The Early Years

Rabbi Dovber, the son of the founder of Chabad, known popularly as the Mittler Rebbe (intermediate Rabbi, i.e. the middle one of the first three generations of the fathers of Chabad), expounded the philosophy of his father and interpreted the meaning and implications of all its intricate phases in a most lucid manner.

His commentaries on his father’s original texts are filled with detailed discussions of the ideology and philosophical concepts of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, and by their volume, preciseness and clarity testify to the great mental stature of their author.

It is interesting that when news of the death of Rabbi Shneur Zalman reached St Petersburg, the War Minister called a special session of the Cabinet to send a message of condolence to the bereaved family.

The official address was brought to Rabbi Dovber at Krementchug by representatives of the Governors of Poltava, Tchernigow and Odessa, with an enquiry as to the best way in which Russia could repay the Lubavitcher Rebbe for the support and encouragement Rabbi Shneur Zalman had given the Czar during the Napoleonic war.

The son and successor of the first Chabad leader asked nothing for himself, but requested a benevolent attitude by the Russian Government towards the Jews, and the improvement of their economic position.

Asked for specific suggestions, he requested the cooperation of the government in settling numerous Jews on the land, a project which his father had taken up just before the Franco-Russian war broke out. In this way, the famous Jewish settlements of Kherson came into being.

Rabbi Dovber continued the work started by his illustrious father, following the path he had pioneered. In addition to further expounding the doctrines and philosophy of Chabad, he devoted himself to the communal and social activities initiated by his father. Intellectually he was exceptionally gifted and he was also a fluent and sparkling speaker.

Inevitably, the Napoleonic war had disastrously disrupted Jewish life. However, during the days of Rabbi Dovber, there was a revival of Chassidism, and there was a marked increase in the knowledge of it among young students.

The Rebbe had instructed that young men should study Chassidism for at least three hours daily, and in time every Chassidic community produced a growing number of youthful scholars. Later, many of these learned young men became teachers in different communities. This had a marked effect on the local Chassidim, since the study and knowledge of Chassidism promptly increased.