#497 (s5767-36) 5 Sivan 5767

Secrets for Souls from the "Feminine World"

Rebbetzin Freida Shneuri, the daughter of the Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Chabad, was both brilliant and pious. Her father frequently delivered deep chasidic discourses just for her.

Secrets for Souls from the "Feminine World"

Rebbetzin Freida, the daughter of the Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of Chabad Chasidism, was an erudite and pious woman. As his first-born [176x], and a special soul, she was especially dear to her father and he would frequently deliver Chasidic discourses just for her. Chasidim attribute a certain unsigned letter that contained the deepest, most profound thoughts to Rebbetzin Freida.

So great was her knowledge and so close was she to her father that when her younger brother, Rabbi Dov Ber (later to become the successor of his father, Rabbi Shneur Zalman), had a question, he would often ask her for an explanation or to approach their father for the answer. On numerous occasions the Rebbetzin would ask her father questions and receive these answers while her brother hid under the bed in the room to hear the explanations, as well.

On one such occasion, Rabbi Dov Ber asked Rebbetzin Freida to inquire of their father as to the spiritual significance of the special garments that the Kohanim (priests) wore while they served in the Holy Temple. Rebbetzin Freida acquiesced to her brother's request. As Reb Dov Ber was accustomed to do, he hid under the bed in the room where Rabbi Shneur Zalman was explaining to his daughter the deepest and most esoteric ramifications of each garment. For some reason, Rabbi Shneur Zalman did not describe or even mention the belt that the Kohanim wore.

Rabbi Dov Ber, hiding under the bed, managed to attract his sister's attention by waving his own belt slightly, thereby hinting that she should ask her father the significance of the belt. When Rebbetzin Freida asked her father to expound on the belt, Rabbi Shneur Zalman called out, "This question is surely from my son who is hiding here and he must leave the room immediately." Rabbi Dov Ber came out of his hiding place and left the room.

What took place here? Obviously Rabbi Dov Ber knew that he was not able to fool his father, nor did he intend to do so. Why, then, did he have to receive these particular Chasidic teachings in this unusual manner? The answer lies in the concept that certain teachings are intended for souls from the "feminine world" and therefore had to be delivered to or through a woman, while other teachings are intended for souls from the "masculine world" and must be delivered to or through a man. If a man has an unquenchable desire to study Torah that is intended for a soul from the feminine world, or a woman has an unquenchable desire to study Torah from the masculine world, through persistence, the person creates within his or her soul the capability of connecting with this type of Torah.

Rebbetzin Freida married Rabbi Eliyahu Klutzker. One of her children, her son Rabbi Aharon Zaslavski of Kremenchug, married Rebbetzin Chaya, the daughter of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.

Rebbetzin Freida was never a healthy woman physically, and after her father passed away in the winter of 1812 she became even weaker. When she felt that her strength was ebbing and her final day on this earth was approaching, she called a few Chasidim together and asked that after her passing they bring her to Haditch and bury her to the right of her father.
The Chasidim did not know what to do as Jewish custom dictates that men and women are not buried next to each other.

A few days later, on the 16th of Sivan 5573 [1813], Rebbetzin Freida called the Chasidim once again. They found her lying on her bed fully dressed. She asked that they encircle her bed. She then began to say the prayer which is recited every morning, Elo-hai nishama... -- "My G-d, the soul which You have given within me is pure. You have created it, You have formed it, You have breathed it into me, and You preserve it within me." When she came to the words "And you will eventually take it from me..." she raised her hands into the air and cried out, "Father, wait! I am coming!" And she passed on. [She was approximately 50 years old, as we know she was born between 1760 and 1765. - ed.]

The Chasidim understood that the request of a person who passed away in this manner must be upheld. But still, they were uncomfortable.

On their way to the cemetery, they reached a fork in the road, one way leading to Krementzug and the other way to Haditch. They decided to let go of the horses' reins and bury her where they would lead. The horses went to Haditch.

Rebbetzin Freida was buried, as she had requested, immediately next to her father, Rabbi Shneur Zalman. Their graves may be visited there, even today.
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[Adapted by Yrachmiel Tilles from the rendition on www.lchaimweekly.org (#855), and with additions from Chabad Hebrew sources.]

Biographic Notes:
Rabbi Shnuer Zalman [18 Elul 1745-24 Tevet 1812], one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, is the founder of the Chabad-Chassidic movement. He is the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Tanya as well as many other major works in both Jewish law and the mystical teachings.

Rabbi DovBer Shneuri [9 Kislev 1773 - 9 Kislev 1827] was the eldest son and successor to Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of the Chabad movement. The author of numerous deep, mystical texts, he is known in Lubavitch circles as "the Mittler (Middle) Rebbe."

Yrachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and editor of Ascent Quarterly and the AscentOfSafed.com and KabbalaOnline.org websites. He has hundreds of published stories to his credit.