Pictures and Portraits of Our Rebbes: Difference between revisions

==== Proper Respect for Pictures of Our Rebbes ====

To the director of an institution who printed a page with the Rebbe Rayatz's picture at the top alongside two pictures of women who helped the institution, the Rebbe wrote a stern response disapproving of this and even wrote that "I have seen many shocking things - but I admit that this matter is first in 'greatness' among them." He instructed him to remove his name from all the letters and brochures of the institution. The Rebbe also instructed him to fast several times, then go to the Ohel of the Rebbe Rayatz to ask him for forgiveness and atonement, and to regularly study the maamarim of the Rebbe Rayatz until Rosh Hashanah.

When it was proposed to issue a stamp with the picture of the Alter Rebbe, the Rebbe rejected the idea since the nature of a stamp is that the envelope on which it is affixed gets rolled around, in addition to the fact that people hit the stamp, which would cause disrespect to the picture of the Alter Rebbe.

== Drawing of the Baal Shem Tov ==

The famous portrait mistakenly attributed to the Baal Shem Tov

There is a famous picture attributed to the Baal Shem Tov, which was first distributed in 5663 (1903), but there is doubt about the authenticity of this attribution. The Rebbe said that this picture belongs to another Baal Shem who lived and worked in Deutschland (Germany, see below), not to the Baal Shem Tov.

In 5781 (2021), Rabbi Yechiel Ofner discovered in the estate of Mrs. Hinda Gurevich, granddaughter of Rebbetzin Beila Wells, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe, and his niece, daughter of the sister of the wife of Maharyen of Nezhin, son of the Tzemach Tzedek, another copy of the original drawing, the earliest one, which apparently was drawn at the request of Maharyen himself. The copy was apparently drawn after the passing of the Tzemach Tzedek. In the drawing, the garment was corrected with the right side placed over the left side, and the book was changed to a Hebrew book, even marked with "Tzemach Tzedek." Under the drawing was written in STA"M letters (in the Alter Rebbe's handwriting): "Here is an authentic picture of our master, the righteous Rabbi Menachem Mendel, of blessed memory, from Lubavitch."

It is not known if there is a definite drawing of the Rebbe Maharash, but there are about four drawings believed to be of the Rebbe Maharash:

== The Rebbe Rayatz's Photo That the Rebbe Described: "I Have Never Seen Its Equal" ==

The Rebbe Rayatz, receiving American citizenship, raising his hand as a gesture of allegiance

The first photograph of the Rebbe Rayatz is from before his leadership period, in which he is seen wearing a suit and a kneitch hat. In the summer of 5751 (1991), a drawing of the Rebbe Rayatz's face from 5680 (1920) was sent to the Rebbe. The Rebbe thanked the sender and remarked that the drawing was likely made from memory, and that he especially enjoyed it since he had not been privileged to see images from this period in the life of the Rebbe Rayatz.

The Rebbe referred many times to contemplating the photograph of the Rebbe Rayatz and its influence. Among them: that the fulfillment of shlichus is through the power of seeing and not just a result of learning which is at the level of hearing.

==== Photos of the Rebbe Before Accepting the Leadership ====