Kapust

The Kopust branch of the Chabad Hasidic movement was founded in 1866 by Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn after the death of the third rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn. The movement is named after the town of Kopys in the Vitebsk Region of present-day Belarus, where Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn settled after his father's death.

History

Kopust is an offshoot of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The Chabad movement, founded by Shneur Zalman of Liadi, produced multiple offshoot groups through its over 200-year history. The death of the third Chabad rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn led to a dispute over his succession leading to the founding of Kopust.

At the time of its founding, Kopust sought to be the rightful heir to the legacy of the first three rebbes of Chabad. Many of the greatest adherents of 19th-century Chabad were in fact Chassidim of Kopust.

Founding

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, also known as the "''Tzemach Tzedek''", had seven sons. Following Rabbi Menachem Mendel's death in 1866, a dispute arose among several of his sons over the father's succession. While the youngest son, Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn assumed the title of rebbe in the town of Lubavitch, another son, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn, assumed the title of rebbe in the town of Kopys. Rabbi Yehuda Leib died less than a year later and was succeeded by his son Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn.Schneersohn, Yosef Yitzchak & Schneerson, Menachem Mendel. ''Hayom Yom''. Introduction. Kehot Publication Society. Brooklyn, NY. 1946.

Leadership

The Kopust dynasty had four rebbes:Loewenthal, Naftali.
''Communicating the Infinite: The Emergence of the Habad School''. University of Chicago Press. (1990): p. 244.
* Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schneersohn (1808-1866), known as the Maharil of Kopust. He founded the movement after the death of his father, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Scheersohn.
* Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn (1830–1900), oldest son of Rabbi Yehuda Leib, assumed his father’s position in Kopust. He is the author of a work on Hasidism titled "Magen Avot" ("Shield of the Fathers").
* Rabbi Shalom Dovber Schneersohn (1834-1908), known as the Rashab of Rechitsa. Succeeding his brother, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman, Rabbi Shalom Dovber served as the Kopuster movement's rebbe in the town of Rechitsa.
* Rabbi Shmaryahu Noah Schneersohn (1842–1924), known as Shmaryahu Noah of Babruysk. Succeeding his brother, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman, Rabbi Shmaryahu Noah served as the Kopuster movement's rebbe in the town of Babruysk.Loewenthal, Naftali.
''Communicating the Infinite: The Emergence of the Habad School''. University of Chicago Press. (1990): p. 244.Lowenthal, Naftali. Schneersohn, Shmaryahu Noah. ''Encyclopedia of Hasidism''. Jason Aronson Publishers. London. 1996.Schneerson, Shmaryahu Noah. ''Shemen La'moar''. Vol. 1. Kfar Chabad, Israel. (1964): p. 1
Available at HebrewBooks.org
Schneerson, Shmaryahu Noah. ''Shemen La'moar''. Vol. 2. Kfar Chabad, Israel. (1967): p. 1
Available at HebrewBooks.org
He was rav of the chasidim in Babruysk from 1872, and founded a yeshiva there in 1901. He authored a two volume work on Hasidism, titled "Shemen LaMaor" ("Light for the Luminary").Schneerson, Shmaryahu Noah. ''Shemen La'moar''. Vol. 2. Kfar Chabad, Israel. (1967): p. 1
Available at HebrewBooks.org

Kopust today

It is thought that after the death of the fourth rebbe of Kopust, the adherents of the Kopuster movement rejoined the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

The oldest extant Chabad synagogue in Israel, the ''Ohel Yitzchok'' (אהל יצחק) synagogue in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem—also called the ''Baal HaTanya Shul'' ( yi, בעל התניא שול: ''"Baal HaTanya's synagogue"'')—active since 1900, was originally affiliated with Kopust.

Relationship with Chabad-Lubavitch

While the Kopust movement originally was at odds with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement over the successor to the third Chabad rebbe, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn referred to the Rebbes of Kopust as "Admorim", or rebbes. This may be seen as a sign of respect to the Kopust dynasty.

Works

*''Magen Avos'' of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Schneerson
*''Shemen La'Maor'' of Rabbi Shmaryahu Noah Schneersoh
vol. 1vol. 2

Notes

References

{{Hasidic dynasties

Chabad history
Hasidic dynasties
Chabad-Lubavitch related controversies
Religious organizations established in 1866