Menachem Mendel Schneersohn was born in Liozna, on September 9, 1789. His mother Devorah Leah died just three years later, and her father Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi raised him as his own son. He married his first cousinChaya Mushka Schneersohn, daughter of Rabbi Dovber Schneuri. After his father-in-law/uncle's death, and a three-year interregnum during which he tried to persuade the Hasidim to accept his brother-in-law Menachem-Nachum Schneuri or his uncle Chaim-Avraham as their leader, he assumed the leadership of Lubavitchon the eve of Shavuot 5591. He was known as the Tzemach Tzedek after the title of a voluminous compendium of Halakha that he authored. He also authored Derech Mitzvotecha, a mystical exposition of the Mitzvos. He compiled major works of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi for publication, including the Siddur L'Kol Ha'Shanah, Likutei Torah and Torah Ohr. He also authored a philosophical text entitled "Sefer Chakira: Derech Emuna". The Tzemach Tzedek enjoyed close ties with other Jewish leaders. In the course of his battle against the Haskalah in Russia, he forged a close alliance with Rabbi Yitzchak of Valozhyn, a major leader of the misnagdim, which led to warmer relations between them and the Hasidim. According to Baruch Epstein, his father Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein spent six months under the Tzemach Tzedek's tutelage, and learned most of his mystical knowledge during that time. This story is disputed by Hassidic historian Yehoshua Mondshine. His close friendship with professor J Berstenson, the Czar's court physician, often helped the delicate negotiations relating to the welfare of the community. He set up an organisation called Hevras Techiyas Hameisim to assist Jewish boy-soldiers who were being recruited and converted to Christianity by the Russian army. These soldiers known as Cantonists were taken away from the Jewish community to other villages. Schneersohn arranged for his students to pay them regular visits to keep up their spirits and discourage them from converting. In 1844–45 he took steps to increase the enrollment and viability of the Lubavitch Yeshivas in Dubroŭna, Pasana, Lyozno and Kalisz, expanding their enrollment to around 600 students in total. Repeated attempts by the authorities to entrap him using informers such as Hershel Hodesh, Benjamin the Apostate and Lipman Feldman failed.
Death and legacy
He died in Lubavitch on March 17, 1866 at the age of 76, leaving behind him seven sons and two daughters. He was succeeded by his youngest son, Shmuel as the Rebbe of Lubavitch, while three of his other sons formed breakaways of the Chabad movement which continue to some extent even today. Several of his sons established Chasidic dynasties.
Famous quote
A famous saying of the Tzemach Tzedek is Think good and it will be good. This expresses the Chabad view that simply by virtue of a person's trust in God, that person's prayer may be answered.
Sons
The Tzemach Tzedek had seven sons: 1. Rabbi Baruch Shalom did not become a rebbe in his own right; he chose to remain in Lubavitch and become a chasid of his youngest brother. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, was his great-great-grandson. 2. Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn settled in Kopys a few months after the death of his father, where he founded the Kopust branch of Chabad. He died two months later. He had three sons:
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. 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".
3. Rabbi Chaim Schneur Zalman was Rebbe in Lyady after his father, the Tzemach Tzedek died. He founded the Liadi branch of Chabad. He was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Yitzchak Dovber of Liadi, author of Siddur Maharid, and his son-in-law, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Siratin, a scion of the Rebbe of Radzimin. 4. Rabbi Yisroel Noach of Nizhyn founded the Niezhin branch of Chabad. Although officially a Rebbe, he had only a small following. He had no successor. His son was Rabbi Avraham Schneerson of Kischinev, whose daughter, Nechama Dina Schneersohn, married Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. 5. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak was a Rebbe in Ovruch. He founded the Avrutch branch of Chabad. He was compelled to assume this position by his father-in-law, Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel of Cherkas against his father's wishes. He was the maternal grandfather and namesake of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. 6. Rabbi Yaakov, although leaving descendants, died at quite a young age. He lived in Orsha. Little is known about him. 7. Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn of Lubavitch, his youngest son, succeeded him as the Rebbe of Lubavitch.
''Ohr HaTorah''
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson said of the Tzemach Tzedek's work "Ohr HaTorah" that it contains all the previous and future teachings of the Chabad Rebbes.
