Shneur Zalman of Liadi, (; September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812
O.S. / 18 Elul 5505 – 24 Tevet 5573) commonly known as the Alter Rebbe or Baal Hatanya, was a
rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
and the founder and first
Rebbe
A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...
of
Chabad
Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...
, a branch of
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a Spirituality, spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most ...
. He wrote many works and is best known for ''
Shulchan Aruch HaRav'', ''
Tanya'', and his ''
Siddur
A siddur ( ''sīddūr'', ; plural siddurim ) is a Jewish prayer book containing a set order of daily prayers. The word comes from the Hebrew root , meaning 'order.'
Other terms for prayer books are ''tefillot'' () among Sephardi Jews, ''tef ...
Torah Or'', compiled according to the ''
Nusach Ari''.
Names
Zalman is a Yiddish variant of
Solomon
Solomon (), also called Jedidiah, was the fourth monarch of the Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy), Kingdom of Israel and Judah, according to the Hebrew Bible. The successor of his father David, he is described as having been the penultimate ...
and Shneur (or Shne'or) is a Yiddish composite of the two Hebrew words "shnei ohr" (שני אור "two lights").
He is also known as Shneur Zalman Baruchovitch, using the Russian
patronymic
A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic.
Patronymics are used, b ...
of his father Baruch, and by a variety of other titles and acronyms including "Baal HaTanya VeHaShulchan Aruch'" ("Author of the
Tanya and the
Shulchan Aruch
The ''Shulhan Arukh'' ( ),, often called "the Code of Jewish Law", is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Rabbinic Judaism. It was authored in the city of Safed in what is now Israel by Joseph Karo in 1563 and published in ...
"), "Alter Rebbe" (
Yiddish
Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
for "Old Rabbi"), "
Admor HaZaken" (Hebrew for ″Our Old Master and Teacher″), "Rabbenu HaZaken" (Hebrew for "Our Old Rabbi"), "Rabbenu HaGadol" (Hebrew for "Our Great Rabbi")", "RaShaZ" ( for Rabbi Shneor Zalman), "GRaZ" ( for Ga'on Rabbi Zalman), and "HaRav" (The Rabbi, par excellence).
Biography
Early life
Shneur Zalman was born in 1745 in the small town of
Liozna
Lyozna or Liozno is an urban-type settlement in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Lyozna District. It is located east-southeast of Vitebsk, close to the border with Russia by the Vitebsk–Smolensk railroad ...
,
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...
(present-day
Belarus
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
). He was the son of Baruch, who was a paternal descendant of the mystic and philosopher Rabbi
Judah Loew ben Bezalel
Judah Loew ben Bezalel (; 1512 – 17 September 1609), also known as Rabbi Loew ( Löw, Loewe, Löwe or Levai), the Maharal of Prague (), or simply the Maharal (the Hebrew language, Hebrew Hebrew abbreviations, acronym of "''Moreinu ha-Rav Loew'' ...
.
[''Hayom Yom'', introduction] According to Meir Perels of
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, the Maharal was the great-great-grandson of
Judah Leib the Elder who was said to have descended paternally from
Hai Gaon and therefore also from the
Davidic dynasty; however, several modern historians such as
Otto Muneles and Shlomo Engard have questioned this claim. Shneur Zalman was a prominent (and the youngest) disciple of
Dov Ber of Mezeritch, the "Great Maggid", who was in turn the successor of the founder of
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a Spirituality, spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most ...
, Yisrael ben Eliezer, known as the
Baal Shem Tov
Israel ben Eliezer (According to a forged document from the "Kherson Geniza", accepted only by Chabad, he was born in October 1698. Some Hasidic traditions place his birth as early as 1690, while Simon Dubnow and other modern scholars argue f ...
.

He displayed extraordinary talent while still a child. By the time he was eight years old, he wrote an all-inclusive commentary on the
Torah
The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
based on the works of
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzchaki (; ; ; 13 July 1105) was a French rabbi who authored comprehensive commentaries on the Talmud and Hebrew Bible. He is commonly known by the List of rabbis known by acronyms, Rabbinic acronym Rashi ().
