chabad Chabad-Lubavitch
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the "Alter Rebbe" (1745-1812)
Few luminaries in Jewish history, particularly in modern times, have made as lasting and profound a contribution to our spiritual heritage as Rabbi Shneur Zalman. His works embrace the entire spectrum of Jewish thought—mysticism, philosophy, psychology, ethics, and law—and represent an expression of unparalleled creative genius.
Biographical Highlights:[1]
~ 1745: Born on the 18th of Elul to R’ Baruch and his wife, Rivka, daughter of Rabbi Avraham.
~ At his Bar Mitzva celebration, the greatest scholars of the generation entitled him Rav tana upalig, meaning “He is equal in stature to the scholars of previous generations, and is entitled to disagree with them.”
~ 1760: Marries Rebbetzin Sterna, daughter of magnate R’ Yehuda Leib Segal and his wife Beila. Together they have 3 sons and 3 daughters.
~ Launches a vigorous campaign – with personal effort and his own funds – to encourage Jews to take up farming.
~ 1764: Visits Mezritch for the first time and becomes a disciple of Rabbi Dov Baer, the Maggid of Mezritch.
~ 1767: Accepts post of Maggid (preacher) of Lyozna.
~ 1770: Begins compiling the Shulchan Aruch [HaRav].
~ 1772: Defines the doctrine of Chabad Chassidus; begins campaign for Jews living in the Vitebsk area to
move across the frontier into Russia.
~ 1773-78: Establishes Yeshiva in Lyozna, known as Cheder I, II and III.
~ 1774: Travels to Vilna with R’ Menachem Mendel to Vitebsk to meet the Gaon of Vilna. The Gaon refuses
to meet with him.
~ 1783: Engages in the great disputation in Minsk and emerges victorious.
~ 1791: His writings on Talmud, Halachah and Chassidus are widely disseminated.
~ 1794: Publishes Hilchot Talmud Torah (Laws of Torah Study).
~ 1797: Publishes Tanya.
~ 1798: Arrested on the day after Sukkot; released on 19 Kislev.
~ 1800: Summoned to Petersburg on the day after Sukkot.
~ 1812: Leaves Liadi. After wandering with his family and many Chassidim, arrives in the village of Piena on 12 Tevet. Passes away after Shabbat on the eve of Sunday, 24 Tevet. Is interred in Haditz, Poltava Province.
~ 1813: His son, Rabbi Dovber (the Mitteler Rebbe) succeeds him as leader of Chabad Chassidim.
~ 1812- 2002: 5000 editions of Tanya printed worldwide in many languages.
Some Concurrent events in History:
Industrial Revolution: period of social and economic changes that mark the transition from a stable agricultural and commercial society to a modern industrial society relying on complex machinery rather than tools. It is used historically to refer primarily to the period in British history from the middle of the 18th cent. to the middle of the 19th cent.
1750-59: Globe lamps used to light streets of Philadelphia – Britain adopts Gregorian calendar – French Canada falls to Britain; Jesuits expelled from Portugal.
1760-69: Baal Shem Tov passes away in 1760 ~ Europe’s Seven Year War ends ~ first savings bank opened in Germany ~ 10 million Indians die in the Great Famine of Bengal.
1770-79: Boston Massacre ~ James Cook crosses the Antarctic Circle ~ Boston Tea Party ~ American War of Independence ~ Declaration of Independence signed ~ King George III releases women & children from working in coal and salt mines. 1780-89: American Revolution ends ~ Australia becomes a British penal colony ~ beginning of French Revolution, 1789 ~ George Washington becomes first President of the United States.
1790-99: Bill of Rights ratified ~ Denmark is first country to abandon trading slaves ~ cotton gin invented ~ Louis XVI guillotined ~ France is first country to free slaves ~ lithography invented ~ Edward Jenner creates smallpox vaccine.
1800-09: Iron-framed printing press invented ~ Ireland becomes part of Great Britain ~ Thomas Jefferson takes office ~ John Dalton arranges periodic table ~ Beethoven composes ~ Immanuel Kant dies ~ Battle of Trafalgar ~ Napoleon’s army defeats Russians at the Battle of Austerlitz ~ Britain seizes Cape Colony from France – slave trade banned by American Constitution ~ Napoleon annexes Papal States.
1810-12: Homeopathy developed by Samuel Hahnemann ~ number of cotton mills in USA triple in one year ~ English Romantic poets and musicians create ~ Napoleon invades Russia but is forced to retreat and flee.
Published Writings:
Hilchot Talmud Torah; Birchot Hanehenin; Tanya; Siddur; Shulchan Aruch; Sefer Sha’alot Uteshuvot; Bi’urei HaZohar; Torah Or; Likutei Torah; Boneh Yerushalayim; Ma’amarei Admor HaZaken: Hanachot HaRaP; Et’haleich Lyozna; 5562- 2 vol.; 5563, 2 vol.; 5564; 5565, 2 vol.; 5566; 5567; 5568, 2 vol.; 5569; 5570; 5571; Haketzarim; Al Parshiyot HaTorah VehaMoadim, 2 vol.; Inyanim; Ma’ameri Razal; Nach, 3 vol.; Igrot Kodesh, 2 vol.
