Rav Shmuel Shmelke Horowitz 'Der Hoicher' (Elul 1, 5456 / 1696 - 328th Yahrzeit)

Rav Shmuel Shmelka was a grandson of Rav Pinchos HaLevi, the brother-in-law of the Rema. He served as Av Beis Din of Shendishov and afterwards of Trani. He was an awesome G-dly man, a gaon ha-gaonim (a great genius), and such a pious individual that he was known as Der Hoicher (“the high”) Reb Shmelka. No secrets of the hidden or revealed Torah were hidden from him. Rav Shmuel Shmelka was the father of the famed Rav Meir Tiktin (yahrzeit 1 Sivan), and many gedolei Yisroel were descended from him. He passed away on 1 Elul 5456/תנ''ו (other sources say 2 Elul or 4 Elul).