YAHRZEITS FOR THE 20TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS FRIDAY NIGHT (12-21-2024)
Rav Meir Zack of Lvov (5414 / 1653 - 371st Yahrzeit)
Rav Meir was niftar on 20 Kislev and was succeeded by Rav Dovid HaLevi Segal, mechaber of the Taz on Shulchon Aruch as Rav of Lvov.
Rav Meshulem Feivish HaLevi Horowitz of Kremenitz - Mishnas Chachomim (5535 / 1774 - 250th Yahrzeit)
Rav Meshulem Feivish Heller - Yosher Divrei Emes (5555 / 1794 - 230th Yahrzeit)
Rav Meshulem Feivish was the son of Rav Aharon Moshe Heller of Sniyatin, a direct male-line descendant of the Tosfos YomTov, and a son-in-law of Rav Mordechai Halperin of Brezhan. Rav Meshulem Feivish was one of the earliest and greatest Chassidic writers.
Rav Binyomin Zev Wolf of Balta (5586 / 1825 - 199th Yahrzeit)
Rav Dov Berish of Oshpitzin - Divrei Tzaddikim (5598 / 1837 - 187th Yahrzeit)
Rav Dov Ber was the son of Rav Moshe Fromer and Hendel of Kishanov and a talmid muvhok of Rav Shlomo of Kishanov. He also studied Chassidus under the Chozeh, testifying that “the light of Torah lishmah shines forth from him.”
Rav Boruch Hager of Vizhnitz - Imrei Boruch (5653 / 1892 - 132nd Yahrzeit)
Rav Boruch Hager of Seret-Vizhnitz, the Imrei Boruch, was the son of Rav Menachem Mendel Hager, the Tzemach Tzaddik. Rav Boruch was Rebbe for only eight years, and was niftar at a young age. His son, Rav Yisrael Hager (the Ahavas Yisrael), was born when Rav Boruch was only fifteen years old.
Rav Zussman HaKohen Katz Stern - Tosfos Yom Tov, Imrei Noam (5678 / 1917 - 107th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yitzchok Hutner - Rosh Yeshiva of Chaim Berlin, Pachad Yitzchok (5741 / 1980 - 44th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yitzchok Hutner was Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, and mechaber of Pachad Yitzchok.
Rav Yochonon Twersky - Rachmastrivka Rebbe (5742 / 1981 - 43rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Yochonon was born on 17 Av 5663/1903 in Rachmastrivka, to Rav Dovid of Rachmastrivka. After his father’s petira in 5710 he was crowned his father’s successor and he built up the Chassidus into one of the most important dynasties and courts in Yerushalayim. He founded Yeshivas Meor Einayim named after the founder of the Czernobyler’s sefer.
Rav Tzvi Zev Paley - Hirsch (5756 / 1995 - 29th Yahrzeit)
Rav Hirsch Paley was born in Shklov, Lithuania, to Rav Avrohom Noach Paley, a close talmid of Rav Boruch Ber Leibovitz. Rav Hirsch studied in Kollel Heichal HaTalmud, founded by his father. He later became Mashgiach at Chevron Yeshiva.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 21ST OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS SATURDAY NIGHT (12-22-2024)
Rav Binyomin HaKohen Rapaport - Gevulos Binyomin, Av Beis Din of Kalish (5531 / 1770 - 254th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yaakov Meir Padwa (5615 / 1854 - 170th Yahrzeit)
Rav Naftali Halberstam - Ayala Shelucha (5624 / 1863 - 161st Yahrzeit)
Rav Naftoli was the firstborn son of Rav Yechezkel Shraga of Shinova. Rav Naftoli passed away suddenly and unexpectedly during Nefilas Apayim, at Tachanun of Mincha at age twenty-six.
Rav Yosef Pressburger - Rav Av Beis Din of Mattersdorf (5684 / 1923 - 101st Yahrzeit)
Rav Yochonon Perlow - Karlin-Stoliner Rebbe (5716 / 1955 - 69th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yochonon was born in the month of Av 5660/1900 to Rav Yisrael Perlow, the Yanuka of Stolin. He was named after his grandfather, Rav Yochonon of Rachmastrivka. After his father was niftar, he was crowned Rebbe in Lutsk although just a newly married yungerman. In 5714 he moved back to Eretz Yisrael and began building Yeshivas Karlin in Yerushalayim.
Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank - Chief Rav of Yerushalayim, Har Tzvi (5722 / 1961 - 63rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, Rav of Yerushalayim, was born in Lithuania, and became a student of Rav Eliezer Gordon and Rav Shmuel Salant.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 22ND OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS SUNDAY NIGHT (12-23-2024)
Rav Eliezer Ashkenazi - Maaseh Hashem, Yosif Lekach (5346 / 1585 - 439th Yahrzeit)
Rav Eliezer Ashkenazi, mechaber of Ma’asei Hashem, was born in Turkey, he studied with Rav Yosef Taitatzak (1465–1546) in Salonica. He served as a Rav in Egypt from 1538 to 1561. For unknown reasons, he was compelled to leave, served in Famagusta, Cyprus, then in Venice, Italy. In 1578, he moved to Posen, Poland, and took his final post. He retired to Cracow, where he lived out his last few years.
Rav Meshullem Zalman Mirels Neumark (5467 / 1706 - 318th Yahrzeit)
Rav Moshe Roke'ach (5514 / 1753 - 271st Yahrzeit)
His first marriage was to the daughter of Rav Naftoli Katz, Av Bais Din of Posen. His second marriage was to the daughter of the Chacham Tzvi. On 12 Tammuz 5504/1744, he was appointed Rav of Brody.
Rav Pinchas Ostrog of Ostrog (5566 / 1805 - 219th Yahrzeit)
(Some say the Yahrzeit is on the 25th of Kislev)
His sons were Rav Yaakov Yosef II of Ostrog and Rav Moshe, founder of the Orzhitshev dynasty. His son-in-law was Rav Pinchas, grandfather of Rav Pinchas of Ostila.
Rav Mordechai - Maamar Mordechai (5628 / 1867 - 157th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yoel Ashkenazi (5643 / 1882 - 142nd Yahrzeit)
Rav Yoel of Tolchva - Mahari Ashkenazi (5646 / 1885 - 139th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yechezkel Panet of Desh - Kenesses Yechezkel (5690 / 1929 - 95th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yechezkel was the son of Rav Moshe Paneth of Desh and the son-in-law of Rav Shmuel Yehuda Pollack of Ober Vishiva. In 5655/1895 he was elected Rav of Ahirshar and in 5658/1898 he moved to Morush-Oyvahr. In 5663/1903, he was elected Rav and Rebbe of Deish, the third generation of Paneths. He was the Rosh Kollel of Zibenburgen
Rav Shabsai Yudelevitz - Yerushalmi Maggid (5757 / 1996 - 28th Yahrzeit)
Rav Chaim Kasar - Chaim Algemaran (5758 / 1997 - 27th Yahrzeit)
Rav Sholom Mordechai Schwadron - Maggid of Yerushalayim (5758 / 1997 - 27th Yahrzeit)
Rav Sholom Mordechai Schwadron, Yerushalmi Maggid, was the brother-in-law of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. After his bar mitzva he studied in the Lomza Yeshiva in Petach Tikva, and later in the Chevron Yeshiva in Yerushalayim under Rav Yehuda Leib Chasman. After his marriage, he continued his studies in Kollel Ohel Torah.
Rav Yosef Chaim Klein (5765 / 2004 - 20th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yosef Chaim Klein was born in New York and learned at Torah VoDa’as. His Rebbe Muvhok was Rav Shlomo Heiman. He subsequently learned under Rav Reuven Grozovsky at Bais Medrash Elyon in Monsey. His last forty years were spent as menahel of the Mesivta of the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 23RD OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS MONDAY NIGHT (12-24-2024)
Rav Dovid Tevele HaKohen Schiff - Av Beis Din of London, Lashon Zahav (5552 / 1791 - 233rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Dovid was born in Frankfurt, the son of Rav Shlomo Zalman HaKohen. Rav Schiff was a talmid of Rav Yaakov Popresh and Rav Yaakov Yehoshua Falk, mechaber of the Pnei Yehoshua. He later served as the chief Rav of Great Britain and the Rav of the Great Synagogue of London from 5525/1765 until his petira.
Rav Dovid of Novardok - Galya Maseches (5597 / 1836 - 188th Yahrzeit)
Rav Efraim Fishel Feldman - Yedos Efraim (5665 / 1904 - 120th Yahrzeit)
Rav Elimelech Lowy - Tosher Rebbe (5703 / 1942 - 82nd Yahrzeit)
Rav Elimelech was the son of Rav Meshulem Feish Levi of Tosh and the son-in-law of Rav Yitzchok Isaac Weiss. When his brother-in-law Rav Yehosef Rottenberg moved from Tosh to Kosoni, he was appointed Rav and Rebbe of Tosh.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 24TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS TUESDAY NIGHT (12-25-2024)
Rav Zecharia Mendel of Podheitz (5552 / 1791 - 233rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Zecharia was born in Podheitz, the son of Rav Arye Leib of Buczacz, and a descendant of the Maharshal and the Rema. He studied under Rav Yaakov Yehoshua, mechaber of Pnei Yehoshua. He served as the Rav and Dayan of Frankfurt der Oder for decades.