Born in Troyes, Rashi stud ...
,
Nahmanides
Moses ben Nachman ( ''Mōše ben-Nāḥmān'', "Moses son of Nachman"; 1194–1270), commonly known as Nachmanides (; ''Nakhmanídēs''), and also referred to by the acronym Ramban (; ) and by the contemporary nickname Bonastruc ça Porta (; l ...
and
Abraham ibn Ezra.
['Sipurie Chassidim Lenoar' Kfar Chabad 1984]
Until the age of 12, he studied under Issachar Ber in
Lyubavichi (Lubavitch); he distinguished himself as a
Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
ist, such that his teacher sent him back home, informing his father that the boy could continue his studies without the aid of a teacher.
[''The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Memoirs'', vol 1.] At the age of 12, he delivered a discourse concerning the complicated laws of Kiddush Hachodesh, to which the people of the town granted him the title "Rav".
At age 15 he married Sterna Segal, the daughter of Yehuda Leib Segal, a wealthy resident of
Vitebsk
Vitebsk or Vitsyebsk (, ; , ; ) is a city in northern Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Vitebsk Region and Vitebsk District, though it is administratively separated from the district. As of 2025, it has 358,927 inhabitants, m ...
, and he was then able to devote himself entirely to study. During these years, Shneur Zalman was introduced to mathematics,
geometry
Geometry (; ) is a branch of mathematics concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. Geometry is, along with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. A mathematician w ...
, and
astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...
by two learned brothers, refugees from
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
, who had settled in Liozna.
One of them was also a scholar of the
Kabbalah
Kabbalah or Qabalah ( ; , ; ) is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It forms the foundation of Mysticism, mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ...
. Thus, besides mastering
rabbinic literature
Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, is the entire corpus of works authored by rabbis throughout Jewish history. The term typically refers to literature from the Talmudic era (70–640 CE), as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic ...
, he also acquired a fair knowledge of the sciences, philosophy, and Kabbalah.
He became an adept in
Isaac Luria
Isaac ben Solomon Ashkenazi Luria (; #FINE_2003, Fine 2003, p24/ref>July 25, 1572), commonly known in Jewish religious circles as Ha'ari, Ha'ari Hakadosh or Arizal, was a leading rabbi and Jewish mysticism, Jewish mystic in the community of Saf ...
's system of Kabbalah, and in 1764 he became a disciple of
Dov Ber of Mezeritch. In 1767, at the age of 22, he was appointed
maggid of Liozna, a position he held until 1801.
Parents
According to the Chabad Hasidic tradition, Shneur Zalman's father, Baruch, was a laborer who preferred to earn a living as a gardener rather than accept a post as a community rabbi or as a preacher (''magid''). In this tradition, Baruch was one of the disciples of Rabbi
Israel Baal Shem Tov. However, he only occasionally joined his teacher on his legendary travels. This tradition is used to justify why Hasidic records do not refer to Baruch with a rabbinic title, claiming that Baruch was averse to any public acknowledgment of his status.
Misnagdim
In the course of the Hasidic movement's establishment, opponents (
Misnagdim
''Misnagdim'' (, "Opponents"; Sephardi pronunciation: ''Mitnagdim''; singular ''misnaged / mitnaged'') was a Jewish religious movements, religious movement among the Eastern European Jewry, Jews of Eastern Europe which resisted the rise of Has ...
) arose among the local Jewish community. Disagreements between Hasidim and their opponents included debates concerning knives used by butchers for ''
shechita'', and the phrasing of prayers, among others. Shneur Zalman and a fellow Hasidic leader,
Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk
Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk (1730?–1788), also known as Menachem Mendel of Horodok, was an early leader of Hasidic Judaism. Part of the third generation of Hassidic leaders, he was the primary disciple of the Maggid of Mezeritch.
In 1773, he ...
