Shmuel Schneersohn
Shmuel Schneersohn | |
---|---|
Stamp of Shmuel Schneerson | |
Title | Lubavitcher Rebbe |
Personal | |
Born | Shmuel Schneersohn 29 April 1834 OS |
Died | 14 September 1882 OS Lyubavichi, Russian Empire |
Religion | Judaism |
Spouse | Sterna (daughter of his brother Chaim Shneur Zalman), Rivkah (granddaughter of Dovber Schneuri) |
Parents |
|
Jewish leader | |
Predecessor | Menachem Mendel Schneersohn |
Successor | Sholom Dovber Schneersohn |
Began | 17 March 1866 |
Ended | 14 September 1882 OS |
Main work | Likutei Torah - Toras Shmuel |
Dynasty | Chabad Lubavitch |
Shmuel Schneersohn (or Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch or The Rebbe Maharash) (29 April 1834 – 14 September 1882 OS) was an Orthodox rabbi and the fourth Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement.
Biography
Shmuel Schneersohn was born in Lyubavichi, on 2 Iyar 5594 (1834), the seventh son of the Tzemach Tzedek. He faced competition from three of his brothers, primarily from Yehuda Leib Schneersohn who established a dynasty in Kapust upon their father's death. Other brothers also established dynasties in Lyady, Nizhyn, and Ovruch.[1]
In 1848, Schneersohn was married to the daughter of his brother, Chaim Shneur Zalman Schneersohn. After several months, she died, and he then married Rivkah, a granddaughter of his own grandfather Dovber Schneuri. He had three sons, Zalman Aharon, Shalom Dovber and Menachem Mendel as well as one daughter, Devorah Leah.
Schneersohn was said to have had chariots on call for the evacuation of books in time of fire.[2]
Besides his communal activism, he had wide intellectual interests. He spoke several languages, including Latin.[3] He wrote widely on a range of religious and secular topics, and much of his writing has never been published and remains in manuscript form alone.[3] His discourses began to be published for the first time under the title Likkutei Torat Shmuel in 1945 by Kehot, and 12 volumes have so far been printed.[3]
He died in Lyubavichi, on 13 Tishrei 5643 (1882), leaving three sons and two daughters, and was succeeded by his son Sholom Dovber.[3]
Schneersohn urged the study of Kabbalah as a prerequisite for one's humanity:
A person who is capable of comprehending the seder hishtalshelus (kabbalistic secrets concerning the coming-into-being of all existence every moment) - and fails to do so - cannot be considered a human being. At every moment and time one must know where his soul stands. It is a mitzvah (commandment) and an obligation to know the seder hishtalshelus.[4]
Works
- "Likkutei Torah L'Sholosh Parshiyos" - Discourses based on the first three parshiyos in Torah Ohr of the Alter Rebbe
- "Likkutei Torah - Toras Shmuel 5626-5642" 35 volumes - discourses in order of the parshiyos and festivals
- "Sefer hasichos Toras Shmuel"
- "Igros Kodesh" A collection of over 70 surviving letters and Halachik responsa
Aphorisms
"The world says, 'If you can't crawl under, climb over.' But I say, Lechatchilah Ariber--'At the outset, one should climb over.'"[5]
"You cannot fool God; ultimately, you cannot fool others either. The only one you can fool is yourself. And to fool a fool is no great achievement."[6]
"because better is better, is good not good? rather good is good, and better is better!"[7]
"Why are you demanding of me[8]? Demand of yourself! If you toil and fill your mind with Torah there won't be any space for foreign thoughts! break your desires and you will feel great pleasure in prayer!"[9]
Part of a series on Chabad Rebbes
- Shneur Zalman of Liadi (Alter Rebbe)
- Dovber Schneuri (Mitteler Rebbe)
- Menachem M. Schneersohn (Tzemach Tzedek)
- Shmuel Schneersohn (Rebbe Maharash)
- Sholom Dovber Schneersohn (Rebbe Rashab)
- Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (Rebbe Rayatz)
- Menachem M. Schneerson (the Rebbe)
Places and landmarks Customs and holidays Organizations
- Agudas Chasidei Chabad
- Chabad.org
- Colel Chabad
- Friendship Circle
- Gan Israel
- Rohr Jewish Learning Institute
- Jewish Learning Network
- Jewish Released Time
- Jewish Relief Agency
- Kehot Publication Society
- Lubavitch Youth Organization
- Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch
- Machneh Israel
- NCFJE
- Ohr Avner
- Tzivos Hashem
- Vaad Talmidei Hatmimim
Schools Chabad philosophy Texts Outreach Terminology Chabad offshoots References
- ^ Sefer HaToldot Rav Shmuel, Admor Maharash, Glitzenstein, A. H.
