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Sholom Dovber Schneersohn (Hebrew: שלום דובער שניאורסאהן; 1860-10-24 OS - 1920-03-21 NS) was an Orthodox rabbi and the fifth Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement. He is also known as "the Rebbe nishmosei eiden" (whose soul is in Eden) and as "the Rebbe Rashab" (for Reb Sholom Ber). His teachings represent the emergence of an emphasis on outreach that later Chabad Rebbes would develop into a major theme.[1] In Chabad thought, such as described in the talks of the last Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, each of the 7 leaders of Chabad successively "drew down", broadened, explained and articulated the teachings of Chasidic philosophy more fully into intellectual grasp. The achievement of the founder of Chabad Shneur Zalman of Liadi, was to articulate the new "Torah of the Baal Shem Tov" in intellectual analysis. From his unique approach derives the name of "Chabad", standing for the intellectual faculties of the soul. In this context, Chabad lore, and the last Rebbe, describes Sholom Dovber Schneersohn as the "Maimonides of Chasidus", as with his teachings the ideas reach a new level of intellectual synthesis and philosophical grasp. Just as Maimonides in Medieval Jewish Philosophy (Hakira) and legal codification (Halacha) brought new comprehension, clarity and analytical synthesis to Jewish thought, so did Schneur Zalman ,and even more so Sholom Dovber, in the inner mystical dimensions of Judaism expressed in Hasidus. Illustrative of this is his plan, in founding the Lubavitch yeshiva system Tomchei Temimim, that the students should learn Chabad Chasidic texts "with pilpul", the Talmudic method of logical in-depth analysis.
[edit] BiographyHe was born in Lubavitch, on 20 Cheshvan 1860, the second son of Shmuel Schneersohn, the fourth Chabad Rebbe.[2] In 1882, when his father died, he was not quite 22 years old, and his brother Zalman Aharon was not much older. A period followed, during which both brothers fulfilled some of the tasks of a rebbe, but neither felt ready to take on the title and responsibilities. Over this period he gradually took on more responsibilities, particularly in dealing with the impact of the May Laws, and on Rosh Hashanah 5653 (1892-09-10 OS) he accepted the leadership of the Lubavitch movement. Schneersohn established the first Chabad yeshiva, Tomchei Temimim, in 1897. In 1911 he established another yeshivah, Toras Emes, in Israel, and in 1916 he established a yeshivah in Georgia. He maintained a lengthy correspondence, not only with Chabad Chasidim in other countries, but also with non-Chabad chasidim and members of other groups who wrote to him for advice. He also met with other Jewish and hasidic leaders, working with them on issues such as education, unity, policy, and strategy.[3] He was held in very high esteem by the Chofetz Chaim, so much so that the Chofetz Chaim declared of him, "the words of the [Lubavitcher] Rebbe are holy, and anyone who argues disagrees with him [should know that] it is as if he is disagreeing with Moses."[4] Schneersohn promoted Jewish agricultural settlement, and the creation of employment for Jews, particularly those displaced by the May Laws. He was a prominent opponent of Zionism, both in its secular and religious versions, and a staunch ally of Reb Chaim Brisker. Together with Reb Chaim he joined and supported Machazikei Hadas - a union of Eastern European haredim and the forerunner of the Agudah - but in 1912, when the Agudah was formed in Katowice, Reb Chaim raised 18 objections to its constitution, and the Rashab kept Lubavitch out of the Agudah.[citation needed] His worries about the Mountain Jews, or Berg Yidden, led him to send a famous Mashpia, Rabbi Shmuel Levitin of Rakshik, to the Caucuses to set up institutions to bring them closer to traditional Judaism,[2] setting a precedent for his two successors as Lubavitcher Rebbe, who conducted similar activities. In 1915, as the fighting in World War I neared Lubavitch, the Rashab moved to Rostov-on-Don, where he lived until his passing on 2 Nissan 5680, and where he was buried. During the construction of the "Rostov Palace of Sport" on top of the Old Jewish Cemetery in 1966, his remains were secretly moved by a devout group of chassidim to a different burial site where they are located to this day in the "Rostov Jewish Cemetery." His grave is visited daily by followers of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement who come from all over the world. In 1902 he travelled with his son, the sixth Rebbe to Sigmund Freud. Following Freud's instructions, the Rebbe RaSHaB began to take long walks. He also visited many different Synagogues, and met with people, many of whom didn't know who he really was. During this time his son recollects a fascinating aside. The Rebbe always regretted that his father, the MaHaRaSH, did not spend time with him, or his Chassidim, telling stories of his predecessors and other Tzaddikim. But while in Vienna the Rebbe began to have dreams in which his father told him Chassidic stories. During the long walks which Freud recommended he, in turn, related these stories to his son. Distinguished disciples of the Rebbe Rashab include Reb Itche Der Masmid, Reb Nissan Neminov, and Reb Zalman Moishe HaYitzchaki. [edit] BibliographyKnown informally as "Rambam (Maimonides) of Chabad Chassidus" (from his encyclopedic work on developing Chabad Chassidic philosophy into an organized system), Rebbe Rashab was a prolific writer on Chabad theology. Much of his work has been published in Hebrew, and some of it has been translated into English, and is available online.
[edit] Citations
[edit] See also[edit] External links
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