(or, according to the tradition in the Soloveitchik family,
Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev), attempted to persuade the leader of Lithuanian Jewry, the
Vilna Gaon
Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( ''Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman''), also known as the Vilna Gaon ( ''Der Vilner Goen''; ; or Elijah of Vilna, or by his Hebrew acronym Gr"a ("Gaon Rabbenu Eliyahu": "Our great teacher Elijah"; Sialiec, April 23, 172 ...
, of the legitimacy of Hasidic practices. However, the ''Gaon'' refused to meet with them.
Children and succession
Shneur Zalman's sons were
Dov Ber Schneuri (who eventually succeeded him), Chaim Avraham, and
Moshe. Shneur Zalman's daughters were named Freida, Devorah Leah and Rochel. Other families have lore telling that they are also descendants, but they are undocumented in existing family records.
Dov Ber Shneuri
Dovber Schneuri succeeded his father as Rebbe of the Chabad movement. At the age of 39, while studying in the city of
Kremenchug
Kremenchuk (; , , also spelt Kremenchug, ) is an industrial city in central Ukraine which stands on the banks of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. The city serves as the administrative center of Kremenchuk Raion and Kremenchuk urban hromada within ...
, Shneur Zalman died.
[''Encyclopedia of Hasidism'', entry: Schneuri, Dovber. Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. ] Shneuri then moved to the small border-town of Lubavichi, from which the movement would take its name.
His accession was disputed by one of his father's prime students,
Aharon HaLevi of Strashelye, however the majority of Shneur Zalman's followers stayed with Schneuri, and moved to Lubavichi.
Thus Chabad had now split into two branches, each taking the name of their location to differentiate themselves from each other.
He established a
Yeshivah in Lubavitch, which attracted gifted young scholars. His nephew/son-in-law,
Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, headed the Yeshivah, and later became his successor.
Thus, while Schneuri succeeded his father as Rebbe of the Chabad movement, a senior disciple of his father,
Aharon HaLevi of Strashelye, a popular and respected figure, differed with him on a number of issues and led a breakaway movement.
Strashelye
When Schneur Zalman died, many of his followers flocked to one of his top students, Aharon HaLevi of Strashelye. He had been Shneur Zalman's closest disciple for over thirty years. While many more became followers of Dovber Shneuri, the Strashelye school of Chassidic thought was the subject of many of Dovber's discourses. Aharon HaLevi emphasized the importance of basic emotions in divine service (especially the service of prayer). Dovber Shneuri did not reject the role of emotion in prayer, but emphasized that if the emotion in prayer is to be genuine, it can only be a result of contemplation and understanding (
hisbodedus) of the explanations of Chassidus, which in turn will lead to an attainment of "bittul" (self-nullification before the Divine). In his work entitled ''Kuntres Hispa'alus'' ("Tract on Ecstasy"), Dovber Shneuri argues that only through ridding oneself of what he considered disingenuous emotions could one attain the ultimate level in Chassidic worship (that is, ''bittul'').
Moshe Schneersohn
Moshe Schneersohn (born c. 1784 - died, before 1853) was the youngest son of Shneur Zalman. According to scholars he converted to Christianity and died in a
St. Petersburg asylum. Chabad sources say that his conversion and related documents were faked by the Church, but Belarusian State archives in Minsk uncovered by historian
Shaul Stampfer support the conversion.
[
]
Lithuania
During the latter portion of Dovber's life, his students dispersed over Europe, and after Dovber's death, Shneur Zalman became the leader of Hasidic Judaism, Hasidism in Lithuanian Jews, Lithuania, along with his senior colleague
Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk
Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk (1730?–1788), also known as Menachem Mendel of Horodok, was an early leader of Hasidic Judaism. Part of the third generation of Hassidic leaders, he was the primary disciple of the Maggid of Mezeritch.
In 1773, he ...
. When Menachem Mendel died (in 1788), Shneur Zalman was recognized as leader of the Chassidim in Lithuania.
[“Shneor Zalman Ben Baruch”. jewishencyclopedia.com.]
