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Ravina berei D'rav Huna (499, 475, or 421 CE). Rosh Metivta of Sura. He,
together with his teacher, Rav Ashi, collected and commented upon the Gemara of
what would henceforth be known as the Talmud Bavli.
RavAzariah min Ha’adumim, author of Meor Einayim (1577).
Rav Shlomo Zalman Yosef of Vyelpol (1857).
Rav Dov Ber of Levo, son on Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin (1875).
Rav Yisrael Aryeh of Premishlan (1890).
Rav Dov Ber Livshitz, Rav of Sardnik (1900)
Rav Yisrael Taub (ben Shmuel Eliyahu) of Modzhitz, author of Divrei Yisrael
(1849-1920). He was a grandson of Rav Yechezkel Taub of Kuzmir, who was one of
the students of the Chozeh of Lublin. He became the first Rebbe of Modzhitz in
1891, and was succeeded by his son, Shaul Yedidya Elazer. Legend has it that in
1913 Taub composed a 30-minute negun while having his leg amputated without
anesthesia.
Rav Yisrael Friedman, the second Tchortkover Rebbe (1934, 1933, or 1932)
Rav Yechiel Michel (ben Baruch) Hager of Horodenka (1941). One of the sons of
the Imrei Baruch, he was appointed Rebbe (as were his brothers), after his
father’s petira on 20 Kislev 1892. Rav Yechiel Michel moved to Horodenka, to
succeed his brother, Rav Shmuel Abba, who passed away childless in 1895. He
married the daughter of his older brother, Rav Chaim (Rebbe in Antiniya). During
World War I, he escaped to Chernowitz and served as Rebbe to the many Vizhnitz
Chassidim there. He had one son, Baruch, who was later appointed Dayan in
Chernowitz. After Sukkos of 1941, he was among 5000 Jews who were deported to
Transnistria, and area in southwestern Ukraine, between the Dniester River
(“Nistru” in Romanian) and the Bug River, north of the Black Sea. Also on that
transport was Rav Aharon of Boyan, who came down with typhus and was niftar on
13 or 14 Cheshvan. Both Rav Yechiel Michel and his son Baruch came down with
typhus in the work camp in Warchovka and died there.
Rav Shalom Hadayah of Aram Tzova (1864-1944). A descendent of Rav Saadyah Gaon,
Reb Shalom’s father passed away when he was only three. He married at the age of
20, and moved to Eretz Yisrael in 1888 with his faather-in-law’s family. In
1891, Rav Shalom had to return to Aram Tzova. While there, he was stricken with
an eye ailment and nearly lost his eyesight. Despite that, he wrote a sefer,
Shalom LaAm, which focuses on the issues of giving tzedakah and doing chessed,
particularly on behalf of Torah students and scholars. In 1896, Rav Shalom moved
to Eretz Yisrael permanently, first settling in the Bucharian Quarter, then
moving to the Ohel Moshe neighborhood. In 1904, Rav Shalom was appointed moreh
tzedek in the beis din of Rav Vidal Anjel and Rav Baruch Elnekavah. In 1930, he
was appointed Rosh Av Beis Din of all the Sephardic communities in Yerushalayim.
In 1927, Yerushalayim's chief kabbalist, and rosh yeshivah of Bais Keil, Rav
Mas'ud HaKohen Elchaded, passed away and Rav Shalom was appointed his successor.
Besides Shalom LaAm, the other sefarim Rav Shalom wrote were: Dover Shalom,
responsa on the Arba Turim; HaChaim v'HaShalom, a series of Torah
extrapolations; and Shalom v'Tzedek. His son, Rav Ovadyah, was a prominent Rosh
Mesivta in the Porat Yosef yeshiva. When the Jordanians conquered the Old City,
Yeshivas Bais Keil was destroyed and Rav Ovadyah reestablished it in his own
home in the new city. After the Six-Day War, he reestablished the yeshiva in the
Old City.
Sund, 14 Kislev
Reuven ben Yaakov Avinu (1567 BCE-1442 BCE)
Rav Menashe ben Yisrael of Amsterdam, author of Nishmas Odom. He was as friend
of Rembrandt van Rijn, who apart from making an etching of the Rabbi also
illustrated his books. It was Rabbi Menashe, whom together with Rabbi Jacob
Sasportas, pleaded with Oliver Cromwell to allow the Jews to settle in England
on philosophical and theological grounds.
