Levi Yitzchak Schneerson: Difference between revisions
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'''Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson''' (known affectionately as '''Reb Levik'''; [[18 Nissan]] [[5638]] [April 21, 1878] – [[20 Menachem Av]] [[5704]] [August 8, 1944]) was the father of [[the Rebbe]], Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. He served as the Rav of [[Yekaterinoslav]] (today [[Dnipro]], Ukraine), was a renowned Kabbalist — a master of the Torah's mystical dimension — and stood among the most prominent rabbinic leaders in the [[Soviet Union]]. He was arrested for his work sustaining Jewish life under Communist rule, exiled to the remote steppes of [[Kazakhstan]], and passed away in exile. | '''Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson''' (known affectionately as '''Reb Levik'''; [[18 Nissan]] [[5638]] [April 21, 1878] – [[20 Menachem Av]] [[5704]] [August 8, 1944]) was the father of [[the Rebbe]], Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. He served as the Rav of [[Yekaterinoslav]] (today [[Dnipro]], Ukraine), was a renowned Kabbalist — a master of the Torah's mystical dimension — and stood among the most prominent rabbinic leaders in the [[Soviet Union]]. He was arrested for his work sustaining Jewish life under Communist rule, exiled to the remote steppes of [[Kazakhstan]], and passed away in exile. | ||
==Early Life== | ==Early Life== | ||
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was born on Sunday, 18 Nissan 5638 [April 21, 1878], in the small town of Podobranka near [[Homel]] in White Russia (today Belarus). His father was the distinguished rabbi Rabbi [[Baruch Schneor Schneerson]], and his mother was Rebbetzin [[Zelda Rachel Schneerson]]. He was named for his grandfather, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak — a grandson of the | Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was born on Sunday, 18 Nissan 5638 [April 21, 1878], in the small town of Podobranka near [[Homel]] in White Russia (today Belarus). His father was the distinguished rabbi Rabbi [[Baruch Schneor Schneerson]], and his mother was Rebbetzin [[Zelda Rachel Schneerson]]. He was named for his grandfather, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak — a grandson of the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Chabad Rebbe — who had died young. | ||
His mother, Rebbetzin Zelda Rachel, was the daughter of the chassid Rabbi [[Zalman Chaikin]], himself a devoted follower of both the [[Tzemach Tzedek]] and the [[Maharash]], the fourth Chabad Rebbe. | His mother, Rebbetzin Zelda Rachel, was the daughter of the chassid Rabbi [[Zalman Chaikin]], himself a devoted follower of both the [[Tzemach Tzedek]] and the [[The Rebbe Maharash|Rebbe Maharash]], the fourth Chabad Rebbe. | ||
In his youth, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak studied Torah under his great-uncle, Rabbi [[Yoel Chaikin]], the Rav of Podobranka. Even as a young man his greatness was already apparent, and he received rabbinic ordination — ''semichah'' — from the leading halachic authorities of his generation, among them the Gaon Rabbi [[Chaim of Brisk]] and the Gaon Rabbi [[Eliyahu Chaim Meizel]] of [[Lodz]].<ref>Likkutei Sichos, vol. 9, p. 91 ff.</ref> He later also received a letter of appointment from [[Jaffa]] for the position of Chief Rabbi.<ref>Beginning of Rebbetzin Chana's memoirs; see also ''Toldos Levi Yitzchak'', vol. 1, p. 189.</ref> Some accounts hold that he studied for a period at the [[Tomchei Temimim]] yeshiva in Lubavitch — the flagship yeshiva of Chabad — though this is disputed and the Chabad Rebbes did not confirm it.<ref>Documentation and discussion of this question: ''MiBeis HaGenazim'', p. 71; ''Heichal HaBaal Shem Tov'', issue 40, p. 394.</ref> | In his youth, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak studied Torah under his great-uncle, Rabbi [[Yoel Chaikin]], the Rav of Podobranka. Even as a young man his greatness was already apparent, and he received rabbinic ordination — ''semichah'' — from the leading halachic authorities of his generation, among them the Gaon Rabbi [[Chaim of Brisk]] and the Gaon Rabbi [[Eliyahu Chaim Meizel]] of [[Lodz]].<ref>Likkutei Sichos, vol. 9, p. 91 ff.</ref> He later also received a letter of appointment from [[Jaffa]] for the position of Chief Rabbi.<ref>Beginning of Rebbetzin Chana's memoirs; see also ''Toldos Levi Yitzchak'', vol. 1, p. 189.</ref> Some accounts hold that he studied for a period at the [[Tomchei Temimim]] yeshiva in Lubavitch — the flagship yeshiva of Chabad — though this is disputed and the Chabad Rebbes did not confirm it.<ref>Documentation and discussion of this question: ''MiBeis HaGenazim'', p. 71; ''Heichal HaBaal Shem Tov'', issue 40, p. 394.</ref> | ||
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==Marriage== | ==Marriage== | ||
[[File:245465.jpg|thumb|The kiddush cup used by Reb Levi Yitzchak]] | [[File:245465.jpg|thumb|The kiddush cup used by Reb Levi Yitzchak]] | ||
