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Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902 – June 12, 1994), often referred to as simply The Rebbe by Lubavitcher Hasidim, was a prominent Charedi (traditional Orthodox) Jewish rabbi who was the seventh (and to date, final) Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect of Chassidic Judaism. He was fifth in a direct paternal line to the third Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (known as the Tzemach Tzedek), his namesake.

In 1950, upon the passing of his predecessor, father-in-law, and cousin Rabbi Joseph Isaack Schneersohn, Rabbi Menachem Mendel assumed the leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch. He led the movement until his passing in 1994, greatly expanding its worldwide activities and founding a network of institutions to promote outreach to as-yet unaffiliated Jews through encourage them to increase in Torah study and Mitzvah observance. He raised the issue of Jewish messianism to the forefront of the Jewish world, and was hailed by some Lubavitchers as the long awaited Moshiach (Messiah).

Biography

Early life

Born in Nikolaiev, Ukraine, Schneerson received mostly private education. He had two younger brothers, Dovber and Yisroel Aryeh Leib. He studied Talmud and rabbinic literature, as well as the chasidic view of Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah. His father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, a renowned kabbalist who served as the Rabbi of Yekaterinoslav from 1907–1939, was his primary teacher. He was enrolled in the secular Yekaterinoslav University for part-time study of mathematics at the age of 16, and received a high school matriculation certificate

Schneerson’s younger brother, DovBer, was mentally disturbed from childhood and spent his years in an institution for the mentally disabled near Nikolaiev. He died in 1944 at the hands of Nazi collaborators.

His youngest brother Yisrael Aryeh Leib Schneerson was close to his brother , often traveling with him. He was widely viewed as a genius and studied science. He stopped being an observant Jew in the late 1920s and became a Communist, later becoming a follower of Leon Trotsky. He changed his name to Mark Gourary and moved to Israel where he became a businessman, but later moved to England where he began doctoral studies at Liverpool University but died in 1951 before he completed them. His wife died in 1996 and his children - Schneerson's closest living relatives currently reside in Israel.

He received his rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Yosef Rosen (the Rogatchover Gaon).

In 1923, Schneerson visited his second cousin, Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn for the first time, and met his daughter Chaya Mushka Schneerson. It was another five years before they were able to marry.

He became engaged to her in Riga in 1923 and married her five years later in 1928, after being away in Berlin. During those two years in Berlin his landlord was his distant cousin, a secular Jew, Dr. Michael Wilensky. He returned to Warsaw for his wedding, and in the announcement of his marriage in a Warsaw newspaper,"a number of academic degrees" were attributed to him. Following the marriage, the newlyweds went to live in Berlin. A chaotic event at the Chabad yeshiva in Warsaw. He dressed in modern clothing at his wedding.

Berlin

It has been claimed that "the Rebbe was known to have received several advanced degrees in Berlin, and then later in Paris," but Professor Menachem Friedman was only able to uncover records for one and a half semesters in Berlin and Schneerson's attendance was in a "record of the students who audited courses at the university without receiving academic credit."

In 1931 Schneerson's younger brother, Yisroel Aryeh Leib, joined him in Berlin. He arrived and was cared for by the family as he was seriously ill with typhoid fever. He soon changed his name to Mark Gurari and attended classes at the University of Berlin from 1931 to 1933. In 1933, after Adolf Hitler took over Germany and began instituting anti-Semitic policies, Schneerson helped Gurari escape from Berlin, but with Gurari's increasing secularism and his relationship with Regina Milgram, a secular woman, the brothers grew apart. Gurari escaped to Mandate Palestine in 1939 with Milgram where they married.

There are rumors suggesting Schneerson did not wear a skullcap at the university; some say that he wore a toupee and also trimmed his beard.