Rav Menachem Nachum (ben Yisrael) of Shtefanesht, Romania (1823-1869), one of
the five sons of the Ruzhiner Rebbe. He was succeeded by his son, Rav Avraham
Matisyahu, when the latter was 21 years old.
Rav Dovid Abuchatzeira (1919)
Rav Mordechai Yaakov Breish of Zurich, the Chelkas Yaakov (1895-1976). Born in
Skohl, Galicia, his father was a chassid of Rav Yissachar Dov of Belz. He
married in 1920, and the couple lived in Lvov. He became Rav in Alesk, and then
in 1928 of Disbourg, Germany. In 1933, he published Tikun Eruvin, a detailed
examination of the halachos of eruvin involved in his project of making a
community eruv to help his mispalelim, who were otherwise carrying on Shabbos.
Following a life-threatening incident with the Nazis, who had just come to
power, Rav Mordechai Yaakov and his wife decided to escape Germany. After a
brief time in Lance, France, they settled in Zurich, Switzerland, where he
nurtured the Jewish community for 40 years. In 1967, he established the Kollel
Le’horaah Chelkas Yaakov in Bnai Brak.
Monday, 15 Kislev
Rabi Yehuda (ben Shimon) HaNasi, son of Rav Shimon ben Gamliel, and redactor of
the Mishna (120-192 CE) [193, according to Hamodia 2006, 219CE, according to
Yated 2007]. The Shelah HaKadosh writes, “Kabbalah BiYadi--I have a personal
Kabbalah--that a person who is a baki--well-versed--in Mishnayos will not ‘roeh
penei Gehenom’--will not see the face of Gehenom.”
Rav Avraham Ibn Ezra (the second), author of Batei Kenesiyos (1760).
Rav Ze’ev of Zhitomer, the Ohr Hamei’ir (1799)
Rav Eliezer Fishel of Brody (1811)
Rav Simcha Bunim (ben Avraham Shmuel Binyamin) Sofer of Pressburg (1842-1906),
author of Shaarei Simcha and Shevet Sofer. Born in Pressburg, Hungary (now
Bratslava, Slovakia), he was the son of the Kesav Sofer, the grandson of the
Chasam Sofer, and a great-grandson of Rav Akiva Eiger. He succeeded his father
as Rav and Rosh Yeshiva in Preessburg in 1872, at the age of 29, the yeshiva
housing over 400 talmidim at the time. He himself was succeeded by his son, Rav
Akiva Sofer, the Daas Sofer. Interestingly, three continuous generations – the
Chasam Sofer, the Kesav Sofer, and the Shevet Sofer – all served as Rav of
Pressburg for 33 years.(16 Kislev according to a biography on Akiva Sofer in
Hamodia 2007)
Rav Raphael Even Tzur, Rav of Fez, Morocco (1916)
Rav Dovid Twersky of Skver (1919). He left Skver for Kiev in 1914, following the
Bolshevik Revolution. His eldest son, Mordechai, was nifatr the same year. Rav
Mordechai was then succeeded by his own son, Rav Yitzchak.
Rav Dovid Hakohen Leibowitz (1890-1941). Born in Warsaw, he studied in the
yeshiva of Radin as a teenager, where he held private study sessions with his
great-uncle, the Chafetz Chaim for 12 hours a day. In 1908, upon the latter’s
recommendation, Rav Dovid went to learn in the Slabodka Yeshiva, under the
direction of the Alter, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel. In 1915, Rav Leibowitz succeeded
his father-in-law as Rav of Selechnik. After six years, however, he returned to
Slobodka as a founding member of the Slabodka Kollel. Rav Dovid came to America
in 1926 to collect funds for the kollel. While there, he was offered the job as
rosh yeshiva of Mesivta Torah Vodaas. Among his students were Rav Gedalya Schorr
and Rav Avraham Pam. In 1933, Rav Leibowitz founded Yeshivas Rabbenu Yisrael
Meir Hacohen (better known today as the Chafetz Chaim Yeshiva/Rabbinical
Seminary of America in Forest Hills, N.Y.) There he transplanted to the United
States his unique style of Talmud study as well as the Slabodka school of
mussar. The yeshiva has been headed for the past half-century by his son, Rav
Henach Leibowitz.
