A brief summary of the life of the Tzemach Tzedek

The Tzemach Tzedek, was born on Erev Rosh Hashana, 1789, in Liozna, to Rabbi Shalom Shachna and Devora Leah, the daughter of Reb Shneur Zalman of Liadi. His mother passed away when he was only three years old, so he was primarily raised by his maternal grandfather. By the age of ten, little Menachem Mendel was able to write swift and beautifully. He was writing 30 lines of Torah in no more than 5 minutes! He wrote up to 3 hours a day, and to make up for Shabbos, he wrote extra and Motzai Shabbos. Once his son complained about the excessive stringency of a teacher, R. Gershon. "Is that stringent?" Rabbi Menachem Mendel exclaimed. "It is nothing compared to the regimen I imposed on myself at the age of nine, regarding hours of study and writing." At fifteen he was sent to work with his uncle in communal affairs, after mastering the art of persuasion through words, he was sent to continue his intense Torah learning. At eighteen, a manuscript he wrote called, Shoresh Mitzvah HaTefilla, was discovered by his grandfather, Reb Shneur Zalman, and he called for more time to learn with his brilliant grandson. When Menachem Mendel was only twenty years old, he was appointed as head of many of the Rebbe's communl affairs.



After the passing of Rabbi Shneur Zalman in 1813, his son Rabbi DovBer (Rabbi Menachem Mendel's uncle and father-in-law) was appointed his successor. At this time Rabbi Menachem Mendel commenced a period of fourteen years seclusion, during which he devoted himself to study and prayer. He emerged to play his part in public life in 1826, at the time when Rabbi DovBer was accused of subversive activities. His first undertaking was the organization of a committee to defend Rabbi DovBer. When Rabbi DovBer passed away in 1827, the Chassidim called upon Rabbi Menachem Mendel to accept the leadership of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. For many months he rejected the tremendous responsibility of this position, but finally, he reluctantly answered the call.