Rebbetzin Devorah Leah Ginzburg

Daughter of The Rebbbe Maharash, born in Lubavitch in 1855 and passed away in Vitebsk in 1924.

Life History

Born in 1855 as the eldest daughter of The Rebbe Maharash. Her father once remarked about her: "Devorah Leah, you have a good head." Although stealing the afikoman was not customary in Chabad, The Rebbe Rayatz related how once, as an exception, when Rebbetzin Devorah Leah was young, she "snatched" the afikoman and received a pearl necklace in return.

The Rebbe shared at a farbrengen about Rebbetzin Devorah Leah's strength of character: When she learned of her father's histalkus, she turned to face the wall and stood that way for three days. She was unaware of her surroundings and did not hear anything (or according to another version: no sound was heard from her).

The Rebbe also related that when she would cry as a child and was given something to calm her, she would say she wasn't stopping crying but merely taking a break.

She married R' Moshe Aryeh Leib Ginzburg on 8 Sivan 1872. After their marriage, they settled in Vitebsk where they lived their entire lives. In Menachem Av 1893, The rebbe Rashab stayed at their home for about two weeks.

She passed away in 1924 in Vitebsk and was buried with great honor by anash and the local Chevra Kadisha, who insisted on carrying her coffin on their shoulders rather than by wagon (as related by her granddaughter Zinaida Kushnir to her daughter Galina Yakovov - daughter of Sheina. Zinaida Kushnir is Rebbetzin Devorah Leah's daughter).

Family

• Son: Dov Ber Ginzburg
• Son: Aharon Yosef Ginzburg
• Son: Shmuel Ginzburg
• Daughter: Musya Gurvitz
• Daughter: Sheina Meirowitz
• Daughter: Rachel
• Daughter: Chasia