At the time Lithuania was the center of the ''
misnagdim
''Misnagdim'' (, "Opponents"; Sephardi pronunciation: ''Mitnagdim''; singular ''misnaged / mitnaged'') was a Jewish religious movements, religious movement among the Eastern European Jewry, Jews of Eastern Europe which resisted the rise of Has ...
'' (opponents of Hasidism), and Shneur Zalman faced much opposition. In 1774 he and Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk traveled to
Vilna in an attempt to create a dialogue with the
Vilna Gaon
Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( ''Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman''), also known as the Vilna Gaon ( ''Der Vilner Goen''; ; or Elijah of Vilna, or by his Hebrew acronym Gr"a ("Gaon Rabbenu Eliyahu": "Our great teacher Elijah"; Sialiec, April 23, 172 ...
who led the Misnagdim and had issued a ban (''
cherem'') against the Hasidim, but the Gaon refused to see them (see
Vilna Gaon: Antagonism to Hasidism and
Hasidim and Mitnagdim).
Undaunted by this antagonism, he succeeded in creating a large network of Hasidic centers. He also joined opposition to
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
's
advance on Russia by recruiting his disciples to the Czar's army. He was also active in canvassing financial support for the Jewish settlements in the
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine. The definition ...
, then under the control of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
.
Philosophy: Chabad
:''See
Hasidic philosophy''
As a Talmudist, Shneur Zalman endeavored to place Kabbalah and Hasidism on a
rational
Rationality is the quality of being guided by or based on reason. In this regard, a person acts rationally if they have a good reason for what they do, or a belief is rational if it is based on strong evidence. This quality can apply to an ...
basis. In his seminal work, ''
Tanya'', he defines his approach as "" ("mind ruling over the heart/emotions"). He chose the name "''Chabad''" for this philosophy—the
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
acronym
An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...
for the intellectual attributes (''
sefirot
Sefirot (; , plural of ), meaning '' emanations'', are the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which Ein Sof ("infinite space") reveals itself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the seder hishtalshelut (the chained ...
'') ''
Chochma'' ("wisdom"), ''
Bina'' ("understanding"), and ''
Da'at'' ("knowledge”). According to Shneur Zalman, a man is neither a static nor a passive entity. He is a dynamic being who must work to develop his potential talent and perfect himself.
Both in his works and in his sermons he "indicated an intelligent and not a blind faith",
and assumed an intellectual accessibility of the mystical teachings of the
Kabbalah
Kabbalah or Qabalah ( ; , ; ) is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It forms the foundation of Mysticism, mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ...
. This intellectual basis differentiates Chabad from other forms of Hasidism - in this context referred to as "''Chagas''"—the "emotional" attributes (''sefirot'') of ''
Chesed'' ("kindness"), ''
Gevurah'' ("power"), and ''
Tiferes'' ("beauty").
In
Likkutei Sichos talks, the 7th Rebbe equates the Hasidic Rebbes followed in Chabad with different
Sephirot
Sefirot (; , plural of ), meaning '' emanations'', are the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which Ein Sof ("infinite space") reveals itself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the seder hishtalshelut (the chained ...
divine manifestations: the Baal Shem Tov with
Keter infinite faith, Shneur Zalman with Chokhmah (wisdom), the 2nd Chabad Rebbe with
Binah (understanding), etc.
Opposition to Napoleon and support for the Tsar

During the
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign (), the Second Polish War, and in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 (), was initiated by Napoleon with the aim of compelling the Russian Empire to comply with the Continenta ...
, while many Polish Hasidic
leaders supported
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
or remained quiet about their support, Shneur Zalman openly and vigorously supported the Tsar.
While fleeing from the advancing French army he wrote a letter explaining his opposition to Napoleon to a friend, Moshe Meizeles:
[''Should Napoleon be victorious...": Politics and Spirituality in Early Modern Jewish Messianism'', Hillel Levine, Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Thought 16–17, 2001]
Some argue that Shneur Zalman's opposition stemmed from Napoleon's attempts to arouse a messianic view of himself in Jews, opening the gates of the ghettos and emancipating their residents as he conquered. He established an
ersatz ''
Sanhedrin
The Sanhedrin (Hebrew and Middle Aramaic , a loanword from , 'assembly,' 'sitting together,' hence ' assembly' or 'council') was a Jewish legislative and judicial assembly of either 23 or 70 elders, existing at both a local and central level i ...
