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Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson

Rebbetzin Chana

Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson z'l[1] (28 Teves 5640 – 6 Tishrei 5725) was the daughter of Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky, the wife of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson — Rav of Yekaterinoslav — and the mother of the Rebbe.

Throughout the decades of her husband's rabbinate and public work, she stood faithfully at his side. When he was arrested and exiled by the Communist authorities, she followed him into exile. After World War II, she made her way out of Russia, passed through the displaced persons camp at Pocking in Germany, and from there traveled to Paris, where the Rebbe came to meet her and brought her to New York. She spent the last seventeen years of her life in Crown Heights.

The Kos Arba HaNehoros — the Cup of the Four Rivers — and a cup of healing, presented by Rabbi Yitzchak Kadouri to the Rebbe for his 91st birthday on 11 Nissan 5753. Rebbetzin Chana's name is engraved on the left side of the cup.[2]

Life

Rebbetzin Chana in her youth

[3]

Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson was born on 28 Teves 5640 in the village of Romanovka in Ukraine, to her father Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky — who would later serve as Rav of Nikolayev — and her mother Rebbetzin Rachel Yanovsky.

Her father's grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Dovid Lavut, had served as Rav of Nikolayev; her grandfather Rabbi Yisrael Leib Yanovsky succeeded him in that position after his passing, and after him, her own father.

Her parents gave her a deeply rooted chassidic education from an early age. In those days Nikolayev was home to a vibrant Chabad community, and whenever a maamar — a formal discourse of Chassidus — arrived from Lubavitch, Rebbetzin Chana would copy it out by hand in beautiful script for the benefit of the local chassidim.

Rebbetzin Chana was blessed with an exceptional musical gift, inherited from her father Rabbi Meir Shlomo, who himself composed several Chabad nigunim — melodies of the soul's longing and attachment to G-d.

Marriage

At the age of twenty, Rebbetzin Chana married Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson. The match had been proposed by the Rebbe Rashab — Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneerson, the fifth Chabad Rebbe. 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 requesting his consent for the delay — but the Rebbe instructed that the wedding proceed as scheduled, and gave his blessing. The wedding took place on Friday, 11 Sivan 5660 [June 8, 1900].

Following the wedding, the Rebbe Rashab sent a letter of blessing to the groom's father, Rabbi Baruch Schneor Schneerson — in addition to a telegram he had dispatched on the wedding day itself.

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana lived in Nikolayev after the wedding. Three sons were born to them: the Rebbe, DovBer, and Yisrael Aryeh Leib.

The Rebbetzin of Dnepropetrovsk

Rebbetzin Chana's immigration application form, filled out during her time at the Pocking displaced persons camp in Germany; the stated destination is France (from where she continued to the United States)

The couple lived in Nikolayev until 5667 [1907], when Rabbi Levi Yitzchak received an offer to serve as Rav of Yekaterinoslav (today Dnipro) — the central city for Jewish affairs in Ukraine, then a province of the Soviet Union.[4]

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak accepted the position and moved with his family to the city, where he served as Rav for thirty-two years. Throughout that entire period, Rebbetzin Chana stood at his side, deeply involved and active in communal life.

During World War I, she was among the leaders of the relief committees established to provide for the waves of war refugees who poured into Dnepropetrovsk — among them shochtim (ritual slaughterers), rabbis, roshei yeshiva, and many others.[5]

Rebbetzin Chana partnered with her husband in raising funds to redeem those held in captivity, and they frequently interceded with the authorities on behalf of others — at times at considerable personal risk.

The Rebbe, on various occasions, spoke of how his parents' total dedication to the Jewish people shaped his own approach to leadership and his sense of responsibility for every Jew.

In 5689 [1929], the Rebbe's wedding was held in Warsaw, Poland. His parents were forbidden by the Soviet authorities to leave Russia and attend, because of their activities on behalf of Yiddishkeit. On the day of the wedding, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana held a seudas mitzvah — a celebratory meal — despite the severe prohibition on gathering for religious purposes.

Exile

In 5699 [1939], her husband was arrested by the Soviet authorities for his unrelenting efforts to maintain Jewish observance and spread Yiddishkeit — activities explicitly forbidden under Soviet law.

