Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson (Wife of the Tzemach Tzedek)

The Ohel of the Rebbetzins in Lubavitch: Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, Rebbetzin Sheina (wife of the Mitteler Rebbe), and Rebbetzin Sterna (wife of the Alter Rebbe).

Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka (5550–8 Teves 5621 / 1790–1860) was the wife of the Tzemach Tzedek and a daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe.

Biography

She was born in the town of Liozna in the year 5550 (1790) to her father, the Mitteler Rebbe.

On the 5th of Kislev, 5563 (November 1802), she married the Tzemach Tzedek.

About three years after her marriage, in 5567 (1807), the Alter Rebbe asked her to bring him some of her husband's writings. Among them was the maamar (Chassidic discourse) Shoresh Mitzvas HaTefillah ("The Root of the Commandment of Prayer"). Upon seeing the manuscripts, the Alter Rebbe summoned Rabbi Yehuda Leib (his brother) and Rabbi Pinchas Reizes and asked them to answer "Amen" to the blessing of Shehecheyanu — the blessing recited upon experiencing something new and wondrous — which he said he was obligated to recite.

Word of this reached the chassidim, who began according the Tzemach Tzedek great honor as a result. When the Tzemach Tzedek learned what had happened, he was deeply upset that his wife had shared his writings without his knowledge, and wished to divorce her. Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka argued that she was obligated to honor her grandfather — the Alter Rebbe — an obligation she considered greater than the obligation to honor one's own father. The Tzemach Tzedek replied that he needed time to examine the legal question, and that since he harbored grievance toward her, he could not continue living with her until he had completed his deliberation. For several days the Rebbetzin wept without pause. After waiting two months in hope that her husband would reconsider, she finally told her father. The Mitteler Rebbe discussed the matter with his son-in-law, and upon seeing that the Tzemach Tzedek's position was firm, he went to the Alter Rebbe and laid the matter before him.

On the Shabbos of Parshas Mikeitz, after the Alter Rebbe had delivered a maamar in his room, he waited for all those present to leave, then turned to the Tzemach Tzedek. He said that he had heard there was a halachic question the Tzemach Tzedek wished to examine, but since he himself was personally involved in the matter, it would be difficult for him to arrive at an unbiased conclusion — and so he proposed they study the question together, so that two Godly souls might together uncover the true ruling. After this joint study, the Tzemach Tzedek retracted his position and deeply regretted that he had considered divorcing his wife. The Alter Rebbe promised to learn together with him further, blessed them both with the verse "You shall plant pleasant plantings… on the day you plant them they shall flourish, and in the morning your seed shall blossom" (Isaiah 17), and asked the Tzemach Tzedek to remove any remaining grievance from his heart and to gladden his wife. He then sighed and added: "The harvest fled on the day of suffering and painful anguish."

On Motzaei Shabbos of Parshas Vayigash, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka came before the Alter Rebbe and thanked him for restoring the peace of their home and for his blessing.

Throughout her life she was devoted to the daily recitation of Tehillim (Psalms).

Passing

Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka passed away on Erev Shabbos, Parshas Vayigash, the 8th of Teves, 5621 (December 20, 1860). She is buried in Lubavitch, in the Ohel (burial enclosure) of her grandmother Rebbetzin Sterna (wife of the Alter Rebbe) and her mother Rebbetzin Sheina.

On Motzaei Shabbos, the Tzemach Tzedek said to his son Rabbi Shmuel — the Maharash — that the holy words of the Alter Rebbe had come to pass: exactly 54 years had elapsed since the Alter Rebbe had sighed and uttered to him, "The harvest fled on the day of suffering."

Upon her passing, the Tzemach Tzedek said: "My world has gone dark."

After her passing, the Tzemach Tzedek said to his sons: "Until now you had a mother here, in this world. From now on you will have a mother in Gan Eden. But for me — she is missing…" From that time on, the Tzemach Tzedek ceased receiving people for yechidus (private spiritual audience), saying that he now found himself without counsel.

Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka was surrounded on all sides by the Rebbes of Chabad: she was the wife of a Rebbe — the Tzemach Tzedek; the daughter of a Rebbe — the Mitteler Rebbe; the granddaughter of a Rebbe — the Alter Rebbe; the mother of a Rebbe — the Maharash; the grandmother of a Rebbe — the Rebbe Rashab; the great-grandmother of a Rebbe — the Frierdiker Rebbe (the Previous Rebbe); and the great-great-grandmother of a Rebbe — the Rebbe.

Her Family

She had seven sons and two daughters:

Sons

• Rabbi Baruch Shalom
• The Maharil of Kapust — Rabbi Yehuda Leib
• The Rachash"z of Liadi — Rabbi Chaim Shneur Zalman
• The Maharin of Niezhin — Rabbi Yisroel Noach
• The Riy"tz of Ovruch — Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak
• The holy Rabbi Yaakov of Orsha
• The Rebbe Maharash — Rabbi Shmuel

Daughters

• Rebbetzin Rade Freida Schneerson, wife of Rabbi Shneur Schneerson
• Rebbetzin Devorah Leah Zalmanson, wife of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Zalmanson