Part of a series on
Chabad Hasidism
Rebbes of Chabad
1. Shneur Zalman of Liadi
2. Dovber Schneuri
3. Menachem Mendel Schneersohn
4. Shmuel Schneersohn
5. Sholom Dovber Schneersohn
6. Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn
7. Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Chabad history
770 Eastern Parkway · 19 Kislev · Ohel
Chabad library · Crown Heights Riot
Kapust · Strashelye · Brooklyn Bridge Shooting
Controversies
Chabad messianism · Chabad library controversy
Shaul Shimon Deutsch · Yechi · Moshe Schneuri
Organisations
Agudas Chasidei Chabad · Chabad on Campus
Chabad.org · Kehot Publication Society
Gan Israel · Sheloh · Jewish Relief Agency
Children's Museum · Ohr Avner
Notable figures
Shmuel Butman · Yehuda Chitrik · Shlomo Cunin
Itche Der Masmid · Manis Friedman · Yoel Kahn
Leib Groner · Shemaryahu Gurary · Berel Lazar
Chaya Mushka Schneerson · Shalom Dov Wolpo
Yudel Krinsky · Joseph Gutnick · Barry Gurary
Moshe Rubashkin · Herman Branover
Chabad communities
Crown Heights · Tzfat · Kfar Chabad · Jerusalem
Chabad texts
Hayom Yom · Igrot Kodesh · Tanya
Tehillat HaShem · Shulchan Aruch HaRav
Chabad schools
Bais Rivka · Hadar Hatorah · Yeshivah Centre
Oholei Torah · Tomchei Temimim ·
Rabbinical College · Ohr Avner · Mayanot
Chabad terminology
Choizer · Chitas · Shaliach
Nusach Ari · Mitzvah tank · Meiniach · Mashpia
v • d • e

