311 —הערות ותוספות לספר תולדות משפחת הרב מלאדי

B"H, 7 Kislev, 5708.

Mr. M. Sh. Slonim

22 Mikveh Yisrael Street, Tel Aviv.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I have seen and borrowed for some time your book "Toldos Mishpachas HaRav MeLadi" from the books of my father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita. You have done great and beneficial work in compiling this book. However, it appears that some sources were not available to you, especially those found in manuscripts or transmitted through family tradition.

Based on your note at the beginning of the book and its introduction, and in order to correct matters that are not accurate, I am pointing out—by page numbers—the following:

Page 5: Generation A) In the correction table: 1874 (1774) should be 1773.

Page 5: He [was born] in 5583 (1823)—see his book p.45.

Page 5: In the year 5549 (1789)—based on the Yud Tes Kislev 5693 (1933) talk section vav-chet it seems he was born in 5547-5548 (1787-1788) and passed away in 5636 (1876). Another version says he was born after the passing of Reb Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl and was named after him (letter from 17 Tevet 5599).

Page 8: Egypt—The four holy lands—perhaps he means they are permitted to send a messenger; if so, he should clarify what is left ambiguous unlike most cases.

Page 21: Every page requires correction according to what is printed in my father-in-law's memoirs from the Chai Elul 5705 (1945) talk. For example: Due to a movement for freedom from religion and mitzvos that began spreading before the Haskalah movement, they wandered from Posen—he and Reb Baruch's father. Reb Baruch was born in Vitebsk; Admor HaZaken—in the vicinity of Liozna; Reb Yissachar Ber was a maggid but not a rabbi.

Page 23: That our Rebbe came to Vilna before going to Mezritch—this is incorrect. See Hatamim vol. II p.50 that he was secretly in Vilna during the years 5533-5536 (1773-1776), aside from being there openly with Reb Moshe Mordechai of Horodok.

Page 24: In the year 5533 (1773), they offered him leadership—this is incorrect based on Admor HaZaken's attitude toward Reb Avraham HaMalach and Reb Moshe Mordechai of Horodok; see Hatamim vol II p.49ff for details.

Page 25: Add that in the year 5554 (1794), Hilchos Talmud Torah by Admor HaZaken was printed.

Erev Chag HaSukkos—not correct as he was imprisoned on Isru Chag Simchas Torah (Yud Tes Kislev talk section zayin; Megillat Yud Tes Kislev etc.). Also in the year 5561 (1801)—he was imprisoned not on Chol HaMoed as written in your book (see Rav MeLadi p.112; MiShnat Yoel p.71). This should also be corrected in "Hayom Yom."

Page 26: "Close" should read "more than ten."

Page 26: The Rebbe wanted to remove etc., decided to travel—Admor HaZaken traveled to help villagers (see his letter about this trip printed in Ginzey Nistarot part Or Yud Daled).

Page 26: Where is it written etc.—Admor HaZaken could not have asked this question because saying "V'Shamru" is found in AriZal's Siddur, Maamar Heichalot etc.

Page 29: Prayed for his sons—error; Admor HaEmtza'i was in Kremenchug, Reb Chaim Avraham was ill (see Admor HaEmtza'i's letter manuscript p.62), and Reb Moshe did not travel with them.

Page 31: The passage "Also these days" and "Through this" are not at all Admor HaZaken's style—I wonder where they were taken from.

Page 33: A) Based on Talmudic foundations?!

On AriZal's teachings?!

D) Shaar HaYichud VeHaEmunah is missing.

C) Bad Kodesh—the request letter is addressed to Admor HaEmtza'i (see my preface to Bad Kodesh published by Otzar HaChassidim). The commentary on Megillat Ruth is by Reb Aharon of Strashelye—and so it should be noted also in "Hayom Yom." The Passover Haggadah according to Kabbalah—apparently refers to Haggadah Sod Kedoshim (Warsaw, 1886), but it is not actually based on Kabbalah even though it says so on its title page—the explanations there are chassidic discourses printed from Siddur, Likkutei Torah etc., by Admor HaZaken.

Page 46 D): According to Kabbalah with additional D"Ch!—it is according to Chassidus; Derech Chaim is part three of this book.

E): Shaar Purim is missing.

