Menahem Mendel of Vitebsk
- Menahem Mendel of Vitebsk
(1730-88)
Polish Hasidic leader. A disciple of
Dov Ber of Mezhirich, he became the head of a congregation in Minsk. In 1772 he went with
Shneour Zalman to defend the Hasidic movement to the Vilna Gaon,
Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, but the Vilna Gaon refused to meet them. In 1773 he settled in Gorodok in Belorussia and later moved to Palestine, where he became the leader of the Hasidic community. He subsequently settled in Tiberias. He taught that God is present through the process of contraction (tzimtzum), whereby he makes a space in which creation can take place. His writings include
Peri ha-Aretz,
Peri ha-Etz,
Etz Peri and
Likkutei Amarim.
Dictionary of Jewish Biography.
Dan Cohn-Sherbok.
Look at other dictionaries:
MENAHEM MENDEL OF VITEBSK — (1730–1788), ḥasidic leader active in Belorussia, Lithuania, and Ereẓ Israel. He was a disciple of dov baer the Maggid of Mezhirech, and headed a congregation in Minsk during the lifetime of his teacher; in Zemir Ariẓim ve Ḥarvot Ẓurim (Warsaw,… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
VITEBSK — VITEBSK, capital of Vitebsk district, Belarus. The first Jewish settlement appears to have been established in Vitebsk at the end of the 16th century. The charter given to the residents of Vitebsk in 1597 by Sigismund III Vasa forbids Jews in… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
Menachem Mendel — is a masculine Jewish first name. The name is sometimes used as either just Menachem or just Mendel. Menachem means to console or comfort, Mendel is a diminutive of Menachem. In 2005, Menachem was the 79th most popular name for boys, and the 38th … Wikipedia
ḤASIDISM — ḤASIDISM, a popular religious movement giving rise to a pattern of communal life and leadership as well as a particular social outlook which emerged in Judaism and Jewry in the second half of the 18th century. Ecstasy, mass enthusiasm, close knit … Encyclopedia of Judaism
ALIYAH AND ABSORPTION — GENERAL SURVEY Introduction Aliyah, ascension or going up, is the coming of Jews as individuals or in groups, from exile or diaspora to live in the Land of Israel. Those who go up for this purpose are known as olim – a term used in the Bible for… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
SHNEUR ZALMAN OF (Liozna-) LYADY — (1745–1813), founder of chabad Ḥasidism. According to family traditions he was born in Liozna, Belorussia, on the 18th of Elul. After his marriage in 1760 he devoted himself to Torah study. Concluding that he knew a little about learning, but… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
Dov Baer de Mezeritch — … Wikipédia en Français
CHABAD — CHABAD, a trend in the ḥasidic movement founded in the 18th century by Israel b. Eliezer Ba al Shem Tov . Ḥabad was created by shneur zalman of lyady , a disciple of dov baer the maggid of mezhirich and of menahem mendel of vitebsk . When… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
Halukka — The halukka (Hebrew: החלוקה) was an organized distribution and collection of funds for the residents of the Yishuv haYashan in the Holy Land; which were organized into Kolelim. Sympathizing Jews in the diaspora formed a standing committee,… … Wikipedia
ISRAEL BEN PEREZ OF POLOTSK — (d. about 1785), ḥasidic rabbi, one of the leading disciples of dov baer of Mezhirech. He excelled as a preacher, and as an emissary for his teacher together with Azriel of Polotsk, he won over many Jews to Ḥasidism. After the death of Dov Baer… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
