Weekly Chasidic Story #1062 (s5778-30/
1 Iyar 5778)
Birth on a Sifting-Bed and an Unexpected Name
The Tzemach Tzedek stood immobile with his face to the wall during the entire
time of the delivery of his son, the Maharash.
Birth on a Sifting-Bed and an Unexpected Name
After the great fire that ravaged the town of Lubavitch, the
Tzemach Tzedek decided to purchase a plot of land and build an imposing
residence which would house within it a beit midrash--a house of study. The
noble who owned the town, Count Lubarmisky, instructed his steward to supply
from his own forest, and free of charge, all the timber necessary for the construction
of the Rebbe's house.
The Tzemach Tzedek wanted to wait until the festival of Shavuot before dedicating
the house. The Rebbetzin Chaya-Moussia, who had set her heart on giving
birth in their new home, had other ideas, and made her way there as soon as
her labor pains began. In this new house, so far unlived-in, were already stored
for future use all the Pesach utensils, together with a wooden bed on which
flour was sifted from which the special shmurah matzah would be baked.
Stubble and straw were brought and laid out on the bed, upon which the Rebbetzin
now laid herself down.
Word reached the Tzemach Tzedek, who rushed to the new house, took
his place in the chamber and, during the entire time of the delivery, stood
with his face to the wall. He instructed his three oldest sons, Rabbi Baruch
Shalom, Rabbi Yehuda Leib and Rabbi Chaim Schneur Zalman, to gather in one of
the rooms of his house and say the following chapters from the Book of Tehillim:
1, 2, 3, 4, 21, 22, 23, 24, 33, 47, 72, 86, 90, 91, 92, 93, 104, 112, 113, then
to the end of the book. The midwife he instructed to immerse herself in the
mikveh "before you deliver the child," and to receive the baby
in a special piece of white linen which he had brought for that purpose.
The Rebbetzin was ever after fond of saying: "I gave birth to my son
on a sifting-bed!"
This date, the 2nd of Iyar, corresponds to the Sefira Tiferet of Tiferet
(splendor of splendor). On this day, one hundred years after the Baal Shem Tov
revealed himself, Rebbetzin Chaya Moussia had her sixth son.
* * *
On the eighth day following the birth of the Rebbe Maharash,
the Tzemach Tzedek issued instructions for Shacharit to take place
at first light.
By the hour of ten, all the members of the family were already present for
the brit. At their head, was Rabbi Chaim-Avraham, the middle son of the
Alter Rebbe [uncle of both the Tzemach Tzedek and the Rebbetzin].
They waited until two in the afternoon and still the Tzemach Tzedek
had not emerged from his office. The room began to stir, and Rabbi Chaim Avraham's
voice was heard: "It seems he is preoccupied with guests more exalted than
ourselves," and he sighed.
Half an hour later, the Tzemach Tzedek emerged from his room, his face
glowing and his eyes reddened from crying, holding a red handkerchief in his
hands. He announced that the brit would in fact take place that day, was silent
for a moment, and then disappeared into his room.
Rabbi Chaim Avraham rose from his chair and went to the window; he rested
his head on his hands and was lost in thought.
The sons of the Tzemach Tzedek spoke on subjects of Torah and Chasidus,
to the growing excitement and admiration of the other guests. Now the Rebbetzin
sent to inquire after the reason for such a protracted delay, telling someone
to go to her husband and get a response. Rabbi Chaim, however, detained the
messenger.
Towards three, the Tzemach Tzedek again emerged from his room, his
face radiant, telling the guests to lift up their spirits, for the brit
would definitely take place that day. With this he again returned to his room.
Another hour went by. For the third time the Tzemach Tzedek came out
of his room, ordering the guests not yet to say the afternoon prayer as the
brit would take place momentarily. A little later he went to consult
with his wife over the choice of a name for the child. He then ordered that
the baby be readied, made his way to the synagogue, and the circumcision ceremony
began.
During the course of the brit milah the infant was crying a great deal.
At a certain point, the Tzemach Tzedek, who was the sandek holding
the baby on his lap, removed his left hand from under the cushion and placed
it on the tiny head. In that instant the crying stopped.
During the meal that followed, Rabbi Yehuda Leib, the son of the Tzemach
Tzedek, asked his father: "For whom is the child named? As far as I
know, no one in our family was ever called Shmuel. Does it concern the prophet
Shmuel?" His father answered him: "He bears the name of a water-carrier
from Polotsk who was called Shmuel - "A sage is superior to a prophet."
[Some say the water-carrier was one of the (36?) hidden tzaddikim.]
Elsewhere it is told that the Tzemach Tzedek said to the Rebbetzin:
"Shmuel the prophet came and asked me to give his name to the child,
for 'I asked G-d for this child,' just as Chana, his mother, asked for Shmuel."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Edited and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from Days
in Chabad (2 Iyar, 13 Tishrei) by Yosef Y. Kamenetzky, as translated by R. Yosef
Cohen.
Biographical notes:
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn [of blessed memory: 29 Elul 5549 -
13 Nissan 5626 (Sept. 1789 - April 1866)], the third Rebbe of Chabad, was known
as the Tzemach Tzedek, after his books of Jewish Law responsa
and Talmudic commentary called by that name. He was renowned not only as a Rebbe,
but also as a leading scholar in his generation in both the revealed and hidden
aspects of Torah.
Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn [of blessed memory: 2 Iyar 5594
- 13 Tishrei 5643 (1834-Sept. 1882 C.E.)], the fourth Lubavitch Rebbe, known
as the Rebbe Maharash, was the seventh and youngest son of his
predecessor, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, the Tsemach Tsedek.
Connection: Seasonal -- 2 Iyar --Tiferet sh'b'Tiferet--is the 184th anniversary
of the birth of the Rebbe Maharash.
Yerachmiel
Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor
of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories
to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells
them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.
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