Rabbi Moshe Schneersohn (c.1784- before 1853) (also, Zalmonovitch and Shneuri, and later Leon Yulievitz) was the youngest son of the founder of Chabad hasidism, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. According to scholars he converted to Catholicism and died in a St. Petersberg asylum. Chabad sources say that his conversion and documents were faked by the Church. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Chabad Lubavitch, also known as Lubavitch Chabad, is a large branch of Hasidic Judaism. ... Portrait of Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812) founder of Chabad Lubavitch and author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch HaRav. ... Dovber Schneuri or Der Mitteler Rebbe (The Middle Rebbe in Yiddish) (1773 — 1827) was the second Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. ... Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (or Menachem Mendel or Tzemach Tzedek) (1789 - 1866) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism movement that was based in the town of Lubavitch in present-day Belarus. ... Shmuel Schneersohn (or Rabbi Shmuel or Maharash) (1834–1882), was an Orthodox rabbi. ... Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn Sholom Dovber Schneersohn (or Sholom Dovber or Rashab) (1860 - 1920) was an Orthodox rabbi and the fifth Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism movement. ... 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. ... Chabad Lubavitch, or Lubavich, is one of the largest branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi . ... The original building at 770 Eastern Parkway, as it appears after a heavy snowstorm. ... Portrait of Shneur Zalman of Liadi 19 Kislev refers to the 19th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. ... Ohel (name meaning a house, tent) is the fourth son of Zerubbabel in the Bible. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Agudas Chasidei Chabad. ... The Crown Heights Riot was a three-day riot in the Crown Heights neighborhood of New York City in August, 1991. ... The Chabad-Kapust Hasidic dynasty was based on the Chabad school of thought. ... Chabad Strashelye, is a branch of Hasidic Judaism, named after the town Strashelye, where its leader lived. ... The Brookly Bridge Shooting was an incident that took place on March 1, 1994, when Lebanese-born Rashid Baz, armed with a Glock 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol and a 9-millimeter Cobray machine gun, shot on a van carrying members of the Chabad-Lubavitch Orthodox Jewish sect on the... Main article: Chabad Chabad-Lubavitch is a branch of Hasidism. ... Main article: Controversies of Chabad Chabad messianism or Lubavitch messianism[1] is a term used to describe messianic beliefs within the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, Liozna Rebbe Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, the Liozna Rebbe (born 1969), is a rabbi and author from New York City. ... The phrase Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu vRabbeinu Melech haMoshiach lolam vaed! (×™×—×™ אדוננו מורנו ורבנו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד) is used by some Lubavitch Chassidic Jews to proclaim that the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994), is the awaited messiah as prophecied in the Hebrew Scriptures. ... Agudas Chasidei Chabad is the umbrella organization for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ... -1... Chabad. ... The logo of Kehot Publication Society. ... GAN ISRAEL CAMPING NETWORK There are hundreds of them around the world, with tens of thousands of campers. ... Logo of the Sheloh organization Jewish Released Time, also known as Sheloh (an abbreviation for Shiurei Limud Hados (Classes for Learning the Religion)), is an organization promoting released time for the Jewish education of Jewish children learning in public schools. ... A Project of Guideline Services, Lubavitch House 125 Montgomery Avenue, Suite A3 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 610-660-0190 Donate Online Who are we? The Jewish Relief Agency is an organization whose aim is to identify and feed needy Jewish families. ... The Jewish childrens Museum in Brooklyn The Jewish Childrens Museum is a brand-new museum open to the public all about jewish life, its history and averything associated with orthodox judaism. ... Rabbi Yehuda Chitrik (1899-2006) was a leading scholar, author, and Mashpia in the Chabad community. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Biography of Reb Itche der Masmid Yitzchok Horowitz, more commonly known as Reb Itche der Masmid, was a famous Orthodox Jewish Rabbi in pre-war Europe. ... Rabbi Manis Friedman is a well known author and Jewish lecturer. ... Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner Rabbi Leib Yehuda Groner (born 1932) was the secretary to the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson for over 40 years. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Rabbi Berel Lazar is the Chief Rabbi of Russia, and is the chairman of the rabbinical alliance of the CIS. Education A native of Milan, Italy, Rabbi Lazar was born in 1964 to parents who were among the first emissaries of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. ... Chaya Mushka (Moussia) Schneerson (March 16, 1901-February 10, 1988) referred to by Lubavitchers as The Rebbetzin was the wife of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch branch of Hasidic Judaism. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Joseph Gutnick (sometimes referred to as Diamond Joe) is an Australian businessman. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Rabbi Moshe Rubashkin Rabbi Moshe Rubashkin, (born 1958) is a leading Chabad rabbi in Crown Heights and a convicted fraudster. ... Professor Herman Branover is known in the Jewish communities of Israel, Russia, and the West as an inspiring author, translator, publisher, and educator. ... Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. ... Safed (Hebrew: צְפַת, Tiberian: , Israeli: Tsfat, Ashkenazi: Tzfas; Arabic: صفد ; KJV English: Zephath) is a city in the North District in Israel. ... Kfar Chabad is a Chabad-Lubavitch community of about 400 families located near Tel Aviv. ... Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (Yerushalayim) (Standard) Yerushalayim or Yerushalaim Arabic commonly القـُدْس (Al-Quds); officially in Israel أورشليم القدس (Urshalim-Al-Quds) Name Meaning Hebrew: (see below), Arabic: The Holiness Government City District Jerusalem Population 724,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 123,000 dunams (123 km²) Jerusalem (Hebrew:  , Yerushaláyim or Yerushalaim; Arabic:  , al-Quds, the Holiness)[2... Hayom Yom (Hebrew: היום יום, Today is day . ... Igrot Kodesh (literally Holy Epistles but more commonly known as Letters of the Rebbe} is a collection of the seventh Rebbe of Lubavitch, Menachem Mendel Schneersons correspondence and responsa. ... Likkutei Amarim ( ליקוטי אמרים תניא, Hebrew, collection of statements), more commonly known as the Tanya, is an early work of Hasidic Judaism, written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic dynasty, in 1797 CE. The name Tanya derives from the books first word, which is Aramaic... A popular Sidur (prayer-book) in the Chabad-Lubavitch community. ... Shulchan Aruch HaRav, or Shulkhan Arukh HaRav, (Code of Jewish Law by the Rabbi) is a codification of halakha by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, known during his lifetime as HaRav (The Rabbi). At a young age, Rabbi Shneur Zalman was asked by his teacher, Rabbi Dovber of Mezeritch to... Bais Rivka (or Beth Rivkah) is the name used for the Bais Yaakov-type private girls schools of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic movement. ... Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson giving a class in Hadar Hatorah in 1962 Yeshiva Hadar Hatorah is the worlds first Baal Teshuva Yeshiva For men rediscovering their Jewish roots. ... Oholei Torah is the common name of the Lubavitch schools Educational Institute Oholei Menachem and Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah. ... Tomchei Temimim is the central Yeshiva (Talmudical school) of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic movement. ... The Rabbinical College of America is one of the largest Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic Yeshivas in the world. ... Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies is a Chabad-Lubavitch yeshiva for men located in Geula, Jerusalem, Israel. ... Choizer (Heb. ... ChiTaS is a Hebrew acronym for Chumash (The five books of Moses), Tehillim (Psalms) and Tanya (Kabbalistic work by Schnuer Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe). ... Shaliach (Hebrew: שָלִיחַ; plural שְלִיחִים, shlichim or Shliach plural Shluchim), in Judaism, is the concept of an emissary. ... Nusach Ari means, in a general sense, any prayer rite following the usages of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the AriZal, in the 16th century, and, more particularly, the version of it used by Chabad Chasidim. ... A Mitzvah tank on a city street. ... Meiniach (Heb. ... Mashpia (Heb. ... Chabad Lubavitch, also known as Lubavitch Chabad, is a large branch of Hasidic Judaism. ... Portrait of Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812) founder of Chabad Lubavitch and author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch HaRav. ... The Neva river has been called the main street of St Petersburg. ...

