By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Leibel Groner, one of the most prominent figures in Lubavitch of the last generation who served as a secretary and one was of the closest people to the Rebbe, passed away.
He was 88 and was infected by coronavirus.
Rabbi Groner was born on 8 Iyar 5691 (1931) to a family that is descended of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe and founder of Chabad-Lubavitch. His parents were R’ Mordechai Avrohom Yeshaya and Menucha Rochel Groner.
His connection with the Rebbe began at a very young age, when the Rebbe, then known as the Ramash, attended his Bar Mitzvah and spoke for an hour and 20 minutes. At the conclusion, the Rebbe asked, “Leibel, did you understand what was said?” When he didn’t reply, the Rebbe added, “don’t be embarrassed, many of the people around didn’t either understand.”
Despite his humility at the time, Rabbi Groner learned in the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch at 770 Eastern Parkway and become an immense Talmid Chacham.
His knowledge was partly reflected in Sefer HaMinhagim, the authoritative book of Chabad-Lubavitch Customs that was authored by himself and Rabbi Volf Greenglass, the Mekubal and Mashpia of Montreal. For many years, he was a teacher at Beis Rivkah of Crown Heights and was an editor of Otzar Hachasidim, the editorial team that publishes Chabad Chassidus.
In 1949, the Rebbe asked Rabbi Groner if he would like to assist him in his “spare time.” Rabbi Groner agreed and began working in the Kehot Publication Society, a branch of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch which the Rebbe.
In 5711 (1951), when the Rebbe officially assumed leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch at an inaugural farbrengen, the Rebbe asked Rabbi Groner to stand by him in case he would need anything. Rabbi Groner has stood by the Rebbe’s side ever since.
After he got married, Rabbi Groner continued his work in the Rebbe’s secretariat (mazkirus) for over 40 years. He was arguably the most visible mazkir as he stood by the Rebbe during davening, Yechidus and later when the Rebbe distributed dollars to charity on Sundays.
His devotion to the Rebbe and his directives and institutions were reflected in the Rebbe’s comment about him during the distribution of the Tanya on 11 Nissan 5744: “My general.” The Rebbe also appointed him to lead the Kupas Rabbeinu charity.
After Gimmel Tammuz, Rabbi Groner did not assume an official position at Lubavitch Headquarters but has turned into one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in the global Chabad-Lubavitch community. He has traveled extensively around the world and led hundreds of farbrengens and community events. He spoke about his experiences with the Rebbe, insights from the Rebbe’s teachings and how people can live a better life through Torah and Chassidus.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Yehudis Groner (née Gurevitz), their children Rabbi Yossi Groner – Charlotte, North Carolina; Rabbi Menachem Mendel Groner – Kiryat Gat, Israel; Mrs. Gitty Levin – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Mrs. Sara Tennenbaum – Crown Heights; Mrs. Chaya Sandhaus – Crown Heights; Mrs. Sheina Wilhelm – Crown Heights; Rabbi Aron Groner – Pomona, NY; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The levaya will take place Wednesday, passing by 770 at 9:30 am and will go through the streets of Crown Heights. It will leave to the Ohel at 10:30 am.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
No!! Very sad! Such a holy man!
We literally need moshiach now!
oy himel !!!!
No words
Hashem yishmor! We lost a general today! Moshiach now.!!!!
Omg I cannot believe it! Bde!!! Oy hashem yerachem! Moshiach now, enough!!!
So sad
No words
Moshiach now !
Noooo!!! Hashem please have Rachmonis on us!! Enough is enough!!!! Please send Moshaich now!!
We are all ready!!
Are we really all ready? Are you giving all of your money to tzedaka before you won’t have a chance anymore? Are you going out of your way to be nicer to everyone? Just crying how it’s enough and we need Moshiach now doesn’t alone bring Geula. What has the rebbe been telling us for so many years? Let’s all take upon ourselves to do an extra good deed andTHAT will bring the ultimate geula!! A kosher un freilichen! And let’s bring moshiach now!(do u see the difference)
-bochur
Hard to fathom. Hard to believe.
Moshiach NOW!!!
Ad mosai we can’t go on any longer we need moshiach now
We want Moshiach now!
No words… except “Baruch Dayan Ha’Emes.” May Hashem comfort the Groner family, and Rabbi Yehudah Leib’s neshomo should have a tremendous Aliyah. And we need to bring Moshiach now.
Just realized rabbi groner has the same yartzeit as the lubavitcher Rebbe, Reb Menachem Mendel
The Tzemach Tzedek’s yartzeit, in case you were confused
the TZEMACH TZEDEK
Not the 13th the tzemach tzedek…
Tzemach Tzedek Yud Gimmel Rabbi Groner Yud Daled
lehoeir yud daled is the rambam’s birthday
Moshiach now!
