Menachem Mendel of Rimanov
Menachem Mendel Torem of Rimanov was a famous Hasidic Rebbe one of the first five distributors of the Hasidic movement in Poland.Biography
Born in Neustadt, Torem was introduced to Hasidut at the age of 11 when he met Dov Ber of Mezeritch. He was taught by Elimelech of Lizhensk and Shmelke of Nikolsburg, and was the teacher of Naftali Zvi of Ropshitz and Tzvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov.Activity
As one of the five principal disciples of Elimelech of Lizhensk, Torem was an important Hasidic leader in Poland. He is known for his asceticism and for his mystical support for Napoleon, whose wars he attempted to use to bring the Messiah.
Although based in Rimanov, Torem's court, which attracted many scholars, had previously been in Fristik. His writings and sermons were posthumously published, notably Sifrei haRahak Rabbi Menachem Mendel me-Rymanów. Others included the works Divrei Menachem, Menachem Tzion, and Be'erot HaMayin.
His colleagues included Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin, the Yisroel Hopstein, Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Opatow and Klonimus Kalman Epstein of Cracow.
Torem is popularly believed to have introduced the segulah for parnassah, of reciting Parashas Hamonn in form of Shnayim Mikrah v'Echod Targum, annually on the Tuesday of Parashas Beshalach but this attribution is uncertain.
