Dovber Schneuri

Chaya Mushka Schneersohn (wife of Menachem Mendel Schneersohn) Devorah Leah (wife of Yaakov Yisroel Twersky of Cherkasy) Menucha Rachel SlonimBracha Dovber Schneuri (13 November 1773 – 16 November 1827 OS) was the second Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic movement.

His father named him after his own teacher, Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch, a disciple and successor of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement.

[citation needed] Like his father, Schneuri considered it his sacred task to help the Jews of Russia, whether they were Chassidim or not, not only spiritually but also economically.

[citation needed] Schneuri thus launched a campaign (in 1822, or 1823) to urge Jews to learn trades and skilled factory work.

He urged that boys who did not show promise of becoming Torah scholars should, after the age of 13, devote part of their time to the learning of a trade, or work in the fields, to help support the family.

The oldest of his daughters, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, was married to her cousin Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, another grandchild of Schneur Zalman of Liadi.

Many of the historic works of Chasidic thought across the movement comprise collected teachings and explanations of Torah, often delivered orally, and compiled by the disciples.

In Chabad lore, stories are related of legendary Chasidim who would spend hours devoted to personal prayer, through meditation accompanied by Chasidic melody (Niggun).

In his "Kuntres HaHispaalus" (Tract on Ecstasy), now translated into English Archived 2017-07-31 at the Wayback Machine, Schneuri writes a document in Jewish thought.

While personal accounts of the mystical life are rare in Judaism, in this work Rabbi Dovber guides the devotee through the many intellectual and emotional levels of Chabad meditation.

that Rabbi Schneur Zalman's prayers were so ecstatic that he could not contain their outer emotional expression, and without self-awareness, would roll on the floor or end up in a different location.

[citation needed] One of his most famous works, entitled "Sha'ar HaYichud" (The Gate of Unity), now translated to English [2], describes the creation and entire make-up of the world according to Kabbalah.

The work begins with the "Essence of G-d," and traces the creation of the universe down to the physical world itself, using complicated parables to illustrate difficult points.