The Alter Rebbe (Elder Rebbe) — First Chabad Rebbe

אדמו”ר הזקן | 1745–1812

Teacher: Maggid of Mezritch

Students: Mitteler Rebbe

Biography

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812) was the founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch branch of Hasidism and the first in the Chabad dynasty of Rebbes. “Alter Rebbe” means “Old/Elder Rebbe” in Yiddish.

Born in Liozna, Belarus, he first studied in the famous yeshiva of Vitebsk, then traveled to the Maggid of Mezritch at age 20, where he became a close disciple. After the Maggid’s passing, he emerged as a leader of Belarusian Hasidism.

Major Works:

• Tanya (Likutei Amarim, 1796) — The foundational text of Chabad philosophy. A systematic guide to divine service, explaining the structure of the Jewish soul (nefesh ha-behamit and nefesh ha-elokit), the nature of bitachon and ahavah, and the path of the beinoni (intermediate person).
• Shulchan Aruch HaRav — A comprehensive halachic code reorganizing the Shulchan Aruch with Kabbalistic underpinnings
• Torah Or and Likutei Torah — Collections of his Chassidic discourses (maamarim) on the weekly Torah portions
• Maamarim Alter Rebbe — Additional collected discourses

He was imprisoned twice by the Russian Czarist government (1798 and 1800) on accusations of anti-government activity, and both times was released — events celebrated in Chabad as Yud-Tet Kislev (19 Kislev, the “Rosh HaShanah of Chassidus”).

His approach, Chabad (an acronym for Chochmah, Binah, Da’at — Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge), emphasized intellectual contemplation of Chassidic concepts as a path to emotional refinement and divine service.

Works in This Library

• Tanya
• Torah Or
• Likutei Torah
• Shulchan Aruch HaRav
• Maamarim Alter Rebbe
• Responsa (Alter Rebbe)
• Igros Kodesh (Alter Rebbe)
• Piskei HaSiddur

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Part of the Chabad Library Wiki