Tuesday, 16 Kislev
Rav Yaakov of Lublin (1644), father of Rav Herschel of Cracow
Rav Shaul Yedidya Elazar (ben Yisrael) Taub (the Imrei Shaul), the second
Modzitzer Rebbe. Born in Osherov. (1886-1947). He assumed the leadership of
Modzitz upon the passing of his father, the Divrei Yisrael, in 1920. In 1938, he
fled Poland due to Nazi persecution and travelled to Vilna, and from there made
his way to Japan. Eventually, with the help of some Modzitzer Chassidim, he and
some family members reached the shores of San Francisco and then moved to
Brooklyn in 1940. Reb Shaul was probably the most prolific chassidic composer of
all time with the total output numbering close to 1000 compositions. His
teachings have been collected in the volumes of Imrei Shaul and Yisa Bracha.He
was succeeded by his oldest son, Rebbe Shmuel Eliyahu Taub.
Rav Dovid Leib Schwartz of Bnei Brak, “Der Heiliger Tzadik” (1999)
Rav Menachem (ben Yaakov Dovid) Kalish of Amshinov (1860-1917). Succeeded his
father in 1878, at the young age of 18. One of his sons, Rav Yosef, became Rebbe
in Amshinov, while his second son, Rav Shimon Shalom, became a Rebbe in Otvotsk.
When Rav Yosef passed away, in 1935, his son, Rabbi Yaakov Dovid (1906-1942),
was immediately appointed as his successor. His uncle, Rav Shimon Shalom, had
fled to Shanghai where he helped the Mir yeshiva escape and, after the war, he
went to America. Upon his passing in 1954, he was succeeded by his son, Rav
Yerachmiel Yehuda Meir, who set up court in the Yerushalayim neighborhood of
Bayit Vegan. Rav Yerachmiel Yehuda Meir's grandson, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh
Milikowski, succeeded him in 1976. Rav Yitzchak Kalish, the son of Rav Yosef,
became the Rebbe of Amshinover chassidim in America. Of Amshinov itself, nothing
remained.
Wednesday, 17 Kislev
Rav Yosef Yoizel (ben Shlomo Zalman) Horowitz, Alter from Novardok
(1849[1858]-1919). Born in the Lithuanian town of Plongian to the Rav and Dayan
of the town, Rav Yosef Yoizel joined Kovno's Kollel Perushim where he studied
under Rav Itzele Blazer, Rav Naftali Amsterdam and Rav Avraham Shenker, spending
at least 18 hours a day - most of the time standing- studying. He also spent two
lengthy periods learning in solitude – first, he secluded himself in a small
room for a year and a half after tragically losing his first wife during
childbirth; later, learning in a room in a forest for 12 years, leaving only to
visit his family for Shabbosos. In 1894, Rav Yosef Yoizel began to visit the
Alter of Kelm, Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv. Later, he established a large yeshiva in
Novorodok and was responsible for creating a whole network of yeshivas. During
the War, in 1914, he moved the yeshiva – with its bachurim – to Hommel in the
Ukraine, as the Germans advanced on Novardok. In 1918, he moved it to Kiev.
Rav Shlomo Heiman, Rosh Yeshiva of Beis Medrash Elyon, Tora Vodaas (1893-1944).
Born in Parenz, near Minsk, Reb Shlomo entered the yeshiva in Halusk at age 12,
where he learned under Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz. He remained there until 1917,
when he married Chaya Feiga Rudensky of Volozhin. That year, he was appointed by
Rav Baruch Ber to serve as Rosh Yeshiva in Knesses Bais Yitzchak. When
anti-Semitic harassment forced him to leave the area, the Chafetz Chaim asked
Rav Shlomo to teach in his yeshiva. When WWI ended, Rav Elchonon Wasserman asked
Rav Shlomo to be a Rosh Yeshiva in Baranovitch. In 1927 Rav Chaim Ozer
Grodzenski invited Rav Shlomo to be Rosh Yeshiva of the Ramailles Yeshiva in
Vilna, a position he held for almost eight years. In 1935, with Rav Chaim Ozer's
approval, Rav Shlomo accepted an invitation to head Yeshiva Torah Vodaath. Thus
he was spared, through hashgacha pratis, the horrors of WWII. Since he arrived
in America a few years before the onset of the Holocaust, he was able to aid in
the rescue of Bnei Torah and Rebbeim.
Rav Avraham Yochanan Blumenthal (1877-1966). Born to his parents one year after
they made aliyah from Hungary, he married in 1895, and - despite the death of
three of his children and his wife's becoming hard of hearing - he began an
orphanage for the destitute of Yerushalayim during World War I. Beis Zion
Blumenthal has been continued by his grandson, Rav Eliezer Rakovsky (d. 1996)
and his great grandson, Rav Baruch Rakovsky.