His conversion and mental infirmity and apostasy have been denied by the Chabad movement consistently since his death.^[1]

Documents found by historian Shaul Stampfer document Schneersohn's conversion to Christianity. The original documents are located in the national historical archives in Minsk, the capital of Belorussia. These include a letter in to the local priest in which he states his intent to convert, his baptismal certificate, which was dated July 4, 1820. The documents also show that after his conversion he worked for the Tsar to assist in the conversion of other Jews.^[1]

In the letter in which he stated his intention to convert he wrote that the Jews had tried to prevent him from doing so by watching him constantly, beating him and threatening him. He wrote: "I have remained steadfast in my desire to take upon myself the true faith of Jesus Christ, to which the holy books and all the prophets testify." After conversion he changed his name to Leon Yoleivitch. He returned to visit Lubavitch, where his brother was the Rabbi, but fled, ultimately dying in a mental institution in St. Petersburg.^[1] Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and...

Life

The year of his birth is not clear. It is known that he married in 1797, and since all of his brother married at 14 years old, scholars assume that he was born around 1784. The sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe in his historical noted on the Chabad movement notes that he was born in 1784 in Liozna, but elsewhere writes that he was born in 1779. Liozna or Liozno (Belarusian: , Russian: ) is an urban type settlement in Vitsebsk Voblast, Belarus, the capital of the Liozno District. ...

When he was 8 years old he started showing signs of insanity. His father recognised a problem and had him treated by the best doctors available, but his problems recurred intermittently. In 1801 his father took his for treatment with doctors in Vitebsk, St. Petersburg and Smolensk. Coat of arms of Vitebsk. ... A view of Smolensk in 1912. ...

