Rav Doniel Prostitz-Steinschneider (Adar 6, 5606 / 1846 - 178th Yahrzeit)
Rosh Beis Din Pressburg. Rabbi Prostitz was the closest colleague and confidant of the Chasam Sofer, he is largely credited with negotiating the appointment of the Chasam Sofer as the religious leader of the Pressburg community. Considered a foremost authority in matters of Halacha he served the Pressburg community for over 50 years. He is buried in the Rabbinic graveyard that is now known as the Chasam Sofer memorial and his grave is immediately adjacent to Sofer. Rabbi Prostitz was the great grandson of Rabbi Schmiedl who had come to the area of Moravia in the 17th century from Amsterdam.
Rav Dovid Povarsky (Adar 6, 5759 / 1999 - 25th Yahrzeit)
Rabbi Dovid Povarsky (1902–1999) is known for his erudite Talmudic lectures and his deanship as Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevezh Yeshiva. He was asked by Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman to join the previous two heads of the institute, Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach and Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky to create a triumvirate in leading the Yeshiva.
In his youth, Dovid Povarsky studied in the Kelm Talmud Torah, where he became a student in Mussar to Rabbi Yeruchom Levovitz eventually coming to accompany the latter on all his travels and memorizing all of his speeches. He followed Reb Yeruchom when Reb Yeruchom transferred to Mir yeshiva to serve as the Mashgiach there. In Mir Yeshiva, Reb Dovid was the roommate of Rabbi Yechiel Michel Feinstein.
By marrying Tzipporah Kreiser, Reb Dovid became the son-in-law of Rabbi Dovid Dov Kreiser, making him brother-in-law to Rabbi Aryeh Leib Malin. Following his marriage, Reb David studied as married fellow in the Kollel of Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman in Kovno, while enduring many hardships.
https://www.geni.com/people/Rabbi-Yehoshua-Dovid-Povarsky/6000000010460770805
Rav Yitzchok Isaac Taub Kaliver Rebbe (Adar II 7, 5581 / 1821 - 203rd Yahrzeit)
Son of Rav Moshe Yechezkel and Raizel, Rav Yitzchak Isaac was born in Serentsh, Hungary in 5511 (1751).
In his youth he was taught by Rav Isaac of Pshevorsk, who was then a melamed in Galicia who had been invited to teach in Serentsh. According to tradition, it was Rav Leib Sarah’s who drew him close to chassidus and brought him to Rav Shmelke of Nikolsberg. Rav Leib Sarah’s told Rav Yitzchak Isaac widowed mother that he had a high lofty soul from the supernal world of Song.
He studied under the Rebbe Reb Shmelke and the Rebbe Reb Meilech of Lizhensk until 5541, when he returned to Kaliv. He married the daughter of his uncle Rav Uziel Katz of Tertzal. Rav Yitzchak Isaac lived in Kaliv for forty years teaching Torah and chassidus across Hungary. He was famed as the first rebbe in Hungary and someone who drew back thousands to do teshuvah.
Among his chassidim and disciples were Rav Chaim Yosef Gottlieb of Stropkov, Rav Mendel and Rav Wolf, of whom Rav Isaac of Zidatchov testified that they knew all the writings of the Arizal by heart; Rav Yosef and Rav Michoel of Nanash, Rav Mordechai of Tertzal, and Rav Aharon of Potik, his stepson.
His songs, especially those in Hungarian, became famous for their heartfelt messages, especially Szól a kakas már.
He passed away on Shabbos Kodesh, 7 Adar 5581 (1821).
His sons were Rav Moshe Chaim of Rozdal (son in law of Rav Tzvi Hirsch of Zidatchov), Rav Meir, and Rav Yaakov.
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Kaliv is a Hasidic dynasty founded by Yitzchak Isaac Taub (1744–1821) of Nagykálló Hungary He was famous for composing the traditional Hungarian Hasidic tune "Szól a kakas már".
He composed many popular Hasidic Nigunim (melodies). Often he adapted Hungarian folk songs, adding Jewish words, by that transforming it to sacred songs. He taught that the tunes he heard were really from the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and were lost among the nations over the years, and he found them and returned them to the Jewish people. He said that the proof that it was true was that the gentile who would teach him the song would forget it as soon as the rebbe learned it. He was famous for composing the traditional Hungarian Hasidic tune Szól a kakas már.
