer, noting that "I look at it because it's a good and convenient commentary." R' Asher replied that if the Rebbe looks at the sefer, then he will look at it too. | ||
| Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
== Further Reading == | == Further Reading == | ||
* Yosef Ashkenazi, Otzar HaChassidim - The Personalities and Chassidic Teachings of Chabad Mashpi'im in Eretz Hakodesh, published by Chazak, 5772 (2012) | |||
[[Category: Chassidim of The Rebbe]] | |||
[[he:אשר סאסאנקא]] | |||