After more than a year of imprisonment he was tried and sentenced to exile in the village of Chialy in Soviet Kazakhstan. Rebbetzin Chana immediately set out to join him, to see to his every need.[6]

Despite the harshest conditions — including the complete absence of writing materials in their place of exile — she labored with extraordinary resourcefulness and devotion to provide what was needed for Rabbi Levi Yitzchak to commit his Torah teachings to writing, going so far as to produce ink from local grasses. Later, she risked her life by carrying his manuscripts with her through her wanderings, and ultimately succeeded in smuggling those writings out of the Soviet Union entirely. They were subsequently published in the series of volumes known as Likkutei Levi Yitzchak.

After the years of exile, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak moved to Alma-Ata (Almaty), but the cumulative toll of imprisonment and exile had ravaged his health. He fell gravely ill there and passed away on 20 Menachem Av 5704 [August 9, 1944], and was buried there.

From Russia to the United States

Leaving Russia

Document attesting to the arrival of Rebbetzin Chana, together with her son the Rebbe, in the United States

In the winter of 5706 [1946], Rebbetzin Chana departed from Alma-Ata. With the help of friends she managed to reach Moscow, where she stayed in the home of Reb DovBer Rickman in the suburb of Kraskoye. At first she insisted on leaving Russia through official channels, arguing that she had a son in the United States — she was unwilling to cross the border covertly with a forged Polish passport through the clandestine eshelonim routes.

In the end, however, she resolved to cross the border into Poland. There she traveled from city to city. Her companions for the journey were two young women, Hadassah (Fireman) and Yocheved (Zalmanov), born Gorelik — whose family she had come to know in Alma-Ata — and she agreed to undertake the journey together with them.

In Europe

From Poland, Rebbetzin Chana made her way to Germany, where she took up residence at the Pocking displaced persons camp. A number of chassidic families who knew her were there as well, and they supported and assisted her in many ways.

The young Yocheved Zalmanov traveled once more to the camp specifically to escort Rebbetzin Chana to France, so that she could be reunited with the Rebbe. The journey was not without danger — at one point they survived a burst of gunfire. At the end of the journey, Rebbetzin Chana thanked her young companion, telling her that she had shielded her with her own body and saved her life.

In France, Rebbetzin Chana arrived in Paris, where her son — the Rebbe — came to meet her.

In close proximity to Purim 5707, the Rebbe flew to Paris — the only time in his life that he traveled by airplane.[7]

The Chabad chassidim in Paris wished to honor the Rebbe by meeting him at the airport, but while they waited for his anticipated arrival time, a telegram came from the Rebbe Rayatz reading "Baruch atah b'vo'echa" — "Blessed are you in your coming" — and the chassidim understood that he had already landed. Indeed, within minutes the Rebbe arrived at the house where his mother was staying, having come by taxi.

When the Rebbe arrived, Rebbetzin Chana happened to be out shopping — she had heard a mistaken report that the plane would be three hours delayed, and to ease her worry had gone with a companion to buy a hat. The Rebbe went upstairs to the shul in the home of Rabbi Zalman Schneerson and prayed, and then came down to the second floor where his mother was staying. It was their first meeting after a separation of twenty years. They went together into a side room for a private reunion, and afterward the Rebbe went to farbreng with the chassidim. During that farbrengen, he spoke of how Yosef had not seen his father for twenty-two years — and as he spoke, he wept.

In accordance with the instruction of the Rebbe Rayatz, they sailed together by ship — not by plane — and arrived on the shores of the United States on 28 Sivan 5707 [1947].

Rebbetzin Chana lived the last seventeen years of her life near 770 Eastern Parkway, at 1418 President Street — a building now connected to the central Tomchei Temimim dormitory.

In Crown Heights

Three years after Rebbetzin Chana arrived in New York, the Rebbe Rayatz passed away, and her eldest son, the Rebbe, succeeded him. Despite his demanding schedule, the Rebbe was meticulous in visiting his mother every single day without exception.

Rebbetzin Chana was deeply woven into the life of the Crown Heights chassidic community. Many chassidim would visit her home, speak with her, and share memories of her husband, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak. She in turn regularly attended prayers and farbrengens at 770, and joined in the celebrations of the chassidim.

Rebbetzin Chana served as a member of the presidium of Neshei uBnos Chabad — the Chabad women's organization — in the United States.

Passing

The Rebbe shedding tears at his mother's funeral
The tziyun of Rebbetzin Chana

Rebbetzin Chana passed away at the time of Mincha on Shabbos, 6 Tishrei 5725 [September 12, 1964]. Thousands of chassidim accompanied her to her eternal rest. She is buried in the section reserved for Rebbetzins, adjacent to the Ohel of the Rebbe Rayatz in Queens, New York.[8]

On the day of her passing, the chair in her usual place in the women's section of 770 burst into flame.

