Nimtzev - Avraham Sender

נמצוב - אברהם סנדר

Rabbi Avraham Sender Nemtzov

Rabbi Avraham Sender Nemtzov (c. 5630–5631 / 1870–1871 – 5722 / 1962) was one of the distinguished Chabad Chassidim of his generation. He was an accomplished Torah scholar and a gaon, with broad knowledge in both Nigleh, the revealed dimensions of Torah, and Chassidus. He was also the author of the sefer Edus LeAsaf.

Rabbi Nemtzov is especially remembered for his role at the farbrengen of 11 Shevat 5711 (1951), when he asked the Rebbe to deliver a maamar of Chassidus. Following his request, the Rebbe began the maamar Basi LeGani.

Early Life

Rabbi Avraham Sender was born in the town of Kamin, near Vitebsk in Belarus, around the year 5631 (1870–1871), to his father Rabbi Yaakov and his mother Esther Chasya. He grew up in a Chassidic family and received an education permeated with Yiras Shamayim and the ways of Chassidus.

As a child, he was badly burned by a candle, and as a result of an injury to his tongue he became unable to speak.

It is related that when he was about seven years old, he was once playing in the home of neighbors. During the game, an argument developed between him and one of the neighbors’ daughters, a non-Jewish girl, and she cursed him harshly.

When his mother learned what had happened, she became deeply concerned about the curses. She therefore approached one of the sons of the Tzemach Tzedek and asked him to bless the child.

When the Rebbe’s son saw that the boy could not speak, he asked whether he was able to hear. Upon being told that he could, he declared that the boy would speak.

And indeed, that is what happened.

Military Service

Because of Rabbi Avraham Sender’s exceptional abilities as a young man, his community arranged for him to study in a yeshivah. A short time later, however, at the age of twenty, he was forcibly conscripted into the army of the Czar.

He served for six years under very difficult conditions.

When his military service ended, at the age of twenty-six, he returned home. Upon arriving in his town, he asked the leaders of the community to fulfill their earlier promise: he would choose a yeshivah in which to study, and the community would cover the expenses.

They agreed.

He chose to study in the newly established Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Lubavitch.

At Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Lubavitch

Rabbi Avraham Sender was among the early students of Tomchei Temimim in Lubavitch and studied there for two years.

At first, the Rebbe Rashab did not wish to accept him. He was ultimately admitted only after the Rebbe Rashab saw the depth of his desire to study in Tomchei Temimim.

During his years in the yeshivah, Rabbi Avraham Sender also taught a Gemara class to the local householders in the Lubavitch beis midrash. This position had previously been held by the noted Chassid Rabbi Elchanan Morozov.

After two years in Tomchei Temimim, in the presence and influence of the Rebbe Rashab and the Frierdiker Rebbe, he married Sheina Sarah, daughter of Rabbi Dovid-Leib Mindel.

For his livelihood, he began working as a shochet.

Move to England

In 5664 (1904), during the Russo-Japanese War, the Rebbe Rashab instructed Rabbi Avraham Sender to emigrate to England.

He followed the Rebbe’s directive and settled in Manchester.

He was among the first Chabad Chassidim to arrive in England and, together with other Chassidim, helped establish the Chabad community in Manchester.

He continued to support himself through shechitah.

During the years that Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook lived in England, Rabbi Kook would eat only from the shechitah of Rabbi Avraham Sender.

Nevertheless, when Rabbi Kook published a pamphlet dealing with matters of faith and Jewish thought and asked Rabbi Avraham Sender for an approbation, Rabbi Avraham Sender declined, explaining:

“In halachah our views are the same, but in matters of faith, that is not the case.”

A Man of Truth

In Shevat 5697 (1937), while the Frierdiker Rebbe was staying in Paris, Rabbi Avraham Sender traveled there and entered for yechidus.

During the yechidus, the Frierdiker Rebbe told him:

“You searched for the truth, you found the truth, and you live the truth.”

This description became closely associated with him. Even on his gravestone near the Ohel, he is described as an ish emes — a man of truth.

Immigration to the United States

In the 5710s, Rabbi Nemtzov emigrated to the United States and settled on Long Island, where he lived for twelve years.

A photograph from 24 Teves 5712 shows Rabbi Nemtzov sitting behind the Rebbe.

His Connection with the Rebbe

One of the most memorable episodes of Rabbi Avraham Sender’s life took place in 5711 (1951), during the farbrengen of 11 Shevat 5711.

Approximately an hour after the farbrengen began, Rabbi Avraham Sender rose from his place behind the Rebbe’s chair in 770 and announced:

“The crowd is asking the Rebbe to say a maamar of Chassidus. The sichos are good, but the crowd is asking for Chassidus. Please, may we find favor, that the Rebbe should say Chassidus.”

At 10:40, the Rebbe opened the kuntres containing the maamar Basi LeGani 5710 and began delivering the maamar.

It is related that after the maamar, Rabbi Nemtzov, despite his advanced age, jumped onto the table in his great joy and proclaimed with intense emotion:

“Chassidim, repeat after me: We must recite the blessing Shehecheyanu — Shehecheyanu v’kiyemanu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh — that Hashem has helped us and we have a Rebbe!”

Rabbi Nemtzov then recited the full blessing of Shehecheyanu, including Hashem’s Name and Kingship, and the entire crowd responded with a powerful and joyous Amen.

The Rebbe turned toward him, smiled broadly, and asked him to finish what he wished to say and come down from the table.

The farbrengen continued, and the Rebbe delivered additional portions of the maamar.

It is further related that after the Rebbe concluded, Rabbi Nemtzov again stood and blessed the Rebbe on behalf of all Anash and the students of Tomchei Temimim upon the Rebbe’s acceptance of the Nesius. He concluded with a blessing for children, life, and sustenance, and the entire crowd responded emotionally with Amen.

His Passing

Before his passing, Rabbi Avraham Sender developed pneumonia.

On the second day of Shavuos, 5722 (1962), his condition deteriorated severely and he was rushed to the hospital.

He passed away that same day at the age of ninety-three.

Rabbi Avraham Sender merited a long life, accompanied by the Rebbe’s blessings. On a number of occasions, the Rebbe concluded letters to him with blessings for long life for both him and his wife, Sheina Sarah.

Sheina Sarah also lived to a very advanced age. She passed away at the age of 109 on 24 Sivan 5747.

Family

Rabbi Avraham Sender’s family included:

  • His son-in-law, Rabbi Nissan Mindel, who served as a secretary of the Chabad Rebbeim.
  • His son-in-law, Rabbi Levi Friedman.
  • His son, Rabbi Yehoshua Mordechai, born in 5662 (1902) in Rechitsa, who passed away on 29 Elul 5744. His wife, Golda, passed away on 24 Teves 5744.
  • His son, Rabbi Chaim Isser.
  • His son, Rabbi Yaakov, son-in-law of Rabbi Mordechai Zev Drezner of Manchester. Their descendant Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rosenberg authored the sefarim Olam Chesed Yibaneh.

Writings

Rabbi Avraham Sender authored Edus LeAsaf, a collection of Torah insights that he developed over the course of many years and which was published toward the end of his life.

The introduction describes the sefer as containing:

“Explanations of difficult passages in the Gemara, Midrash, and Rashi, together with explanations intended to strengthen religious observance.”

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