ר׳ מנחם מנדל שניאורסון

ר׳ מנחם מנדל שניאורסון (1789–1866), known by the title of his responsa as the צמח צדק, was the third Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. Born in Liozna to Shalom Shachna and Devorah Leah, daughter of ר׳ שניאור זלמן מלאדי, he was orphaned of his mother at three and raised by his grandfather. He married Chaya Mushka, daughter of ר׳ דוב בער שניאורי, and became a prolific halakhist and interpreter of Chabad thought. After his father-in-law’s death in 1827 he resisted succession before accepting leadership, conventionally dated to 1831. From Lubavitch he expanded a far-reaching Hasidic network, answered major halakhic questions, promoted agricultural settlement, supported Jewish soldiers and confronted Russian state efforts to reshape Jewish education. His writings include responsa צמח צדק, דרך מצותיך and the vast דרושי אור התורה. He died in Lubavitch in 1866.