- ^ The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, ch.16 note.12, KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0-88125-836-9
- ^ a b c d Encyclopedia of Hasidism, entry: Schneersohn, Shmuel. Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. ISBN 1-56821-123-6
- ^ Sefer HaToldos Admur Maharash Archived 2007-05-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ See footnote number "[58]", of "The Blessings Of The Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita / After Minchah Erev Yom Kippur, 5752". Chabad.org. Archived from the original on March 27, 2002.
[As the Rebbe Maharash himself explained, this approach runs contrary to the approach of the world at large. "The world says, 'If you can't crawl under, climb over.' But I say, LeChatchilah Ariber, 'At the outset, one should climb over.' "]- ^ The Nechama Greisman Anthology Archived 2003-11-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=31629&st=&pgnum=205
- ^ To rid you of evil thoughts
- ^ https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=31629&st=&pgnum=111&hilite=
External links
- A biography of The Rebbe Maharash - Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn
- Family Tree
- Sefer Toras Shmuel by Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn
Preceded by
Menachem Mendel SchneersohnRebbe of Lubavitch
1866—1882Succeeded by
Sholom Dovber Schneersohn
Schneersohn family tree (partial)
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
1745–1812[1]
1st Chabad RebbeRebbetzin Sterna[2]
17??–18??[3]Rabbi Shalom Shachne
17??–18??Rebbetzin Devora Leah
17??–17??Rabbi Dovber Schneuri
1773–1827[4]
2nd Chabad RebbeRebbetzin Sheina[5]
17??–18??[6]Rabbi Menachem M. Schneersohn
1789–1866[7]
3rd Chabad RebbeRebbetzin Chaya M. Schneersohn
17??–1860[8]Rabbi Baruch Shalom Schneersohn
1806–1869Rabbi Yehuda L. Schneersohn
1808–1866
1st Kapust RebbeRabbi Chaim S. Z. Schneersohn
1814–1880
1st Liadi RebbeRabbi Shmuel Schneersohn
1834–1882
4th Chabad RebbeRabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn
1834–1878Rabbi Shlomo Z. Schneersohn
1830–1900
2nd Kapust RebbeRabbi Shmaryahu N. Schneersohn
1842–1923
4th Kapust RebbeRabbi Yitzchak D. Schneersohn
1842–1824
2nd Liadi RebbeRabbi Shalom D. Schneersohn
1860–1920
5th Chabad RebbeRabbi Baruch Schneur Schneersohn
18??–1926Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn
1880–1950
6th Chabad RebbeRabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson
1878–1944Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson
1880–1964Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson
1902–1994
7th Chabad RebbeRebbetzin Chaya M. Schneerson
1901–1988Notes:
- ^ Hayom Yom, pp. A8, A9. "18 Elul 5505 (1745): Birth of Alter Rebbe, R. Schneur Zalman to R. Baruch and his wife, Rivka, daughter of Avraham.[... A]rrives in the village of Piena, Kursk Province, on 12 Tevet 5583 (1812). There, after Shabbat ends, the eve of Sunday, 24 Tevet, he passes away. He is interred in Haditz, Poltava Province."
- ^ Hayom Yom, p. A9. "His [the Alter Rebbe's] wife was Rebbetzin Sterna, daughter of the magnate R. Yehuda Leib Segal and his wife Beila."
- ^ Hayom Yom, p. A8. "In the year 5520 (1760) he [the Alter Rebbe] married."
- ^ Hayom Yom, p. A10. "5534 (1773): Birth of the Mitter Rebbe [Dovber Schneuri] on Kislev 9.[...] On Wednesday, 9 Kislev 5588 (1827) he passes away in Niezhin, Chernigov province, while returning from his father's gravesite, and is interred there."
- ^ Hayom Yom, p. A10. "His [the Mitteler Rebbe's] wife was Rebbetzin Sheina."
- ^ Hayom Yom, p. A10. "5548 (1788): His [the Mitteler Rebbe's] marriage."
- ^ Hayom Yom, pp. A11, A12. "5549 (1789): Birth of Tzemach Tzedek on Erev Rosh Hashanah.[...] 5626 (1866): Passes away Wednesday night, the eve of Nissan 13, and is interred in Lubavitch."
- ^ Hayom Yom, p. A12. "5621 (1861 [sic; 9 Dec. 1860 O.S. or 21 Dec. 1860 N.S.]): [Tzemach Tzedek is] Widowed on the eighth of Tevet."