Kopust is an offshoot of theChabad-Lubavitch movement which produced multiple offshoot groups through its over 200-year history. The death of the third Chabad rebbeMenachem Mendel Schneersohn led to a dispute over his succession leading to the founding of Kopust.
Following Schneersohn's death in 1866 a dispute arose among several of his seven sons over the succession. While the youngest son,Shmuel Schneersohn assumed the title of rebbe in the town ofLubavitch, another son, Yehuda Leib Schneersohn, assumed the title in the town of Kopys, but died less than a year later and was succeeded by his sonShlomo Zalman Schneersohn.[1]
Yehuda Leib Schneersohn (1808-1866), known as the Maharil[a] of Kopust. He founded the movement after the death of his father, Menachem Mendel Scheersohn.
Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn (1830–1900), oldest son of Yehuda Leib, assumed his father’s position in Kopust. He is the author of a work on Hasidism titled "Magen Avot" ("Shield of the Fathers").
Shalom Dovber Schneersohn (1834-1908), known as the Rashab ofRechitsa.[b] Succeeding his brother, Shlomo Zalman, Shalom Dovber served as the Kopuster movement's rebbe in the town ofRechitsa.[3]
Shmaryahu Noah Schneersohn (1842–1924), known as Shmaryahu Noah of Babruysk. Succeeding his brother, Shlomo Zalman, Shmaryahu Noah served as the Kopuster movement's rebbe in the town ofBabruysk.[4][2][5][6][7] He wasrabbi of the chasidim in Babruysk from 1872, and founded ayeshiva there in 1901.[8] He authored a two volume work on Hasidism, titled "Shemen LaMaor" ("Light for the Luminary").[5][6][7]
After the death of the fourth rebbe of Kopust, the adherents of the Kopuster movement rejoined the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.[5]
The oldest extant Chabad synagogue in Israel, theOhel Yitzchok (אהל יצחק) synagogue in theMea Shearim neighborhood ofJerusalem—also called theBaal HaTanya Shul (Yiddish:בעל התניא שול:"Baal HaTanya's synagogue")—active since 1900, was originally affiliated with Kopust.[9]
While the Kopust movement originally was at odds with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement over the successor to the third Chabad rebbe, the sixth Lubavitcher rebbe,Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn referred to the Rebbes of Kopust as "Admorim",[c] or rebbes.[1]
Light purple indicates a Hasidic Rebbe of theChabad-Kapust dynasty
Light orange indicates a Hasidic Rebbe of theChabad-Niezhin dynasty
Light blue indicates a Hasidic Rebbe of theChabad-Liadi dynasty
Light yellow indicates a Hasidic Rebbe ofAvrutch dynasty
Solid lines indicate parents/children, dashed lines show marriages, dotted lines show in-laws. Additional members of Schneersohn family are not listed here
Notes:
^Founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, known as Shneur Zalman of Liady
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