'', recruiting Jews to his ranks, and spreading rumors about his conquest of the Holy Land to make Jews subversive for his own ends. Thus, his opposition was based on a practical fear of Jews turning to the false messianism of Napoleon as he saw it.
Yisroel Hopsztajn of
Kozienice
Kozienice (; ''Kozhnits'') is a town in eastern Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Located four miles from the Vistula, it is the capital of Kozienice County.
Even though Kozienice is part of Lesser Poland, it is situated in the Masovian Voi ...
, another Hasidic leader, also considered Napoleon a menace to the Jewish people, but believed that after victory over Russia,
Messiah
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; ,
; ,
; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...
will arrive.
Menachem Mendel Schneerson identifies Hopsztajn as the Chasidic leader who preferred that Napoleon defeat the Czar.
Arrests
In 1797 following the death of the Gaon, leaders of the
Vilna community accused the Hasidim of subversive activities - on charges of supporting the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
, since Shneur Zalman advocated sending charity to support Jews living in the Ottoman territory of
Palestine
Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
. In 1798 he was arrested on suspicion of treason and brought to
St. Petersburg where he was held in the
Petropavlovski fortress for 53 days, at which time he was subjected to an examination by a secret commission. Ultimately he was released by order of
Paul I of Russia
Paul I (; – ) was Emperor of Russia from 1796 until his assassination in 1801.
Paul remained overshadowed by his mother, Catherine the Great, for most of his life. He adopted the Pauline Laws, laws of succession to the Russian throne—rules ...
. The Hebrew day of his acquittal and release,
19 Kislev
The 19 Kislev () refers to the 19th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
The date is celebrated by Hasidic Jews as the Yom Hillula (Yahrzeit, anniversary of death) of the Maggid of Mezritch, successor of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of Hasidi ...
, 5559 on the
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar (), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance and as an official calendar of Israel. It determines the dates of Jewish holidays and other rituals, such as '' yahrze ...
, is celebrated annually by
Chabad
Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...
Hasidim, who hold a festive meal and make communal pledges to learn the whole of the
Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
; this practice is known as "''Chalukat HaShas''".
In Chabad tradition, his imprisonment is interpreted as a reflection of accusations in Heaven that he was revealing his new dimensions of mystical teachings too widely. The traditional tendency to conceal Jewish mysticism is founded on the Kabbalistic notion of the
Sephirot
Sefirot (; , plural of ), meaning '' emanations'', are the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which Ein Sof ("infinite space") reveals itself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the seder hishtalshelut (the chained ...
. The side of Divine
Chesed seeks to give physical and spiritual blessing without restriction. This is counterbalanced by the side of
Gevurah, which measures and restricts the flow to the capacity and merit of the recipient. The subsequent Sephirah of
Hod implements any restriction in order to preserve the glory of the Divine majesty. In the Hasidic story of an earlier episode among the "Holy Society" disciples of
Dov Ber of Mezeritch, one of the great followers saw a page of Hasidic writings blowing around the courtyard. He regretted the undue dissemination of Hasidut for its desecration of Divine holiness. In the account, his vocalisation of these thoughts caused a Heavenly accusation against the Maggid, for revealing too much. The young Schneur Zalman replied with a famous Hasidic parable:
A king had an only son who became ill and all the attending doctors were at a loss of how to heal him. A wise person understood the only possible cure. He told the king that he would have to desecrate the royal crown by removing its most precious jewel. This would have to be ground up and fed to the king's son. The king regretted the loss to his majesty but immediately agreed that the life of his son was more important. The jewel was ground and the solution was fed to the son. Most of the cure fell to the ground, but the son received a few drops and became cured. Concluded Schneur Zalman in defence of Hasidic dissemination, the king represents God, and the son represents the Jewish community, who recognise the "God of Israel". At the time of the emerging Hasidic movement, the Jewish people were at a physical and spiritual low ebb. The only cure would be the dissemination of the inner Divine teachings of Hasidic thought. Even though this would also involve their desecration, this would fully be justified in order to heal the people. The accusing student of the Maggid realised the wisdom of this, and agreed with Schneur Zalman. When the Maggid heard about this, he told Schneur Zalman that "you have saved me from the Heavenly accusation".
