Rav Yehoshua Horowitz Ateres Yehoshua, Dzikover Rebbe, Ateres Yeshua of Dzhikov (Teves 11, 5672 / 1912 - 112th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yehoshua of Dzikov was born on Shushan Purim תר"ח. His father, Rav Meir of Dzikov, was the author of the Imrei Noam. Already in his youth he was recognized as a genius. At eighteen, he published a halachic sefer called Emek Halacha on Shas. At this young age he was already engaged, by his grandfather Rav Eliezer of Dzikov to the daughter of one of his chassidim, Rav Leibish Reich of Raisha. In his father’s lifetime, he acted as the rav of the kehilla and upon his father’s passing, he took his place at the helm as the rebbe of the chassidim.
Thousands of chassidim and gedolei Torah flocked to the new rebbe. He was a hidden tzaddik and guarded his ways from the world so that none could truly discern his greatness. He composed many niggunim. He appointed Alter Yechezkel Eliyahu, the son-in-law of the Ahavas Yisrael of Vizhnitz, as the rav of his kehilla. He passed away on 11 Teves תרע"ב he was interred in the Dzikover Ohel, and his son Rav Alter Yechezkel succeeded him.
Rav Moshe Sofer Pshevorsker Rebbe, Ohr Pnei Moshe (Teves 12, 5566 / 1806 - 218th Yahrzeit)
Rebbe Moshe of Peshevorsk (12 Tevet 1806/5566) was the predecessor of the Peshevorsk dynasty (which since 1956 has been based in Antwerp). He was the son of Rav Yitzchok. He was held in high esteem by the brothers R. Elimelech and R. Zusha, and many other chassidic giants. He was a talmid of Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk. It is said of him that Rabbi Moshe Alshich often appeared to him and taught him Torah. His was famous for the perfection and purity of the Torah, tefilin and mezuzah scrolls that he scribed, which were eagerly sought after and are extremely valuable. He is the author of the acclaimed Ohr Penei Moshe, commentary on the Five Books of Moses and the five Megillot, and a subsequent volume on the Talmud.
http://www.ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=rebbeBios
Rav Mordechai Chaim Kastelanitz Reb Mottel Slonimer, Reb Mottel Dayan (Teves 12, 5714 / 1953 - 70th Yahrzeit)
Rav Mordechai Chaim was the son of Yuda Leib. He was a disciple of the Sabba Kadisha of Slonim and Rav Duvid Lubiner. He passed away on erev Shabbos Kodesh, 12 Teves, .תש"ד See volume 7 of Marbitzei Torah MeOlam HaChassidus pp. 186-224.
Rav Moshe Biderman Lelover Rebbe (Teves 13, 5611 / 1850 - 173rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Moshe was born in the year 1777 תקל"ז. He was the son-in-law of the Yid HaKadosh of Peshischa. He was a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin. After his father and father-in-law passed on, he travelled together with Rav Yitzchok of Vurka to Rav Mottele the Czernobler Maggid. A story about their meeting appears below.
Rav Moshe Elyaim Briyeh of Kozhnitz, author of Be’er Moshe, used to say: “Whoever wishes to gaze at the tzura (form) of Moshe Rabbeinu, should gaze upon the face of Rav Moshe of Lelov!”
His foremost disciple was Rav Shlomo of Radomsk, author of Tiferes Shlomo. Just as Rav Moshe Lelover was the central figure for the masses in Poland, his talmid and successor became that focus after Rav Moshe left for Eretz Yisroel. He passed away at the age of seventy-two (soon after he had made aliya) in Yerushalayim on 13th Teves (1849). He was laid to rest near the kever of Zechariya HaNavi.
Rav Hirschle of Rymanow said that “Rav Moshe Lelover traveled the same fiery path to heaven as did Chanoch ben Yered before him.” His sons were, Rav Elazar Menachem and Rav Yitzchok Dovid who made aliyah with him, and Rav Shlomo Yechiel. His son-in-law, Rav Yitzchok Menachem Rottenberg was a descendant of Rav Meir of Apta, the “Ohr L’Shomayim”.
HIS ALIYAH TO ERETZ YISROEL
The famed mekubal, Rav Moshe Yair Weinstock, wrote in Pri Kodesh Hillulim that Rav Moshe Lelover was sure that when he would arrive in the Holy Land, he would “run straight to the Kosel haMaaravi and raise up a loud cry until I move heaven and earth and bring Moshiach!”
