Rav Yeshayah Menachem Mendel Avigdors Av Beis Din Of Cracow, Biurim Kibdu Hashem (Av 25, 5359 / 1599 - 424th Yahrzeit)
Author of the Heter Iska, he served as the Rav and Av Beis Din in Shebreshin (Szczebrzeszyn), Bendin, Ludmir and Cracow. It was during his tenure in Bendin that he first formulated the Heter Iska which is used to help circumvent the prohibition of loans with interest or ribbis and the heter iska nusach contains till this day the formula "על פי תיקון מהר"מ ז"ל" or "על פי תיקון מור"ם ז"ל מקראקא" to commemorate his authorship. It was widley publicized in Siman Mem (40) through Rav Shmuel ben David haLevi's Segal's sefer Nachlas Shiva, who was the son and talmid of the Taz. He authored the sefer BeUrim Kibdu es Hashem on Rashi's commentary for Chumash. The famed Rav Eliyahu Luntz Baal Shem was his disciple.
Rav Yissocher Dov Ber of Zlotchov Mevaser Tzedek (Av 25, 5555 / 1795 - 228th Yahrzeit)
(Some say the Yahrzeit is on the 7th of Av) Author of Mevaser Tzedek Son of Reb Aryeh Yehuda Leibush His family name was MiGeza Tzvi because he was a known descendant of Rav Tzvi Hellman, the third son of Rav Chaim of Worms (the uncle of the Maharal of Prague). (See Kelilas Yofi Dembitzer Vol 2 p. 85) He was also a descendant of the Maharshal and Rav Naphtali Katz, author Semichas Chachamim. Born around ת''פ Rav Yissocher Dov Ber was son-in-law of Rav Yonah Peretz of Levertov. He lived and studied there with such luminaries as Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev (who was living with his own father-in-law, Rav Yisroel Peretz in Levertov); Rav Yosef Teomim, author of Pri Megadim; and Rav Yisroel Yona Landau of Kempena, author Maon Berachos ( cousin of Noda B’Yehuda). According to tradition, while studying with his cousin, the mekubal Rav Peretz ben Moshe, author of Bais Peretz, drew Rav Yissocher Ber to Chassidus and sent Rav Levi Yitzchok to study under Rav Shmuel Shmelka in Nikolsberg. (Mateh Levi 22) Eventually, Rav Yissocher Ber came under the influence and tutelage of Rav Yechiel Michel of Zlatshuv and became his star pupil, his talmid muvhak. Among his other rebbes, mentors, and teachers cited, there is mention of other talmidim of the Mezritcher Maggid as well as the Maggid himself. In תקנ''ה he moved to Eretz Yisroel together with Rav Yaakov Shimshon of Shpitevka, Rav Yissacher Ber of Zaslov, the gabbai of Kollel Reisen in Volyhn, and Rav Shraga Feivel of Lwow. Although they came at first to Teveria, he moved onwards to Tzefas. Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Komarna relates (Nesiv Mitzvosecha Shvil Torah 1:13) that the following miracle occurred to him on his way to Eretz Yisroel: “As they travelled by sea, a great storm threatened to kill them. He told the captain and the sailors to tie him to the mast of the ship so that the archangelic minister of the sea should gaze upon his Divine Image – Tzelem Elokim and then the sea will cease its tempest. This was only possible because, all of the days of his life, he never even slightly damaged his Divine Image – Tzelem Elokim. They did so, and instantly calm and tranquility reigned, and the sea was quiet.” The reason for this move was according to his son Rav Yehudah Leib in his introduction to Bas Eini that from Heaven on High they awakened his father to move to Eretz Yisroel. Others too saw the year תקנ''ה as an auspicious time for the coming redemption such as Rav Pesach of Zhvill who in his approbation to the Siddur Rav Shabsi signed the gematria of that year as: בק''ץ המשי''ח = תקנ''ה לפ''ק. Furthermore in Mevaser Tzedek parshas Behar we find that Rav Yissocher Dov himself say the year תקנ''ה as an auspicious time for the coming redemption because of the ta’amei negina – the cantillation of menuch esnachta that Bnei Yisroel will have peace and settlement whereas the evil rulers will be overturned hinted at by the mehapech pashta and after the yovel zakef katan hinting at Yaakov the Katan’s zekifa, being elevated and uplifted. Among his own disciples was Rav Chaim of Tshernovits author Be’er Mayim Chaim and Sidduro Shel Shabbos. He authored Bas Eini on 14 Mesechtos of Shas and Shulchan Aruch, Halachic Responsa as well as Mevaser Tzedek on the Torah. (Some say that besides the gematria that Bas Eini equals Yisacher Dov that it hints at his blindness as well.) He passed away half a year after he moved to Tzefas on 7 Menachem Avתקנ''ה and was laid to rest in the ancient bais hachaim in Tzefas. Others says he passed away 27 Menachem Av. (Ohr Yakrus Vol 2) His son: Rav Yehudah Leibush of Dubna, his daughters: Sarah Miriam wife of Rav Chaim Leib of Alik and widowed with a second marriage as wife of Rav Avraham Chaim of Zlatshuv author Orach laChaim and Pri Chaim on Avos who succeeded his father in law after he moved to Eretz Yisroel. His other sons in law Rav Gershon Margolios Nasi Kollel Chassidim Tzefas and Rav Pesach of Zaslov.