Aibershter we need geula now!!!
The words “of the last generation” are in the wrong place. The Rebbe is our nossi and is also Leibel Groner a”h ‘s nossi. To say we are separate is to chas veshalom invalidate the Rebbe’s words that we are dor hashvii- the seventh generation.
Boruch dayna haemes
If anyone can go and plead for this to stop it is rabbi Grover.
The last living connection to our rebbe in this physical world.
Please bett
Please
Vehamagaifa Neatzarah
I’m drowning in grief
Oh so sad
Please Hashem send us Moshiach NOW!!!!!!
Just want to share a personal anecdote:
Many years ago, when I was the shaliach in Perth, Australia, Leibel decided to visit Australia. There wss some discussion if Perth was worth putting on his itinerary, and I was told that it was simply not worth it for Leibel to use his valuable time yo visit such a small, isolated city.
2 days later, i received a call that Leibel had demanded that perth be placed on his itinerary because he “wanted to give chizuk to an isolated shaliach”.
Yehoshua Landes
AD MOSAI!!!moshiach Now!!!
This is too much for us to bear as a community. Rabbi Groner was such a good nice person. May god immediately end this plague.
A General!!! The rebbes light.
No Rabbi Groner we need you !!! No please don’t leave !!!! We had you here we had a part of the Rebbe with us Please please bring Moshiach already !!!
BDE
what a loss!
such a great loss! was a real beinoni!
I’m literally crying. Never met him but have so much love for him. Always listened to his talks online and you could feel his vvaremkeit and bittul to the Rebbe. He was a window to the Rebbe after gimmel Tammuz for my generation. This loss feels so personal and communal at once.
Please take ya out of golus Aibishter. Now!
What a horrific Loss!!! Moshiach Now
He was such an amazing person, AD MOSSAI!!!!
There is nothing to say. He was the most gracious kindness man. He was our guide since Gimel Tamuz. The right hand to our Rebbe. He was truly the Rebbe’s General. This is the most devastating news. Moshiach must come now. Rebbe we need you more than ever before. Ad Mosai
he will be missed
This is really really sad. I always felt that a part of the Rebbe is still here with Rabbi Groner; you see, you see the Rebbe.
אוי מה היה לנו…
Please storm the heavens to send MOSHIACH NOW!
Such an unspeakably tragic loss. A truly incredible neshama and person, the kind of which so few are left in this world. We need moshiach IMMEDIATELY!
The Rebbe’s soldier!!! it just can’t be!! no words.
The world feels so lonely right now without rabbi Groners comforting presence & asurents .
AD MOSAI?
Rebbe Please.
The time is NOW!
Rebbe PLEASE!!
Moshiach NOOOOOOOOOWW!!!
Was by the Rebbi’s side for most of his life. He was a very very special man. No one knew the Rebbi like him. He will me missed by all of us. BD E
Ad mosai!!! Hashem has His matza for Pesach. Rabbi Groner was matza -one of the most humble servants of Hashem and the Rebbe.
The Rebbe is really coming!!!!!!! No words Hashem moschaich NOW!!!! ENOUGH!!!!
Just have NO words,
Rabbi Groner will miss you so much, We need Moshiach
May Hashem confort his wife and the entire Groner family.
Noooo! We need him in this world!! Hashem!! Ad mosai!! Please bring moshiach!! How is this world going to go on like this in this miserable golus?!!
Funeral arrangement detail?
No words! Such a huge loss to our community.
אבד חסיד מן בארץ
The giant Rabbi Groner
Hashem, where is Moshiach already???
Cant believe it
VERY SAD, THE LAST FEW MONTHS I HAD THE HONOR TO WALK RABBI GRONER HOME EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT AFTER MARRIV ENDED, MOSHIACH NOW IS THE ONLY ANSWER
These days a lot of tzadikim left with the Rebbe, they are part of the bet din.
Moshiach is coming now
Rabbi Groner attended my oldest son’s bris. Rabbi Groner, please daven for him and all my children. Hope to see you again soon. Thank you.
There are no words to say
Va yidom Aharon
I remember Rabbi Groner -at a fabreingen occasion- describing the specialty of the Rebbe’s farbreingen on Erev Pesach , although according to the Shulchan Oruch, one has dedicate his time to the mitzva of Biur Chometz , never the less the Rebbe made a farbreingen signifying the importance of it!
Aibershter! Why?!?
You took away from us the little bit המשך from the rebbe??
We are יתומים!!
