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Some Chabad chassidim believe the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, was and is the Moshiach. (This is a subject that has been addressed already on this SE.)

My question is, a prerequisite for the Moshiach is that he must be a descendant of Dovid HaMelech. If the Lubavitcher Rebbe was not a descendant of him, then that would cut down any further argument for Chabad Messianism.

So, was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, a descendant of Dovid HaMelech?

Edit: The Moshiach must be a descendant of Dovid HaMelech paternally (ie, running through the father). Thus, I want sources proving or disproving the Rebbe's connection with King David through his father.

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  • I'm almost positive I've seen a few pilpulim in haoros.com . Can't find it now, though :( – Shmuel Brin Feb 15 '17 at 8:57
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    I'm not sure if this is on topic – Double AA♦ Feb 15 '17 at 12:44
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    The question you are really asking is if the Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson has inheritance rights through his paternal line to the house of King David. Most people don't follow the details of this clearly and say the Rebbe is descended via the Alter Rebbe to the Maharal of Prague. The Rebbe's paternal line is via the Tzemach Tzedek whose father was Rabbi Shalom Shachna Altschuler, son of Rabbi Noach Altschuler. Shalom Shachne was married to Devorah Leah, the Alter Rebbe's 2nd daughter. The question is about the yichus of Rabbi Noach Altschuler. – Yaacov Deane Feb 15 '17 at 14:26
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    @YaacovDeane The Maharal's yichus to Dovid HaMelech is also kind of unclear – Shmuel Brin Feb 15 '17 at 16:26
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    @YaacovDeane a descendent of Rashi Rashi had sons? – Shmuel Brin Feb 15 '17 at 17:47
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Here is an answer I received for this question. There isn't anything that proves 100% that the Lubavitcher Rebbe's lineage can be traced back to Dovid Hamelech as I would think it is doubtful anyone today could trace their lineage back that far, but here is the reasoning behind this claim which was not as I thought through the Maharal...

There is speculation that the Tzemach Tzedek's father, Reb Shalom Shachna, was a direct descendant of the Metzudas Dovid, who in turn was a direct descendant of Dovid Hamelech. This isn't 100% proven, but that's the closest it gets.

All the best,

Rabbi Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org

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