The Remarkable Life of Rebbetzin Hannah Rachel of Ludmir

A Hasidic saying goes: "He who does not see Hashem everywhere, does not see Him at all." This saying was coined by the revered Hannah Rachel Werbermacher, known as the Rebbetzin of Ludmir.

Hannah was born in the town of Ludmir in 1806, into a family of Hasidim following Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl. Orphaned from her mother at nine, she was recognized early on for her talents. As was customary then, she became engaged at a very young age. On the anniversary of her mother's passing, during a visit to her gravesite, she fell and lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness, she shared that she had visited the heavenly court and received a new soul.

Hannah called off her engagement, took on the practice of wearing *tefillin* and wrapping herself in a *tallit* (making a unique *tallit* for herself to avoid the prohibition of "a man's garment on a woman"), and began to immerse herself in Torah study and prayer in solitude. After her father's passing, she inherited a significant sum and set up her own study house, where she continued her seclusion. Rumors began to spread that she experienced visions of Elijah and performed wonders.

Crowds would gather outside her doors. She would listen to them and offer blessings from behind closed doors. She also delivered teachings and sermons to a dedicated group of followers, known as the "Hasidim of the Virgin of Ludmir." Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl instructed her to marry. She complied, becoming engaged to a scholar, but just hours later they parted ways, and no reason was ever shared. Legends speak of a heavenly sign telling them both not to continue the marriage.

While some Admorim did not accept her leadership, others claimed she was the reincarnation of a righteous soul and that her words resonated in the heavens. On one revelation she shared, Rabbi Israel of Ruzhin affirmed its truth, but on another occasion, when she revealed a hidden matter to Rabbi Isaac of Radwill, he confirmed it and issued a decree for her to refrain from speaking such matters again, which she obeyed.

In 1860, Rebbetzin Hannah moved to the Land of Israel. Listed in the Volhynia registry as "The Righteous Rebbetzin Hannah Rachel of Ludmir," she lived in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem. She hosted a weekly *tish* during Third Meal on Shabbat, sharing Hasidic teachings and imparting blessings. Monthly pilgrimages with her followers to the Tomb of Rachel were a tradition, and on the eve of Simchat Torah, many came to receive her blessing. Legends described her as working towards hastening the redemption with hidden forces.

Throughout her life, she strictly adhered to Jewish law and modesty. Even in her old age, when her sight failed, she recited passages from memory from the Talmud and the Zohar. One legend tells that in her later years, upon marrying, her spiritual powers and knowledge left her, transforming her into an ordinary woman.

Rebbetzin Hannah of Ludmir passed away on the 22nd of Tammuz, 1888, and was buried on the Mount of Olives. Her tombstone, recently restored, reads: “Here lies the righteous Rebbetzin Hannah Rachel, daughter of R. Manish, of Ludmir, 22 Tammuz 5648; Blessed among the women in the tent of Torah.”

One of her profound sayings: "A pure thought that springs from the heart's desires cannot be grasped by the intellect at all."