Bring moshiach alreafy
Words cannot Express my grief I had the zchus to be his neighbor for 12 years. What a special man. Whenever he saw me he always, always went out of his way to greet me,sincerely.Always asked about my family, every child.
What a loss,words cannot do it justice. It is enough
Tuvia ha kohain Tatik
HE WAS MY SANDICK AT MY BRIS MILA OH WHAT A great ,holy and kind person HE IS a maskir of the rebbe what will crown heights be with out him .WORDS CAN,T DESCRIBE .we can,t lose no more . AND B.H WE WILL LOOSE NO MORE . WE NEED MOSHIACH RIGHT NOW THIS SECOND . AND B.H. MOSHIACH WILL COME RIGHT NOW.
Ribono shel Olam…How long?! How much?! B’chol Yom Achakeh Lo!!!!
Send him already! this is too sad..too painful. I have no words for his dear family, for us, who are left empty..without….
Being constantly on call in the service of the Rebbe he always took the time to explain an answer he transmitted from the Rebbe with a gracious smile and varemkiet and through his demeanor you felt the the Rebbe’s bracha already having a positive effect. He spent his last years travelling the world to spread the Rebbe’s messagae with great mesiras nefesh. May his family and all chassidim find solace knowing that he is together with his Rebbe to whom he was a eved ne’eman. The Rebbe was there for every Jew and human being and will surely take care… Read more »
BDE. Feels like the rebbe is calling in the troops, get ready yiddin it’s about to all happen.
When Tzaddikim pass away they bring Kaporoh.
enough Kaporoh.
time for Arenu Niflo’os.
I was in the midst of a crisis, and Rabbi Leib Groner talked to me at his home until we were able to come up with a solution. A very wise and kind man.
a real loss to Chabad. we need the Rebbe back
Galus is unraveling soon it will be like the good old days with everyones mokom kovoohas, but this time it will be with all the yidden that ever existed. Millions and millions All dancing and all making lachaims. No more worries and no more tears
Rabbi Groner was the first mazkir I spoke with when I came close to Chabad. He spoke to me with the love and patience of a father — irregardless of how busy he was faithfully assisting the Rebbe to carry the whole world. BDE.
The Rebbe said we are already into Chaim Nitzachim. So it can’t be these great and true Chassidishe are any place now other than a seat near the Rebbe at the Seudah Moshiach. The Rebbe said a long time ago the table has already been set and is waiting.
BDE!
BDE, so sorry to hear this news. We need Moshiach Now
Merkaz dobrei ivrit on the motzei shabbos 13 shvat (february 8)this year?
Please share for his Leilui Nishmas.
BDE, Can’t wait to reunite with him very soon with Moshiach!
If the Eibishter took such a leader’s soul, that means that we are an inch before moshiach. PERIOD!
Now it’s getting darker and lonely…but the darkest part of night is right before the sun rises.
The levaya of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner, who served as the Rebbe’s secretary for over 40 years and was a prominent figure in Chabad-Lubavitch, will be taking place on Wednesday, Erev Pesach 5780. In an effort to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic, his family is asking that the public not be present when the precession passes Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway, where Rabbi Groner spent days and even nights. Instead, the levaya will be driving around the Crown Heights neighborhood at 9:30 AM giving residents an opportunity to participate from their own properties and recite Tehillim. “The… Read more »
B”SD
Without a doubt, a tremendous loss to the Crown Heights community. I only met him once on the day of my Chasana & he truly was an Amazing man!! Somebody said last night that the Rebbe is gathering his staff to fulfill his great goal- to bring Moshiach VERY SOON NO DOUBT!! In fact, the fact that we are losing so many giants indicates that we must strengthen our emunah even more.
and just before pesach, Chag HaMatzos, he acted like matzhoh. was the most humble and ibergegebn chossid of the rebbe. He made sure to never sit while in the same room as the rebbe. Chassidim, we lost a gem.
BDE, Moshiach is on his way! stay tuned!
MRS. GRONER SHETICHYE,
MAY G-D BENTCH YOU WITH ONLY REVEALED HAPPY NEWS FOR YOU & YOUR FAMILY.
YIRMI COHEN
TORONTO
Rabbi Groner was my teacher, our farbringer, our maspia .He taught the girls in Bais Rivkah machine program in the old building on Chruch st once a week Tanya . His clarity and ability to give over chassidus was truly remarkable and made a major impression on us young bal teshuvahs in the 70″s , as we came from such diverse backgrounds , he was able to reach to our souls with true depth. His examples and stories especially being the secretary were so captivating as if we were there regardless of the era. During class he would always ask”do… Read more »