Rav Avrohom Chaim Horowitz (Av 25, 5591 / 1831 - 192nd Yahrzeit)
Rav Avrohom Chaim was born in 5542 תקמ"ב. He served as Rav of Linsk from 5578 תקע"ח taking over his ancestral heritage where his grandfather Rav Menachem Mendel Linsker had previously served as the Rav. Rav Avrohom Chaim's father Rav Naphtali Tzvi Horowitz of Ropshitz also served as Rav of Linsk. Rav Avrohom Chaim married the daughter of his uncle Rav Shmuel Shmelka Horowitz of Roman and Bar, Bukowina. After the Ropshitzer passed away Rav Avrohom Chaim donned the mantle of leadership as rebbe however his reign was short as he passed away 25 Av 5591 תקצ"א. His only son Rav Menachem Mendel succeeded him. His daughter Freyda married Rav Meshulem Zalman Yonason Lipschitz of Brigel son of Aryeh Leibush of Vishnitza. His daughter Chanah Rav Avigdor Halberstam of Dukla (brother of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz). His daughter Baila married Rav Yisroel Horowitz of Baranov. His daughter Shaindel married Rav Tzvi Hirsch Hager of Fetshinzhin (son of Rav Duvid Hager of Zaveltov) His other daughter married Rav Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Bligrad (a descendant of the Degel Machne Ephraim) And his youngest daughter Roiza married Rav Menachem Mendel Weinfeld of Gorlitz The Sar Sholom of Belz used to say that whoever visits his tzion his salvation is forthcoming soon and quick - "."קרובה ישועה לבוא
Rav Yosef Dovid Landau (Av 25, 5609 / 1849 - 174th Yahrzeit)
(Some say the Yahrzeit is on the 25th of Teves) Son of Reb Tzvi Aryeh. Son-in-law of Rav Yaakov Kobilansky, who is son-in-law of Rav Meir Horodotsky, who is the son of Rav Duvid Leikes, a talmid of the Baal Shem Tov. In תקע''ב, Reb Tzvi Aryeh succeeded his father as rav and rebbe in Alik. He established and expanded the Chassidus his father founded, and was close to Rav Mottele Tshernobler and Rav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta. Some of his Torah was published in his son’s sefer, Gedulas Mordechai and later published together with the Torah of the other tzaddikim of Alik in Likkutei Torah and Tal Oros. He passed away in Alik / Olek 25 Teves / Av 1849 תר''ט. His sons were: Rav Tzvi Aryeh of Falshtein, Rav Mordechai his successor in Alik, and Rav Yisroel of Dilitin. A 660- page, hand- written manuscript of his chiddushim on Torah and Shas called Keser Malchus on Torah and Shas resides in the Jerusalem National Library (unpublished).
Rav Eliezer Yungerleib Jungerleib Radwil (Av 25, 5653 / 1893 - 130th Yahrzeit)
A scion of the Radvil dynasty
Rav Noach Naftali Rabinowitz Admor of Kobrin, Birchos Lo'ad (Av 26, 5649 / 1889 - 134th Yahrzeit)
Rav Noach Naftoli, born in 5596/1836, was the son of Rav Yisrael Yaakov, who was the son of the famed Rav Moshe of Kobrin. He was the son-in-law of his uncle, Rav Boruch Chaim Levin, a son-in-law of Rav Moshe of Kobrin. Following the petira of his grandfather, Rav Moshe of Kobrin, on the twenty-ninth of Nissan 5618/1858, Rav Noach Naftoli was appointed Rebbe by a group of his grandfather’s Chassidim. (Most of the Chassidim accepted Rav Avrohom of Slonim as their Rebbe.) Rav Noach Naftoli was known as an outstanding Talmid Chochom. His appearance was regal. On the twenty-sixth of Av 5649/1889, at the age of sixty-three, Rav Noach Naftoli was niftar in Komin, while cutting the bread at his table. His sons, Rav Dovid Shlomo of Kobrin and Rav Aharon Levi of Diamatshcve, succeeded him as Rebbe. Many of Rav Noach Naftoli’s Divrei Torah were printed in the sefer of his grandfather, Amoros Tehoros, under the title M’aamorim Tehorim.