The story of this parable is famous across other Hasidic dynasties as well. Chabad commentary asks about this the question of why a new Heavenly accusation would have arisen against Shneur Zalman himself, and result in his incarceration in St. Petersburg. Had he not already received the Heavenly agreement to the wisdom of disseminating Chassidic teachings? Since Chabad thought presented Hasidic thought with a new degree of elucidation in intellectual form, this caused a new, more severe Heavenly accusation to emerge. This went beyond the justified spiritual revival and healing of mainstream Hasidism. Here, in Hasidic thought, Schneur Zalman was seeking to fulfill the Messianic impulse to disseminate Hasidic philosophy as a preparation for
Mashiach. Therefore, his subsequent exoneration by the Tzarist authorities is interpreted in Chabad as a new Heavenly agreement to begin the fullest dissemination of Hasidic thought without its prior limitations. Chabad tradition tells that in prison, Schneur Zalman was visited by the deceased
Baal Shem Tov
Israel ben Eliezer (According to a forged document from the "Kherson Geniza", accepted only by Chabad, he was born in October 1698. Some Hasidic traditions place his birth as early as 1690, while Simon Dubnow and other modern scholars argue f ...
and
Maggid of Mezeritch, who told him the reason for his imprisonment. In reply to the question of whether he should stop, they replied that once released, he should continue with even more dedication. Therefore, in Chabad thought, the 19th day of Kislev is called the "New Year of Hasidut", complementing the other 4 Halachic "New Year" dates in the
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar (), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance and as an official calendar of Israel. It determines the dates of Jewish holidays and other rituals, such as '' yahrze ...
.
In 1800 Rav Shneur Zalman was again arrested and transported to St. Petersburg, this time along with his son
Moshe who served as interpreter, as his father spoke no Russian or French. He was released after several weeks but banned from leaving St. Petersburg. The accession of
Tsar Alexander I (
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I (, ; – ), nicknamed "the Blessed", was Emperor of Russia from 1801, the first king of Congress Poland from 1815, and the grand duke of Finland from 1809 to his death in 1825. He ruled Russian Empire, Russia during the chaotic perio ...
) to the throne a few weeks later led to his release; he was then “given full liberty to proclaim his religious teachings” by the Russian government.
According to some, his first arrest was not the result of anti-Hasidic agitators fabricating charges, or officials seeking extortion monies.
An accusation was made on May 8, 1798 by Hirsh ben David of Vilna accused him of trying to assist the
French Revolution, by sending money to Napoleon and the Sultan. Since this Hirsch ben David was untraceable, some were led to believe that there was no such person as Hirsh and the authorities were attempting to stir up internecine fighting among the Jews.
Liadi

After his release he moved his base to
Liadi,
Vitebsk Region,
Imperial Russia
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor/empress, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* ...
; rather than returning to Liozna. He took up his residence in the town of Liadi at the invitation of Polish
Prince Stanisław Lubomirski,
voivode
Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...
of the town, where Zalman settled for the next 12 years. His movement grew there immensely, and to this day he is associated with the town. In 1812, fleeing the
French Invasion, he left
Mogilev
Mogilev (; , ), also transliterated as Mahilyow (, ), is a city in eastern Belarus. It is located on the Dnieper, Dnieper River, about from the Belarus–Russia border, border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and from Bryansk Oblast. As of 2024, ...
, intending to go to
Poltava
Poltava (, ; , ) is a city located on the Vorskla, Vorskla River in Central Ukraine, Central Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Poltava Oblast as well as Poltava Raion within the oblast. It also hosts the administration of Po ...
