Shmuel Schneersohn

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Shmuel Schneersohn
Lubavitcher Rebbe
Term 1866-03-171882-09-14 OS
Full name Shmuel Schneersohn
Main work Likutei Torah - Toras Shmuel
Born 1834-04-29 OS
Lyubavichi
Died 1882-09-14 OS
Lyubavichi
Buried Lyubavichi
Dynasty Chabad Lubavitch
Predecessor Menachem Mendel Schneersohn
Successor Sholom Dovber Schneersohn
Father Menachem Mendel Schneersohn
Mother Chaya Mushka (daughter of Dovber Schneuri)
Wife1 Sterna (daughter of his brother Chaim Shneur Zalman)
Wife 2 Rivkah (granddaughter of Dovber Schneuri)
Issue 2 Shneur Zalman Aharon
Sholom Dovber Schneersohn
Avrohom Sender
Menachem Mendel
Devorah Leah Ginsburg
Chaya Mushka Horenstein


Shmuel Schneersohn (or Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch or The Rebbe Maharash) (1834-04-291882-09-14 OS) was an Orthodox rabbi and the fourth Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Schneersohn was born in Lubavitch, on 2 Iyyar 1834, the seventh son of the Tzemach Tzedek. He faced competition from three of his brothers, primarily from Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn who established a dynasty in Kapust upon their father's death. Other brothers also established dynasties in Lyady, Bobruisk, and Nezhin.[1]

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 passed away in Lubavitch, on 13 Tishrei 1882, leaving four sons and two daughters, and was succeeded by his son Sholom Dovber.[3]

Part of a series on
770
Chabad Hasidism

1. Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Rebbes of Lubavitch
2. Dovber Schneuri
3. Menachem Mendel Schneersohn
4. Shmuel Schneersohn
5. Sholom Dovber Schneersohn
6. Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn
7. Menachem Mendel Schneerson
History
770 Eastern Parkway · 19 Kislev · Ohel
Chabad library · Crown Heights Riot · 11 Nissan
Brooklyn Bridge Shooting · 3 Tammuz
Organisations
Agudas Chasidei Chabad · Chabad on Campus
Chabad.org · Kehot Publication Society · Library
Gan Israel · Sheloh · Jewish Relief Agency
Children's Museum · Jewish Learning Institute
Ohr Avner · Colel Chabad · Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch
Tzivos Hashem · Vaad Rabonei Lubavitch
Notable figures
Hillel Paritcher · Yehuda Chitrik · C. M. A. Hodakov
Itche Der Masmid · Manis Friedman · Yoel Kahn
Leib Groner · C. M. Schneerson· Shemaryahu Gurary
L. Y. Schneerson · Berel Lazar · Moshe Kotlarsky
Yehuda Krinsky · Z. M. HaYitzchaki · Nissan Neminov
Herman Branover · Zalman Serebryanski
Communities
Crown Heights · Kfar Chabad
Texts
Hayom Yom · Igrot Kodesh · Tanya · Likkutei Sichos
Tehillat HaShem · Shulchan Aruch HaRav
Schools
Bais Rivka · Hadar Hatorah · Yeshivah College
Oholei Torah · Tomchei Temimim · Ohel Chana
Yeshivah Gedolah Zal · Beth Rivkah Ladies College
Rabbinical College · Ohr Avner · Mayanot
Outreach
Mitzvah Campaigns · Chabad house · Mitzvah tank
Tefillin · Noahide laws · Shliach · Letter in Sefer Torah
Terminology
Chitas · Mashpia · Meiniach · Farbrengen
Nusach Ari · Choizer · Chabadnitze
Related Topics
Strashelye · Kapust · Controversies · Messianism
v  d  e

Schneersohn urged the study of kabbala as a prerequisite for one's humanity:

A person who is capable of comprehending the Seder hishtalshelus (kabbalistic secrets concerning the higher spiritual spheres) - 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.[1]

[edit] Aphorisms

"The world says, 'If you can't crawl under, climb over.' But I say, Lechatchilah Ariber--'At the outset, one should climb over then...'"[4]

"You cannot fool G-d; ultimately, you cannot fool others either. The only one you can fool is yourself. And to fool a fool is no great achievement."[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sefer HaToldot Rav Shmuel, Admor Maharash, Glitzenstein, A. H.
  2. ^ The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, ch.16 note.12, KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369
  3. ^ a b c d Encyclopedia of Hasidism, entry: Schneersohn, Shmuel. Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. ISBN 1568211236
  4. ^ Explanation of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
  5. ^ The Nechama Greisman Anthology

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn
Rebbe of Lubavitch
18661882
Succeeded by
Sholom Dovber Schneersohn