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A Woman of Valor: The Figure and Mission of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka
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Summary
Quiet Leadership, Spiritual Partnership and Existential Self-Nullification: The Work, Conduct and Teaching of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson
The text surveys the figure and historical contribution of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, wife of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, presenting her life as a central axis in the development of Chabad Hasidism in the twentieth century. The article passes through the stations of her life, from her childhood in Lubavitch, through her courageous underground activity to save the Jewry of the Soviet Union, to her deep spiritual partnership with her husband in establishing the center of the Hasidic movement in New York. The concept of quiet leadership runs like a common thread through the text, and is emphasized especially in her formative legal testimony, in which she declared that "the tzaddik belongs to the Hasidim," a statement that became a theological foundation which nullifies the private existence of the leader for the sake of the community. Finally, the source analyzes her spiritual legacy through the meaning of her name and her hidden acts of kindness, which continue to inspire educational institutions and worldwide memorial enterprises to this day.
Quiet Leadership, Spiritual Partnership and Existential Self-Nullification: The Work, Conduct and Teaching of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson
Chapter 1: Spiritual Roots and Childhood in the Town of Lubavitch
Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson (called among Chabad Hasidim simply "the Rebbetzin") is a key figure for understanding the development of Chabad Hasidism in the twentieth century [cite: 1, 2, 3]. Her life spanned most of the twentieth century and symbolized the dramatic passage of Hasidism from the small Eastern European town, through the upheavals of the Bolshevik Revolution and the Second World War, to the center of the Jewish world stage in New York [cite: 1, 4].
She was born on the Sabbath, 25 Adar 5661 (1901), in the town of Babinovichi near Lubavitch, to her parents, the sixth Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (the Rayatz), and Rebbetzin Nechama Dina [cite: 2, 4, 5]. At the instruction of her grandfather, the fifth Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom DovBer (the Rashab), she was named after her great-great-grandmother, the wife of the third Rebbe, the author of the "Tzemach Tzedek" [cite: 2, 4]. In a special letter that her grandfather sent her parents after her birth, he wished that the infant would walk in the ways of her righteous forebear, be a truly God-fearing woman in every detail, and bring them much joy and delight in spiritual and material matters [cite: 4].
Already in her childhood the Rebbetzin absorbed the scholarly and Hasidic atmosphere of her grandfather's home, which left an indelible impression on her [cite: 4]. The historical testimonies show that she was endowed from a young age with a tendency to deep thought and contemplation [cite: 4]. This bond with her illustrious grandfather engraved in her memory his emotional prayers, and many years later she testified that she could repeat precisely the words he had spoken [cite: 4]. Her devotion was also expressed in the fact that when her grandfather fell ill, she stayed awake through the night to tend to him closely [cite: 4].
Her scholarly personality and the questions that occupied her already in childhood are well illustrated by the well-known story about her as a five-year-old girl [cite: 4]. On the last day of Passover, shortly after her fifth birthday, Chaya Mushka was playing with her sister in the dining room and puzzling over what the last day of Passover is and why it is celebrated, since, unlike the other festivals, the "Shehecheyanu" blessing is not recited on it when the candles are lit [cite: 4]. Her grandfather, who was listening to the conversation from the adjoining library, related later at the festive meal that in his childhood his sister, Devorah Leah, had explained to him that when the Children of Israel merit to keep Passover properly without stumbling into the prohibition of leaven, they celebrate the last day as an expression of thanks and gratitude to God [cite: 4]. Years later her husband, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, explained this question and answer in the light of Hasidic teaching, which shows how her conduct from a young age was woven into the theological doctrine of Hasidism [cite: 4].
In the wake of the upheavals of the First World War, her family moved in 5676 (1915) to Rostov-on-Don [cite: 2]. There she first met her future bridegroom, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, with whom she remained in close contact for several years until their marriage [cite: 2, 4].