His ship anchored at the Jaffa port and the group traveled first to Tzefas and Tiveria. Then they visited the chassidic enclaves and yishuvim in the Galilee. Afterwards, they made their way in a caravan of donkeys to the Judean hills with their sights set on Jerusalem as the final destination. When they entered Yerushalayim, Rav Moshe Lelover became sick to the point that he was paralyzed. Chassidim say he was in Eretz Yisroel for a total of seventy-two days, corresponding to his seventy-two years in chutz la’aretz (according to the Ohr Zarua LaTzadik introduction to Aron Eidus p. 92, it was seventy-four days). He passed away on 13 Teves. תרי"א
The Chelkas Yehoshua of Biala once remarked, “My uncle, Rav Moshe Lelover wanted to a make aliya to Eretz Yisroel and bring Moshiach. The real reason why he ended up here is by Divine Providence: He wished to ensure that there would remain descendants of the Yid HaKadosh as most of them went up in flames back in Europe, returning their holy souls to Heaven, during the Shoa –the Holocaust; may Hashem avenge their blood. (Ohr Zarua LaTzadik intro to Aron Eidus p. 92)
Rav Yechiel Mordechai Gordon Reb Mottel Trokker (Teves 13, 5726 / 1966 - 58th Yahrzeit)
Among the Lithuanian-style yeshivos of the interwar period, the Lomza Yeshivah was unique in several respects. Located deep in chassidic Poland, from which it drew its primary student body, it had an impressive building and numerous preparatory schools, more than a dozen across Poland. Lomza’s anemic financial situation, which rivaled Novardok’s as the most desperate among major yeshivos, was a more unfortunate standout feature. In order to alleviate this crushing burden, the Lomza Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Yechiel Mordechai Gordon, spent more than 15 years in the United States fundraising.
A great tzaddik and gaon, Rav Yechiel Mordechai lived a life marred by tragedy. “Mottel Trokker” joined Slabodka in the late 1890s and sided with the Alter of Slabodka during the anti-mussar revolt of 1897, and was one of the founding students in Knesses Yisrael. In 1905, he married Tzirel Leah Shulevitz, the daughter of the Lomza Yeshivah’s founder, Rav Eliezer Shulevitz. With his wife’s encouragement, he traveled to Kelm. Shortly thereafter, a typhus epidemic took the lives of his wife and mother-in-law. Not wanting to lose his esteemed son-in-law, Rav Eliezer offered him the hand of his daughter Aidel Devorah (Tzirel Leah’s sister). That marriage would last until her untimely passing in 1929.
In 1907, Rav Yechiel Mordechai was appointed a rosh yeshivah in Lomza at the age of 24. His younger brother-in-law and fellow Slabodker, Rav Yehoshua Zelig Ruch, ran the day-to-day operations, while Rav Yechiel Mordechai (whose seforim speak for his learning acumen) focused on fundraising.
His first visit to the US was in 1925. He was welcomed by a group of rabbinic alumni of the yeshivah, who tried to organize fundraising in America, with little success. While Rav Yechiel Mordechai was abroad, Lomza became the second European yeshivah to open a branch in Palestine. Rav Yechiel Mordechai traveled there directly from America in 1926 to help get the Petach Tikvah branch off the ground, before returning later that year to Europe.
In 1934, Rav Yechiel Mordechai was back in the United States. By then, most of his family had settled there. His brother was a rabbi in Winthrop, Massachusetts, his brother-in-law ran the yeshivah’s office in New York, and other family members were scattered across New England as far north as Maine. Even with their assistance, his planned two- to three-year visit turned into more than 15 years, as the yeshivah’s debts piled up as quickly as his fundraising intake.
Stranded in America with the onset of World War II, Rav Yechiel Mordechai was among the founding members of the Vaad Hatzalah. He also served during that time as rosh kollel of the White Plains Kollel, which Rav Aharon Kotler would eventually move to Lakewood and reopen as Beth Medrash Govoha.
In 1950 Rav Gordon moved to Eretz Yisrael, where he resumed his position in Lomza Petach Tikvah and became a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisrael. Along with the rabbi of Petach Tikvah, Rav Reuven Katz, he worked tirelessly to improve Yiddishkeit in the city and was a beloved figure there until his passing in 1964.
https://mishpacha.com/theres-no-football-team-in-lomza/
Rav Reuven Dov Dessler (Teves 14, 5696 / 1936 - 88th Yahrzeit)
The Ga'on Rabbi Reuven Dov Dessler (1869-1931), among the greatest disciples of the "Alter of Kelm", and son-in-law of granddaughter of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter. At the end of his life was director of the "Talmud Torah" in Kelm. Born in Libau to his father, Rabbi Yisrael David Dessler, affluent merchant, G-d fearing philanthropist, who was a close associate of the "Alter of Kelm" and among his chief supporters. Like his father, Rabbi Reuven was a successful merchant and philanthropist, nevertheless, he was a Torah giant and prominent figure of Mussar in his generation. His son is the righteous Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler author of "Michtav Me'Eliyahu".
https://www.kedem-auctions.com/en/content/letter-rabbi-reuven-dov-dessler-father-rabbi-dessler
