Shmuel Dovid Belinov
Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Belinow (18 Kislev 5670 - 14 Shevat 5763; 1909-2003) was a shochet and Chassidic educator in the Anash community of Paris, France.
Life History
Born in the Chassidic town of Klimovitch on 18 Kislev 5670 to his father Rabbi Avraham Asher Belinow and his mother Mrs. Beila, as a descendant of Rabbi Mordechai Pozner, brother of the Alter Rebbe.
At age 14, in 1924, he began studying at Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim, traveling between different branches for over ten years. He received his main education at Tomchei Tmimim Nevel under Rabbi Yehuda Eber and Rabbi Yechezkel Feigin. During his travels, he was among the bochurim sent to study at the Tomchei Tmimim branch in Yekatrinoslav.
After completing his studies at Tomchei Tmimim, he studied briefly at the Rabbinical Seminary founded by Rabbi Shmuel Levitin in Nevel. On 18 Iyar 5695 (1935), he married his wife Chava, daughter of the Chossid Rabbi Yerachmiel Goldschmid, Rav of Vinograd (son of the Chossid R' Yisroel Dov Goldschmid). The young couple settled in Klimovitch, near R' Shmuel Dovid's father's residence. After experiencing an extended period of financial hardship, R' Shmuel Dovid traveled alone to Moscow to find suitable income, and his wife later joined him with their children, thus being saved from the fate of the town's residents who were killed by the Nazis during World War II.
When the war broke out, they fled to Samarkand where they lived until its end. They then joined thousands of Chassidim who escaped the Russian border through Lvov in what became known as the "Russian Exodus of 5706" (1946). While waiting for the train, there was an opportunity to board a freight train departing on Shabbos. The Chabad rabbis present ruled it permissible due to pikuach nefesh (life-threatening danger), but R' Shmuel Dovid refused to desecrate Shabbos even at the risk of his life. Miraculously, there was a delay in the train schedule, and it departed many hours later, after Shabbos ended.
As a Shochet and Bodek
After leaving Russia, the family was left with nothing. With his wife's encouragement, he traveled to Ireland with a group of Chabad Chassidim and was trained as a shochet and bodek. He received authorization to shecht from leading Chassidic rabbis of that time: Rabbi Menachem Mendel Dubrawski, Rabbi Nachum Shmaryahu Sassonkin, and Rabbi Zalman Shimon Dvorkin. His work in shechita was blessed, and he became known as an expert in knife preparation and as God-fearing. When he returned and settled in Paris, all Chabad Chassidim living there requested to eat only from his shechita, and he began to earn a respectable living.
Alongside his shechita work, he also served as a teacher in the local cheder and excelled in education, while making sure to dedicate time for regular shiurim and lengthy davening.
Final Years
When he had a yechidus with the Rebbe in 1972, the Rebbe told him "We are family" (through his great-great-grandfather Rabbi Mordechai Pozner, brother of the Alter Rebbe). When he and his wife requested to move to Crown Heights near their children, the Rebbe instructed that this would only be possible after his retirement from shechita. Indeed, in 1998 they moved to Crown Heights and lived there until their passing.
R' Shmuel Dovid passed away on 14 Shevat 5763 (2003) and was buried in Montefiore Cemetery near the Ohel of the Frierdiker Rebbe. His wife Chava passed away two years later on 7 Kislev 5765 (2004).
Lineage
- Rabbi Mordechai Pozner, brother of the Alter Rebbe
- His son R' Moshe Dov Ber Pozner
- His son R' Baruch Tzadok Pozner
- His daughter Mrs. Chana Belinow
- Her son Rabbi Avraham Asher Belinow
- His son Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Belinow
Family
- His son, Rabbi Mordechai Belinow - Deputy Av Beis Din of Vaad Rabonei Lubavitch France
- His son, Rabbi Yitzchak Belinow - Among Chabad rabbis in Milan, Italy
- His daughter Mrs. Chana, wife of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Maruzov - Crown Heights
- His daughter Mrs. Beila, wife of Rabbi Tzvi Bronstein - Crown Heights
- His daughter, Mrs. Fruma Belinow
Additional Reading
Teshurah from his grandson R' Yechiel Michel Maruzov's wedding, 19 Shevat 5767 (2007)