On Yom Kippur, which fell during the shiva mourning period, the Rebbe asked Reb DovBer Junik to organize a minyan for Mincha prayers in her apartment.[9]

Commemorations

Beginning with Shabbos Bereishis 5725, the Rebbe launched a new and ongoing practice of explaining Rashi's commentary on the weekly Torah portion at every Shabbos farbrengen, week after week. He also printed a booklet of Iggeres HaTeshuvah — the Alter Rebbe's epistle on repentance — with a dedication in her memory.

Throughout 5725, the Rebbe farbrenged every single Shabbos (whereas in previous years he had farbrenged only on Shabbos Mevarchim and special occasions), and reviewed the full transcripts of each farbrengen for publication — a practice that continued until Shabbos Parshas Vayishlach of that year. In any case, that year saw many more farbrengens and maamarim than was his usual custom.

From 5726 through 5748, the Rebbe held a farbrengen every year on 6 Tishrei — the yahrzeit — and frequently spoke about her character and life. He also said sichos in 5749 and 5750. On many of these occasions, the Rebbe would speak about the three mitzvos most closely associated with Jewish women, all of which are connected to her name Chana: challah (the separation of dough), niddah (the laws of family purity), and hadlakas neiros (kindling the Shabbos lights) — in Hebrew, the letters of Chan-a form the acronym for these three.[10]

Many daughters have been named Chana in her merit, and many institutions were established in her memory, among them:

  • Keren Chana — a fund supporting young women who wish to study in Jewish seminaries
  • The Beis Chana network of girls' high schools[11]
  • The Nachalas Har Chabad neighborhood in Kiryat Malachi[12]
  • Machon Chana — an institute for women returning to Jewish observance[13]

In 5772 [2012], at the annual conference on religious affairs held in Kazakhstan, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Amar, presented Rebbetzin Chana's memoirs in Russian translation to the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev — on behalf of the Jewish community of Kazakhstan and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel — after mentioning her in his address before the assembled religious leaders.[14]

Her Memoirs

In Writing

In New York, Rebbetzin Chana committed to writing the story of her years in Soviet Russia — a chronicle filled with hardship but suffused with spiritual strength and mesirat nefesh. She gave a clean copy of these memoirs to the chassidic writer Nissan Gordon, who published them in the Chabad women's journal Di Yiddishe Heim in a series of installments in 5724 [1964], supplemented by details from interviews he conducted with Rebbetzin Chana directly. At her own instruction, everything pertaining to her husband's sufferings was omitted — she did not want to cause the Rebbe pain with those details.

Some fifteen years later, Rabbi Alter Eliyahu Friedman of Tzfas compiled the book Em BeYisrael — "A Mother in Israel" — in which he translated the memoirs into Hebrew and reorganized them chronologically. For reasons unknown, all the passages about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's sufferings that had been omitted from the original serialization were included in this edition.

In 5753 [1993], a group of young men obtained a copy of the original memoirs, typed them up in full, and they were published as they were written — in their original order of composition rather than chronological order — in the journal Tzaddik LaMelech, booklet 4.[15]

In 5772 [2012], the original handwritten notebooks of Rebbetzin Chana's memoirs came into the possession of the editorial team at Vaad Hanachos b'Lashon HaKodesh. A second notebook also surfaced — a later memoir she had written privately, covering memories from the Rebbe's childhood through her experiences watching him lead farbrengens after he accepted the nesius. These memoirs began to be published from the original Yiddish, with translations into Hebrew, English, French, and Russian, in a series of weekly booklets titled Reshimas Zichronos — "A Record of Memories."[16]

The notebooks were subsequently transferred to the Agudas Chassidei Chabad Library.

By Word of Mouth

Rabbi Nissan Gordon spoke at length with Rebbetzin Chana, and she told him many stories about the Rebbe's childhood. He published these — under his pen name N. ben Yochanan Gordon — in the Chabad women's journal Di Yiddishe Heim, and the Rebbe reviewed and approved those articles.

Rebbetzin Chana's recollections of her great-grandfather, Reb Avraham Dovid Lavut, were also published by the Rebbe following the introduction to Rabbi Lavut's work Kav Naki, and in the kuntres Rashei Perakim MiToldos Arba Mechabrim — "Biographical Outlines of Four Authors."

The Memories of Reb Yosef Nimotin

Reb Chaim Yosef Dovid Nimotin, son of the chassid Rabbi Shmuel Nimotin, lived in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan during World War II and was engaged in rescue work. He had the privilege of attending to and assisting Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson and Rebbetzin Chana — the Rebbe's parents.