Chapter 2: Underground Activity in the Soviet Union and Escape in the Holocaust Period
Behind the noble and modest appearance of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka hid an energetic and daring activist who took a critical part in the underground effort to keep the Jewish ember alive under the Bolshevik boot [cite: 4]. In October 1917 the Bolshevik Revolution broke out, and the Communist government took harsh measures to suppress religion [cite: 4]. Her father, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, set up an underground network of yeshivot, mikvaot and religious institutions throughout the Soviet Union [cite: 4]. The Rebbetzin took an active part in these efforts, which involved real mortal danger; for example, she risked her life daily when she smuggled food and candles to the students of the secret Novardok yeshiva [cite: 4, 5].
The leadership's absolute trust in her found expression in an official and unlimited power of attorney that her father granted her in 5685 (1925), enabling her to receive funds and sensitive documents in his name, and even to delegate these powers to others at her discretion [cite: 2, 4]. This step attests that she was regarded not only as a family member but as an active and administrative partner in the survival of the Hasidic movement [cite: 2, 4].
The peak of her underground activity came at the time of her father's dramatic arrest on 15 Sivan 5687 (1927) [cite: 4]. During the Soviet secret police's raid on the family home to search it and arrest the father, the agents also raided the daughters' room (Chaya Mushka and her sister Sheina) [cite: 4, 6]. When the officials asked them which party they belonged to, the daughters answered bravely that they belonged to "their father's party": non-partisan daughters of Israel who cherish the ways of Israel of old and despise the new revolutionary aspirations [cite: 4].
In the midst of the search, the Rebbetzin noticed through the window her fiancé, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, approaching the house [cite: 4]. With quick resourcefulness she called out to him: "Schneersohn, guests have come to visit us!" [cite: 4]. This call, seemingly innocent, was immediately understood by the bridegroom-to-be as a warning of a police raid [cite: 4]. He hurried to warn the other underground activists and managed to save "incriminating" documents that could have led to the arrest of dozens of Hasidim and to an immediate death sentence for the network's activists [cite: 4].
After the father's death sentence was commuted to exile, the Rayatz insisted that it be his daughter Chaya Mushka who would accompany him to the distant city of exile, Kostroma [cite: 2, 4]. She served him as a kind of liaison to the outside world and managed his affairs [cite: 4]. When the joyful news of her father's release arrived on 12–13 Tammuz, it was the Rebbetzin who burst into singing "Nyet, nyet, nikavo" (a Hasidic song in Russian meaning: there is no one to fear except the One God), and it was she who telephoned the family home in Leningrad to announce the release [cite: 4]. When they were leaving Soviet Russia, the authorities' officials tried to create difficulties and asked the father whether he could not find another bridegroom for his daughter, and his unequivocal answer was: "Such a bridegroom cannot be found!" [cite: 4].
Her support for refugees and the needy continued in the midst of the Second World War as well [cite: 4]. With the conquest of France by the Nazis, the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin fled from Paris to the city of Vichy, which was under neutral rule [cite: 2, 4]. They reached the city on the eve of the festival of Shavuot, and the Rebbe had to complete the end of the journey on foot because the festival had begun [cite: 4]. After a stay of about eight months in Vichy, the couple moved on to Nice and Marseille [cite: 4]. Throughout the period of their flight, the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin devoted themselves to helping the many refugees fleeing the terror of the Nazi occupier, at complete risk to themselves, until their rescue and arrival in New York in 5701 (1941) [cite: 2, 4].
Chapter 3: The Partnership of Marriage and the Establishment of the Shared Hasidic Home
The wedding of the Rebbetzin and Rabbi Menachem Mendel was celebrated on 14 Kislev 5689 (1928) in Warsaw, Poland, with the participation of many Rebbes, heads of yeshivot and communal activists [cite: 2, 4, 7]. At the reception ceremony the bride's father, the Rayatz, delivered a profound Hasidic discourse that opened with the words "Lecha Dodi Likrat Kallah" ("Come, my beloved, to greet the bride") [cite: 4]. The bridegroom's parents, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana, who were trapped behind the Iron Curtain in Yekaterinoslav (Dnepropetrovsk), were not permitted to leave to attend the wedding, but held a great celebration in their home with hundreds of guests, who rejoiced bravely despite the threats of the authorities [cite: 4, 8, 9].
