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12–13 Tammuz

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12–13 Tammuz
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn
Observed byChabad-Lubavich community
TypeCommemoration
SignificanceBirthday
and release day of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn from Soviet Prison
BeginsNight of 12 Tammuz
EndsNight of 13 Tammuz
Date12-13 Tammuz
2023 dateJuly 18–19
2024 dateJuly 8–9
2025 dateJune 27–28
2026 dateJuly 17–18
FrequencyAnnual
First timeJuly 3, 1927 (12 Tammuz, 5687)
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12–13 Tammuz or Yud beis v' yud gimel Tammuz (Hebrew: י"ב וי"ג תמוז /jud bˈeɪz vi jud ˈɡɪmɛl ˈtɑ muːz/ lit. 'The twelfth and thirteenth of Tammuz') is a holiday on the Chabad-Lubavitch calendar that commemorates the liberation of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty, from Soviet imprisonment. The holiday also marks his birthday.

History

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Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn was arrested on June 15, 1927 (15 Sivan, 5687) in Leningrad, USSR (now St. Petersburg, Russia) by the Soviet secret police also known as the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU). His arrest occurred during a period of increased repression against religious leaders and institutions, as the Soviet government sought to suppress religious practices and organizations.[1][2] The Rebbe was charged with conducting Counter-Revolutionary activities,[3][4] which were seen as counter to the state's efforts to eliminate religion from public life[5][6] and he was sentenced to death by Soviet authorities.[7][8]

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn was held in the Shpalerka Prison (now known as Bolshoy Dom) in Leningrad. During his imprisonment, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn experienced severe conditions, including isolation and harsh interrogation.[9] His interrogators attempted to pressure him into confessing to various charges, but he maintained his composure and refused to cooperate.[10][11] He endured significant physical hardship during this time, including deprivation of food and water, particularly during the first days of his captivity.[12]

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn's situation garnered international attention, prompting various Jewish communities and leaders worldwide to intervene on his behalf.[13][14] Notably, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, first Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Mandatory Palestine (now Israel), sent urgent telegrams to Soviet officials, urging them to reconsider the charges against him.[15]

The involvement of influential individuals, such as Yekaterina Peshkova, President of the Political Red Cross of the Soviet Union, was pivotal in advocating for his release.[16] In the United States, Justice Louis Brandeis of the U.S. Supreme Court lobbied for Schneersohn’s release which led to US President Calvin Coolidge also making appeals to Soviet authorities,[17] adding diplomatic pressure to the international advocacy efforts, which ultimately contributed to the commutation of the Rabbi's sentence from a death sentence to exile​.[18][19]

On July 3, 1927 (3 Tammuz, 5687), Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn was exiled to Kostroma, a town in the Volga region of Russia. His exile was still under strict surveillance and control by the Soviet authorities. It was not until nine days later on July 12, 1927 (12 Tammuz 5687), that he was finally permitted to return to his home in Leningrad.[8][20][21][22]

On the following day on July 13, 1927 (13 Tammuz 5687) he was actualy fully liberated and returned home to Leningrad and was greeted by thousands of followers. Later on in late 1928, after navigating the complexities of Soviet bureaucracy, Rabbi Schneersohn managed to get permission to leave Russia with the help of international pressure.[14][23] He traveled to Riga, Latvia, where he stayed until 1929[21] before traveling to Mandatory Palestine[24][13]

Commemoration

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12-13 Tammuz is observed primarily by the Chabad-Lubavitch community as a time of celebration and reflection. The days are dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn's release from Soviet imprisonment, which symbolizes resilience in the face of oppression and the importance of spiritual freedom.[4]

The commemoration of the 12th and 13th of Tammuz was particularly significant for Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, the seventh Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch,[25] who celebrated these days with great enthusiasm and fervor, emphasizing their importance in his teachings and leadership.[26][27]

Communal gatherings known as Farbrengens are organized in Chabad centers, Yeshivas and Synagogues, where followers come together to hear speeches, sing niggunim (melodic tunes), and share inspiring stories about Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak's life and contributions. These events aim to enhance communal ties and reinforce Chabad values.[28][29]

