Yekusiel Zalman Vols (son-in-law of the Mitteler Rebbe)

**Inscription on his gravestone**
Marker ??? ???
Here lies
the honored Rabbi
distinguished of noble lineage
the holy soul, our teacher Rabbi
Yekusiel Zalman, of blessed memory
son of the Rabbi, our teacher Rabbi Yosef Bunim, of blessed memory

son-in-law of the holy and renowned
our teacher Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, Av Beis Din
of the holy city of Berdychiv
and he is the 17th son-in-law of
our holy Admur, our teacher Rabbi
Dovber, of blessed memory, of Lubavitch
passed away Wednesday, eve of Rosh Chodesh Nissan
in the year 5627. May his soul be bound in the bond of life.

The chassid Rabbi Yekusiel Zalman Vols (5555–29 Adar II, 5627 / 1795–1867) was a son-in-law of the Mitteler Rebbe. Through his mother's family, he was a grandson of the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdychiv.

Biography[edit | edit source]

He was born to Rabbi Yosef Simcha Bunim son of Rabbi Aharon, and his wife Liba Ritza, the daughter of the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdychiv.

Few details are known about his life prior to his marriage.

During the week of Parshas Beshalach, 5568 (January 1808), he married a daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe. The wedding took place in the town of Liadi. The holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdychiv traveled to Liadi to attend the celebration. The Alter Rebbe delivered at the wedding the maamar (Chassidic discourse) beginning Ani Yeshena V'Libi Er ("I sleep, but my heart is awake"), which was later printed in Likkutei Torah on Shir HaShirim and in Sefer HaMaamarim 5568.^[1]

His Wife's Name[edit | edit source]

Some ambiguity exists regarding the name of his wife.

The name Rivka appears in a letter written by Rabbi Shmarya Noach Schneersohn in the year 5650 (1890), in a list of the distribution of communal funds compiled by the Mitteler Rebbe in the month of Sivan 5573, and in a draft letter from Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Berdychiv dated 5665 (1905), found in Volume 26 of the library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad.

In the genealogical register, the list of the Mitteler Rebbe's daughters records: "Rebbetzin Rivka Beila, wife of Rabbi Yekusiel Zalman." (Rebbetzin Beila is also recorded in the Frierdiker Rebbe's list regarding Rebbetzin Rivka, dated the 2nd of Elul 5675.) It remains unclear whether her name was Rivka Beila, or whether after Rebbetzin Rivka's passing, Rabbi Yekusiel Zalman married her sister Rebbetzin Beila.

In the Berdychiv registry of 5594 (1834), Rivka is listed as his wife. In the registries of 5610 and 5615 she does not appear, while the Berdychiv registry of 5618 (1858) records the name Yocheved — suggesting he may have remarried at some point.

Passing[edit | edit source]

Rabbi Yekusiel Zalman passed away on Wednesday, the 29th of Adar II, 5624 (1864). He is buried in Lubavitch.

His gravestone records that he was the son of Rabbi Yosef Bunim.^[2] In a letter of the Alter Rebbe,^[3] the name "Maharish Bunim" is mentioned, suggesting his father's full name was Yosef Simcha Bunim.

Family[edit | edit source]

His son, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Zalmanson, became a son-in-law of the Tzemach Tzedek, marrying his daughter Rebbetzin Devorah Leah. He served as Av Beis Din (rabbinic court judge) and Rosh Yeshiva in the city of Velizh.
His son, Rabbi Shneur Zalmanson, was named after the Alter Rebbe, having been born after the Alter Rebbe's passing on 24 Teves 5573.^[4]
His son, Menachem Yisroel, born 5580 (1820). Mentioned in the Berdychiv registry of 5594.
His daughter, Royza-Sara. Mentioned in the Berdychiv registry of 5594.
His son, Rabbi Pinchas Aharon, born 5583 (1823). Mentioned in the Berdychiv registries of 5594 and 5618. His wife was Tzivya, daughter of Rabbi Zelig. His son: Yaakov Yitzchak.
His daughter, Mrs. Freida, who married the Rebbe Yisroel Noach Schneersohn of Niezhin, a son of the Tzemach Tzedek.
His daughter, Mrs. Kayla, who married Rabbi Dovber Kohen.

External Links[edit | edit source]

Yekusiel Zalman son of Yosef Bunim — photograph of his gravestone at mylubavitch.org.

Notes[edit | edit source]

↑ He was the second grandson of the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdychiv to marry a daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe. The first was Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Meir of Pikov (himself a son of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak), who married Rebbetzin Sarah, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe, in Zhlobin on Parshas Naso, 5567 — a wedding known as the Great Wedding in Zhlobin.
↑ The gravestone was photographed by Rabbi Dovid Nachshon in the year 5750 (1990); the photograph was presented to the Rebbe and is held in the Agudas Chassidei Chabad library photo collection. Referenced in Kuntres Ohalei Torah, issue 135, p. 28, notes 1–2.
↑ Igros Kodesh of the Alter Rebbe, vol. 1, p. 149.
↑ He had a son Levi Yitzchak, who was married to Arliya/Argaliya; their children were Moshe, Nachum, Miriam, and Pearl, as recorded in the Olkhovets registries of 1883 and 1894.

[1] He was the second grandson of the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdychiv to marry a daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe. The first was Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Meir of Pikov (himself a son of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak), who married Rebbetzin Sarah, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe, in Zhlobin on Parshas Naso, 5567 — a wedding known as the Great Wedding in Zhlobin.

[2] The gravestone was photographed by Rabbi Dovid Nachshon in the year 5750 (1990); the photograph was presented to the Rebbe and is held in the Agudas Chassidei Chabad library photo collection. Referenced in Kuntres Ohalei Torah, issue 135, p. 28, notes 1–2.

[3] Igros Kodesh of the Alter Rebbe, vol. 1, p. 149.

[4] He had a son Levi Yitzchak, who was married to Arliya/Argaliya; their children were Moshe, Nachum, Miriam, and Pearl, as recorded in the Olkhovets registries of 1883 and 1894.

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