Among the closest and most outstanding students of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, “Ba’al HaTanya”, founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement, when he emigrated to Eretz Yisrael, he was one of the founders of the Jewish community in Hevron, the City of the Patriarchs. When he reached an advanced age, he moved to live in the Holy City of Tzfat, where he passed away on the 15th of Marcheshvan 5597 (the year of the earthquake). Prior to his passing, he commanded that anyone suffering from distress or misfortune (G-d forbid) could come to his gravesite to pray for salvation and his prayers would be answered. Many Jews have done so over the generations, yet no one knows how he received the title “Ba’al HaY’surim” (master of afflictions).