, but died on the way in the small village o
Pena Kursk Oblast
Kursk Oblast (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Kursk. As of the 2021 Russian census, 2021 census, Kursk Oblast had a pop ...
. He is buried in
Hadiach.
Subsequent history of Chabad
:''See
Chabad#History''
Dovber Schneuri moved the movement to the town of Lubavitch (
Lyubavichi) in present-day
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. A top follower of Shneur Zalman, Aharon HaLevi Horowitz, established a rival Chabad school in
Strashelye, which did not last after his death.
In 1940, under the leadership of the previous
Rebbe
A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...
,
Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the
Chabad-Lubavitch movement moved its headquarters to
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Under the leadership of
Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Chabad established branches all over the world staffed by its own Lubavitch-trained and ordained
rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
s with their wives and children. The number of branches continues to grow to this day, and existing branches continue to expand.
Many descendants of Shneur Zalman carry surnames such as Shneur, Shneuri, Schneerson, and Zalman.
Works

Shneur Zalman was a prolific writer. He produced works of both
Hasidic philosophy and
Jewish law
''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is based on biblical commandments ('' mit ...
. Chabad tradition recasts his
Yiddish
Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
name, "Shneur" (שניאור), as the
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
words "Shnei" and "Ohr" (שני אור, "Two
Lights"), referring to Schneur Zalman's mastery of both the outer dimensions of
Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
ic Jewish study and the inner dimensions of
Jewish mysticism
Academic study of Jewish mysticism, especially since Gershom Scholem's ''Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism'' (1941), draws distinctions between different forms of mysticism which were practiced in different eras of Jewish history. Of these, Kabbal ...
. His works form the cornerstone of
Chabad philosophy
Chabad philosophy comprises the teachings of the leaders of Chabad-Lubavitch, a Hasidic movement. Chabad Hasidic philosophy focuses on religious concepts such as God, the soul, and the meaning of the Jewish commandments.
Teachings are often draw ...
.
Tanya
He is probably best known for his systematic exposition of Hasidic Jewish philosophy, entitled ''Likkutei Amarim'', more widely known as the ''
Tanya'', said to be first published in 1797. The legendary ''1797 Tanya'' was lost in a fire and no copies survived. The extant version of the work dates from 1814. Due to the popularity of his book, Hasidic Jews often refer to Shneur Zalman as the ''Baal HaTanya'' (). The ''Tanya'' deals with Jewish spirituality and psychology from a Kabbalistic point of view and philosophically expounds on such themes as the
oneness of God, ''
Tzimtzum'', the ''
Sefirot
Sefirot (; , plural of ), meaning '' emanations'', are the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which Ein Sof ("infinite space") reveals itself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the seder hishtalshelut (the chained ...
'', ''
simcha
''Simcha'' ( ; , ) is a Hebrew language, Hebrew word that means "gladness", or "joy", and is often used as a given name.
Uses
The concept of simcha is an important one in Jewish philosophy. A popular teaching by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, a 19 ...
'', ''bitachon'' (confidence), and many other
mystical
Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight ...
concepts.
Shulchan Aruch HaRav

Shneur Zalman is well known for the ''
Shulchan Aruch HaRav'', a collection of authoritative
codes of
Jewish laws and customs commissioned by
Dovber of Mezeritch and composed at the legendary age of twenty-one.
The Maggid of Mezeritch sought a new version of the classic ''
Shulkhan Arukh'' for the Hasidic movement. The work states a selection of
decided halakha and the underlying reasoning and common Hasidic customs. The ''Shulchan Aruch HaRav'' is considered authoritative by other
Hasidim, and citations to this work are many times found in non-Hasidic sources such as the ''
Mishnah Berurah'' used by
Lithuanian Jews and the ''
Ben Ish Chai'' used by
Sephardic Jew
Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...
s. Shneur Zalman is also one of three
halachic authorities on whom
Shlomo Ganzfried based his ''
Kitzur Shulkhan Arukh'' (Concise version of Jewish law).
