Mashpia
Encyclopedia
Mashpia lit. "person of influence", pl. Mashpi'im is the title of a rabbi
or rebbetzin
who serves as a spiritual mentor in Tomchei Temimim
(the Chabad yeshiva
), in a girls' seminary belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch
Hasidic movement, or in a Chabad community.
), this term is exclusive to the Chabad-Lubavitch
Hasidic movement, because this mentoring role is significantly different from the approach of other groups. It refers specifically to one whose communal service as a spiritual mentor includes providing:
The nature of the mashpia's role is alluded to in the preface to the Tanya
, the classic text of Hasidic philosophy
written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
, the first Rebbe
of Chabad-Lubavitch. It is discussed in numerous public talks delivered by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
, the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe. In particular, he instructed that one should approach one's mashpia regularly to be examined and evaluated.
There is a distinction to be drawn between a Rav
, i.e., a personal mentor and adviser, and a mashpia. Although the two terms are similar and often used interchangeably, the latter term usually refers to someone knowledgeable and scholarly, who holds some official communal position. The former term, however, refers to an individual who is chosen simply as an objective outsider to offer advice and guidance. This person need not be otherwise qualified.
משפיעה), pl. mashpi'ois (Heb.
משפיעות). This role is usually more community-focused.
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
or rebbetzin
Rebbetzin
Rebbitzin or Rabbanit is the title used for the wife of a rabbi, typically from the Orthodox, or Haredi, and Hasidic Jewish groups...
who serves as a spiritual mentor in Tomchei Temimim
Tomchei Temimim
Tomchei Temimim is the central Yeshiva of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement...
(the Chabad yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
), in a girls' seminary belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...
Hasidic movement, or in a Chabad community.
Definition
Although counterparts to the mashpia exist in both Hasidic and non-Hasidic movements (such as the Mashgiach ruchaniMashgiach ruchani
Mashgiach ruchani or mashgiach for short, means a spiritual supervisor or guide. It is a title which usually refers to a rabbi who has an official position within a yeshiva and is responsible for the non-academic areas of yeshiva students' lives.The position of mashgiach ruchani arose with the...
), this term is exclusive to the Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...
Hasidic movement, because this mentoring role is significantly different from the approach of other groups. It refers specifically to one whose communal service as a spiritual mentor includes providing:
- communal guidance through regular public lectures and classes, and leading farbrengenFarbrengenA Farbrengen is a Hasidic gathering. This term is only used by Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidim, as other Hasidim have a Tish. It may consist of explanations of general Torah subjects, with an emphasis on Hasidic philosophy, relating of Hasidic stories, and lively Hasidic melodies, with refreshments being...
s, Chasidic gatherings; - personal guidance in matters of decent interpersonal conduct and fine character traits;
- inspiration to strive ever higher in one's spiritual growth, through intensive TorahTorahTorah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
study and observance of Mitzvos, particularly according to the Chabad Hasidic tradition; - answers to those seeking clarification on matters of Hasidic philosophyHasidic philosophyHasidic philosophy or Hasidus , alternatively transliterated as Hassidism, Chassidism, Chassidut etc. is the teachings, interpretations of Judaism, and mysticism articulated by the modern Hasidic movement...
, customs, and general conduct according to the Chabad-Lubavitch school of thought; and - personally-tailored advice on how to advance in the uniquely Chabad discipline of avodas ha'tefilah, lit. "the service of prayer." This discipline involves lengthy meditation on sublime Hasidic concepts before and during the course of prayer.
The nature of the mashpia's role is alluded to in the preface to the Tanya
Tanya
The Tanya is an early work of Hasidic philosophy, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, first published in 1797. Its formal title is Likkutei Amarim , but is more commonly known by its opening word, Tanya, which means "it was taught in a beraita"...
, the classic text of Hasidic philosophy
Hasidic philosophy
Hasidic philosophy or Hasidus , alternatively transliterated as Hassidism, Chassidism, Chassidut etc. is the teachings, interpretations of Judaism, and mysticism articulated by the modern Hasidic movement...
written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Shneur Zalman of Liadi , also known as the Baal HaTanya, , was an Orthodox Rabbi, and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, a branch of Hasidic Judaism, then based in Liadi, Imperial Russia...
, the first Rebbe
Rebbe
Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
of Chabad-Lubavitch. It is discussed in numerous public talks delivered by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson , known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe among his followers, was a prominent Hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He was fifth in a direct paternal line to the third Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Menachem Mendel...
, the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe. In particular, he instructed that one should approach one's mashpia regularly to be examined and evaluated.
There is a distinction to be drawn between a Rav
Rav
Rav is the Hebrew word for rabbi. For a more nuanced discussion see semicha. The term is also frequently used by Orthodox Jews to refer to one's own rabbi....