Rabbi Soloveitchik

Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo reports hearing from Zalman Shazar that Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik met both Schneerson and Abraham Joshua Heschel in Berlin. Soloveitchik's son Dr. Haym Soloveitchik claims that Soloveitchik only saw Schneerson pass by. Rabbi Soloveitchik's daughter Dr. Atarah Twersky recalls Soloveitchik saying that Schneerson visited her father in his apartment and the former asked the latter why he was studying in Berlin if his father-in-law was opposed to it. Rabbi Zvi Kaplan, Rosh Yeshiva of a Brisker yeshiva, claims that Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner recalled sitting with Schneerson and Rabbi Soloveitchik at a lecture on Maimonides at the University and when the speaker asked Schneerson for his opinion on something, Schneerson deferred to Soloveitchik.

France

In 1933 Schneerson moved to France. According to some, he attended classes at the Sorbonne in Paris. Israeli anthropologist Menachem Friedman, on a visit to France in 1996 was unable to find any documentation from the Sorbonne records, but found that from 1935 to 1938 he studied at the École spéciale des travaux publics, du bâtiment et de l'industrie, a Technical College in the Montparnasse district; this has led the Sorbonne account to be dismissed by many as a rumor. Schneerson completed a diploma in electrical engineering, and received a licence to practice. He lived for most of his time in Paris at 9 Rue de Boulard in the cosmopolitan 14th arrondissement in the same building as his brother-in-law - his wife's sister's husband - Mendel Hornstein. They also studied together at ESTP, however Hornstein failed the final exams. He did not escape the Holocaust and ultimately perished in Treblinka.

Schneerson learned to speak French, which he put to use in establishing his movement there after the war. The Chabad movement in France was later to attract many Jewish immigrants from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.

America and leadership

In 1941 Schneerson escaped from France on the Serpa Pinto, one of the last boats to cross the Atlantic before the U-boat blockade began, and joined his father-in-law, Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn, in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York. He spent some time working in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. In 1942, his father-in-law appointed him director of the movement's central organizations, placing him at the helm of a building a Jewish educational nertwork across the United States.

Joseph Isaac Schneersohn died in 1950. The two candidates for leadership were Schneerson and Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary, Joseph Isaac Schneersohn's elder son-in-law, married to his elder daughter. Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary, Joseph Isaac Schneersohn's elder son-in-law, married to his elder daughter. Gurary, known as the Rasha"g. According to Chabad sources, Schneerson actively refused to accept leadership of the movement for the entire year after his father-in-law's passing. He had a larger following then his brother in law and was eventual cajoled into accepting the post by his wife and followers according to Avrum M. Ehrlich there was a one-year struggle for succession that took place between Schneerson and Gurary, and that Schneerson actively campaigned for the job.

The day after the first anniversary of his father-in-law's passing, on the tenth of shevat 1951, he delivered a Chassidic discourse (Ma'amar) and officially became the Rebbe.

Schneerson placed a tremendous emphasis on outreach (the first two shluchim of Schneersohn were Rabbis Shlomo Carlebach and Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, both of whom eventually left Chabad). Schneerson made great efforts to intensify this program of the movement, bringing in new "recruits" from all walks of life, and aggressively sought the expansion of the baal teshuva movement.

The Satmar sect criticized him for not sufficiently opposing Zionism, a philosophy considered heretical by that group. The proximity of Crown Heights to Satmar enclaves in Williamsburg, Brooklyn caused friction, culminating in an incident in which a group of Lubavitchers walking through a Satmar neighborhood were set upon and beaten by a mob.

Activities

The most famous part of Schneerson's work included the training of thousands of young Chabad rabbis and their wives, who were sent all over the world by him as shluchim (English: "emissaries") to further Jewish observance.

Schneerson oversaw the building of schools, community centers, youth camps, college campus centers (known as "Chabad houses"), and build connections to the most powerful Jewish lay leaders and non-Jewish government leaders wherever they found themselves.