Szól a kakas már, majd megvirrad már.
Zöld erdőben, sík mezőben sétál egy madár.
De micsoda madár, de micsoda madár!
Sárga lába, gyöngy a szárnya, engem oda vár.
Várj madár, várj! [Te csak mindig várj!]
Ha az Isten néked rendel, a tiéd leszek már!
De mikor lesz az már, de mikor lesz az már?
„Jibone háMikdos, ir Cijajn tömálé,” akkor lesz az már.
[De miért nincs az már, de miért nincs az már?
„Mipné chátoénu golinu méárcénu,” azért nincs az már.]
The rooster is calling already, it will be dawn soon.
In a green forest, in a flat field a bird is walking.
But what a bird, but what a bird!
Its leg is yellow, its wing is pearl[-like], it waits me [to go] there.
Wait bird, wait! [You shall always wait!]
If God destines [me] for you, then I will be yours!
But when it will be, but when it will be?
“Yiboneh haMiqdosh, ir Tziyayn temaleih,” it will be then.
[But why isn't it already, but why isn't it already?
“Mipnei chatoeinu golinu meiartzeinu,” that is why not already.]
Words in square brackets are sometimes omitted. See Hungarian phonology about proper pronunciation.
When Leib Sarah's found him, he sang in Hungarian a song he knew from the shepherds, Erdő, erdő, which he adapted to Judaism by changing the words. In Yitzack Isaac's version, the love in the song is for the Shechina (Divine Presence) that is in exile until the Messiah:
Forest, O forest, how vast are you!
Rose, O rose, how distant you are!
Were the forest not so vast,
My rose wouldn't be so far.
Who will guide me out of the forest,
And unite me with my rose?
Then he sang it as Rabbi Leib Sarah's heard it.
Exile, O exile, how vast are you!
Shechinah, Shechinah, how distant you are!
Were the exile not so vast,
The Shechinah wouldn't be so far.
Who will guide me out of the exile,
And unite me with the Shechinah?
Another famous song by the Kaliver Rebbe is Sírnak, rínak a bárányok – also in Hungarian.
Rav Yaakov Yissocher Ber Rosenbaum Nadvorna Bnei Brak Rebbe (Adar 7, 5772 / 2012 - 12th Yahrzeit)
The Rebbe, Rav Yaakov Yissocher Ber Rosenbaum was born in Siget, Romania, a son of Rav Chaim Mordechai Rosenbaum, the Devar Chaim, and Rebbetzin Sima Raizel, a daughter of Rav Eliezer Zev of Kretchnif. After World War II, he immigrated with his father to Eretz Yisroel and settled in Yaffo. Upon his father’s passing in 1972, he assumed the position at the helm of the Nadvorna chassidus.
He leaves behind an illustrious family. His children include Rav Eliezer Zev Rosenbaum, av bais din of Nadvorna Bnei Brak; Rav Meir Yitzchok Isaac Rosenbaum, av bais din of Nadvorna Yerushalayim; Rav Asher Yeshaya Rosenbaum, av bais din of Nadvorna Beitar; Rav Yosef Naftoli Rosenbaum, av bais din of Nadvorna Elad; Rav Shmuel Shmelke Rosenbaum; Rav Aharon Dovid Rosenbaum; and Rav Yisroel Rosenbaum, mashgiach of the Nadvorna Yeshiva. His sons-in-law include Rav Sholom Aharon Ashkenazi, rosh yeshiva of the Nadvorna Yeshiva, Rav Zalman Shapiro and Rav Naftoli Schneebalg.
The levaya took place at the Nadvorna Bais Medrash in Bnei Brak, followed by a levaya at the Nadvorna Bais Medrash on Rechov Tzefaniah in Yerushalayim and kevurah on Har Hazeisim.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}
Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai Chida (Adar 11, 5566 / 1806 - 218th Yahrzeit)
HaRav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai, zt"l, was born in Yerushalayim in Sivan 5484 (1724) within the old city walls where his father, R' Yitzchok Zerachiah Azulai lived. At six years, his toiling in Torah had already begun. He learned with his Rebbi, R' Yisroel Mizrahi in the beis medrash Beis Yaakov with his uncle R' Yonah Navon, zt"l and with the chazzan Nachum, zt"l.
