Reb Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz zy"a, the Rivnitzer Rebbe (also written Ribnitzer)
The Rivnitzer Rebbe zy"a
דער ריבניצער רבי זי״ע
Upcoming yahrzeit: 25 October 2027 (5788)
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Reb Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz zy"a, the Rivnitzer Rebbe (also written the Ribnitzer Rebbe), was born in Botoshan (Botoșani), Romania. Most sources give the year as 1902; some give 1898, and some close talmidim said 1893. The page therefore writes the years as c. 1902–1995, and does not treat the birth year as settled. His father, Reb Moshe, was a chossid of the Shtefaneshter Rebbe, and his mother was Yuta Tzippora. He was orphaned of his father at two and a half, and was raised in the hoif of Reb Avrohom Matisyahu Friedman of Shtefanesht zy"a, a grandson of the Ruzhiner. He later said that he learned the entire Torah from his Rebbe, and that by the age of eighteen he knew Shas with Rashi. He also received semicha from Rav Yehuda Leib Tzirelson zt"l. Some accounts say that as a young orphan he was also raised for a time in the home of Reb Yehuda Aryeh Frankel of Botoshan.
After the war he remained in Ribnitz (Rîbnița, today in Transnistria), under Soviet rule, and served there as a Rebbe, a mohel, and a shochet, with great mesirus nefesh. He was known for a life of avodas Hashem: fasting, tevilah even in a frozen river, and Tikkun Chatzos at great length. In 5733 (1972–73) he left the Soviet Union for Eretz Yisroel, and in 5734 he came to America. He lived in several cities and later settled in Monsey.
He had no children, and he did not leave a formal Chasidic court or a successor Rebbe. Thousands still come to his kever, especially on the yahrzeit. Among his close chassidim was the singer Mordechai Ben David (Mordechai Werdyger). He was niftar on Isru Chag Sukkos, 24 Tishrei 5756 (18 October 1995), and rests in an ohel in the Vizhnitzer Bais HaChaim (Monsey Cemetery), at Route 306 and Brick Church Road, Monsey / Spring Valley, New York. Your kvittel will be brought to his ohel.
Historical background
After the churban, almost no Chasidic Rebbe remained under Soviet rule. The Rivnitzer Rebbe zy"a stayed in Ribnitz for decades, and later came to Eretz Yisroel and to America. He did not found a dynasty in the ordinary sense; his kever in Monsey has become a makom tefillah for thousands.
Before & after
Who came before
- The Shtefaneshter Rebbe, Reb Avrohom Matisyahu Friedman zy"a — His Rebbe. He was raised in the Shtefaneshter hoif, and remained a talmid of that mesorah.
Who came after
- —
In his dor
- The Lubavitcher Rebbeim, at the Ohel in Queens — In Russia, and later in America, he had a warm connection with Lubavitcher chassidim and with the Lubavitcher Rebbe zy"a. This is a relationship, not a line of succession.
Sources
The facts on this page come from the earlier site and from the sources listed here. Where the sources are not one shittah, it is written in the text.
- Wikipedia: Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz (the Ribnitzer / Rivnitzer Rebbe). Gives birth year 1902, and notes that some close talmidim said 1893.
- Kevarim.com: Rebbe Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz — 24 Tishrei 5756 / 18 October 1995; ohel in the Viznitz Cemetery, Route 306 at Brick Church Road, Monsey / Spring Valley, NY (290 NY-306)
- Yiddish Travelers: Rabbi Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz, Ribnitzer Rebbe — ohel in the Viznitz cemetery on Route 306 at Brick Church Rd; yahrzeit 24 Tishrei
- Ribnitzer Rebbe Stories: yahrzeit Isru Chag Sukkos, 24 Tishrei; kever at the Vizhnitzer Bais HaChaim, Route 306 at Brick Church Road, Spring Valley (Monsey), NY. Notes the spellings Ribnitzer and Rivnitzer.
- Chabadpedia: Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz — Shtefanesht mesorah, years in Ribnitz under Soviet rule, aliya in 5733, arrival in America in 5734, petirah 24 Tishrei 5756. Gives birth as 5658 (1898) or 5662 (1902).
- Beis Moshiach / Chabadinfo: The Rebbe & The Ribnitzer — biography (birth in Botoshan, 1902; Shtefanesht; mesirus nefesh as mohel and shochet) and his connection with Lubavitcher chassidim
- Kedem Auctions: Siddur Beit Yaakov of the Ribnitzer Rebbe — biographical note (raised also in the home of Reb Yehuda Aryeh Frankel of Botoshan; semicha from Rav Yehuda Leib Tzirelson; no formal American hoif is described here). Uses birth year 1898.
- Hebcal date converter (Hebrew–Gregorian yahrzeit dates, including 5787)
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