Menachem Nachum (son of the Mitteler Rebbe)

Rabbi Menachem Nachum Schneerson (also known as R' Nachum of Nezhin; 1758 – 28 Nissan 1881) was a son of the Mitteler Rebbe. He was known for his pleasant temperament and was blessed with a long life — living to the age of 83 — and even in old age his appearance was youthful.

In his first marriage he was a son-in-law of R' Zalman Rivlin, and in his second marriage he was a son-in-law of the holy R' Yaakov Yisrael of Cherkass.

Life

Early years

R' Menachem Nachum was very close to the Alter Rebbe (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad). When he came of age for a match to be arranged, the Alter Rebbe told him that if he would allow a patch to be sewn onto the fine silk outer garment he was to wear at his wedding, the Alter Rebbe would learn with him and promised he would merit to be iti imi bimechitzasi — "with me, in my [heavenly] chamber." R' Menachem Nachum asked the Alter Rebbe whether he needed merely to outwardly agree, or to genuinely desire it. The Alter Rebbe replied that he must truly want it. Because of this, R' Menachem Nachum could not bring himself to agree — and all his days he mourned that he had not consented. Before the wedding canopy (chuppah), the Alter Rebbe tore a piece of the collar of the garment he was wearing (as was the custom among men of means) and promised him, in return for this, long life.

He married in the winter of 1812, at the age of thirteen. At the wedding, the Chassidic discourse (maamar) of Sos Tasis was delivered.

Before his wedding, the Alter Rebbe approached him and asked whether he would agree to tear the fine fur trim of the silk coat he was to wear under the wedding canopy. R' Menachem Nachum said he did not agree and did not want to do so — even when the Alter Rebbe offered to study with him in exchange. The Alter Rebbe then told him that if he agreed, he would be granted the merit to be iti imi bimechitzasi — in the Alter Rebbe's own heavenly chamber in the World to Come. R' Menachem Nachum wished to agree, but still asked: should he do so because he genuinely wished to exchange the precious silk for a patch, or out of kabbolas ol (acceptance of the yoke of Heaven — doing something purely because one's Rebbe commands it, regardless of personal desire)? The Alter Rebbe said he must desire it with the true will of the Yechidah (the innermost level of the soul). R' Menachem Nachum remained silent — because in truth he did not want a patch sewn onto his coat. On the wedding day, R' Menachem Nachum went to receive a blessing from the Alter Rebbe before the chuppah, at which point the Alter Rebbe tore off part of the collar and promised him long life in return. In his later years, R' Menachem Nachum settled in Haditch — beside the resting place of the Alter Rebbe — as a way of atoning for the fact that in his youth he had been unable to truly desire the tearing of the fur and the sewing of the patch.

The Rebbe related this story on a number of occasions and explained that in every generation there is a kelipah (a spiritual force of concealment and materiality) and the tests it arouses. The Alter Rebbe perceived that in his generation the kelipah of vanity in fine clothing was growing stronger. He therefore wished to "break" and nullify this force through the tearing of the finest part of the magnificent coat — so much so that he promised in return iti imi bimechitzasi.

During the flight from Napoleon, R' Menachem Nachum rode in the first wagon, while the Alter Rebbe was in the fifth. The arrangement was that R' Nachum led the convoy, and at each crossroads he would stop and ask the Alter Rebbe which way to turn. The Alter Rebbe would descend from his wagon, lean on his staff in devekus (profound cleaving to G‑d) for a time, and then indicate the direction. At one crossroads, R' Menachem Nachum forgot to ask the Alter Rebbe and turned on his own. When the Alter Rebbe noticed, he said: "It is good when the grandson follows the path of his grandfather — the reverse is the case when the grandfather is compelled to follow the path the grandson has chosen." He then directed that they continue on. The mistaken turn caused a delay in the journey and, it is said, contributed to the Alter Rebbe's passing along the road in the village of Piena. This event caused R' Menachem Nachum profound grief for the rest of his life.

R' Menachem Nachum dedicated himself with great devotion to overseeing the Alter Rebbe's funeral procession from Piena to Haditch — a distance of approximately 300 kilometers.

Residence in Haditch and Nezhin

Initially, R' Menachem Nachum lived in Lubavitch, in the same location as his father, the Mitteler Rebbe. He later moved to the city of Nezhin. Each year he would travel for approximately two months to spend time in Haditch. After reaching the age of seventy he traveled there more frequently, and upon reaching eighty he established his permanent residence there. He would sit in the study hall adjacent to the Alter Rebbe's resting place, occasionally visiting the surrounding town. A saying of his was: "I am a guest here, with the grandfather." During his time there, many Chassidim came to hear Chassidic teachings from him, to learn good character traits, and to hear short discourses. In later years he told the Chassidim that the reason for his extended stay in Haditch was to make amends for the episode of his engagement — when he had been unable to truly desire to sew a patch on his fine outer garment.

He is buried beside the resting place of his father, the Mitteler Rebbe, in Nezhin.

==Family== From his first marriage:

• His son, Rabbi Schneur (son-in-law of the Tzemach Tzedek).
• His daughter, Marat Chana Chike (Chisha), who married R' Yisrael Noach of Nezhin in his second marriage. The son-in-law of R' Yisrael Noach was the Raza (Rabbi Zalman Aharon Schneerson), who was very close to R' Menachem Nachum.
• His son, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Nezhin.
  • His daughter, wife of Yehudah Zilberparf.
  • His daughter, wife of Tzvi Dolitsky.

From his second marriage to Rebbetzin Sarah Freida, daughter of R' Yaakov Yisrael of Cherkass:

• Rabbi Mordechai Dober, who served as Rebbe of Tomashpil; he passed away on 2 Nissan (the second day of Passover), 1900.
• His son, Rabbi Moshe Zalman of Tchimishli, who passed away around Shushan Purim 1916.
• His daughter, Marat Rivka Rasi, who passed away at approximately age 22, on 12 Elul 1877. Her gravestone was deciphered in Sivan 2019. Until that point, this daughter had been unknown.