He married Shifra daughter of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Ula, a town near Liadi. He went to live with his father-in-law in Ula an was soon appointed to the post of Rabbi in that town. Lyady, Liady, or Liadi may refer to one of the following settlements: Lyady, Smolevichi District, Smolevichi District, Minsk Voblast, Belarus [1] Lyady, Zhlobin District, Zhlobin District, Homiel Voblast, Belarus [2] Lyady, Dubrovno District, Dubrovno District, Vitsebsk Voblast, Belarus [3] [4], associated with life of Shneur Zalman of Liadi Lyady, Pskov...

Moshe apparently had a excellent memory, and while in Ula authored a number of manuscripts of novella that he had heard from his father, which are used by Chabad hasidim today.

During Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, his father fled from Liadi with his family behind Russian lines to the Russian interior. Sheur Zalman died as a result of the journey. Moshe did not go with them, instead travelling to Shklov. He was captured by the French Army, sentenced to death for espionage, but pardoned after in was realised that he was insane. According to a letter written by his mother in 1817, he had been stable up to this point, but the sentence disturbed him and he never fully recovered. Categories: Belarus-related stubs | Towns in Belarus ...

Conversion

Chabad accounts differ with the scholarly accounts of Moshe's conversion and later life.

Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn's account

The Chabad hagiography authored by the Sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn recounts that Moshe accompanied his brother, the Second Rebbe of Chabad to the Tsar to discuss the situation of the Jews in his territory. The Tsar was impressed by Moshe's erudition and ordered a disputation between Moshe and his Chief Priest. Moshe reluctantly accepted the challenge, and won the debate. Furious, the Christians arrested Moshe, took his to a church and physically forced him to sign his name to a letter that declared his intent to convert to Christianity. Moshe managed to escape from the church, but due to fear of rearrest, he traveled around Europe incognito until his death in 1878. Tsar (Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian цар, Russian  , Croatian car, in scientific transliteration respectively car and car ), occasionally spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English, is a Slavonic term designating certain monarchs. ... In the scholastic system of education of the middle ages, disputations (in Latin: disputationes, singular: disputatio) offered a formalized method of debate designed to uncover and establish truths in theology and in other sciences. ...

David Assaf's account

Scholars of hasidism, headed by David Assaf of Tel Aviv University, blame Moshe conversion can be traced back to a monetary dispute between him and a local artillery officer in Ula. As they became acquainted the officer elicited his conversion. He invited him to a party and got him drunk and encouraged him to write a letter expressing his intent to convert. He removed his peyot and his beard and sent him to the local priest under armed guard. He was baptised a few days later. The Engineering Faculty Boulevard The Smolarz Auditorium Tel Aviv University (TAU, אוניברסיטת תל אביב, אתא) is one of Israels major universities. ...

Moshe's brothers wrote to the head of the church detailing Moshe illness arguing that his signature could not be accepted for the conversion, but he refused to grant their request. Moshe then requested to convert again, this time to Russian Orthodoxy. As a result of this request the church leaders requested to view the certification of his conversion and a number of procedural errors were found, and it was established that Moshe had not been properly converted. Despite the Catholic authorities in Ula declared that Moshe's conversion was valid. His conversion was confirmed and his name was changed to Leon Yulievitz. The Russian Orthodox Church (Русская Православная церковь) is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with...

On the request of the tzar's close confidant, the Education and Religion minister, Moshe was transferred to St. Petersburg where he underwent extensive medical tests that established that he was mentally ill. Despite this, he went to to lecture on the subject of Christianity.

In august 1821, his condition worsened and he was moved to an asylum. There are no further records of his life and his grave is not known. Scholars assume that he died within a few years of his institutionalisation.

Further Reading

• Neehaz ba-Svakh: Pirkei Mashber u-Mevucha be-Toldot ha-Hasidut, David Assaf, Zalman Shazar Institute, Jerusalem 2006

Citations

1. ^ ^{a b c} New book reveals darker chapters in Hasidic history, Allan Nadler, The Forward, August 25, 2006

External links

• New Book Reveals Darker Chapters In Hasidic History, Allan Nadler, August 25 2006, (Review of Assaf's book in The Forward)