THE MEMOIRS OF RABBI JOSEPH I. SCHNEERSOHN
CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

PREFACE

THE FOUNDERS OF GENERAL CHASSIDISM AND THE HEADS OF CHABAD

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

PUBLISHED WORKS BY RABBI JOSEPH I. SCHNEERSOHN

MEMOIRS

I. LUBAVITCH, THE TOWN OF "BROTHERLY LOVE"
Jewish Towns and Townlets.—The Founder of Lubavitch. —The Oldest Beth Hamidrash.—When Robbers Terrorized the Forests Around Lubavitch.—Benjamin the Mystic and his Friend Wolfe.—The Rabbi of Lubavitch.
II. THE MYSTICS AND THE BAAL-SHEM-TOV
The Baal-Shem-Tov as a Mystic.—Lubavitch as a Center of Chissidism.—Secret Visits to the Baal-Shem-Tov.—Healing of the Body and Healing of the Soul.—A Chassidic Doctrine.
III. BARUCH'S NEW WAY OF LIFE
Ancestry of the Founder of Chabad Chassidism.—Rabbi Moses of Posen Settles in Vitebsk.—The Orphan Baruch and his Trials.—The Power of Faith.—Baruch's Secret Revealed.
IV. THE SMITH OF DOBROMYSL
Jewish Honesty.—The Smith's Scholarly Sons-in-law.— Torah and Labor.—Baruch Finds himself at Home.
V. THE FISHERMAN OF VITEBSK
Baruch Visits his Home Town.—His Learned Brother-in-law.—The Virtuous Fisherman Avreml.
VI. BARUCH'S ENGAGEMENT
Baruch Meets Former Employer.—Marriage Proposal and Baruch's Conditions.—Baruch's Self-Searching.—The Cheerful Pauper.
VII. THE BEADLE OF JANOVITCH
The Remarkable "Shamash" who Impressed Baruch Considerably.—The Beth Hamidrash in the Market Place.— The Miller and Other Typical Country Folk.—Men of Learning and Men of Action.—A Painful Incident.
VIII. THE PRINCE OF JANOVITCH
An Extraordinary Jew.—A Libel that Failed.—The Apple that Fell Far from the Tree.
IX. THE COBBLER OF VITEBSK
The Scholar who Became a Cobbler.—The Star-Gazer of Hatinka.—The Red-Headed Cohen.—Baruch Seeks out More Mystics.
X. BARUCH ENCOUNTERS SOME CHASSIDIM
The Innkeeper who was a Disciple of the Baal-Shem-Tov.— Yeshivah Student who Turns Inventor.—The Chassidic Son-in-law of the Smith of Dobromysl.—Baruch Learns More About the Baal-Shem-Tov's Teachings.
XI. FIRST JEWISH SETTLERS OF VITEBSK
The Swedish Prince who was a Jew.—Expulsion of Vitebsk Jews Averted.—Founders of the Vitebsk Community.— Minsk a Center of Torah.
XII. A WOMAN OF WORTH
Deborah a Brilliant Torah Scholar.—Vitebsk in the Throes of Russo-Polish War.—Deborah’ Influence in Vitebsk.—A Blessing of Life for Life.—A Yeshivah Bearing a Woman's Name.
XIII. ECHOES OF THE MASSACRE OF NEMEROV
"The Doves" of Nemerov.—Sole Survivor Returns to the Scene of the Massacre.—The "Old Saint" who was Revered by Non-Jews.
XIV. IN VILNA OF OLD
In the Wake of the Russo-Polish Wit.—The Outstanding Talmudists of Old Vilna.—The "Rich Pauper."
XV. OUTSTANDING CHARACTERS IN OLD DOBROMYSL
A Plague of Divorces.—Jewish Life in Dobromysl.—Influx of Torah Scholars.—The Undemonstrative Father.
XVI. BLOOD LIBELS IN LYOZSHNA
The Smart Boy who Averted a Blood Libel.—"Neshamah Candles."—Miraculous End to Another Blood Libel.
XVII. CONCEIT AND MODESTY
The Young Man who Could Not Tolerate Conceit.—The Scribe of Dobromysl.—Sacred Trust.
XVIIL A JEW-BAITER GETS HIS DESSERTS
The Tyrannical Squire and His Jew-Baiting Overseer.—A Canceled Order for Snow-Boots.—The Squire Reformed.
XIX. TYPICAL CHASSIDISM
A Chassid Befriends a Lost Soul.—Yearning for a Scholarly Son-in-law.—Humble Veterinary who Rises to Fame.—A Lesson in Love for Dumb Creatures.—Chassidic Father and Son.—Rabbi Adam Baal-Shem.
GLOSSARY AND NOTES

Back to
Back to Shtetl
© Iosif Vaisman
Feedback, questions: send e-mail to Iosif_Vaisman@unc.edu