Career
Participant of the third generation of Hassidic leaders, he was the primary disciple of the Maggid of Mezeritch. After the Maggid"s death, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, along with fellow disciple Rabbi Abraham Kalisker ("Kalisker") settled in Horodok. In 1777 the two, along with 300 followers, emigrated to Eretz Israel, settling in Safed, Ottoman Syria.
In 1783 they were forced out of Safed, and moved to Tiberias.
The synagogue they built there is 1786 still stands among the Ancient synagogues of Tiberias. The Tanya (see "Compiler"s Preface") is partially based on the works of Rabbi Menachem Mendel.
Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk is the subject of 15 of the stories in Martin Buber"s Tales of the Hasidim.