Schneerson instituted a system of "mitzvah campaigns" called mivtzoim; these encourage Jews to increase their level of Jewish religious practice, and gives the opportunity for another Jew to do a mitzvah. They commonly centered on practices such as keeping kosher, lighting Shabbat candles, studying Torah, the laying of tefillin, helping write Torah scrolls and teaching women to observe the niddah laws of Jewish family purity (laws pertaining to menstruation and ritual immersion afterwards in a pool of water known as a mikveh). Lubavitchers went to street-corners, and rode in "Mitzvah tanks", mobile outreach centers, encouraging Jews to increase their religious observance. He also launched a campaign to promote observance of the Noahide Laws among gentiles.

Schneerson's activities spread to many far-flung areas of the world. Since the time of the fifth Rebbe of Chabad, Sholom Dovber Schneersohn, who sent an emissary to the Mountain Jews, Chabad had been involved with the Sephardic world. Many senior rabbis visited him in Brooklyn or maintained a correspondence with him. In the late 1970s, Rabbi Schneerson joined with other organizations to orchestrate an exodus of Jews from countries such as Iran.

Scientists who met with him, such as Herman Branover, professor of physics at Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva, Israel, noted that he had a keen understanding of scientific issues.

Schneerson rarely chose to involve himself with questions of halakha (Jewish law). Some notable exceptions were with regard to the use of electrical appliances on the Sabbath, sailing on Israeli boats staffed by Jews, and halakhic dilemmas created when crossing the International Date Line.

Schneerson rarely left Crown Heights in Brooklyn, except for frequent lengthy visits to his father-in-law's grave-site in Queens, New York. A year after the passing of his wife in 1988, when the traditional year of Jewish mourning had passed, he moved into his study above the central Lubavitch synagogue at 770 Eastern Parkway

It was from "770" that Rabbi Schneerson directed his emissaries' work. He would involve himself in details of his far-flung movements' developments. The highlight of his public role would be displayed during special celebrations called farbrengens ("celebrations") on Sabbaths, holy days, and special days on the Chabad calendar when he would give sermons to crowds. They would often be broadcast via satellite to Lubavitch branches all over the world.

Later life

In 1977 Schneerson suffered a massive heart attack while celebrating the hakafot ("circling" ) ceremony on Shmini Atzeret. Despite the best efforts of his doctors to convince him to change his mind, Schneerson refused to be hospitalized. This necessitated building a mini-hospital in "770." Although he did not appear in public for several weeks, he continued to deliver talks and discourses from his study via intercom. On Rosh Chodesh Kislev, the first day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, he left his study for the first time in over a month to go home. His followers celebrate this day as a holiday each year.

In 1983, on the occasion of his 80th birthday the U.S. Congress proclaimed Rabbi Schneerson's birthday Education Day, USA, and awarded him the National Scroll of honor.

As the movement grew and more demands were placed on Schneerson's time he ended the practice of meeting followers individually in his office. In 1986 Rabbi Schneerson replaced these personal meetings, known as Yechidut, with a weekly receiving line in "770". Almost every Sunday thousands of people would line up to meet briefly with Schneerson and receive a dollar, which was to be donated to charity. People filing past Schneerson would often take this opportunity to ask him for advice or to request a blessing. This event is usually referred to as 'Sunday Dollars'.

Following the death of Schneerson's wife in 1988 he withdrew from some public functions and became generally more reclusive. In 1991, he stated that: "I have done everything I can do to bring Moshiach (the Jewish Messiah), now I am handing over to you (his followers) the keys to bring Moshiach." A final campaign was started to bring the messianic age through acts of "goodness and kindness" and his followers placed advertising in the mass media such as many full-page ads in the New York Times urging everyone to contribute toward the messiah's imminent arrival, by increasing in their good deeds.

In 1991, Schneerson faced a riot with anti-Semitic overtones in his neighborhood of Crown Heights which became known as the Crown Heights Riot of 1991. The riot began when a car accompanying his motorcade returning from one of his regular cemetery visits to his father-in-law's grave accidentally struck two African American seven-year-old children, killing one boy. In the rioting, Australian Jewish graduate student Yankel Rosenbaum was murdered, many Lubavitchers were badly beaten, and much property was destroyed; also, Lubavitchers and blacks reportedly hurled rocks and bottles at one another over police lines. The driver of the car fled to Israel and his extradition was not sought.