On these dates, particularly on the 13th of Tammuz, it is customary in Chabad to omit Tachanun, a penitential prayer recited on regular days.[30][31]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Polonsky, Antony (September 26, 2013). Jews in Poland and Russia: A Short History [Chapter Eight Jews in Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union, 1921–1941]. The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization. pp. 274–307. ISBN 978-1906764395.
  2. ^ Weinberg, Robert (January 2017). "Demonizing Judaism in the Soviet Union during the 1920s". Slavic Review. 67 (1): 120–153. doi:10.2307/27652771. JSTOR 27652771 – via JSTOR.
  3. ^ Osipova, Хасиды: Спасая народ свой [Chassidim: Saving His People] (in Russian). 2002. p. 50.
  4. ^ a b "Hasidim Celebrate Anniversary of Liberation of Lubavitcher Rebbe". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2015-03-20. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  5. ^ "The fate of religious freedom in the former USSR, 25 years after its collapse". Deseret News. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  6. ^ "Internal Workings of the Soviet Union - Revelations from the Russian Archives | Exhibitions - Library of Congress". www.loc.gov. 1992-06-15. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  7. ^ Encyclopedia of Hasidism, entry: Schneersohn, Joseph Isaac. Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. ISBN 1-56821-123-6
  8. ^ a b "Virtual Reality: 12 Tammuz". Meaningful Life Center.
  9. ^ world, Supporters of Jewish refugees all over the (2023-12-23). "The Heroic Struggle". Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (F.R.E.E.). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  10. ^ "Story: The Rebbe Rayatz and His Jewish Interrogators". CrownHeights.info. 2015-06-25. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  11. ^ "Frierdiker Rebbe's Interrogation". COLlive. 2018-06-21. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  12. ^ "Mystery of Rayatz's Prison Diary". COLlive. 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  13. ^ a b Margolin, Dovid. "The Chassidic Member of Parliament Who Stood Up to the Soviets When the Sixth Rebbe was arrested, Latvian MP Mordechai Dubin took action". Chabad.org.
  14. ^ a b "How Reb Mordechai Dubin Was Saved Through 'Ahavat Yisroel'". Melava Malka Stories.
  15. ^ Tudela, Benjamin Of (2011-06-26). "Harav Kook And the Lubavitcher Rebbe". Mostly Kosher. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  16. ^ "When the World Helped the Rebbe". Ascent of Safed.
  17. ^ Green, David B. (June 13, 2015). "This Day in Jewish History | 1927: Russia Releases 'Counter-revolutionary' Lubavitcher Rebbe". Haaretz. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022.
  18. ^ "Weekly Story: How Justice Brandeis Helped Save the Rebbe Rayatz". CrownHeights.info. 2016-07-15. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  19. ^ Goren, Biranit (2012-10-12). "How Chabad's Beloved Rebbe Was Saved". Atlanta Jewish Times. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  20. ^ "The day that uplifted world Jewry - 12 th of Tammuz". Israel National News. Jun 28, 2023. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  21. ^ a b "Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn, the "Rebbe Rayatz" (1880-1950) A brief biography of the sixth Chabad Rebbe". Chabad.org.
  22. ^ "How Rebbe's Arrest Was Reported". COLlive. 2015-06-29. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  23. ^ Rigg, Bryan Mark (May 15, 2006). Rescued from the Reich [The Lubavitchers and Their Rebbe]. Yale University Press. pp. 16–37. ISBN 978-0300115314.
  24. ^ Ami Magazine. No. 245. p. 95.
  25. ^ Schneersohn, Menachem Mendel (1982). Likkutei Sichos [Collected Talks] (in Hebrew). Brooklyn, New York: Kehot. pp. 308–325. ISBN 0-8266-5736-2.
  26. ^ "FARBRENGEN 12 TAMMUZ 5745" (PDF). A Chassidisher Derher (21): 20–24. July 2024.
  27. ^ Schneerson, Menachem Mendel. "Sichos in English: 5738. Volume 1. Vaad Lehafotzas Sichos (Sichos in English). 1978". sichosinenglish.org. Archived from the original on April 29, 2014.
  28. ^ "3 Shuls Unite for 12 Tammuz Farbrengen". COLlive. 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  29. ^ "Live: Toronto Yeshiva 12 Tammuz Farbrengen - Anash.org". anash.org. 2022-07-11. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  30. ^ Schneersohn, Menachem Mendel. Hayom Yom [Today is the day] (in Hebrew and English). Kehot. p. 70. ISBN 0-8266-0469-2.
  31. ^ "Wednesday, 13 Tammuz, 5785, July 9, 2025". Chabad.org. Archived from the original on November 11, 2024.
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