Thursday, 18 Kislev
Rabbeinu Avraham ben HaRambam, the only son of the Rambam, born to him by his
second wife. Born in Fostat, Egypt (1186-1238). Author of Hamaspik L'avdei
Hashem.
Rav Aryeh Leib Darshan of Posen (1736)
Rav Baruch (ben Yechiel) of Mezhbizh (1756 [or 1753] -1811), son of Adel
(Hudel), the only daughter of the Baal Shem Tov. Educated by Rav Pinchas of
Koritz and the Maggid of Mezritch, he began serving as Rebbe in Tulchin. After
the passing of his older brother, the Degel Machane Ephraim in 1798, Rav Baruch
settled in Mezhibizh.
Rav Yekusiel Shmelke of Sassov (1857)
Rav Yosef Yitzchak (ben Menachem Mendel) of Ovritch, son of the Tzemach Tzedek
of Lubavitch, and father of Rebbitzen Shterna Sarah who was the wife of the
Rebbe RaShaB (1877).
RavMordechai Alishberg of Boisk (1889)
Rav Chaim Tzvi Ehrenreich, author of ShU”T Kav Chaim (1875-1936). Born in
Savrantz, his grandfather was Rav Avraham Yehuda Scwartz, the Kol Aryeh. His
primary teacher was brother, Rav Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich, Rav of Shamlau and
author of Lechem Shlomo. Rav Chaim Tzvi became Rav of the Mahd community when he
was 57, succeeding his father-in-law. He was also Av Beis Din of Mahd for over
thirty years. In 1923, he published Ketzeit Hamteh on the mateh Ephraim (by Rav
Ephraim Zalman Margulies of Brodt) on the halachos of Chodesh Elul and Chodesh
Tishrei. In 1932, he published Shaarei Chaim on Shaarei Epharim, dealing with
halachos of krias Hatorah. His magnus opus, Kav Chaim, comprised 102 (gematria
of Kav) Teshuvos in practical halacha.
Rav Eliezer Zev Rosenbaum of Rackov (1998)
Rav Tzvi Menachem Teller, Rosh Yeshiva at the Bais Medrash L’Torah (Skokie
Yeshiva) (1951-2007). His parents were Gerrer Chasidim from distinguished
lineage, descended from Rav Yitzchok of Vorki. Upon advice of the Gerrer Rebbe,
the Bais Yisrael, young Tzvi Teller went to a Lithuanian style Yeshiva. He
learned at the Ponovezh Yeshiva for seven years as a talmid of Rav Dovid
Povarsky and Rav Shmuel Rozovsky. After marrying, the couple moved to Seattle
where Rav Tzvi became a principal for 3 years. In 1975, they then moved to
Skokie.
Friday, 19 Kislev
Rav Dov Ber (ben Avraham), the Maggid of Mezritch (1704-1772). Born in Lukatch,
he was descended from Rav Hai Gaon and Rav Yochanan Hasandler, a descendent of
Dovid Hamelech. Rav Dov Ber learned with the Pnei Yehoshua in Lemberg early in
his life. In 1752, he became the Baal Shem Tov’s closest disciple. Among his
students were the Rebbe Reb Shmuel Shmelke HaLevi Horowitz and his brother, Reb
Pinchas HaLevi Horowitz, the Baal HaFloh, the Rebbe Reb Zushia and his brother,
Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk, Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchiv, Rav Nachum of
Chernobyl, Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi. His son was Rav Avraham HaMalach
(1740-1776). The classic anthologies of his teachings are Likutei Amarim, Torah
Ohr, and Ohr HaEmmes.
Rav Yitzchak Chai Taib of Tunisia, author of Cheilev Chitim (1835)
Rav Moshe Tzvi Neriyeh, Beis Midrash Lamed Daas (1995)
Rav Menachem Nachum of Tolna (1869-1915), the son of Rav Mordechai Twersky, the
only child of Rav Dovid Twersky to survive childhood. His father died when he
was eight years old, and Rav Menachem Nachum became Rebbe of Tolna upon his
grandfather's death.
