Rebbetzin Sheina: Difference between revisions

'''Rebbetzin Sheina''' was the wife of the [[Mitteler Rebbe]].

== Biography ==

Rebbetzin Sheina was the daughter of the chassid Rabbi [[Yaakov (father-in-law of the Mitteler Rebbe)|Yaakov]], a follower of the [[Alter Rebbe]] who served as a melamed (teacher of young children) in the town of [[Yanovitch]] and was the father of five daughters.

The [[Alter Rebbe]] chose her as a bride for his son the [[Mitteler Rebbe]] after the melamed had come to him in yechidus (a private audience with a Rebbe) and poured out his distress: he was consumed with worry over how he would arrange marriages for his three daughters who had reached marriageable age, since no chassid wished to marry into such a poor family, and the anxiety was preventing him from praying with the concentration expected of a chassid. Upon hearing this, the Alter Rebbe told him: "I will become your mechutan (in-law), and through this all the chassidim will want to become your mechutan as well."

He then approached his son the Mitteler Rebbe with the match. The Mitteler Rebbe, who was eager to hear the wedding discourses his father would deliver at the celebration, wanted the match arranged as quickly as possible. At the age of fourteen, in 5548 (1788), he married Rebbetzin Sheina.

In time, all of Rabbi Yaakov's other daughters were married to chassidim and men of good standing — among them Rabbi Yisrael the cantor and Rabbi Shmarya Berlin, and others.<ref>The names of Rabbi Yaakov's sons-in-law are cited in the book [[Toldos Chabad b'Russia HaTzarit]], pp. 83–84.</ref>

Rebbetzin Sheina raised in her home Rivkah and Gittel, the daughters of her daughter [[Rebbetzin Chaya Sara]].

After the passing of Rebbetzin [[Sterna Schneersohn (wife of the Maharash)|Sterna]], wife of the [[Maharash]], Rebbetzin Sheina sent a messenger to her son-in-law the [[Tzemach Tzedek]] asking him to arrange a match for one of her two orphaned granddaughters who were being raised in her home. After a series of developments, the [[Maharash]] married [[Rebbetzin Rivkah (wife of the Maharash)|Rebbetzin Rivkah]].

On the day of the wedding, the [[Tzemach Tzedek]] instructed his son (the groom) to go to the kitchen and ask for the blessing of his grandmother Rebbetzin Sheina, who was occupied there. The groom went to request her blessing, but she replied with some sharpness that the day was still long and she would bless him at the chuppah (wedding canopy). When he returned and relayed her words to his father, the Tzemach Tzedek sent him back to insist that she bless him right then and there.

When Rebbetzin Sheina understood that the groom would not relent, she asked for water to wash her hands, placed her hands on his head, and in the presence of two witnesses blessed him with these words: "May it be G‑d's will that all the spiritual powers I inherited from my husband [the Mitteler Rebbe] rest upon your head."

Her dates of birth and passing are not known.<ref>However, since she presided over the wedding of the [[Maharash]] in 5609 (1849), it is certain that she lived until at least that year.</ref>

* '''Sister''' — wife of Rabbi Shmarya Berlin of Yanovitch

** Their son: Mendel, passed away 5615 (1855), in the same town; his wife was Pessia daughter of Rabbi Yehuda

* '''Son''' — Rabbi [[Menachem Nachum (son of the Mitteler Rebbe)|Menachem Nachum]]

* '''Son''' — Rabbi [[Baruch Shmuel (son of the Mitteler Rebbe)|Baruch Shmuel]]

* '''Daughter''' — [[Sara (daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe, first)|Rebbetzin Sara Drabmediker]], married to Rabbi Eliezer Drabmediker, son of Rabbi [[Meir of Pikov]], son of Rabbi [[Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev]]

* '''Daughter''' — [[Rebbetzin Beila Wols|Rebbetzin Beila Vols]], married to Rabbi [[Yekusiel Zalman Vols (son-in-law of the Mitteler Rebbe)|Yekusiel Zalman Vols]] in 5567 (1807)

* '''Daughter''' — [[Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson (Wife of the Tzemach Tzedek)|Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn]], married to the [[Tzemach Tzedek]] on [[5 Kislev]] 5564 (November 10, 1803)

* '''Daughter''' — [[Rebbetzin Devorah Leah (daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe)|Rebbetzin Devorah Leah Twersky]], married to [[Yaakov Yisrael Twersky]] on [[6 Shevat]] 5571 (February 1, 1811)

* '''Daughter''' — [[Rebbetzin Bracha]], married to Rabbi Yona of Zhitomir on [[14 Shevat]] 5568 (February 10, 1808); they lived their entire lives in [[Lubavitch]]

* '''Daughter''' — [[Menucha Rochel Slonim (daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe)|Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel]], married to Rabbi [[Yaakov Kuli Slonim]]

* '''Daughter''' — [[Esther Miriam (daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe)|Rebbetzin Esther Miriam]] — no biographical details are known about her<ref>Over the years her gravestone was discovered in the cemetery in [[Lubavitch]], although she is not mentioned in the genealogical record at the opening of the [[Hayom Yom]].</ref>

* '''Daughter''' — [[Chaya Sara Alexandrov Zaslavsky|Chaya Sara]], married first to Rabbi [[Aharon Alexandrov of Shklov (son-in-law of the Mitteler Rebbe)]] on [[15 Menachem Av]] 5586 (August 19, 1826); after his passing on [[24 Iyar]] 5597 (May 9, 1837), she married Rabbi [[Aharon Zaslavsky of Kremenchug]], son of [[Rebbetzin Freida (daughter of the Alter Rebbe)]], in 5603 (1843)

* '''Daughter''' — Rebbetzin Sterna Freida<ref>Mentioned in the notes of the Rashab, in the chronicle of Rebbetzin Rivkah, and elsewhere. The chronicle of Rebbetzin Rivkah notes that she was the youngest of the daughters, born after the passing of Rebbetzin Sterna (wife of the Alter Rebbe) and named for her. Rebbetzin Sterna passed away during the nesius (leadership tenure) of the Tzemach Tzedek. No further details about her are known.</ref>