Kopust is an offshoot of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The Chabad movement, founded by Shneur Zalman of Liadi, produced multiple offshoot groups through its over 200-year history. The death of the third Chabad rebbeMenachem Mendel Schneersohn led to a dispute over his succession leading to the founding of Kopust. At the time of its founding, Kopust sought to be the rightful heir to the legacy of the first three rebbes of Chabad. Many of the greatest adherents of 19th-century Chabad were in fact Chassidim of Kopust.
Founding
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, also known as the "Tzemach Tzedek", had seven sons. Following Rabbi Menachem Mendel's death 1866, a dispute arose among several of his sons over the father's succession. While the youngest son, Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn assumed the title of rebbe in the town of Lubavitch, another brother, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn, assumed the title of rebbe in the town of Kopys in Belarus. Rabbi Yehuda Leib died less than a year later and was succeeded by his son Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn.
Leadership
The Kopust movement had four rebbes:
Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn, known as the Maharil of Kopust. He founded the movement after the death of his father, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Scheersohn.
Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn, oldest son of Rabbi Yehuda Leib, assumed his father’s position in Kopust. He is the author of a work on Hasidism titled "Magen Avot".
Rabbi Shalom Dovber Schneersohn of Rechitsa, known as the Rashab of Rechitsa. Succeeding his brother, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman, Rabbi Shalom Dovber served as the Kopuster movement's rebbe in the town of Rechitsa. Rabbi Shalom Dovber seems to have died without a successor.
Rabbi Shmaryahu Noah Schneersohn, known as Shmaryahu Noah of Babruysk. Succeeding his brother, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman, Rabbi Shmaryahu Noah served as the Kopuster movement's rebbe in the town of Babruysk. Other sources claim Rabbi Shmaryahu Noah succeeded his brother, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn as leader of the group in the year 1900 after Rabbi Shlomo Zalman died. He was rav of the chasidim in Babruysk from 1872, and founded a yeshiva there in 1901. He authored a two volume work on Hasidism, titled "Shemen LaMaor".
It is thought that after the death of the fourth rebbe of Kopust, the adherents of the Kopuster movement rejoined the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The oldest extant Chabad synagogue in Israel, the Ohel Yitzchok synagogue in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem—also called the Baal HaTanya Shul —active since 1900, was originally affiliated with Kopust. When the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yizhak Shneerson, visited Jerusalem in 1929, he did not visit this synagogue.
Relationship with Chabad-Lubavitch
While the Kopust movement originally was at odds with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement over the successor to the third Chabad rebbe, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn referred to the Rebbes of Kopust as "Admorim", or rebbes. This may be seen as a sign of respect to the Kopust dynasty.
Works
Magen Avos of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneerson
Shemen La'Maor of Rabbi Shmaryahu Noah Schneersohn
