Shanah Tovah letter signed by Rebbetzin Nechamah Dinah Schneerson (wife of the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch), and signed by her two sons-in-law Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson (later the Lubavitcher Rebbe) and R. Shemaryahu Gurary (Rashag). Brooklyn, New York, Elul 1950.
Typewritten on the official stationery of Rebbetzin "Nechamah Dinah Schneerson", with her signature and the signatures of her two sons-in-law.
Sent in 1950, during the year of mourning for the passing of her husband the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch (10th Shevat 1950). Over the course of the year, the Rebbetzin sent several letters to Chabad Chassidim, with her signature appearing above the two signatures of her elder son-in-law R. Shemaryahu Gurary on the right and her younger son-in-law R. Menachem Mendel Schneerson (the Lubavitcher Rebbe) on the left (who was officially appointed Rebbe of Chabad at the end of the year of mourning, on 10th Shevat 1951).
The letter was addressed to R. Nissan Mindel, personal secretary of her husband, the Rebbe Rayatz:
"For the upcoming new year, I hereby bless you and your family with a Ketivah VaChatimah Tovah for a good and sweet year, physically and spiritually".
Rebbetzin Nechamah Dinah Schneerson (1882-1971), wife of the Rebbe Rayatz, was the daughter of R. Avraham Schneerson of Chişinău (son of Rebbe Yisrael Noach of Nizhyn, son of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch). She wed the Rayatz in Elul 1897, and involved herself devotedly in the monumental activities of her husband. After her husband was imprisoned by the Communist regime in 1927, she sagely and courageously helmed the procedures which brought about his release, at risk to her own life. During the breaks from Torah learning she would receive Chassidim in her home. She presided over a charitable fund that was active from 1944 until her passing at the age of 89 on 10th Tevet 1971.
R. Shemaryahu Gurary (1898-1989), a student of Tomchei Temimim and disciple of the Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch, who chose him as the fitting match for his eldest granddaughter Chana, daughter of his son the Rayatz. He became the close assistant of his father-in-law and accompanied him throughout his turbulent wanderings for 30 years. He was the acting president of the central Lubavitch yeshiva. Although he was older than his brother-in-law, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, R. Shemaryahu fully accepted the Rebbe's authority with complete self-effacement and humility. The two brothers-in-law would eat festival meals together with Rebbetzin Nechamah Dinah until her death in 1971. R. Shemaryahu was a vigorous and active public figure with respect to yeshivas and Chabad institutions, and especially in all matters related to assistance to Russian Jewry living under Communist rule.
Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (1902-1994), the younger son-in-law and successor of the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch. Seventh rebbe in the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty. Son of R. Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, Rabbi of Yekaterinoslav, and sixth-generation descendant of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch.
The recipient of the letter,
R. Nissan Mindel (1912-1999), secretary of the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch and later of his son-in-law the Lubavitcher Rebbe. In winter 1940, he was one of the few to accompany the Rebbe Rayatz on the ship that left Nazi-occupied Europe for the United States. He served for over 50 years as head secretary of the Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch and member of Agudat Chassidei Chabad and Machaneh Yisrael. He was also involved in Kehot Publication Society. He authored and edited dozens of Chabad books in English and Yiddish.
[1] leaf, official stationery. 21.5 cm. Good condition. Folding marks. Stain to margin.
