Shemaryahu Gurary
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary, also known by his Hebrew
initials as The Rashag, (1898-1989) was an Orthodox
rabbi
belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch
Hasidic
movement. His father was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gurary. He was the son-in-law of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn (1880- 1950), known as Rebbe Rayatz, the sixth Rebbe
of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. He married Chana Gurary, the older daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok, and was thus the brother-in-law of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
, the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe (whose wife Chaya Mushka Schneerson
was also the daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok). He worked with his father-in-law in communal service in both Russia
and Poland
and then arrived in the U.S. in 1940, where he continued this work until his death.
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn wrote very highly of Rabbi Gurary:
s, known as Tomchei Temimim
, in Vohlin, Ukraine
. Rabbi Gurary travelled to investigate the yeshivas in various cities in Vohlin, and to found new yeshivas.
Rabbi Gurary was the director of Tomchei Temimim in Warsaw
. He was responsible for delivering Talmud
ic lectures and hiring other rabbis. As head of the Yeshiva, he was close to the Schneersohn and many of the latter's letters were addressed to him. He was responsible for bringing quality Lithuanian Roshei Yeshiva
to Tomchei Temimim in Brooklyn such as Rav Yisroel Zev Gustman.
He remained on the board of Kehot Publication Society
his whole life. From the 1920s until the death of Schneersohn, he was the right hand man of the Rebbe Rayatz, traveling with him and carrying out his projects.
. Upon the death of his father-in-law in 1950, he was considered to be a possible candidate to succeed him. Indeed, he shared the leadership for a year, but he finally ceded his position to Rabbi Menachem Mendel after being sidelined.
He dedicated himself to fundraising to support the central Lubavitch Yeshiva of which he was director and did a lot of traveling. In this capacity he traveled to Brazil and elsewhere in South America.
He is buried near the gravesite
of his father-in-law.
(Sholom Dovber Gurary) (b. in Rostov-on-Don
, Russia
November 2, 1923, d. Montclair, New Jersey
, United States
March 3, 2005) was the only son of Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary and Rebbetzin
Chana Gurary, the elder daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Barry Gurary was an ordained non-practicing Orthodox
rabbi
and physicist
. He became the focus of disputes as an estranged relative to the Chabad-Lubavitch
Hasidic
dynasty.
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...
initials as The Rashag, (1898-1989) was an Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
rabbi
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...
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
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
movement. His father was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gurary. He was the son-in-law of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn (1880- 1950), known as Rebbe Rayatz, the sixth 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 the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. He married Chana Gurary, the older daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok, and was thus the brother-in-law of 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 (whose wife Chaya Mushka Schneerson
Chaya Mushka Schneerson
Chaya Mushka Schneerson , referred to by Lubavitchers as The Rebbetzin, was the wife of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch branch of Hasidic Judaism. She was the second of three daughters of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok...
was also the daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok). He worked with his father-in-law in communal service in both Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and then arrived in the U.S. in 1940, where he continued this work until his death.
Character
Rabbi Gurary had a comprehensive knowledge of Chassidic philosophy and was a devoted follower of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn wrote very highly of Rabbi Gurary:
Activities
In 1931, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn planned to expand the network of Chabad YeshivaYeshiva
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...
s, known as Tomchei Temimim
Tomchei Temimim
Tomchei Temimim is the central Yeshiva of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement...
, in Vohlin, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Rabbi Gurary travelled to investigate the yeshivas in various cities in Vohlin, and to found new yeshivas.
Rabbi Gurary was the director of Tomchei Temimim in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. He was responsible for delivering Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic lectures and hiring other rabbis. As head of the Yeshiva, he was close to the Schneersohn and many of the latter's letters were addressed to him. He was responsible for bringing quality Lithuanian Roshei Yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
to Tomchei Temimim in Brooklyn such as Rav Yisroel Zev Gustman.
He remained on the board of Kehot Publication Society
Kehot Publication Society
Kehot Publication Society and Merkos Publications, the publishing divisions of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, were established in 1942 by the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn...
his whole life. From the 1920s until the death of Schneersohn, he was the right hand man of the Rebbe Rayatz, traveling with him and carrying out his projects.
. Upon the death of his father-in-law in 1950, he was considered to be a possible candidate to succeed him. Indeed, he shared the leadership for a year, but he finally ceded his position to Rabbi Menachem Mendel after being sidelined.
He dedicated himself to fundraising to support the central Lubavitch Yeshiva of which he was director and did a lot of traveling. In this capacity he traveled to Brazil and elsewhere in South America.
He is buried near the gravesite
Ohel (Chabad)
The Ohel is the name of a religious shrine in Queens, New York, to which thousands of people make a pilgrimage each year. The last Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson and his father-in-law Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn are interred there...
of his father-in-law.
Controversies surrounding his son
Barry GuraryBarry Gurary
Barry Gurary was the only son of Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary and Rebbetzin Chana Gurary, who was the elder daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Barry Gurary was an ordained non-practicing Orthodox rabbi and physicist...
(Sholom Dovber Gurary) (b. in Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
November 2, 1923, d. Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
March 3, 2005) was the only son of Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary and 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...
Chana Gurary, the elder daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Barry Gurary was an ordained non-practicing Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
rabbi
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...
and physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
. He became the focus of disputes as an estranged relative 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
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
dynasty.