Stolen Gift From Rebbe’s Wedding

By COLlive reporter

A new book “Moments & Documents – The Story of the Rebbe’s Wedding” was published in time for the 14th of Kislev, the 90th wedding anniversary of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, of blessed memory.

The 170 pages with text both in English and Hebrew, describes the “royal wedding” held at the Lubavitch Yeshiva “Tomchei Tmimim” in Warsaw, Poland, accompanied by 150 historic photos and unknown details.

Once, during a farbrengen on the 14th of Kislev of 1953, the Rebbe commented to Chassidim that “this is the day that bound me to you, and you to me.”

Author of the book, Rabbi Zalman Hertzel, says the book is suitable for all ages – youth, adults, grooms and brides, especially teachers who wish to prepare for the 14th of Kislev together with their students.

The book discusses where was the first meeting of the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin, who were the shadchanim, which of the Gedolei Yisroel participated in the wedding, who were honored under the Chuppa, and what gifts were given to the couple.

One contentious moment at the wedding, as reported at the time in the press, was when Polish thieves took advantage of the large crowd at the chuppah in the yeshiva courtyard and stole rare Kisvei Yad Kodesh and money.

The grandfather of the kallah, Rabbi Avraham Schneerson, who traveled from Kishinev, brought rare Kisvei Yad Kodesh of the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe. He brought it as a gift to the chosson, and they were stolen from him, along with money.

“The thieves took advantage of the big crush, to cut pockets and “pocket” wallets full of money,” the Unzer Express newspaper reported on November 28, 1928. “Thus, for example, they stole money from the rabbi of Dokshitz Rabbi Sheinin, from Mr. Rothstein, Mr. Lewit and others. When one of the thieves tried to pull a wallet out of an old Jew’s pocket, they caught him and led him to the police station.”

Another report from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) was published in the New York newspaper “Jewish Daily Bulletin” on December 2, 1928, under the title “Steal Historic Documents of Chassidic Movement in Wedding Excitement:”

“Important historic documents throwing light on the origin of the Chassidic movement were stolen in the excitement at the wedding of the daughter of Rabbi Jacob Joseph Schneursohn, the Lubawitscher Rebbe who came from Riga for the marriage ceremony.

Large numbers of Chassidim welcomed the scion of the famous Chassidic dynasty of Schneursohn on his arrival at the Warsaw depot.

He returned today to Riga, his present abode, following his exile from Russia, to celebrate on Sunday, December 2, the Chabad holiday, the 19th of Kislev, which is commemorated annually as the date when his grandfather was released from the Petro-Pawlowsk prison.

Hundreds of the Lubawitscher Rebbe’s followers attended the wedding ceremony which was held in a Yeshiva hall. Many wedding gifts were showered upon the couple. Congratulatory messages were received from the United States, Egypt, Palestine and other countries, including one from Chief Rabbi A. J. Kook of Jerusalem.

In the excitement which reigned during the festivities a package of manuscripts, said to have contained letters written by the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement, in his own handwriting, and of Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the grandfather of the Lubawitscher Rebbe and the founder of the Chabad Chassidic school, disappeared.

The documents, prized highly because of their rarity, were brought by the bridegroom’s grandfather as a wedding gift.”

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The book is available at Jewish book stores and on Amazon.com. For larger orders, email szhertzel@gmail.com.