, i.e., a personal mentor and adviser, and a mashpia. Although the two terms are similar and often used interchangeably, the latter term usually refers to someone knowledgeable and scholarly, who holds some official communal position. The former term, however, refers to an individual who is chosen simply as an objective outsider to offer advice and guidance. This person need not be otherwise qualified.
Mashpi'im of old
- Reb Hillel HaLevi of Paritch, d. (Paritch/Babroisk, Russia)
- Reb Michoel der Alter, d. (Lubavitch, Russia)
- Reb Zev Wolf Levitin, d. (Lubavitch, Russia)
- Reb Shmuel Groinem Esterman, d. (Lubavitch, Russia)
- Reb Shileim Kuratin, d. (Lubavitch, Russia)
- Reb Itche Der MasmidItche Der MasmidYitzchok Horowitz, more commonly known as Reb Itche der Masmid, was a famous Orthodox Rabbi in pre-war Europe. Specifically, he served as a Mashpia, Hasidic mentor of the Chabad movement. He was born to Shlomo Menachem Mendel and Elka Horowitz in the city of Bereznehuvate, in the Kherson...
, d. (travelling mashpia in pre-WWII Europe) - Reb Dovid Horodoker (Kievman), d. (travelling mashpia in pre-WWII Europe)
- Reb Zalman Moishe HaYitzchakiZalman Moishe HaYitzchakiShneur Zalman Moishe HaYitzchoki, usually known familiarly as Reb Zalman Moishe, , was an Orthodox Jewish Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi in pre-war Europe, and towards the end of his life, in the Land of Israel. Specifically, he served as a Mashpia and shochet...
, d. (Nevel, Russia; Tel Aviv, the Land of Israel) - Reb Avrohom Drizin (Mayorer), d. (Russia, Crown Heights, NY)
- Reb Shlomo Chaim Kesselman, d. (Kfar Chabad, the Land of Israel)
- Reb Shmuel Levitin, d. (Russia; Crown Heights)
- Reb Menachem Mendel FuterfasMenachem Mendel FuterfasRabbi Menachem Mendel Futerfas , known informally as Reb Mendel, was a famous Chabad Mashpia. He was a top student of the famed Mashpia, Reb Zalman Moishe HaYitzchaki.-Activities:...
, d. (Russia; Kfar Chabad, the Land of Israel) - Reb Nissan NeminovNissan NeminovNissan Neminov, known familiarly as Reb Nissan , was an Orthodox rabbi. Specifically, he served as a Mashpia, Hasidic mentor, in the Yeshiva of Tomchei Temimim in Brunoy, near Paris, France. He taught many thousands of students during his lifetime, and was renowned for his piety and abstinence...
, d. (Brunoy, France) - Reb Zalman SerebryanskiYehoshua Shneur Zalman SerebryanskiRabbi Yehoshua Shneur Zalman Serebryanski, known familiarly as Reb Zalman, was an Orthodox rabbi and Mashpia belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement...
, d. (Melbourne, Australia) - Reb Yehuda ChitrikYehuda ChitrikRabbi Yehuda Chitrik was an author and Mashpia in the Chabad Hasidic community in Brooklyn, New York.-Early life:...
, d. (Crown Heights, NY) - Reb Chatche Feigin, d. (Lubavitch, Russia)
- Reb Zev Volf Greenglass (Montreal, Canada)
Mashpi'im of today
- Rabbi Elchanan Cohen (Jerusalem, Israel)
- reb Yossi Paltiel (choivevei torah, Crown Heights, NY)
- Reb Yoel KahnYoel KahnYoel Kahn, also spelled Kahan, is a senior Chabad rabbi, who served as the leading Choizer and Meiniach for the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. He served in this role from the beginning of the Rebbe's leadership in 1950 until his passing in 1994. Today he continues to...
(770 Eastern Parkway770 Eastern Parkway770 Eastern Parkway is the street address of the central headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, located on Eastern Parkway in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York, in the United States of America...
, Crown Heights, NY) - Reb Nachmon Schapiro (Oholei Torah)Crown Heights, NY)
- Reb Meilech Tzvibel (Rabbinical College of AmericaRabbinical College of AmericaThe Rabbinical College of America is one of the largest Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic Yeshivas in the world. The Yeshiva is located in Morristown, New Jersey and has trained thousands of Rabbinic students. The Yeshiva is supported by Jewish philanthropists such as David T. Chase, and Ronald Lauder of...
, Morristown, NJ) - Reb Zalman Gopin (Kfar Chabad, the Land of Israel)
- Reb Itche Meir Gurary (Montreal, Canada)
- Reb Boruch Lesches (Sydney, Australia; Monsey, NY)
- Reb Fitche Ofen (Yerushalayim/Tsfas, the Land of Israel)
- Reb Shloime Zarchi (770 Eastern Parkway770 Eastern Parkway770 Eastern Parkway is the street address of the central headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, located on Eastern Parkway in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York, in the United States of America...
