By COLlive reporter
An elder man was called up to the Torah this past Shabbos at Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida and said his name was Levi Yitzchok ben Chaim Yosef Dovid.
The name intrigued the Shliach, Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz who walked over to him after davening.
Levi Yitzchok is the name of the Rebbe’s father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, rabbi of the Ukrainian city of Yekatrinoslav (known today as Dnepropetrovsk) and a saintly kabbalist and Torah scholar.
The Shliach asked the guest who he was named after and the man answered, “after the Rebbe’s father” and noted that he was actually the first newborn to be called after Reb Levik.
The man went on to to explain that after his mother gave birth, Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson asked his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Chaim Yosef Dovid Nemotin to name their son after her husband. The Nemotins apparently assisted Reb Levik and were close to him.
Rabbi Minkowicz asked Levi Yitzchok Nemotin and his older brother Yehoshua Nemotin to speak at the kiddush at shul.
“They shared moving stories how they had a secret mikvah in their home and their father would spend a whole day heating the mikvah with wood if it needed to be used,” he said.
“They told that when they left Russia, the Rebbe instructed them not to sell the house so they gave it to another Yid to watch and maintain.”
Musia Nemotin(the sister of yossef Nemotin) was married to a Minkowicz
THE REBBE SAID PUBLICLY AT A FARBRANGEN ABOUT THIER FATHER REB YOSEF NEMOTIN A”H (WITH REGARD TO WHAT HE DID FOR THE REBBES PARENTS) “ICH KEN ZICH NIT OISTZULEN UN ICH VIEL ZICH NIT OISTZUKEN” LIGHTLY TRANSLATED- I CAN NEVER PAY HIM, NUR DO I DESIRE TO PAY (THERBY REMANING WITHOUT ANY FORTHER DEPTH TO RABBI NIMOTIN) FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE REBBES PARENTS ! ! HE HAD A VERY LONG YECHIDUS WITH THE REBBE OPON ARRIVING TO AMERICA, HE WAS THE UNCLE OF (YIBUDEL LCH”T) ZALMAN CHNIN MRS. KATZMAN & REBITZEN SCHWEI OF MONTREAL, THE REBBE WENT… Read more »
Yosef Nimotin had a beard. His wife would walk on the other side of the street from him so she wouldn’t be associated…
GET JEM TO INTERVIEW THEM
I would say that they are Gezah! In Russia (USSR) many chassidim were unable to have beards due to the danger, but they were chassidim. These are chassidim of yesterday’s Lubavitch who came back to the Chabad of today. They are 100% Gezah!!
Let them know how lucky they are and what a zechus he has!
the father, the chossid reb yosef nimotin assisted reb levik & was also part of the group that buried reb levik.
years later his son assisted other chassidim to repair reb levik’s matzeivah as per the rebbe’s instructions
for years we all knew of the “first” levi yitzchok as reb levi yitzchok brook of crown heights, as levi yitzchok nimotin was still in russia
AMAZING!!! THIS FAMILY IS SO SPECIAL HELPING THE REBBE’S FAMILY!!! WHAT A ZECHUS!!!
they are Lubavitch, his son is a member at chabad of Boston. they are also first cousin’s witr Rab Zalman Chanin
thanx for sharing!
I heard this story from their mother firsthand. Their father Reb Yosef was instrumental in helping Rebetzin Chana leave Russia.Reb Levik was very sick and the Neymotins shared their meager rations with them
To #1 They are from a very prominent lineage in Lubavitch!
How can you say they are not Lubavitchers??!! Their father was living in Crown Heights and by Farbrengens got many kiruvim from the Rebbe.
this story is amazing
They are Lubavitchers.. Their father took care of the Rebbe’s Father . The Nimotins are related to the Chanin’s.
beautiful story.
Thanks for sharing.
JEM should interview them..
This story is so nice and heartwarming.
May this man realize the specialness of his name, and be blessed!
I think it’s amazing that even people who aren’t Lubavitchers
are named after famous tzaadikim