Alter Rebbe Descendants Gather

By COLlive reporter
Photos by Baruch Ezagui

Over 200 descendants of the Alter Rebbe gathered this Motzoei Shabbos Shemos, ahead of the the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, author of the Shulchan Aruch and Tanya, and founder of Chabad-Lubavitch.

Special emphasis was put on the fact that we are now entering the 200th year of the Histalkus of the Alter Rebbe on 24 Teves 5573.

Participants of the annual evening at the Chovevei Torah Yeshiva in Crown Heights were the organizers, Rabbi Shmuel Butman, chairman of the Association of Descendants of the Alter Rebbe, and his son Rabbi Yossi Butman.

In his opening remarks, Rabbi Shmuel Butman noted the connection between the Alter Rebbe and the Rambam whose yahrtzeit is on the 20th of Teves.

“They were both Poskim, both illuminated the world with the light of the Revealed Torah and the Concealed Torah as the Rambam deals with many esoteric matters in his Sefer Hayad in the first four Perokim and in in Moreh Nevuchim,” he said.

The Alter Rebbe and Reb Akiva Eiger

The gathering was addressed by Rabbi Akiva Ludmir, the Preshburger Rov, also a descendant of the Alter Rebbe, who gave an overview of the general situation in the Jewish world today.

As a grandson of the Alter Rebbe and the Gaon Reb Akiva Eiger, who he is named after, he told a spellbinding story about the great respect and awe Reb Akiva Eiger had for the Alter Rebbe.

The Preshburger Rebbe also stressed that both the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe were leaders of the Jewish community guiding them during the dark periods of Golus.

Famed psychologist Rabbi Dr. Ben Tzion Twerski, also a descendant, spoke of the great psychological and emotional advantage that being a descendant entails. He also emphasized that it is not only a privilege, it is indeed also a responsibility.

The Rebbe saved her life

Rabbi Shem Rokeach, a descendant of Reb Yosef Yitzchok of Avrutch, son of the Tzemach Tzedek, and who the Previous Rebbe is named after, spoke about the special relationship his family had with the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka.

“We were like Bnei Bayis, family members in the Rebbe’s house and we would visit the Rebbetzin on a regular basis every few weeks,” he noted.

Their family, he continued, did not make any moves without consulting with the Rebbetzin. The Rebbetzin would then ask the Rebbe and call them back with the Rebbe’s response.

Rabbi Rokeach continued to tell the story about one of his family members where the Rebbe insisted, against the advice of their doctor, to do an operation immediately. The doctor later admitted that if they would not have done the operation at that time it would have been too late.

“The Rebbe saved her life,” he concluded.

The Chabad-Chernobyl Shidduch

Another speaker was Rabbi Mordechai Zishe Twersky, nephew of the Skverer Rebbe of Boro Park, a descendent of Reb Mordchai Ber of Hornostaipel who is the grandson of Reb Yaakov Yisroel of Tcherkas, son in law of the Mitteler Rebbe.

He spoke about the shidduchim made by the Alter Rebbe and the Rebbe of Chernobyl. “The Alter Rebbe put his hand on the head of Reb Yaakov Yisroel who was then a child in his crib, and chose him to marry the daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe, the Rebbetzin Devorah Leah,” he said.

The evening’s main speaker was Rebbi Leibel Groner, Mazkir of the Rebbe and also a descendant of the Alter Rebbe. He told many stories of the Rebbe, emphasizing that the Rebbe’s word has to be absolutely binding without any deviation whatsoever.

Rabbi Groner stressed that special attention should be focused on learning Chassidus in preparation to the concealed part of Torah to be taught by Moshiach imminently.

Alter Rebbe’s Niggunim

During the evening the Alter Rebbe’s niggunim were sung by descendants Rabbi Sholom Ber Schneerson, his son R’ Mendel Schneerson and the world renowned chazzan Schneur Zalman Baumgarten with all participants joining in.

Two young descendants, Avrohom Schneerson and Menachem Mendel Kugel played the Alter Rebbe’s niggunim on violins. They started with Benei Heichlo, Keili Ato and Kol Dodi and concluded with playing the “Alter Rebbe’s Niggun.”

“To hear the young descendants play the niggunim of the Alter Rebbe, especially the ‘four movement’ niggun was an awesome and extraordinary experience that I will never forget,” said a participant.

The Melave Malka gathering left a deep and profound impression on the descendants of the Alter Rebbe in attendance stressing both elements of privilege and even stronger – responsibility.