Two weeks after the wedding, the bridegroom's father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, sent a warm and personal letter to his young daughter-in-law [cite: 4]. He addressed her as "dear and beloved daughter" and asked her to write to them often and informally, in Yiddish or in any language comfortable for her, stressing that in his eyes she and her husband Mendel were "truly one thing" and that there was no place for barriers or formality between parents and children [cite: 4].
The relationship between the Rebbetzin and her husband was characterized by deep mutual respect, spiritual understanding and mutual self-nullification [cite: 7, 10]. Hasidim relate that the Rebbetzin played a most significant role in the process of her husband's accession as Rebbe [cite: 2]. After her father's death in 5707 (1950), the Hasidim approached the Rebbe to take upon himself the yoke of leadership, but he refused for a whole year [cite: 2]. He finally consented only after she said to him: "It cannot be that thirty years of my father's sacrifice and devotion should go to waste" [cite: 2]. These words expressed her readiness to give up her private life for the sake of the movement's leadership, in clear awareness of the heavy personal price this entailed [cite: 5, 7].
The deep bond between them was expressed in small and large details alike [cite: 7, 11]. Those close to them testified that a subtle non-verbal understanding existed between the two; a slight glance from the Rebbe was enough for the Rebbetzin to understand his wishes precisely and act accordingly [cite: 11]. On the other hand, the Rebbetzin zealously guarded the Rebbe's privacy, protected his crowded schedule and looked after his health and well-being [cite: 7, 10].
One of the most fascinating expressions of the spiritual standing of this marital partnership emerges from the couple's daily custom of drinking a cup of tea together every evening [cite: 7, 10]. This custom was carefully kept even on days of enormous public burden [cite: 7]. The Rebbe remarked to his personal physician that he compared the importance of the daily tea with his wife to the halakhic obligation of putting on tefillin every day [cite: 7, 10]. On various occasions the Rebbe explained that this was a meticulous halakhic fulfillment of the biblical obligation to gladden one's wife and to cultivate domestic peace, which is the spiritual basis for all divine revelations in the world [cite: 7].
The Hasidic understanding of this bond is explained in the Rebbe's talks according to the kabbalistic foundations of "the Patriarchs and the Matriarchs" [cite: 3]. The Rebbe explained that the role of the Matriarchs is to draw down and translate the lofty and abstract spiritual lights of the Patriarchs into physical reality and practical vessels [cite: 3]. Similarly, the work of the Chabad Rebbes in the physical world is carried out and realized through their wives, the Rebbetzins, who constitute the "home" and the vessel that holds the blessing [cite: 3].
The Rebbetzin herself was characterized by extreme modesty and a deep aversion to any trappings of honor or authority [cite: 2, 3, 5]. When she telephoned the Rebbe's secretariat, she introduced herself simply as "Mrs. Schneerson from President Street," without using her official title [cite: 2]. She consistently refused to hold formal positions, including the presidency of the organization "Neshei uBnos Chabad," out of a desire to remain far from the spotlight [cite: 2]. Nevertheless, the Rebbe himself ascribed to her spiritual powers of blessing [cite: 11]. When an envelope bearing the Rebbetzin's name and containing Hasidim's requests for blessings was handed to him, the Rebbe told his secretary in complete seriousness: "Well, she too can bless them!" [cite: 11].
Chapter 4: The Trial of the Books as a Theological and Legal Turning Point
The Rebbetzin's greatest historical and theological contribution to Chabad Hasidism took place in the 1980s, during what was called "the trial of the books" (1985–1987) [cite: 2, 12, 13]. This legal battle revolved around the ownership of the library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad, which had been founded by the Rebbe the Rayatz and contained thousands of rare books and manuscripts [cite: 2, 13]. One of the family's descendants claimed that the books were a private inheritance that could be divided and sold [cite: 2, 13].
Because of her central standing as the daughter of the previous Rebbe, the Rebbetzin was required to testify before the lawyers [cite: 2, 13]. Out of respect for her standing, the taking of her testimony (the deposition) was held not at a law office but in her private apartment on President Street [cite: 13]. During the examination, when the plaintiff's attorney asked her whether in her view the books had been her father's private property, the Rebbetzin gave the answer that became the theological heart of the affair and of the dramatic verdict:
"My father and the books belong to the Hasidim, because my father belonged to the Hasidim" [cite: 5, 12, 13].
