| 12-13 Tammuz | |
|---|---|
 Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson | |
| Observed by | Chabad-Lubavich community |
| Type | Commemoration |
| Significance | Birthday and release day of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson from Soviet Prison |
| Begins | 12 Tammuz |
| Ends | 13 Tammuz |
| Date | 12-13 Tammuz |
| 2023 date | July 18-19 |
| 2024 date | July 8-9 |
| 2025 date | June 27-28 |
| 2026 date | July 17-18 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | July 3, 1927 (12 Tammuz, 5687) |
12-13 Tammuz or Yud beis v' yud gimel Tammuz (Hebrew: י"ב וי"ג תמוז /jud bˈeɪz vi jud ˈɡɪmɛl ˈtɑ muːz/ lit. 'The twelfth and thirteenth of Tammuz' also known as "the festival of liberation"[1] (Hebrew: חג הגאולה /χɑɡ hɑ ɡeʔˈulɑ/ is a holiday on the Chabad-Lubavitch calendar that commemorates the liberation of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty, from Soviet prison. This holiday also marks his birthday.
History
editRabbi Yosef Yitzchak schneerson was arrested on June 15, 1927 (15 Sivan, 5687) in Leningrad, USSR (now St. Petersburg, Russia) by the Soviet secret police also known as the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU). His arrest occurred during a period of increased repression against religious leaders and institutions, as the Soviet government sought to suppress religious practices and organizations.[2][3] The Rebbe was charged with conducting counter-revolutionary activities, which were seen as counter to the state's efforts to eliminate religion from public life[4][5] and was sentanced to death.[6]
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn was held in the Shpalerka Prison (latter known as Bolshoy Dom) in Leningrad. During his imprisonment, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn experienced severe conditions, including isolation and harsh interrogation.[7] His interrogators attempted to pressure him into confessing to various charges, but he maintained his composure and refused to cooperate.[8][9] He endured significant physical hardship during this time, including deprivation of food and water, particularly during the first days of his captivity.[10]
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn's situation garnered international attention, prompting various Jewish communities and leaders worldwide to intervene on his behalf.[11][12] Notably Abraham Isaac Kook, the Chief Rabbi of Israel sent urgent telegrams to Soviet officials, urging them to reconsider the charges against him.[13] The involvement of influential individuals, such as Yekaterina Peshkova, who was associated with the Political Red Cross and had connections with high-ranking officials, was pivotal in advocating for his release.[14]
On July 3, 1927 (3 Tammuz, 5687), Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn was unexpectedly released from prison. However, instead of being fully liberated, he was exiled to Kostrama, a small town in the Ural Mountains. His exile was still under strict surveillance and control by the Soviet authorities. It was not until nine days later on July 12, 1927 (12 Tammuz 5687), that he was finally permitted to return to his home in Leningrad.[15][16][17] This day also coincided with his birthday 12 Tammuz 5640 (21 June, 1880).
A day later on July 13, 1927 (13 Tammuz 5687) he was fully liberated and returned home to Leningrad and was greeted by thousands of followers. Later on in late 1928, after navigating the complexities of Soviet bureaucracy, Rabbi Schneersohn managed to get permission to leave Russia with the help of international presure.[12][18] He traveled to Riga, Latvia, where he stayed until 1929[16] before traveling to Mandatory Palestine (now Israel).[19][11]
References
edit- ^ schneerson, Menachem Mendel (father in law of Yosef Yitzchak schneerson 7th Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch) (1943). Hayom Yom Hebrew/English [Today is the day] (in Hebrew and English). Kehot. p. 70. ISBN 0-8266-0469-2.
Thursday Tamuz 12, Festival of Liberation 5703" (top)
Friday Tamuz 13, Festival of Liberation 5703 (bottom){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Polonsky, Antony (September 26, 2013). Jews in Poland and Russia: A Short History [Chapter Eight Jews in Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union, 1921–1941]. The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization. pp. 274–307. ISBN 978-1906764395.
- ^ Weinberg, Robert (January 2017). "Slavic Review". Slavic Review. 67 (1): 120–153 – via JSTOR.
- ^ "The fate of religious freedom in the former USSR, 25 years after its collapse". Deseret News. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Internal Workings of the Soviet Union - Revelations from the Russian Archives | Exhibitions - Library of Congress". www.loc.gov. 1992-06-15. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Hasidism, entry: Schneersohn, Joseph Isaac. Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. ISBN 1-56821-123-6
- ^ world, Supporters of Jewish refugees all over the (2023-12-23). "The Heroic Struggle". Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (F.R.E.E.). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Story: The Rebbe Rayatz and His Jewish Interrogators". CrownHeights.info. 2015-06-25. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ "Frierdiker Rebbe's Interrogation". COLlive. 2018-06-21. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ "Mystery of Rayatz's Prison Diary". COLlive. 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ a b Margolin, Dovid. "The Chassidic Member of Parliament Who Stood Up to the Soviets When the Sixth Rebbe was arrested, Latvian MP Mordechai Dubin took action". Chabad.org.
- ^ a b "How Reb Mordechai Dubin Was Saved Through 'Ahavat Yisroel'". Melava Malka Stories.
- ^ Tudela, Benjamin Of (2011-06-26). "Harav Kook And the Lubavitcher Rebbe". Mostly Kosher. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ "When the World Helped the Rebbe". Ascent of Safed.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "The day that uplifted world Jewry - 12 th of Tammuz". Israel National News. Jun 28, 2023. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ a b "Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn, the "Rebbe Rayatz" (1880-1950) A brief biography of the sixth Chabad Rebbe". Chabad.org.
- ^ "How Rebbe's Arrest Was Reported". COLlive. 2015-06-29. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ Rigg, Bryan Mark (May 15, 2006). Rescued from the Reich [The Lubavitchers and Their Rebbe]. Yale University Press. pp. 16–37. ISBN 978-0300115314.
- ^ Ami Magazine. No. 245. p. 95.