Seder Plate used by the Holy Rabbi of Ribnitz, Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz

Seder Plate used by the Holy Rabbi of Ribnitz, Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz

This Seder plate was used by the Admor Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz - "The Ribnitzer Rebbe" - for Seder night, immediately upon his ascent from Russia to the Land of Israel in 1973 with only the shirt on his back and the cap on his head.

It is known across the entire diaspora that objects used by tzaddikim constitute a good omen for material and spiritual success, as stated in Minchat Elazar, "Something used by a tzaddik, although it is a physical object, brings knowledge and good things in this world." The Chatam Sofer also mentions this; it is mentioned in Ben Ish Chai and other books. And this plate in particular, with which the Rebbe performed his holy service on Seder night, the night which according to the Ar"i's writings and Chassidic tradition, is the most uplifting night of the year, the night of the greatest revelations among the Chassidic leaders. And especially this specific year with the Rebbe, the year in which he went from servitude behind the iron curtain to freedom in Jerusalem.

The holy Admor Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz [1898-1996], known as "The Ribnitzer Rebbe," or "The Rimnitzer Rebbe," was a wondrous tzaddik and holy man. It was said of him that he was "A tzaddik from previous generations." When he was two and a half years old, his father passed away, and the wondrous tzaddik Rabbi Avraham Matityahu Friedman "The rebbe of Shtefanesht," who had no children of his own, adopted him and raised him as a son, and used to say of him, "You are my chiddush."

He was totally dedicated and nothing deterred him from observing a mitzvah. He would devotedly circumcise Jewish children in Communist Russia - even the sons of government officials, occasionally without their fathers' knowledge. A well-known story: Once, the wife of a senior officer in the Red Army asked the rebbe to circumcise her son, without her husband's knowledge. He went there with his friend, the Chabad mashpi'ah Rabbi Mendel Futerfas. Rabbi Mendel was the sandak and the rebbe was the mohel. After the circumcision, the baby did not stop bleeding and the mother started crying out loudly. The four of them were in mortal danger. The rebbe threw his tallit over himself and the baby together and prayed: "Master of the Universe, I came here to observe your mitzvah. Please do not shame me." And the baby miraculously stopped bleeding. The rebbe would break through the layer of ice above the lake and though the resulting hole, he would immerse himself in the river underneath, taking the mortal risk that he might not find his way back up. Until his old age, he used to immerse himself many times in the mikveh, and would do it astonishingly quickly. In Russia, the Ribnitzer Rebbe had two close friends with whom he studied many talmudic topics. (He said of himself that at 18 years old, he knew the entire Talmud with Rash"i's commentary.) All three friends eventually became Chassidic leaders: the Rebbe, the Admor of Skver and the Admor of Skulen.

There is a Jew living in Monsey, NY, USA today (his name is in our records) who was childless, and the rebbe promised him that he will experience salvation on Seder night. For many years, he still hadn't experienced salvation, and he almost despaired. On Seder night, half a year after the Rebbe's passing, his only son was born.

He was known as having divine inspiration and as a salvation-worker. Thousands came to him and were saved by his blessings. He passed away at an advanced age, close to a hundred. Masses visit his grave in Monsey on the day of his yahrtzeit, as well as other days. One of his well-known Chassidim is Mordechai Ben David, who dedicated the song 'Oy Rebbe' in his album Ein Od Milvado to him.

Hand-made silver-plated copper plate stamped "DORON HAND MADE IN JERUSALEM." There are indentations for the simanim of the Seder, and engravings of the names of the simanim, stars, flowers and an illustration of David's Tower with the Hebrew word "Jerusalem."

Plate diameter: 36 cm.

Very fine condition.

Signed confirmation by the Admor's shammash testifying that the Admor used this holy plate on seder night.