Shlakhter Mendel was born on January 6, 1878, in Dinaburg (later Dvinsk, now Daugavpils). He studied at the Dvinsk yeshiva (Daugavpils) under Rabbi I. Rozin, and was inducted into office by Rabbi K. L. Ruchko. He served as shochet (ritual slaughterer) of the Smiltene rabbinate from 1903.