Rav Shaul Mekiketz Shelai, born in Djerba, one of the two main cities in
Tunisia, son of Rav Matuk Sali, and grandson of Emmanuel Shelai. At an early
age, he leaned under rav Dovid HaKohen, and at age 20, he began to teach in the
yeshiva of Rav Yosef Bereibi, the Ben Porat Yosef. With the latter’s passing,
Rav Shaul became the Rosh Yeshiva. Rav Shaul edited and annotated many sefarim
by previous gedolim of Djerba, including Kisei Rachamim by Rav Rachamim Mazuz
and Ben Porta Yosef by Rav Yosef Bereibi. Later in life, he and his wife moved
to Eretz Yisrael and settled in Shlomi, near Nahariya. In Yisrael, he wrote
Midrasho shel Shlomo in 1948 and Karmi Sheli (on Kiddushin) and Medrash Avos (on
Avos) in 1963, as well as other writings. His final work, Bayit Va’Shem was
published posthumously in 1975. Appended to it is Va’Yatek Mi’Sham, offering
guidelines and insightsd on raising children.
Next Shabbos, 20 Kislev (Parashas Vayeshev)
Rav Baruch Hager of Seret-Viznitz, the Imrei Baruch (1892). The son of Rav
Menachem Mendel Hager, Rav Baruch was Rebbe for only eight years, and was niftar
at a young age. His son, Rav Yisrael Hager (the Ahavas Yisrael), was born when
Rav Baruch was only 15 years old. (2 Kislev according to Yated 2005)
Rav Yitzchak Hutner, Rosh Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, author of Pachad
Yitzchak (1907-1981). His uncle, R’ Benzion Ostrover, had been a disciple of Rav
Mendel of Kotzk, and was instrumental in providing his young nephew with a
direct link to the world of Chasidus. At the age of 15, he went to Slobodka and
was directed by the Alter, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel. In 1925, he entered the new
Slabodka branch in Chevron, where he also met and learned from Rav A. I. Kook.
He remained until 1929, after which he returned to his parents in Warsaw. He
became a personal tutor for Rav Moshe Solevetchik’s son, Aharon. In 1932, he
published his Toras HaNazir, a commentary on the Rambam’s Hilchos Nazir. In
1933, he married Masha Lipshitz and moved to Eretz Yisrael. Despite his great
attachment to the Land, they left for America one year later, not to return for
30 years. He built Yeshiva Chaim Berlin to his specifications with his famous
blend of Torah philosophies. Among his talmidim are Rav Yitzchak Shurin,
grandson of Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky. Among his colleagues at Slobodka were R'
Yitzchak HaLevi Ruderman, R' Reuven Grozovsky; R' Yaakov Kamenetsky; and R'
Aharon Kotler. In 1949 he began publishing his discourses on morals and ethics
which he subtitled, Divrei Torah B’inyanei Hilchot Deos V’Chovos Halevovos. As a
young man he wrote Toras Hanazir on the Rambam’s Hilchos Nezirus. He wrote a
profound commentary (Kovetz Heaaros) on Rabbeinu Hillel on the Safra. His
discourses on Yomim Tovim and Shabbos (Pachad Yitzchok) are collected in seven
volumes.
Rav Yochanan Twersky, the Rachmastrika Rebbe. He was also the cousin of the
Belzer Rebbe. He was shot by the Nazis during Friday night prayers. His
daughter, Malka married the first Boyaner Rebbe, Reb Yitzchak Friedman, the
Pachad Yitzchak. (1981)
Rav Meshulam Feivish HaLevi of Zbarazh, author of Yosher Divrei Emes, a basic
work on chasidic thought (1794). He studied under R. Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov
and R. Dov Ber of Mezritch. His teachings appear in Likutim Yekarim. His
disciples included Rav Menachem Mendel of Kosov.
Rav Feivish of Kremenitz, the Mishnas Chachamim (1774)
Rav Hirsh Paley (1911-2006). Born in Shklov, Lithuania, to Rav Avraham Noach
Paley, a close talmid of Rav Baruch Ber Leibovitz. The family immigrated to
Eretz Yisrael when Rav Hirsh was fourteen. His father became the mashgiach in
Yeshivas Chevron. Rav Hirsh would travel with his lifelong friend Rav Shalom
Schwadron to hear Rav Elya Lopian in Yerushalayim, whom he considered his rebbi
muvhak and and moreh derech. Rav Hirsh was the last surviving member of the
Chevron community following the 1929 riots. In 1965, he married Menuchah, the
daughter of Rav Shlomo Zalman Pines. She had been one of the first talmidos of
Sara Schenirer and served as a mechaneches in Bais Yaakov Schools for over six
decades, both in Tel Aviv and in Yerushalayim. They moved to Tel Aviv, where Rav
Hirsh studied in Kollel Heichal HaTalmud, founded by his father. He later became
mashgiach at Chevron Yeshiva.
