By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morosow, the eldest living Chabad chossid in the world and patriarch of a respected large chassidic family with descendants around the world, passed away on Wednesday, 1 Shevat 5778.
He was 101, just a month away from his 102nd birthday.
Born in 1916 in the village of Lubavitch to his esteemed father Reb Chonye Morozov – confidante and secretary to both the Rebbe Rashab and Rebbe Rayatz – Reb Mendel lived in Russia through the murderous Stalin years and the tumultuous years of WWII.
Always sharp, even as a young boy, he played an active role in saving his father from the Soviet secret police agency NKVD who had come to arrest him for his efforts on behalf of the Rebbe.
Later, as a teen and then as a young man, he saw his father arrested twice, the second time in 1938 – tirtzach – never to return.
Reb Mendel and his family lived in the same house as the Rebbe Rayatz in Rostov where as a young child he experienced personal encounters of great kiruv from the Rebbe. Later he lived with his family on the same floor of the Rebbe Rayatz in Leningrad.
After the war, he escaped Russia with forged Polish passports on the famous “train transports,” and spent time in both France and Ireland before coming to America in the early 1950’s so he could be with the Rebbe.
When Reb Michoel Teitelbaum founded Oholei Torah Educational Institute in Crown Heights, Reb Mendel joined its central Hanhalah, and spent the next six decades helping the Yeshiva, educating and being Mashpia to the bochrim in Yeshiva.
Thousands of Chassidim around the world retain fond memories of Reb Mendel leading farbrengens in his inimitable style throughout the wee hours of the morning – his stories, his niggunim, and his witty vertlach.
His father had been asked by the Rebbe Rayatz to record the Alter Rebbe‘s 10 nigunim in musical notes, rescuing these tunes for posterity, and Reb Mendel never tired of teaching and singing the handful in the set that are not commonly sung.
Reb Mendel has sung another nigun, a stately march, so often that people already call the Niggun by his name. Singer Avraham Fried recorded it on his Chabad nigunim album.
Absolutely devoted to the Rebbe, Reb Mendel brought up his children likewise. When his daughter was still a very young girl he asked her, “If your father says “yes”, and the Rebbe says “no”, to whom do you listen?” to which she innocently replied, “my father”. “No,” replied Reb Mendel emphatically, “you listen to the Rebbe!” a lesson that remained with her throughout her life.
Reb Mendel had a repertoire of authentic Chassidic stories, which he faithfully transmitted to hundreds, vividly relating the lives and events of Chassidim and Rebbeim from times past, and encouraging his listeners to live every day according to the standards of Chassidus.
He passed away in New York and leaves behind hundreds of descendants and thousands of students.
He is survived by his wife, Rosa and children Zalman Morosow – Montreal, Hirshel Morosow – Crown Heights, Minya Goldberg – Crown Heights, Sterna Lesches – Monsey, NY, Esther Friedman – Kansas City, Kansas Henya Milecki – Sydney, Australia and Leah Goldman – Crown Heights.
The levaya will take place tomorrow, Thursday, leaving Shomrei Hadas at 12:00 pm and passing by 770 at approximately 1:00 pm.
Shiva will take place at 860 Eastern Parkway
Shacharis throughout
8:00 am and 9:30 am
Mincha and Maariv throughout
Bizmano
Mincha tomorrow Friday at 12:45 and 1 pm
Motzei Shabbos Maariv Bizmano
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
I remember as a small child almost 50 years ago how Reb Mendel stayed at our home and the strong roshem he had on me by his simple recital of Brochos word by word…not to mention his dancing on the table by the Farbrengen at Shul. May Hashem send nechamah to all his family…LJ
Reb Mendel was among those ch’ssidim whose very presence helped us conjure up a mental image of the lubavitcher ch’ssidim of czarist and stalinist russia. very few of them are still with us. we really do need moshiach immediately.
Here is a video of him farbrenging. What a chossid!
https://youtu.be/fpH6RUmT0k0
I have such fond memories of farbrengens with him. What a treasure he was. Baruch dayan ha’emes.
Bde so sad end of a era חבל על דאבדין ולא משתכחין
Ad mosai!!!?
Sorry for your loss
חבל על דאבדין ולא משתכחין
what time is the Levaya?
BDE
BDE
Reb. Mendel and his family left russia on Reb Leibel Mochkins yilch”t “transport” with polish papers given to them by Reb Leibel shey’. Thier mother a”h Bubbe Brocha left russia woth Bubbe Rochel Tumarkins papers . חבל על דאבדין ולא משתכחין
May his neshama have an Aliyah
What a big loss
I had Reb Mendel as the mashipa in OT for a few years. He was a lively person also with a smile and good word. A true chosid of the Rebbe. May his Neshma have an Alyiah!
he was such a special person
Bdh
Reb Mendel was born after the Rebbe Rashab left the city of Lubavitch and moved to Rostov.
Reb Mendel’s family moved to Rostov after the histalkus of the Rebbe Rashab in 5680 (1920).
It’s wrong ,
I ask him if he ever saw the rebbe rachab , and he answered me : no !
He was old enough to see the Rebbe Rashab, he was born in Lubavitch in the year 5676. The Rebbe had already left Lubavitch a few months before. He did not see the Rebbe Rashab.
He was 4 years old when the Rashab passed away.
He said himself he never saw the Rashab.
BDE
Visited Montreal in 1979. He was guest speaker by Anash Shabbos Mvorchin farbrengen. The entire farbrengen he spoke above his legendary father Reb Chonye.
Was a tremendous chasidishe yid.
BDE
Please post stories and memories to [email protected]
Thank you so much.
Her name was Chaya Brocha but she was referred to as Bubbe Brocha
He was the last chossid to have seen and remember the Rebbe Rashab!
His niggun often brought light to any of my gloomy days
Their mother was an exceptional Aishes Chayil, a very noble and regal woman; mamosh a tzidkonis in her own right. She truly had the power to give brochos. Her name was Brocha, may her memory be blessed and cherished forever.
To the age of Harav Aron shteinman
Moshiach now!