ג׳ תשרי ה׳תקנ״ג - יארצייט של הרבנית דבורה לאה, בת אדמו״ר הזקן ואם הצ״צ

1. The Yahrtzeit of Rebbetzin Devorah Leah

The third day of Tishrei, which is also Tzom Gedaliah—the Fast of Gedaliah, marks the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of Rebbetzin Devorah Leah. She was the daughter of the Alter Rebbe and the mother of the Tzemach Tzedek. Rebbetzin Devorah Leah passed away at a very young age, leaving her son, the future Tzemach Tzedek, as an orphan. Her father, the Alter Rebbe, took on the responsibility to raise and care for his grandson after her passing.

2. The Alter Rebbe’s Leadership and Challenges

The Alter Rebbe was a student of the Maggid of Mezritch, who passed away in the year Tafkuf Lamed Daled. At that time, the Alter Rebbe was only about 29 years old. After his teacher’s passing, many senior students moved to Eretz Yisrael, leaving the Alter Rebbe with the daunting task of preserving and spreading Chassidus in the face of fierce opposition from the Misnagdim—the opponents of Chassidus.

In Tafkuf Nun Beis, before he reached 50 years old, the Alter Rebbe endured a particularly difficult year. From Rosh Hashanah until Shavuos, even his closest family members and elder Chassidim were unaware of how much pain he was experiencing due to ongoing persecution against Chassidim by their opponents.

3. The Shavuos Gathering and Spiritual Crisis

During a gathering on Shavuos that year, it became clear that something very serious was weighing on the Alter Rebbe. He appeared deeply bitter and lost in thought, whispering prayers with tears in his eyes. Those present sensed that he was beseeching Hashem for mercy and felt as if his teachers—the Baal Shem Tov and Maggid—were spiritually present in the room.

Suddenly, the Alter Rebbe cried out to his “Grandfather” (the Baal Shem Tov) and “Teacher” (the Maggid), pleading for mercy for himself, their students, those connected to them, and their teachings. Overcome with emotion, he fainted deeply. Family members rushed in with Dr. Yonah to help revive him.

At that moment, his young grandson Menachem Mendel (the future Tzemach Tzedek), just two years and nine months old, entered and threw himself onto his grandfather crying “Zeydi! Zeydi!” The child placed his hand into his grandfather’s ring and urged him to get up. The Alter Rebbe took hold of his grandson’s hand and immediately stood up, declaring “Zeydi Menachem Mendel—this one will comfort us.”

4. Heavenly Criticism and Rebbetzin Devorah Leah’s Sacrifice

The self-sacrifice with which the Alter Rebbe led Chabad for 18 years—from when his teacher passed away until this crisis—aroused severe criticism in Heaven (dinim). The Alter Rebbe sensed that this spiritual criticism might soon shift from targeting Chassidus itself to targeting him personally.

On Motzaei Shabbos Slichos (the night after Slichos), before Rosh Hashanah Tafkuf Nun Gimel, he gathered several elder students to share this grave situation. He instructed them to arouse mercy in Heaven and gave guidance for how they should support his son—the Mitteler Rebbe—after his own passing.

Rebbetzin Devorah Leah overheard her father’s words and resolved to exchange her life for his. She understood from what he said that he was prepared for death on Rosh Hashanah unless something changed.

5. Rebbetzin Devorah Leah’s Vow Before the Ark

On Erev Rosh Hashanah after Mincha, Rebbetzin Devorah Leah entered a small prayer room where family members and select students were reciting Tehillim intensely. She approached the Aron Kodesh—the Holy Ark—opened its doors before all present, and declared: “You are my witnesses before these holy Sifrei Torah that I accept upon myself with full awareness—a vow and an oath—that I, Dvorah Leah bas Sterna am exchanging myself for my father ben Rivka so that he should remain alive.”

This act was done publicly so there would be witnesses to her self-sacrifice.

6. The Final Days: Rosh Hashanah Through Tzom Gedaliah

On the first night of Rosh Hashanah after davening, when the Alter Rebbe came out looking for Dvorah Leah to give her a blessing (“Lashanah...”), she quickly interrupted him: “Lashanah tovah tikosev ve’tichosem—you should be written and sealed for a good year.” She did not allow him to finish blessing her.

The next day—the second day of Rosh Hashanah—the Alter Rebbe delivered a Chassidic discourse until Havdalah. Afterwards he called Dvorah Leah and her husband Reb Shalom Shachna into his room. Her husband stood by crying: “What will we do with such a child—only three years old? How can we leave such a child?”

Dvorah Leah fell ill on that second day of Rosh Hashanah. On Tzom Gedaliah, 3rd of Tishrei Tafkuf Nun Gimel, she passed away at age 26 while fully lucid until her last moments.

7. Her Legacy: Promise from the Alter Rebbe

Dvorah Leah’s final request was that her father personally educate and guide her only son—the future Tzemach Tzedek. The Alter Rebbe promised her this would be fulfilled: “Your son Menachem—Menachem means comforter—he will be a comforter for me, for you, and for Israel.”

The name Dvorah Leah is mentioned among Chabad Chassidim with great awe because everyone recognized her extraordinary self-sacrifice (mesiras nefesh) in saving both her father’s life and ensuring continuity for Chabad leadership.

8. Burial Place and Ongoing Influence

Dvorah Leah is buried in Liozna—the city where the Alter Rebbe lived at that time. Many girls in Chabad families are named Dvorah Leah after her legacy.

The Tzemach Tzedek later became recognized as a great Torah scholar even among former opponents (Misnagdim). By then opposition had softened somewhat during his leadership era—even though new challenges arose from government interference in Jewish education (notably Petersburg). Perhaps this is hinted at by calling him “Nachmeinu—our comforter,” as he brought some measure of peace following those turbulent times.