This statement is not merely a brilliant legal argument that helped the federal judge understand the legal concept of "public trust" (Trustee) and rule that the library belongs to the worldwide Agudas Chasidei Chabad [cite: 2, 13]. It is a formative theological definition of the concept of the "Nasi" (leader of the generation) and the "tzaddik" in Hasidic teaching. The Rebbetzin defined officially that the Nasi of the generation has no private existence or personal interests detached from the whole community of Hasidim. He is the absolute embodiment of the collective, and all his material and spiritual possessions are dedicated directly to the fulfillment of his spiritual mission on behalf of the community [cite: 5, 13]. This testimony expressed the height of the existential self-nullification of the Rebbetzin herself, who gave up every claim to material inheritance or family status for the sake of the integrity of Hasidism and its movement [cite: 5, 7].
Chapter 5: The Doctrine of Secret Kindness and Her Conduct Toward Others
The way of life of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka was characterized by conscious simplicity, extreme humility and a deep aversion to any trappings of honor or authority [cite: 2, 3, 5]. An extraordinary testimony to this humility and to her self-effacement toward sacred family objects is revealed in the following story: the Rebbetzin received as a wedding gift from her uncle and aunt, the Hornstein family, a special silver tray that had belonged to the Rebbe the "Tzemach Tzedek" [cite: 3, 6]. Despite its enormous intrinsic and family value, she refused to use it and said: "I never use it, for who am I, a simple woman, to use these sacred objects? I only look at it, and in this way I feel connected to the family" [cite: 3]. This conduct is consistent with the Hasidic practice of bittul ha-yesh (nullification of the self), and parallels the conduct of her husband, the Rebbe, who refrained from using valuable personal objects out of a conception of complete modesty [cite: 3].
The Rebbetzin saw her home and her relations with the public as a shared mission [cite: 3, 7]. On one occasion, when a man knocked at the door of their home late at night and apologized for the disturbance, the Rebbetzin answered him with a smile: "Don't you know that my husband and I exist only in order to be here for others?" [cite: 3]. This approach guided all her conduct, and it deeply influenced those around her [cite: 3, 5].
She was known as a hostess of exceptional nobility and sensitivity [cite: 5, 10]. When a guest accidentally spilled a glass of punch on a festive and expensive white tablecloth in her home, the Rebbetzin hastened to calm him and to divert attention from the incident to spare him embarrassment [cite: 5]. She took care to maintain warm ties with various people, such as regular weekly telephone conversations with close associates and members of the Chabad community [cite: 5]. A striking example of her motherly sensitivity is her concern for the Sternberg family; when the mother of the family was hospitalized because of severe complications of childbirth and her father, the Hasid Zalman Gurary, was in the Land of Israel on a mission for the Rebbe, the Rebbetzin made a point of telephoning the family home every evening to speak with the eldest daughter and ask after the other children [cite: 3].
Even in her last moments, when she was suffering severe pain on her way to the hospital on the night she died, the Rebbetzin inquired with sincere concern about the details of the engagement of the daughter of the doctor accompanying her and about her wedding plans, setting aside all concern for herself [cite: 5].
The Rebbetzin was endowed with a sense of giving and a strong desire to gladden and encourage those attached to the Rebbe [cite: 11]. On Purim, when mishloach manot was brought to her, she urged the visitor to eat something [cite: 11]. When the visitor answered that she had already eaten, the Rebbetzin asked her: "Are you going to the Rebbe's farbrengen?" [cite: 11]. When she answered in the affirmative, the Rebbetzin said generously and with a Hasidic smile: "At the Rebbe's farbrengen you need a lot of strength to push... so eat something more" [cite: 11]. This sensitivity was also expressed in the blessings she gave; when she met a couple who had not been blessed with children, she told them warmly that they should speak with "their children" in Yiddish [cite: 11]. The plural form of speech she used ("mit di kinder," with the children) instilled in them complete confidence in their salvation, and indeed the couple were blessed with children [cite: 11].
