Shmuel Schneerson

Rabbi Shmuel Schneerson was the brother of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, the Rebbe's father. He served as the official Rav of Nikolayev for many years alongside his father-in-law, and after his father-in-law's passing, as the sole Rav. In 1941, he was arrested by the authorities and sentenced to three years of exile in a labor camp in Tomsk, Siberia.

Life History

Rabbi Shmuel was born in 1888 in the village of Podobryanka in the Homel region to his father Rabbi Baruch Shneur Schneerson. In 1909, he moved to live with his brother, the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak in Yekaterinoslav. There he worked "as a teacher of lashon hakodesh."

In 1910, he moved to Nikolayev. On 1 Elul 1911, he married Rebbetzin Miriam Gittel Schneerson, daughter of Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky, sister of Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe's mother.

In a letter from 1949, the Rebbe relates that by order of the Rebbe Rashab, since Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rabbi Shmuel married two sisters, they were not to live in the same city.

On 28 Elul 1916, their only son, Menachem Mendel, was born.

In 1917, he was appointed as the official Rav of Nikolayev and served in this position until 1920. As part of his role, he assisted his father-in-law, the Jewish Rav of the city Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky with rabbinical duties and was responsible for all official documents. In 1924, he was again appointed as Rav of Nikolayev and served in this position until 1940.

After his father-in-law's passing in 1933, he carried the entire burden of the rabbinate alone.

In 1926, he granted semicha "Yoreh Yoreh Yadin Yadin" to the Rebbe.

Throughout his rabbinate, he fought like a lion against the Yevsektsia on matters of Yiddishkeit, especially regarding the baking of matzos. In various places, correspondence between him and his brother was published, where they described to each other their battles and sought advice from one another.

On 19 Kislev 1941, his wife, Rebbetzin Miriam Gittel passed away in Nikolayev after a severe illness, when she was in her early fifties. After his wife's death at a young age, Rabbi Shmuel was broken and crushed.

Three weeks later, on 13 Teves, his son Menachem Mendel married Mrs. Genia Geller. The wedding took place in Odessa, and Rabbi Shmuel was mesader kiddushin.

It is told that at every farbrengen he would come and deliver a pilpul in nigleh and then explain it according to Kabbalah and Chassidus. At one farbrengen, the bochurim said to him: "What's the wisdom, you certainly prepare this beforehand," and Rabbi Shmuel said to them "choose any place in Shas." The bochurim chose a Mishna in Yevamos and he explained it according to nigleh, Kabbalah and Chassidus, and everyone was amazed.

Arrest and Passing

Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn was arrested by the authorities and sentenced on 4 Tammuz 1941 to three years of exile in Tomsk, Siberia. After about a year and a half, in Adar I 1943, he was released from his place of exile due to exhaustion and heart failure. After his release, Rabbi Shmuel came to his son Menachem Mendel's home, who was living at that time in Charjou, Turkmenistan. (When the Germans were about to conquer Ukraine, Menachem Mendel and his family fled to Turkmenistan).

After his brother Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's arrest and exile to Kazakhstan, Rabbi Shmuel would send him food packages.

He passed away in Turkmenistan on 10 Kislev 1944 and was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Charjou.

On the yahrzeit, 10 Kislev every year, the Rebbe would say Kaddish for him. The Rebbe noted this date several times, including in the Rebbe's private calendar from 1947, where he noted on 10 Kislev: "Shmuel."

Family

• Father: Rabbi Baruch Shneur Schneerson
• Brothers: Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, Rabbi Shalom Shlomo Schneerson
• Father-in-law: Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky
• Wife: Rebbetzin Miriam Gittel Schneerson
• Son: Menachem Mendel Schneerson