Letter from R. Meshulam Zalman Neumark Rabbi of Starodub - To Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch - Beseeching Him to Assume ...

Letter from R. Meshulam Zalman Neumark Rabbi of Starodub - To Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch - Beseeching Him to Assume the Chabad Leadership - Nisan 1889
Letter handwritten and signed by R. Meshulam Zalman Neumark, addressed to Rebbe Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn of Lubavitch (the Rashab). [Nevel, Nisan 1889].
In this letter, R. Meshulam Zalman begs and entreats his friend Rebbe Rashab, to agree to take on the leadership of Chabad Chassidism and serve as their rebbe, as they have been left without leader since the passing of his father Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch in 1883.
R. Meshulam Zalman warns and urges his friend the Rashab, not to forsake the Chassidim and Chassidism: "Oh G-d, will You cause annihilation, and what will be of Your promise that [the Torah] shall not be forgotten, and what will result of the efforts of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples for the past century? Can we despair and say that our hope is lost? So strongly does the Tanya caution that despair is not in the spirit of the Torah… a bit of self-sacrifice is required of him… His true friend, Ch.M. Zalman Neumark".
Rebbe Rashab (1860-1920) was only 21 years old when he was orphaned of his father Rebbe Maharash in 1883. For over ten years (until 1894), the Rashab did not officially serve as rebbe and leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic dynasty. In this context, R. Meshulam Zalman wrote this letter to him in Nisan 1889. Rebbe Rashab eventually progressively took on the leadership of Chabad Chassidism, between 1890-1894.
R. Meshulam Zalman writes at the beginning of his letter: "When I was in his town last summer, I noticed how difficult it was for him, due to the various obstacles surrounding him… the destruction of our fellow Chassidim is contingent upon this…". At the end of the letter, he suggests that he move away from Lubavitch and settle in one of the nearby towns, such as Rudnya or Liozna (this plan was never materialized). This suggestion was presumably proposed as a result of the tension which developed in Lubavitch surrounding his eldest brother R. Zalman Aharon, who served as rebbe for a short while and eventually resigned, sensing that he was unfit for the position (Sefer Vitebsk, Tel Aviv 1957, pp. 140, 302-304).
R. Chaim Meshulam Zalman Neumark (d. 1893), a leading Chabad rabbi, cherished disciple of the Tzemach Tzedek and his son Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch. One of the most renowned and prominent rabbis of Chabad Chassidism in his times. He served as rabbi of the following prominent Chabad cities and towns: Horki (1857-1867), Starodub (1867-1886), Vitebsk (1886-1888) and Nevel (1888-1893). Rebbe Yehuda Leib of Kopust wrote regarding his brilliance both in hidden and revealed parts of the Torah: "He is a renowned posek, both in Halachic ruling and in his Chassidic erudition". See next item.
[1] leaf. 13.5 cm. Good condition. Folding marks.
The letter was printed in the Yagdil Torah anthology (New York 1982), year VI, pp. 38-39.