Chapter 6: A Theological Analysis of Her Name, Her Passing and Her Legacy for Generations
After the Rebbetzin's passing on 22 Shevat 5748 (1988), the Rebbe devoted many talks to a profound theological explanation of her name and her conduct, as part of passing on her legacy to the seventh generation of Hasidism [cite: 2, 14, 15].
The name "Chaya Mushka" expresses, according to Hasidic teaching, the combination of the spiritual powers that were at work in her personality [cite: 16, 17]:
- Chaya: from the word chayut (vitality), representing alacrity and vigor in active spiritual service and a connection to the divine source of life [cite: 15, 17].
- Mushka: a name in a foreign language alluding to a kind of spice (myrrh and fragrant perfume) [cite: 16, 17]. The fact that the name originates in a foreign language indicates the power of refining (birur) the lower levels of the world and transforming them into holiness [cite: 16]. Fragrance acts on the sense of smell, which in Kabbalah and Hasidism is associated with the encompassing level (makif) of the soul (the aspect of chaya-yechida, which is not harmed by sin) [cite: 16].
The numerical value (gematria) of the two names together is 470, equal to the value of the word "et" ("time," ayin-tav) [cite: 16]. The Rebbe explained that this alludes to the righteous woman's ability to act in all times, both in good times and in those times which by outward appearance are not good, and to transform them too into absolute good through the spiritual work of repair and refinement [cite: 16].
Below is a table summarizing the theological, kabbalistic and behavioral aspects of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka:
- Methodological aspect
- Kabbalistic / theological definition and meaning
- Practical expression and conduct in her life
- Influence and legacy for generations
- The name "Chaya"
Direct connection to the divine source of life, holy vitality and alacrity [cite: 15, 17]
Steadfastness in the face of Soviet persecution and help in saving the movement's leadership [cite: 4]
A call for constant renewal in the service of God and in shlichut (outreach mission) [cite: 17]
The name "Mushka"
A kind of spice associated with the sense of smell and the encompassing level of the soul; the refining of the foreign tongue [cite: 16, 17]
Gentle nobility, secret help for the needy and aid to refugees in the war [cite: 4, 5]
Establishing a conception of shlichut that combines gentleness of soul with spiritual resilience [cite: 3, 5]
The gematria "et" (470)
Mastery over the vicissitudes of time and the transformation of times of crisis into times of growth [cite: 16]
Escape from the Nazis, leading the victory in the trial of the books, and self-sacrifice [cite: 2, 13]
The founding of worldwide educational and memorial institutions that continue to expand [cite: 2, 18]
The testimony in the trial of the books
Defining the "tzaddik" and his leadership as wholly subservient to the whole of Israel [cite: 13]
Giving the historic testimony that "my father and the books belong to the Hasidim" [cite: 12, 13]
Creating a legal and theological basis for public ownership of Chabad's assets [cite: 2, 13]
The partnership of the daily tea
Fulfilling the commandment of gladdening one's wife as a spiritual basis equal to putting on tefillin [cite: 7, 10]
Careful keeping of a daily conversation and shared study with the Rebbe [cite: 7, 10]
Emphasizing the importance of domestic peace and of the daily investment in married life [cite: 7]
During the shiva, the seven days of mourning after her passing, the Rebbe emphasized in his talks that the Rebbetzin, like all the righteous, is considered "alive" and exists even after her departure from the physical world, and even more so, and that she continues to bestow her blessings on all who are attached to her and follow in her ways [cite: 3].
Great Torah and educational enterprises were founded in the Rebbetzin's memory [cite: 2, 19]. The "Maayan Chai" project, established a few months after her passing, produced a monumental five-volume series of books dedicated to her memory [cite: 19]. Biographies and vocalized storybooks for children and youth were also written, among them the book "HaRabbanit Chaya Mushka" in the "Ateret Malkhut" series, which tell the story of her life and work and pass on her legacy to the young generation [cite: 20, 21]. Many educational institutions for girls, among them the "Ateret Chaya Mushka" institutions in Beitar Illit and the "Chamash" campus of "Beth Rivkah" in New York, continue to expand and to build permanent and splendid campuses in order to give the daughters of the Hasidic community a rooted Hasidic education, in the spirit of the Rebbetzin's quiet and noble leadership [cite: 2, 18, 22].
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