He married the Rabbanit Rochel, daughter of Rabbi Nissim Bracha, zt"l, one of the dayanim in Yerushalayim.
With the ascent of the Ohr Hachaim Hakodesh to Yerushalayim (5502-1742), the Chida acquainted himself with him, becoming his closest and most devoted follower. However, those sublime days were cut short when, after less than a year, the Ohr Hachaim passed away leaving his close talmid following in his footsteps, continuing in his customs and derech in Torah that he had learned in this short period of time.
After finishing all he could learn in the revealed part of Torah he turned to learning its mystical secrets of Kabalah with R' Sholom Sharabi.
The Chida was sent by the rabbonim to travel and raise funds for the Jews living in Chevron and his travels took him as far as Spain, France and Germany. He toured many libraries for their Jewish literature and upon finding various handwritten manuscripts of the Rishonim, he deciphered their writings and later printed them in his seforim.
In 5524 (1764) he accepted rabbonus in Egypt. In keeping with the dictum, "And hate the Rabbonus," the Chida looked forward to finishing the five years he had agreed upon and then he returned to Eretz Yisroel, where he settled in Chevron.
In 5535 (1775) he once again set out to travel into golus on behalf of the Jews of Chevron and, upon completing his mission, he settled for a time in Livorno (Leghorn) so that he could print his seforim there. He spread Torah and gave droshos from a yeshiva and beis medrash that a wealthy philanthropist placed for his use.
The local Jews tried to persuade him to be their official rov but the Chida refused, conceding only to speak on four Shabbosim of the year - Shabbos Hagodol, Shabbos Shuvoh, Shabbos Zochor and Shabbos lifnei Shavuos. However, in practice, he was the spiritual leader of Italy's Jews and particularly so in Livorno. Requests were repeatedly made to the Chida from various communities all over that he be their rov, from Amsterdam, Tzfas, and, after the petirah of the Rishon Letzion, from Yerushalayim. The answer was always the same, for the Chida truly "hated the rabbonus."
His yearning to return to the Holy Land never abated and on various occasions he prepared himself and his family for the long journey home. In 5547 (1787) they were actually ready to leave when they received a message that a terrible plague was rampant in Eretz Yisroel, canceling their trip.
When his son R' Avrohom left for Eretz Yisroel in 5543 (1783), the Chida also wanted to join him but was prevented from doing so; many are the thoughts in the heart of man, but Hashem's plan prevails and the Chida remained in Livorno.
On Friday night, Parshas Zochor, 11th Adar, the Chida returned his pure soul to his maker, bringing a heavy pall of mourning over Livorno. The rabbonim made an announcement that all Purim festivities that were in preparation should be halted due to the somber news, and fixed a takonoh that each year they would mourn the passing of the Chida.
His many works, spread over 85 seforim on all areas of Torah -- halacha, aggodoh, drush, sheilos uteshuvos, chiddushei masechtos, chidushei Shulchan Oruch, Seder Hadoros, and more. Sixty of these seforim went to print and the rest remained in manuscripts that apparently have been lost to us over the years.
http://www.chareidi.org/archives5761/terumah/features2.htm
Rav Shmuel Strashun Rashash (Adar II 11, 5632 / 1872 - 152nd Yahrzeit)
R. Shmuel Strashun – the Rashash (1793-1872) was a leading Vilna Torah scholar. Disciple of R. Avraham Danzig, author of Chayei Odom. Son of R. Yosef of Zaskevich and son-in-law of the wealthy R. Dovid from the village of Strashun, who moved with his family to Vilna and became one of the leaders of the Vilna community. His glosses on the Talmud were printed in the Vilna editions of the Talmud under the title Hagahos HaRashash, and they cover the entire Talmud (with the exception of only 8 pages – Gedolei HaDorot, II, p. 683). Hagahos HaRashash is a classic work on the Talmud, widely discussed in the books of the Achronim and in discourses of yeshiva deans. His glosses to the Mishnah, Midrash Raba and the Rambam were also printed. His son was the well-known Torah scholar and bibliophile R. Matisyahu Strashun of Vilna whose private collection of books and manuscripts formed the basis for the Strashun Library of Vilna.
