Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Reb Shlomo Chaim Kesselman OBM - 1969

Rare footage of a wedding in 1969 with the participation of the famed Chabad Mashpia Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Kesselman of Kefar Chabad, Israel.

From TTL.org - HaRav HaGaon HaRav HaChassid R' Shlomo Chaim Kesselman A"H was born on the 20th of Elul 5654 to his father R' Yom Tov Kesselman in the city Zhitomir in the Ukraine. The turning point in his life was in the beginning of the winter 5669 when he was 14 years old. After he passed the required exams he was accepted to one of the classes in the yeshiva in Shtzedrin, and in this first year of studies in Tomchei Tmimim he absorbed the fundamentals of Chassidus from the Mashpiah HaRav HaChassid R' Shaul Dov Zislin A"H. After a year he returned from Shtzedrin to Lubavitch and put his whole soul and being into Torat HaChassidus. On the 2nd of Nissan 5680 he merited to be among the small group who were present when the Admor HaRashab of Lubavitch passed away. Meanwhile he was offered important positions. The "shadchan" who made the offers was none other than the Admor HaRayatz of Lubavitch. His father-in-law was R' Ze'ev Wolf Bronstein. After his marriage he was sent with his wife to Polotzk to be a Mashpiah there for Anash. Some of the Talmidei Hatmimim had moved there in the year 5686. He was also appointed Mashpiah in the Yeshiva. In the year 5689 he was arrested for his activity. In Kislev 5707 he left Russia. In the year 5709 he came to the Holy Land according to the instructions of the Rebbe HaRayatz.

The Rebbe HaRayatz gave instructions to appoint him as Mashpiah in the Yeshiva in Tel Aviv. Afterwards, in the year 5711 the Rebbe ordered him to move together with his class to Lod. When the Yeshiva moved to Kfar Chabad, R' Shlomo Chaim moved to the yeshiva in the Kfar. He put all his entire being in influencing and educating his Talmidim the Tmimim. He demanded from them "Avodah" and he was a living symbol and a role model regarding everything that he demanded and asked of them. He related to his students as a father to his children. He was Niftar on Friday afternoon, the 19th of Iyar 5731, surrounded by his Talmidim.

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