When Rabbi Levi Yitzchak reached marriageable age, the [[Rebbe Rashab]] — Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneerson, the fifth Chabad Rebbe — personally proposed the match between him and [[Rebbetzin Chana]], the daughter of the distinguished Rabbi [[Meir Shlomo Yanovsky]], Rav of [[Nikolayev]]. The wedding was set for the Thursday following Shavuos, but when the bride fell ill, her father wished to postpone. He sent a special messenger to the Rebbe Rashab to request his consent for the delay — but the Rebbe instructed that the wedding proceed as scheduled, and he gave his blessing. The wedding took place on Friday, 11 Sivan 5660 [1900], in Nikolayev, at the home of a wealthy member of the community named Brishkovsky.<ref>"In the home of the town's benefactor, Mr. Brishkovsky" — ''Sefer Toldos Levi Yitzchak'', vol. 1, p. 71.</ref> | When Rabbi Levi Yitzchak reached marriageable age, the [[Rebbe Rashab]] — Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneerson, the fifth Chabad Rebbe — personally proposed the match between him and [[Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson|Rebbetzin Chana]], the daughter of the distinguished Rabbi [[Meir Shlomo Yanovsky]], Rav of [[Nikolayev]]. The wedding was set for the Thursday following Shavuos, but when the bride fell ill, her father wished to postpone. He sent a special messenger to the Rebbe Rashab to request his consent for the delay — but the Rebbe instructed that the wedding proceed as scheduled, and he gave his blessing. The wedding took place on Friday, 11 Sivan 5660 [1900], in Nikolayev, at the home of a wealthy member of the community named Brishkovsky.<ref>"In the home of the town's benefactor, Mr. Brishkovsky" — ''Sefer Toldos Levi Yitzchak'', vol. 1, p. 71.</ref> | ||
In her memoirs, Rebbetzin Chana noted the date of 11 Sivan as their anniversary on three separate occasions.<ref>See [https://www.lahak.org/RebbetzinHE.aspx booklets 34 and 35] at the Vaad Hanachos b'Lashon HaKodesh website.</ref> Following the wedding, the Rebbe Rashab sent a letter of blessing to the groom's father — in addition to a telegram he had dispatched on the wedding day itself. | In her memoirs, Rebbetzin Chana noted the date of 11 Sivan as their anniversary on three separate occasions.<ref>See [https://www.lahak.org/RebbetzinHE.aspx booklets 34 and 35] at the Vaad Hanachos b'Lashon HaKodesh website.</ref> Following the wedding, the Rebbe Rashab sent a letter of blessing to the groom's father — in addition to a telegram he had dispatched on the wedding day itself. | ||
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Upon arriving in [[Alma-Ata]], the prisoners were dispersed to remote locations throughout Kazakhstan, where they were to live out their years of exile. On 19 Shevat 5700 [1940], Rabbi Levi Yitzchak arrived at his place of exile in the town of [[Chialy]]. In those first days he stayed in the home of a non-Jew who took pity on him, together with another Jewish exile. | Upon arriving in [[Alma-Ata]], the prisoners were dispersed to remote locations throughout Kazakhstan, where they were to live out their years of exile. On 19 Shevat 5700 [1940], Rabbi Levi Yitzchak arrived at his place of exile in the town of [[Chialy]]. In those first days he stayed in the home of a non-Jew who took pity on him, together with another Jewish exile. | ||
The tortures of his imprisonment, the hardships of the journey, the harshness of the place, and the profound isolation all severely undermined his health. His condition improved somewhat when | The tortures of his imprisonment, the hardships of the journey, the harshness of the place, and the profound isolation all severely undermined his health. His condition improved somewhat when Rebbetzin Chana eventually made her way to Chialy to be at his side. | ||
Even in Chialy, he continued to strengthen Jewish life as best he could — seeing to it that Jewish souls who passed away in exile received proper Jewish burial, and organizing prayer with a ''minyan'', the quorum of ten required for communal prayer. | Even in Chialy, he continued to strengthen Jewish life as best he could — seeing to it that Jewish souls who passed away in exile received proper Jewish burial, and organizing prayer with a ''minyan'', the quorum of ten required for communal prayer. | ||
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==Family== | ==Family== | ||
* '''Wife:''' Rebbetzin [[Chana Schneerson]] | * '''Wife:''' Rebbetzin [[Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson|Chana Schneerson]] | ||
* '''Sons:''' [[The Rebbe]], Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson; Rabbi [[DovBer Schneerson]]; Rabbi [[Yisrael Aryeh Leib Schneerson]] | * '''Sons:''' [[The Rebbe]], Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson; Rabbi [[DovBer (Berel) Schneerson|DovBer Schneerson]]; Rabbi [[Yisroel Aryeh Leib Schneerson|Yisrael Aryeh Leib Schneerson]] | ||
* '''Granddaughter:''' Mrs. [[Dalia Rotman]] | * '''Granddaughter:''' Mrs. [[Dalia Rotman]] | ||
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* Rabbi [[Mordechai Menasha Laufer]], [http://www.col.org.il/show_news.rtx?artID=13622 "'My Father, May His Memory Be a Blessing?'"] — COL.org.il | * Rabbi [[Mordechai Menasha Laufer]], [http://www.col.org.il/show_news.rtx?artID=13622 "'My Father, May His Memory Be a Blessing?'"] — COL.org.il | ||
;Media | ;Media | ||
* [https://col.org.il/news/126210 "These Are the Generations of Levi Yitzchak: A Journey Through the Places He Lived and Worked"] — video documentary for the 20 Menachem Av ''yahrzeit'', COL.org.il | * [https://col.org.il/news/126210 "These Are the Generations of Levi Yitzchak: A Journey Through the Places He Lived and Worked"] — video documentary for the 20 Menachem Av ''yahrzeit'', COL.org.il | ||
* [https://he.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1923517 "The Rebbe Speaks About His Father"] — from JEM's weekly video magazine, Chabad.org | * [https://he.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1923517 "The Rebbe Speaks About His Father"] — from JEM's weekly video magazine, Chabad.org | ||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
[[he:לוי יצחק שניאורסון (אב אדמו"ר שליט"א)]] | [[he:לוי יצחק שניאורסון (אב אדמו"ר שליט"א)]] | ||