Rav Yisroel Heller - Nachlas Yisroel, R'Yisroel Charif (5624 / 1863 - 161st Yahrzeit)
Rav Tzvi Yehuda Rabinowitz-Teomim - Keses Yehuda (5648 / 1887 - 137th Yahrzeit)
Rav Moshe Panet of Deish (5663 / 1902 - 122nd Yahrzeit)
(Some say the Yahrzeit is in the year 5664 / 1903 - 121st Yahrzeit)
A scion of the Karlsberg dynasty. A Godol BaTorah, he served as Rav of Orishar-Nimuza, and in 5645, he was appointed as his father’s successor as Rav and Rebbe in Deish, where thousands flocked to hear his Divrei Torah.
Rav Chaim Chizkiyohu Medini - Sdei Chemed, Av Beis Din of Chevron (5665 / 1904 - 120th Yahrzeit)
Rav Chaim Chizkiyohu Medini, the Sdei Chemed, was born in Yerushalayim and was married at eighteen. After thirteen years in Turkey, he took the position of Rav in the small city of Karasubazar in Crimea. He served there for thirty-three years, fighting the forces of the Karaites, before moving back to Yerushalayim. He lived there for two years, then moved to Chevron, where he was appointed Rav of the city in 1880.
Rav Dovid Tzvi Chein - Radatz, Rabbi of Chernigov (5687 / 1926 - 98th Yahrzeit)
Rabbi Dovid-Tzvi Chein, the chief rabbi of Chernigov, known as the Radatz [1846-24 Kislev (Erev Chanuka) 1926], a major Lubavitcher chasid, renowned for his scholarship and piety. He is one of the only three people to receive rabbinical ordination directly from the Rebbe Maharash. In early 1926 he left Russia and settled in Jerusalem, together with his son-in-law, Rabbi Shalom-Shlomo Schneersohn, Rabbi of Nikolaev and brother of Rabbi Levi-Yitzchak Schneersohn, father of the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Rav Aharon Yehuda Leib Steinman - Ayeles Hashachar (5778 / 2017 - 7th Yahrzeit)
Harav Aharon Yehuda Leib Steinman was born in Cheshvan 5674/1913. Rav Steinman – on the advice of the Chazon Ish – was appointed Rosh Yeshivah in Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in Kfar Saba. Eventually they relocated to Bnei Brak, where he was appointed Rosh Kollel of the Ponevez Kollel. Later, the Ponevezer Rav opened the yeshivah ketanah of Ponevez, called Ponevez L’Tze’irim, and asked Rav Steinman to serve as Rosh Yeshivah together with Hagaon Harav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, zt”l. He was a leading member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 25TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT (12-26-2024)
Rav Yaakov Yisroel HaLevi of Kremnitz - Maggid of Kremnitz, Shevet MiYisroel (5560 / 1799 - 225th Yahrzeit)
Rav Pinchas Ostrog of Ostrog (5566 / 1805 - 219th Yahrzeit)
(Some say the Yahrzeit is on the 22nd of Kislev)
His sons were Rav Yaakov Yosef II of Ostrog and Rav Moshe, founder of the Orzhitshev dynasty. His son-in-law was Rav Pinchas, grandfather of Rav Pinchas of Ostila.
Rav Avrohom of Vilna - Rav Avrohom Vilner (5569 / 1808 - 216th Yahrzeit)
Rav Refoel Avrohom Sholom Mizrachi Didye Sharabi - Divrei Sholom, Rosh (5587 / 1826 - 198th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yaakov Yukel Ettlinger - Oruch LaNer (5632 / 1871 - 153rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Yaakov Ettlinger was the son of Rav Aharon, Rosh Yeshiva of the local mesivta in Karlsruhe, Germany, and grandson of the Shaagas Aryeh. In 1823, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of the Bais Medrash in Mannheim, and twelve years later became Rav and Rosh Yeshiva of Altona.
Rav Chaim Hager of Antinia - Tal Chaim, Nemukei Chaim (5692 / 1931 - 93rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Chaim was born on 23 Iyar 5623/1863, the son of Rav Boruch of Vizhnitz. In the year 5653 he was appointed Rebbe of Atinia near Stanislov. In 5655 he was appointed Nosi of the Bukowina Kollel in Eretz Yisrael. Among his activities he refounded Yeshivas Ohr Torah in 5684. He was also a key figure in Vaad HoRabbonim.
Rav Avrohom Mordechai Nissim Harari-Raful (5752 / 1991 - 33rd Yahrzeit)