In 1992 Schneerson was felled by a serious stroke while at the grave of his father-in-law. The stroke left him unable to speak and paralyzed on the right side of his body. Nonetheless, he continued to respond daily to thousands of queries and requests for blessings from around the world. His secretaries would read the letters to him and he would indicate his response with head and hand motions.

Despite his deteriorating health, Schneerson once again refused to leave 770. Several months into his illness, a small room with tinted glass windows with an attached balcony was built overlooking the main synagogue. This allowed him to pray with his followers, beginning with the Rosh Hashana services and after services, to appear before them by either having the window opened or by being carried onto the balcony.

During these appearances his followers would chant the traditional salutation of a Rebbe and, generating some controversy, append to it the title of Moshiach: !יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבנו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד (Yechi Adonenu Moreinu v'Rabbeinu Melech Hamoshiach l'olam voed!) - "Long live our Master our Teacher and our Rabbi King Messiah forever and ever!"

When sung before him in his last months, Schneerson, whose motor coordination had been impaired due to his stroke, at times swayed to and fro and swung his hands. Some followers of Schneerson interpreted this as encouragement. Some of his followers interpreted the movements as similar to those done during the singing of other songs at the numerous farbrengens over the years. From this and various previous public statements, some of his followers extrapolated that he acceded to their wish that he be the Moshiach.

Illness and death

His final illness was characterized by a split between two groups of aides that differed in their recommendations as to how Schneerson should be treated, with the two camps led by Leib Groner and Yehuda Krinsky. Aides argued over whether Schneerson had the same physical makeup as other humans and if the illness should be allowed to run its course without interference. Krinsky argued that the the latest and most suitable medical treatment available should be used in treating Schneerson while Groner thought that "outside interference in the Rebbe’s medical situation might be just as dangerous as inaction. They saw his illness as an element in the messianic revelation; interference with Schneerson’s physical state might therefore affect the redemptive process, which should instead be permitted to run its natural course."

He died in 1994 at the Beth Israel Medical Center, having finally agreed to hospitalization, unable to verbalize and say anything to confirm or deny his followers' longed-for dream that he be the actual long-promised Jewish Messiah. However, many believe that he continues to be the Messiah, and that he will lead the Jewish people to redemption, though this matter is controversial (see Chabad messianism.)

After his death, a bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives sponsored by Congressmen Chuck Schumer, and cosponsored by John Lewis, Newt Gingrich, and Jerry Lewis, as well as 220 other Congressmen, to bestow on Rabbi Schneerson the Congressional Gold Medal. On November 2, 1994, the bill passed both Houses by unanimous consent, honoring Rabbi Schneerson for his "outstanding and enduring contributions toward world education, morality, and acts of charity". The United States Congress and President issue annual proclamations declaring that Schneerson's birthday, usually a day in March or April that coincides with his Hebrew calendar birth-date of 11 Nisan (a Hebrew month), be observed as Education and Sharing Day in the United States Bill Clinton spoke these words at the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony "The late Rebbe's eminence as a moral leader for our country was recognized by every president since Richard Nixon. For over two decades the Rabbi's movement now has some 2000 institutions; educational, social, medical, all across the globe. We, (The United States Government) recognize the profound role that Rabbi Schneerson had in the expansion of those institutions."

Schneerson was laid to rest on the 3rd of Tammuz 5754 (June 12, 1994), next to his father-in-law, the sixth Rebbe. The Ohel is built over their graves. When entering the Ohel, the sixth Rebbe is buried to the right, and the seventh Rebbe is buried to the left. Established by philanthropist Rabbi Joseph Gutnick of Melbourne (Australia), the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch Center on Francis Lewis Boulevard, Queens, NY is located adjacent to the Rebbes' Ohel.