, Crown Heights, NY) - Reb Berel Lipsker (Crown Heights, NY)
- Reb Avrohom Lipskier (Seagate, NY)
- Reb Avrohom Boruch Pevzner (Yerushalayim, the Land of Israel)
- Reb Zushe Alperovitch (Kiryat Gat, the Land of Israel)
- Reb Yosef Yitzchak Segal (Migdal Ha'Emek, the Land of Israel)
- Reb Sholom Charitonov (Oholei TorahOholei TorahOholei Torah is the common name of the Lubavitch schools Educational Institute Oholei Menachem and Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah...
, Crown Heights, NY) - Reb Ya'akov Winner (Yeshivah Gedolah ZalYeshivah Gedolah ZalYeshivah Gedolah "Zal" , Yeshivah Gedolah, The Rabbinical College of Australia and New Zealand, or colloquially, Y.G., is a government accredited yeshiva, an academy for young Orthodox Jews to devote themselves to full-time rabbinical studies. It is located in St Kilda East, Victoria, Melbourne,...
, Melbourne, Australia) - Reb Mendel Lipskier (Melbourne, Australia)
- Reb Simcha Werner (Monsey, NY)
- Reb Avrohom Meir Sherr (Cincinnati, OH)
- Reb Yosef JacobsonYosef JacobsonYosef Yitzchok Jacobson , an Orthodox Chabad rabbi, is the editor of the Algemeiner Journal, a Yiddish-English weekly newspaper-Life and career:Jacobson was born in Brooklyn, New York...
(Crown Heights, NY) - Reb Moshe Horenshtein (Tzfat, the Land of Israel)
- Reb Mendel Zilbershtrom (Tzfat, the Land of Israel)
- Reb Yossi Gurary (Detroit, Michigan)
- Reb Menachem Mendel Gordon (London, England)
- Reb Itche Nemenov (Brunoy, France)
- Reb Dovid Vorst (Brunoy, France)
- Reb Shmerel Matusof (Brunoy, France)
- Reb Nechemye Bluming (Brunoy, France)
- Reb Yisrolik Segal (Brunoy, France)
- Reb Kuti Feldman (Crown Heights, NY)
- Reb Tuvia Bolton (Kfar Chabad, The Holy Land)
- Reb Simcha Bart (Los Angeles, Ca)
- Reb Mendel Schapiro (Los Angeles, Ca)
- Reb Shabsi Yaakov Adler (Toronto, CA)
- Reb Sholom Ber Cohen (Montreal, Canada)
- Reb Yosef Yitzchak Itkin (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Reb Mordechai Friedman (Cottage Grove, Minnesota)
- Reb Pinye Korf [Oholei Torah], Crown Heights, NY)
- Reb Avrohom Meir Sherr (Cincinnati, OH)
- Reb Mottel Klein (Moscow, Russia)
- Reb Osher Farkash (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
- Reb Tenenbaum (choivevei torah, Crown Heights, NY)
- Reb Zalman Zajac (S. Paulo, Brazil)
- Reb Nissin Lagziel [Oholei Torah], (Crown Heights, NY)
- Reb Mendel Zilbershtrom [Tze'irei Hashluchim] (Tzfas, Israel)
- Reb Nochum Kaplam [Tze'irei Hashluchim] (Tzfas, Israel)
- Reb Menachem Mendel Gurevich [Yeshivat HaBucharim] (Kfar ChabadKfar ChabadKfar Chabad is a Chabad-Lubavitch village in central Israel. Located between Beit Dagan and Lod, it falls under the jurisdiction of Lod Valley Regional Council. In 2007 it had a population of 5,100.-History:...
,Israel)
Mashpi'ois
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in a historically unprecedented initiative, also encouraged women and girls to assume a similar role of providing guidance, referring to such a woman as a mashpi'oh (Heb.Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
משפיעה), pl. mashpi'ois (Heb.
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
משפיעות). This role is usually more community-focused.
Current mashpi'ois
- Bronya Shaffer (Brooklyn, NY)
- Miriam Swerdlow (Crown Heights, NY)
- Chana Schmukler (Montreal, Canada)
- Chana Rochel Shusterman (LA, CA)
- Tsyrl Turen (Chicago, IL)
- Shimona Tzukernik (Crown Heights, NY)
- Sarah Karmely (Brooklyn, NY)
- Chana Ginsburg (Brooklyn, NY)
- Shifra Hendrie (New Jersey)
- Leah Thaler (Jerusalem, Land of Israel)
- Esther Pikarski (Tel Aviv, Land of Israel)