Rav Nosson Feitel, the ancestor of the famed Reinitz family, was the son of Rav Dov Berel, and the mechaber of Divrei Ranaf.
Rav Nosson Feitel studied in the Yeshiva of Rav Tzvi Yehoshua HaLevi Horowitz, Av Bais Din of Yemnitz, Treibitsh, Prustitz and Turna, and mechaber of Chiddushei HaRibash and Semichas Moshe. (Rav Tzvi Yehoshua was the son of the Rebbe Reb Shmelka of Nikolsberg and son-in-law of his uncle, Reb Shmelka’s brother, Rav Pinchas of Frankfurt, mechaber of the Haflo’a.) He was also a talmid of Rav Boruch Frankel Teomim of Leipnik, mechaber of Boruch Taam.
He married the daughter of Rav Yitzchok Dov. He served as Rav of Tete Vegsing and afterward as Rav of Diandias. Later, he was Rav of Mad, Hungary, for nineteen years, from 5603/1842 until 5622/1861. He became a mechuton of Rav Asher of Tshenger.
Rav Nosson Feitel used to immerse in the mikveh at least twice a day, once before Tikkun Chatzos and once before Shacharis. Sometimes he toiveled before delivering his shiur to the talmidim in Yeshiva and sometimes before davening Mincha as well. He once said, “I wish I could cast myself into the fire [for the sake of Hashem’s honor and glory], like I cast myself into the freezing cold waters of the mikveh!”
He often gave tzedoka in a hidden manner so no one would know he was the source. Rav Nosson Feitel was laid to rest in Mad, Hungary.
After his petira, the Liska Rav eulogized him at the levaya, saying that he was shown a vision that he must arise early deliver a hesped at the levaya of one of the lamed vov Tzaddikim of the generation, who had been niftar that night. As soon as he awoke, a carriage arrived, waiting to take him to deliver the hesped at Mad for the levaya of Rav Nosson Feitel. (Toldos Geonei Hagar p. 30)
His sons were: Rav Kalonymous Kalman of Lelem; Rav Yehoshua Boruch of Tzetzovitz (Chetchavitz) and Balkan, mechaber of Sefer Hamichtovim and Teshuva Mei’ahava; Rav Yosef Shlomo of Mishkoltz; and Rav Avrohom Yaakov of Balkan and Kapish.