Wills

There is considerable controversy within Chabad about Schneerson's will. It is widely accepted that two will exist, the first will was signed by Schneerson and transferred stewardship of all the major Chabad institutions to Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky. This will is indisputable as it was officially filed and a record of its signing exists in the archives of New York State. The second will gave the bulk of control to three senior Chabad rabbis, Rabbis Mindel, Pikarski and Hodakov (contemporary of Schneerson) and gave Krinsky only a minor role. The only copy of this will, that was drafted by others, is unsigned. Supporters of Krinsky argue that the will was merely presented to Schneerson, who chose not to sign it. Supporters of the messianist camp, led by Leib Groner argue that the will was signed but interested parties destroyed of hid the signed copy to gain power.

The first will, signed and dated February 14, 1988, transferred power over all Schneerson’s property and personal affects to Agudas Chasidei Chabad (AGUCH) (directed by Krinsky), naming Krinsky as sole executor. Avrum Erlich, a Chabad chronicler and scholar summarises the dispute:

After the will was prepared, Schneerson said he would look it over before signing it, and that is apparently the last that was seen of it. Some Habad members believe that Schneerson never signed this will. . . others believe that even if the will was not signed, it is nevertheless indicative of his general view. There are still others who believe that a signed copy of the will exists, but was stolen from Schneerson’s drawer and hidden by an interested party who hopes to gain by its destruction.

Krinsky was called to testify before the Chabad Beit Din on the authenticity or otherwise of the disputed second will, but he refused to do so. Krinsky's stewardship of the movement has been a bone of contention amongst Chabad followers and emissaries who see him as trying to control the movement by subsuming it under the umbrella of the AGUCH.

Succession

Most Chabad Hasidim believe that there is no successor to Schneerson and all the suggested successors such as Rabbis declined the mantle of leadership in the days after his death., Chabad hasidim believe that he is in still their leader, guiding them from beyond the grave through prayer and signs. Many believe that he will return as the Messiah; this view has led to controversy with other Orthodox groups and within Chabad itself. Many, quoting Talmudic passages and statements that Schneerson himself made, refuse to put the typical honorifics that Jews normally use for the dead after his name.

Since the early 1950s some followers have been claiming that Schneerson was the Messiah. Even after his death, many Chabad adherents continue to argue that Schneerson is to return as the Messiah. Chabad Messianism based around Schneerson has been a major cause of fracture within the Chabad movement since his death.

Followers believe that he is able to influence the decisions of his followers even after death and this is made most clear by the practice known as "iggerot kodesh", by which answers to questions are derived through mystical consultation of the published collections of Schneerson’s letters known as the Igrot Kodesh.

Political activities

United States

Generally, Lubavitch tends to support more conservative politicians such as those who back school prayer, are anti-abortion, pro-Israel, and are generally supportive of Bible values, about which Schneerson was publicly vocal. Aspirants for the job of mayor, governor, congressman, senator, in the states of New York and New Jersey would come calling and have their pictures with the rebbe published in newspapers with large Jewish readerships and voters.

Schneerson predicted, paid close attention to and rejoiced in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe starting in 1989. Under the Bolsheviks his father-in-law had been imprisoned and tortured and had his massive collection of writings confiscated, and the movement banned on pain of exile to Siberia. So too his father Rabbi Levi Yitzchock Schneerson was imprisoned and sent to live in exile in Alma Ata. His father was never freed and died in Alma Ata. Throughout the years of Communist repression of religion, Schneerson maintained intensive contacts with an underground network of his followers in the Soviet Union. Once the Iron Curtain fell, he quickly sent hundreds of new emissaries, known as shluchim, to the former Soviet Union. During the Desert Storm war against Iraq in 1990–1991, messianic fever ran high as Schneerson interpreted events in messianic, millenarian terms declaring that: "Moshiach is already here, all we need to do is to open our eyes to see him."