At the time of the Great Escape from Russia in 5706 [1946], he entrusted to Rabbi Simcha Gorodetzky the shofar that had belonged to the Rebbe's father — a family heirloom inherited from the Tzemach Tzedek — so that it could be delivered to the Rebbe. Reb Nimotin remained in the Soviet Union until 5739 [1979], all the while carefully maintaining the tziyun of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, keeping it clean and in good repair.[17]

After leaving Russia he settled in Crown Heights, where he was warmly received by the Rebbe in recognition of his closeness to and support of the Rebbe's father. His memories of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana were published in HaTamim, issue 54 (Beis Moshiach supplement, Sukkos 5785).

Her Family

Further Reading

  • Rabbi Alter Eliyahu Friedman, Em BeYisrael, Kehot, 5743.
  • Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Gottlieb, Toldos Levi Yitzchak, vol. 3, Kehot.
  • Em HaMalchus, published by Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Bukiet, 5761.
  • Menachem Herman, Rebbetzin Chana: Milestones and Stories About the Righteous Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe's Mother, 5774 [2014].
  • Reb Eliyahu Matusov, Reb Shneur Zalman Berger, HaYetzia MeRussia, Part Two: In the Pocking Camp — the chapter on Rebbetzin Chana.
  • Shneur Zalman Berger, "Rebbetzin Chana in the Pocking Displaced Persons Camp", Kfar Chabad Weekly, issue 1198, pp. 38 ff., 5780.
  • "Shalom Imi Morasi" — "Manuscripts from the Royal House" — Kfar Chabad Weekly, issue 1842, p. 14.
  • "Bikurei Bnei Shlit"a" — supplement of Nashei in Kfar Chabad Weekly, issue 1877, p. 19.
  • Esther Sternberg, memories of Rebbetzin Chana — Beis Moshiach Weekly, issue 1429, pp. 42–44.
  • Sarah Katzman, "Memories of the Queen Mother" — Ateres Chaya supplement, Beis Moshiach Weekly, issue 1429.
  • Eli Wolf, "Em HaMalchus" — Kfar Chabad Weekly, issue 2079, p. 64.
  • "In the Footsteps of Rebbetzin Chana" — COLive Magazine, issue 24, Tishrei 5785, p. 64.

External Links

  1. ↑ This is how the Rebbe refers to his mother — Igros Kodesh, vol. 28, p. 105. The abbreviation stands for zecher tzadekkes livrachah — "may the memory of the righteous woman be a blessing."
  2. ↑ The cup is on display at the Chabad Library.
  3. ↑ It has recently become known that this may not in fact be a photograph of Rebbetzin Chana.
  4. ↑ Toras Menachem — Hisvaaduyos 5750, vol. 1, p. 62.
  5. ↑ Based on the testimony of her son the Rebbe — Hisvaaduyos 5745, vol. 1, p. 139 ff.
  6. ↑ For an account of Rebbetzin Chana's activities in exile on behalf of her husband, see the Rebbe's words delivered on the 25th anniversary of her passing.
  7. ↑ According to tradition, the Rebbe Rayatz had given an explicit instruction that on the return journey, the Rebbe should travel with his mother Rebbetzin Chana by ship, not by plane.
  8. ↑ The journal of Rebbetzin Chana's passing, Shturem.
  9. ↑ Testimony of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Chitrik — Kfar Chabad Weekly, issue 1984, p. 45.
  10. ↑ In the Rebbe's words: Challah, Niddah, Ner Shabbos — the initials spelling Chana.
  11. ↑ Founded by the Rebbe in 5726 [1966].
  12. ↑ Founded by the Rebbe in 5729 [1969].
  13. ↑ Founded in 5732 [1972].
  14. ↑ COL.org.il, "The Chief Sephardic Rabbi Presented Kazakhstan's President with Rebbetzin Chana's Memoirs — Video," 20 Av 5772.
  15. ↑ This edition contained numerous errors.
  16. ↑ Toward Shabbos Parshas Tazria-Metzora 5772, booklet 27 completed the first notebook. For Shabbos Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim, booklet 28 began publishing the second notebook — never before printed, though many of its details had appeared in Nissan Gordon's Di Yiddishe Heim articles in 5724.
  17. ↑ "How the Matzevah of Reb Levi Yitzchak Was Restored According to the Rebbe's Instructions", COL.org.il.
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