In Sefer Shemen HaTov (Vol 2 #106) in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that there are three famed families whose impeccable pedigree and yichus can be traced generation after generation and they are the Margolios, Shapira and Horowitz families.
The Baal Shem had three beloved disciples each from these families: Rav Meir Margolios author of Meir Nesivim, Rav Pinchos Shapira of Koretz author Imrei Pinchos and Rav Tzvi Hirsch HaLevi Horowitz of Tshortshkov the father of the famed Rav Shmelka of Niksolsberg and Rav Pinchos of Frankfurt author Haflaah.
(There is another tradition that the Baal Shem supported the beloved Rappaport family of Kohanim, the Horowitz family of Leviim and the Shapira family of Yisroelim. Eden Tzion p.
A third tradition in Pischa Zeira of Tzva Rav by Michelzohn p.8 is cited in the name of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz that the three families are the family of the Chacham Tzvi, the family of Rav Meir HaLevi Horowitz of Tiktin, Rav Shmelka’s paternal grandfather and the Baal Shem’s own family.)
His Colleagues:
Rav Hirschele Tshortkover was a colleague of such giants as Rav Yechezkel Landau of Prague author Noda BeYehuda, Rav Chaim Sanzer of Brody and Rav Chaim haKohen Rappaport AvBeisDin Lwow.
His Bais Medrash
Rav Hirshele’s Kloizel was a unique bais medrash in Tshortkov with its own special customs that were fiercely guarded by Rav Hirschele. For example the nusach haTefillah was Ashkenaz and no one dared change it because of the dire consequences even after Rav Hirshele passed on. See Stories Below.
The custom was that only Rav Hirshele’s disciples were allowed to daven until Baruch SheAmar afterwards anyone could come and join, however after davening no one else was allowed to stay when the disciples sat down on the floor in a circle and Rav Hirshele stood in its center, surrounded by them as he taught them the mysteries and secrets of Torah.
Another custom he established was a special tefillah to recite responsively before Tekiyas Shofar.
The queerest custom was the strange rule that Rav Hirshele left behind that no changes whatsoever were allowed to be made to the bais medrash, even to fix or something or renovate was not allowed. Therefore the shul was never renovated or repaired at all and when necessary only support beams were added and support walls from outside were erected, to help hold up the old walls from collapsing as the structure itself sunk slowly into the ground up to the windows’ height. Until the Holocaust’s war years the shul remained standing and in use.
His marriage:
He married Malka the daughter of Rav Mordechai AvBeisDin Lutzk
Rebitzen Malka
She used to joke: we have two sons, one of them never bentshes Birkas haMazon and the other never recites Keriyas Shema Al HaMitta!
Because Rav Pinchos was always fasting and never ate full meals, and Rav Shmelka never went to bed, he would fall asleep from exhaustion while studying Torah (Ohel Yitzchok p77)
They once came to visit her out of respect and she sent a messenger for them to turn back saying she does not wish to receive any honor in this passing world, Rather she wants to reserve the honor of a mother in the coming world of truth, of eternal Shabbos, there she will receive her son and bask in their honor. (Ohel Yitzchok 75 Shemen haTov 108, 112)
His second wife was Rav Chaim haKohen Rappaport’s sister (Shemen HaTov II 108)
He passed away on 15 MarCheshvan תקי''ד laid to rest in Tshortkov
His Children:
His sons: Rav (Menachem?) Nachum haLevi AvBeisDin Praskuv, Rav Mordechai of Tshernoble sent the city’s Jews to daven by his kever to end a plague that struck and Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev saw his kever as a source of a great light in the bais haChaim. (Shemen HaTov II 96,119), His two famous sons where the Rebbe Reb Shmelka Horowitz of Nikolsberg and Rav Pinchos haLevi Horowitz of Frankfurt author Haflaah, Yehoshua Heschel who died at age fifteen on 7 Nissan תצ''א , Rav Avraham haLevi
His daughters: Eidel wife of Rav Moshe Yehoshua AvBeisDin Shterim, Leah wife of ? father of Rav Simcha of Ludmir, ? the wife of Rav Yechiel Michel Halperin of Sharigrod, Miriam wife of ? of Mogilev, Podolia grandmother of Rav Shmuel HaKohen Burstein, author of Minchas Shabbos and Minchas YomTov
His Torah is often cited by his son Rav Pinchos in Sefer HaFlaah and by his son Rav Shmelka in Divrei Shmuel as well.
HIS SEGULOS:
Segulas Kivro – The Segulah Of Davening By Rav Hirshele Chortkover's Kever
AGAINST FIERY FLAMES
Rav Hirshele promised that if ever there was a fire they should hurry to daven at his kever and it would cease and not strike further than 3 buildings, and so it was that if ever a fire broke out in Tshortkov they davened at his kever and the fire would be extinguished and miraculously cease. (Shemen haTov 92, 115)
The Testimony about The PROMISE
Before his passing Rav Hirshele promised that any of his descendants who came to daven at his kever would be answered: some say the promise was made for five generations, other traditions said ten, still others promised for all future coming generations and it is well established that his kever is a tried and tested segulah for having tefillos answered.