Israel

Schneerson never visited the State of Israel, where he had many admirers and critics. He held a view that according to Jewish law, it was uncertain if a Jewish person who was in the land of Israel was allowed to leave. One of Israel's presidents, Zalman Shazar, who was of Chabad ancestry, and his visits to Rabbi Schneerson were cordial. Menachem Begin, Ariel Sharon, and later Benjamin Netanyahu also paid visits and sought advice, along with other less famous politicians, diplomats, military officials, and media producers. In the elections that brought Yitzhak Shamir to power, Schneerson publicly lobbied his followers and the Orthodox members in the Knesset to vote against the Labor alignment. It attracted the media's attention and led to articles in Time, Newsweek, and many newspapers and TV programs, and led to considerable controversy within Israeli politics.

During the Six Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Schneerson publicly called for Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to capture Damascus, Syria and Cairo, Egypt. He was vehemently opposed to any IDF withdrawals from captured territories and opposed any concessions to Arabs. He lobbied Israeli politicians to pass legislation in accordance with Jewish religious law on the question Who is a Jew and declare that "only one who is born of a Jewish mother or converted according to Halakha is Jewish." This caused a furor in the United States. Some American Jewish philanthropies stopped financially supporting Chabad-Lubavitch since most of their members were connected to Reform and Conservative Judaism. These unpopular ideas were toned down by his aides according to Chabad scholar Avrum Erlich. "The issue was eventually quietened so as to protect Habad fundraising interests. Controversial issues such as territorial compromise in Israel that might have estranged benefactors from giving much-needed funds to Habad, were often moderated, particularly by. . . Krinsky." Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits argued that Habad moderated its presentation of anti-Zionist ideology and right-wing politics in England and downplayed its messianic fervor so as not to antagonize large parts of the English Jewish community.

Controversy

Main article:Controversies of Chabad: Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Schneerson was a controversial figure within the Jewish community. He has been criticised for remarks he made on the relationship between a Rebbe and a hasid, and the status of a Rebbe. He was involved in a protracted legal dispute with his nephew Barry Gurary over an inheritance, a case he subsequently won. He was bitterly attacked over a number of issues by the leader of Lithuanian Judaism Rabbi Elazar Shach. And his involvement in Israeli politics was controversial in Israel.

Chabad Messianism

The views of Lubavitch adherents regarding Schneerson have been a source of controversy within the Jewish world over the past 20 years. Some followers have taken to describing Menachem Mendel Schneerson as the Jewish Messiah and claiming that his death in 1994 does not preclude him returning to life to be the Messiah. These views and the opposition to them have led to a fundamental fracture within the movement.

Scholarship

Schneerson is known for authoring a voluminous collection of replies to requests and questions from his followers. They touch on a wide array of topics. The majority of his correspondence are printed in Igrot Kodesh (Hebrew and Yiddish) and Letters from the Rebbe (English).

In biblical scholarship he was known mainly for his hasidic thoughts on Rashi Torah commentary, which were annotated by his aids. In halachic matters he normally defered to members of the Crown Heights Beit Din headed by Rabbi Zalman Shimon Dvorkin, and advised the movement to do likewise in the event of his death.

Towards the end of his life, particularly after his stroke in 1977 his scholarship began to fade. According to Erlich, one of Schneerson's editors, David Olidort, told how "most of Schneerson’s aides and editors adored him and saw him as virtually infallible, despite their numerous corrections of his failing scholarship."

