Rare Photo: The Daughter of the Rebbe Maharash

By COLlive reporter

A rare black and white photo is said to be that of Rebbetzin Devorah Leah Ginsburg, daughter of the 4th Chabad Rebbe Maharash, Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn OBM.

Born in 5615 (1854-1855), she was raised in Lyubavichi, the town in Russia known as Lubavitch. Her siblings were Zalman Aharon, Sholom Dovber (who would become the 5th Chabad Rebbe Rashab), and Menachem Mendel.

Her father once commented, “Devorah Leah, you have a good head.” When she once attempted to steal the Afikoman at the Pesach Seder (which isn’t the custom of Chabad), her father stopped her and instead gifted her a strand of pearls.

On 8 Sivan 5632, she married Rabbi Moshe Aryeh Leib Ginsburg, a chossid, successful banker and askan for community affairs. When he was in Lubavitch, he would serve as a choizer and a maniach to document his father-in-law’s teachings.

During their wedding and Sheva Brachos, the Rebbe Maharash recited 8 Maamarim. The couple lived in Vitebsk, Belarus. Their children were Dov Ber Ginsburg, Aharon Yosef Ginsburg, Shmuel Ginsburg, Mussia Gurevitch, Sheina Mayerovitch, Rachel, and Chassia.

The Rebbe told that upon the passing of the Rebbe Maharash, Rebbetzin Devorah Leah turned to the wall and stood there for 3 days.

In the photo which has now been released, she is seen accompanied by what would seem to be family members. It is speculated that the man seen on the left was one of her sons-in-law.

Her husband isn’t seen in this photo. 2 other photos of him were published in the past in the Kfar Chabad Magazine.