Rabbi Menachem Mendel was born in 1730, in Witbesk. His father, Rabbi Moshe, was close to the Ba’al Shem-Tov and he himself visited the Ba’al Shem-Tov several times. Most of his Torah knowledge he learnt from the Maggid of Mezritch.
Following the death of his rabbi, Rabbi Menachem went back to Witbesk area. He settled in Horodok, a nearby town. He had many students and followers, among them the great students of the Maggid of Mezritch, such as Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk, Rabbi Shneor Zalman of Ladi, Rabbi Baruch of Kosov and others.
In the Hebrew month of Adar 1777, he moved to Israel, together with a group of 30 other Chassidim. Among them were also Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk and Rabbi Yisrael of Polotzk. Though only in the month of Elul that year, several months later, they arrived to the land of Israel and finally settled in Tsfat and Tiberias. They founded the Chassidic movement in Israel.
Although he settled in Israel, Rabbi Menachem Mendel continued to keep in touch with his followers abroad. He died in 1788 and was buried in Tiberias. His son, Rabbi Moshe, continued his legacy and lead the Chassidic movement onward.