C): The words should read "the words of Mahadura Basra."

T): Maamar Hisbonenus—it is Shaar HaYichud until end of chapter thirty-one.

I): Additions to ToCh—it likely means Toras Chaim.

XI): Kuntres etc.—likely refers to part two of Shaar Teshuvah VeTefillah already mentioned above.

XII): Add: Born Tammuz 5539 (1779).

Taf Kuf Ayin Daled—the holy letter should read Igeres Hakodesh.

Page 42: They say her husband etc.—the father of tzt"z was then in Liozna and the messenger was Reb Yaakov of Smilian (Yud Kislev talk section eleven).

Page 52 A): See above note on page five.

Page 57: In Taf Kuf Pei Hei—it likely comes from "Hayom Yom," but should be Taf Kuf Pei Zayin; this entire passage should follow directly after the previous one.

Page 58: Against espionage—it likely means Riga.

[page sixty-two]: Twenty-five should read twenty-eight.

Page 65 Z): Approximately should read: Born second Iyar Taf Kuf Tzadik Dalet (1834).

Page sixty-six BeTaf Resh Yud Gimmel Elul should read Cheshvan—and this entire page needs revision based on Sefer HaToldos—Admor Maharash (Brooklyn,1947).

Page eighty-three one hundred forty should read Mrs. Sterna.

Add one hundred forty-one: His wife Mrs. Yocheved nee Scheinberg family.

Add page eighty-four one hundred forty-one: His wife first marriage Malka daughter of his brother Harav Avraham (141).

Add page eighty-five one hundred fifty-six.

Add page eighty-seven one hundred fifty-eight—to correct based on Sefer HaToldos pgs twenty-two–twenty-three.

Add page eighty-eight one hundred fifty-nine–one hundred sixty-one.

Add page eighty-five daughter Taf Resh Chaf Chet should be Taf Resh Chaf Hei.

Add page eighty-six at event eleven Taf Resh Lamed Chet should be Taf Resh Lamed Hei.

Add page eighty-seven BeTaf Resh Nun Tet—the word "Zionist" is missing—perhaps intentionally.

Add his books—to add Chinuch LeNaar (his first will), Kuntres Etz Hachaim, Kuntres Avodah, Torat Shalom—all published in Brooklyn by Otzar Hachassidim.

Add page one hundred six after two hundred eighty-two—to add B) Malka—in first marriage wife of her uncle Harav Nachum Schneersohn; second marriage wife of Reb Pinchas Zaniss.

C) Harav Ben Zion Schneersohn; his wife Tsilia.

Add page one hundred seven—in margin write sons and daughters one hundred fifty-six, one hundred sixty per Sefer Hatoldos above.

Add page one hundred ten three hundred three—to add his wife Mrs Branka Gesundheit.

Add page one hundred thirty-six five hundred twenty-one—to add his wife Mrs Miriam Gittel daughter of Harav Meir Shlomo Yanovsky rabbi of Nikolayev.

D) Mrs Radya Kazatskov from Dabrinka.

Add page one hundred forty-four top line—to write son Mrs Sarah Lis(305) and her husband Mr Kalman Yaakov Lis.

Sons of Harav Shmuel Hornstein(303): Uri Hornstein; Miriam Hornstein.

Add page one hundred seventy nine fifty-eight—to add his wife Mrs Ginia.

Add after nine fifty-nine son Haraha"g R' Shmuel Schneersohn(521) Av Beit Din Nikolayev and his wife Mrs Miriam Gittel: Harav Menachem Mendel Schneersohn.

Add page one hundred ninety-six number thirteen sixty-two—is mistaken; it should say daughter of Mr Israel Aryeh Leib Schneersohn and his wife Ginia: Dalia Schneersohn.

Please confirm receipt of this letter. With blessings, Menachem Schneersohn From a copy by secretariat Mr M.S. Slonim author Toldos Mishpasas Harav MeLadi See above Igros #265 ch.68 I note also see above Igros #213 Letter from Admor Hazaken Igros Kodesh #60 Letter from Admor Hemtzai Igros Kodesh #5

Summary

The Rebbe carefully reviews historical works about chassidic lineage for accuracy and completeness, emphasizing reliance on primary sources such as manuscripts and family traditions when correcting or supplementing published material about our leaders' lives.