The Mitteler Rebbe (Middle Rebbe) — Second Chabad Rebbe

אדמו”ר האמצעי | 1773–1827

Teacher: Alter Rebbe

Students: Tzemach Tzedek

Biography

Rabbi Dov Ber Shneuri (1773–1827) was the son and successor of the Alter Rebbe, and the second Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. “Mitteler Rebbe” means “Middle Rebbe.”

Born in Liozna, he was deeply immersed in Torah and Chassidus from childhood under his father’s tutelage. After his father’s passing in 1812, he assumed leadership and moved the center of Chabad to Lubavitch, the town that would give the movement its second name.

He was known for his extraordinarily prolific writing — he could dictate multiple discourses simultaneously to different scribes. His Chassidic discourses are noted for their extreme length and depth of elaboration.

Major Works:

• Torat Chaim — Extensive Chassidic discourses on Bereishit and Shemot
• Sha’arei Orah — Gates of Light, on the meaning of various divine names
• Sha’arei Teshuvah — On the service of teshuvah (repentance/return)
• Emrei Binah — On prayer and the holidays
• Pirush HaMilot — Explanation of key Kabbalistic terms
• Maamarim HaEmtza’i — Collected discourses

He established Chabad colonies in Hebron and other parts of Eretz Israel. He was arrested by Russian authorities in 1826 and exiled to Vitebsk, where he passed away the following year.

Works in This Library

• Torat Chaim
• Sha’arei Orah
• Sha’arei Teshuvah
• Emrei Binah
• Pirush HaMilot
• Maamarim HaEmtza’i
• Ner Mitzvah VeTorah Or
• Igros Kodesh (Mitteler Rebbe)

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Part of the Chabad Library Wiki