Siddur
He also edited the first
Chabad siddur, based on the ''
Ari Siddur'' of the famous kabbalist
Isaac Luria
Isaac ben Solomon Ashkenazi Luria (; #FINE_2003, Fine 2003, p24/ref>July 25, 1572), commonly known in Jewish religious circles as Ha'ari, Ha'ari Hakadosh or Arizal, was a leading rabbi and Jewish mysticism, Jewish mystic in the community of Saf ...
of
Safed
Safed (), also known as Tzfat (), is a city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of up to , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and in Israel.
Safed has been identified with (), a fortif ...
, but he altered it for general use and corrected its textual errors. Today's ''Siddur
Tehillat HaShem'' is a later print of Shneur Zalman's Siddur.
Music
Shneur Zalman composed a number of Hassidic melodies. Some accompany specific prayers, others are sung to Biblical verses or are melodies without words. Depending on the tune, they are meant to arouse joy, spiritual ecstasy, or
teshuvah. One particular melody, commonly referred to as The Alter Rebbe's Niggun or Dalet Bovos, is reserved by Chabad Hassidim for ushering a groom and bride to their wedding canopy and other select occasions.
Other
Shneur Zalman's other works include:
* ''
Torah Or'' and ''
Likutei Torah'', Chassidic explanations of the
weekly Torah portion
The weekly Torah portion refers to a lectionary custom in Judaism in which a portion of the Torah (or Pentateuch) is read during Jewish prayer services on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. The full name, ''Parashat HaShavua'' (), is popularly abbre ...
s, ''
Shir HaShirim'' and the
Book of Esther
The Book of Esther (; ; ), also known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as "the Scroll" ("the wikt:מגילה, Megillah"), is a book in the third section (, "Writings") of the Hebrew Bible. It is one of the Five Megillot, Five Scrolls () in the Hebr ...
, drawn from his Hasidic Discourses and published by his grandson, the ''
Tzemach Tzedek'', who added his own glosses.
* ''Sefer HaMa'amarim'', also known as ''Maamarei Admor HaZaken'', Hassidic Discourses: ''Hanachot HaRaP''; ''Et’haleich Lyozna''; 5562- 2 vol.; 5563, 2 vol.; 5564; 5565, 2 vol.; 5566; 5567; 5568, 2 vol.; 5569; 5570; 5571; ''Haketzarim''; ''Al Parshiyot HaTorah VehaMoadim'', 2 vol.; ''Inyanim''; ''Ma’amarei Razal''; ''Nach'', 3 vol.
* ''Hilchot Talmud Torah'', on the
study of Torah.
* ''Sefer She’elot Uteshuvot'',
Responsa
''Responsa'' (plural of Latin , 'answer') comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them. In the modern era, the term is used to describe decisions and rulings made by scholars i ...
.
* ''
Siddur Im Dach'', a prayerbook with Hasidic discourses
* ''Boneh Yerushalayim''.
* ''Me'ah She'arim''.
* ''Igrot Kodesh'', 2 vol.
References
External links
Rabbi Schneur Zalman 1745–1812 chabad.org
chabad.org
, lessonsintanya.com
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi Adin Steinsaltz
Rabbi Shneiur Zalman of Ladi (1746–1812), Prof. Eliezer Segal
Shneor Zalman Ben Baruch jewishencyclopedia.com
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi 5505–5573 (1745–1812) asknoah.org
, scjfaq.org
From chabadlibrary.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shneur Zalman Of Liadi
1745 births
1812 deaths
18th-century Jewish theologians
18th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire
18th-century rabbis from the Russian Empire
19th-century Jewish theologians
19th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire
19th-century rabbis from the Russian Empire
Belarusian Hasidic rabbis
Hasidic rabbis in Europe
Jewish philosophers
Kabbalists
Panentheists
People from Lyozna district
Philosophers of Judaism
Philosophers of religion
Rebbes of Lubavitch
Russian Hasidic rabbis
Authors of books on Jewish law
Hasidic writers
Students of Dov Ber of Mezeritch
Chabad-Lubavitch poskim
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