References

1. ^ The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, Chapter 4, KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369
2. Larger Than Life, Deutsch, S. S., vol. 1, pp. 101–103, and vol. 2, p. 118
3. Introduction to Hayom Yom
4. ^ The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, Chapter 4
5. (ISBN 0-9647243-0-8) Vol. II, p.134, quoted: here.)
6. http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:83Y4vflk7UYJ:www.edah.org/backend/JournalArticle/4_2_Kimelman.pdf+heschel+soloveitchik&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us "Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and Abraham Joshua Heschel on Jewish-Christian Relations" by Rabbi Reuven Kimelman
7. Last Sea Route From Lisbon to U.S. Stops Ticket Sale to Refugees, New York Times, March 15, 1941
8. Avrum Ehrlich, Leadership in the HaBaD Movement, pp. 370–352 and 394–406
9. Leadership in the HaBaD Movement, Avrum M. Ehrlich, Jason Aronson, January 6, 2000, ISBN 076576055X
10. see Vayoel Moshe by Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum
11. http://www.noahide.com/infiltration/cunin.htm
12. Hasid Dies in Stabbing; Black Protests Flare 2d Night in a Row By JOHN KIFNER New York Times (1857-Current file); Aug 21, 1991; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2003)pg. B1
13. ^ The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, Chapter 14, KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369
14. The New York Times, June 13, 1994, p. A1
15. Public Law 103-457
16. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/04/20030411-2.html "Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., 2003" by George W. Bush
17. ^ The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, Chapter 20, KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369
18. The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, ch.18, note 14, KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369
19. ^ The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, ch.14 notes, KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369
20. The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, Chapter 15, (also see note 10 Ibid.) KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369
21. The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, Chapter 8, notes. KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369

Books by Rabbi Schneerson

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items.

• Likkutei Sichot - 39 volume set of Schneerson's discourses on the weekly Torah portions, Jewish Holidays, and other issues. (16,867pp)
• Igrot Kodesh - 28 volume set of Schneerson's Hebrew and Yiddish letters. (11,948pp)
• Hayom Yom - An anthology of Chabad aphorisms and customs arranged according to the days of the year.
• Haggadah Im Likkutei Taamim Uminhagim - The Haggadah with a commentary written by Schneerson.
• Reshimot - 7 volume set of Schneerson's personal journal discovered after his passing. (2,190pp)
• Hadran al HaRambam - Commentary written by Schneerson on Mishneh Torah.
• Sefer HaSichot - 10 volume set of the Schneerson's talks from 1987-1992. (4,136pp)
• Sefer HaShlichut - 2 volume set of Schneerson's advice and guidelines to the shluchim he sent.
• Torat Menachem - 30 volume set of Maamarim and Sichos from 1950-1959. (Based on participants' recollections and notes, not proofread by Schneerson.)
• Torat Menachem Hitva'aduyot - 43 volume set of Sichos and Maamarim from 1982-1992. (Based on participants' recollections and notes, not proofread by Schneerson.)
• Letters from the Rebbe - 5 volume set of Schneerson's English letters.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.

See also

• Education and Sharing day
• Schneersohn
• Chabad-Lubavitch

External links

The Ohel

• The Ohel

Writings available online

• Chabad.org - Literature
• Sichos Kodesh - The Rebbe's original unedited talks 1950 - 1981(in Yiddish)
• Sichos B'Laha"k - The Rebbe's unedited talks (in Hebrew)
• Sichos in English
• Igros Kodesh in Hebrew
• Toras Menachem in Hebrew
• Hayom Yom in Hebrew

Biography

• Biography of Menachem Mendel Schneerson
• the Rebbe's life (in Hebrew)

Historical sites

• Proclamation of Education and Sharing Day 2002 by President George W.Bush also honoring the 100th birthdate of Rabbi Schneerson
• Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., 2006
• Numerous proclamations by President Reagan citing work of Rabbi Schneerson and promotion of the Seven Noahide Laws
• Congressional Gold Medal Recipient Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
• Tributes to the Lubavitcher Rebbe by Menachem Begin, Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Israel Meir Lau, John Lewis, Joseph Lieberman, Yitzhak Rabin, Aviezer Ravitzky, Jonathan Sacks, Lawrence Schiffman, Adin Steinsaltz, Margaret Thatcher, Elie Wiesel and Elliot Wolfson.
• Family Tree
• Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb of the Orthodox Union Commemorative remarks upon the occasion of the 10th Yahrzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
• Timeline of Menachem Mendel Schneerson 1928-1938

• Rebbes of Lubavitch
• 1902 births
• 1994 deaths
• Charismatic religious leaders
• Congressional Gold Medal recipients
• Philosophers of Judaism
• Creationists
• Ukrainian Jews
• Religious leaders