Editing Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (section)

== Biography ==

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Menachem Mendel Schneersohn was born in [[Liozna]], on September 20, 1789 (September 9 [[Old Style|OS]]). His mother Devorah Leah died three years later, and her father Rabbi [[Shneur Zalman of Liadi]] raised him as his own son. He married his first cousin [[Chaya Mushka Schneersohn]], daughter of Rabbi [[Dovber Schneuri]]. After his father-in-law/uncle's death, and a three-year interregnum during which he tried to persuade the Hasidim to accept his brother-in-law Menachem-Nachum Schneuri or his uncle Chaim-Avraham as their leader,<ref name="poor"/> he assumed the leadership of Lubavitch on the eve of [[Shavuot]] 5591 (May 5, 1831, OS).{{fact|date=March 2021}}

He was known as the Tzemach Tzedek after the title of a voluminous compendium of [[Halakha]] (Jewish law) that he authored.<ref>"Tzemach" (צמח) has the same [[gematria]] as "Menachem" (מנחם), and "Tzedek" (צדק) has the same as "Mendel" (מענדל). The original responsa ''Tzemach Tzedek'' were those of [[Menachem Mendel Krochmal]]. Schneersohn's responsa are known as ''Shu"t Tzemach Tzedek Hachadashot'', "the new Tzemach Tzedek responsa". Rabbi Menachem Mendil Hager, the first [[Vizhnitz (Hasidic dynasty)|Viznhitzer Rebbe]], called his commentary on the Torah ''Tzemach Tzadik'' (צמח צדיק), because he spelled his name with an extra yod (מענדיל).</ref> He also authored ''Derech Mitzvotecha'' ("Way of Your Commandments"), a mystical exposition of the ''Mitzvos''. He compiled major works of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi for publication, including the ''[[Siddur]] L'Kol Ha'Shanah'' (commonly known as ''Siddur Im Dach''), [[Likutei Torah/Torah Or|''Likutei Torah'' and ''Torah Ohr'']]. He also authored a philosophical text entitled "Sefer Chakira: Derech Emuna" (''Book of Philosophy: The Way of Faith'').{{fact|date=March 2021}}

He enjoyed close ties with other Jewish leaders. In the course of his battle against the ''[[Haskalah]]'' in Russia, he forged a close alliance with Rabbi Yitzchak of [[Valozhyn]], a major leader of the [[misnagdim]], which led to warmer relations between them and the Hasidim.<ref>[http://www.jewish-history.com/Chabad/index.html ''The Tzemach Tzedek and the ''Haskalah'' Movement'', Official Chabad history.]</ref>

According to [[Baruch Epstein]], his father Rabbi [[Yechiel Michel Epstein]] spent six months under the Schneersohn's tutelage, and learned most of his mystical knowledge during that time. This story is disputed by Hassidic historian [[Yehoshua Mondshine]].<ref>The claim is in ''Mekor Baruch'', chapter 20. ''But see'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927211240/http://www.shturem.net/index.php?section=artdays&id=785 ''Mekor Baruch - Mekor Hakzavim''] by Yehoshua Mondshein.</ref> Historian Eitam Henkin suggests that Rabbi Y. M. Epstein did meet with him, but only a few visits over a week or two, noting the testimony of Rabbi [[Yehuda Leib Maimon]] that he heard about this directly from his teacher.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Henkin|first=Eitam|title=Set a Table Before Me|publisher=Maggid Books|year=2018|isbn=978-965-526-260-5|location=Jerusalem|pages=55-58,321-348}}</ref> 

His close friendship with Professor J Berstenson, the [[Czar]]'s court physician, often helped the delicate negotiations relating to the welfare of the community.<ref name="poor">''Encyclopedia of Hasidism'', entry: Schneersohn, Menachem Mendel. Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. {{ISBN|1-56821-123-6}}</ref> He set up an organisation called ''Hevras Techiyas Hameisim'' to assist Jewish boy-soldiers who were being recruited and converted to Christianity by the [[Russian army]]. These soldiers known as [[Cantonist]]s were taken away from the Jewish community to other villages. Schneersohn arranged for his students to pay them regular visits to keep up their spirits and discourage them from converting.<ref name="poor"/>

In 1844–45 he took steps to increase the enrollment and viability of the Lubavitch [[yeshiva]]s in [[Dubroŭna]], Pasana, Lyozno, and [[Kalisz]], expanding their enrollment to around 600 students in total.<ref name="poor"/><ref>{{cite book | title=The World of Hasidism |author=H. Rabinowicz|page=134 |year=1970 |isbn=0-87677-005-7 |publisher=Hartmore House}}</ref>
Repeated attempts by the authorities to entrap him using informers such as Hershel Hodesh, Benjamin the Apostate and Lipman Feldman failed.<ref>''Sefer HaToldos Rav Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn MiLubavitch'', Glitzenstein, A. H.</ref>