Rabbi Yaakov Wolf Krantz, the Dubno Maggid, itinerant preacher was particularly known for the meshalim he employed in his sermons and writings. Born in Zietil (Dyatlovo), the Dubno Maggid achieved a reputation as a student in Mezhirech, Poland. His reputation spread as he journeyed throughout Eastern Europe where his eloquence and wisdom drew large crowds. Rav Krantz served in various towns including Zilkiew, Wlodowa, Kalisz and Zamosc but was best known in Dubno where he remained for 18 years (1768-1786) and for the rest of his life was preacher in Zamosc, Poland.
A natural storyteller, he created hundreds of parables and moral stories, which he used in his sermons. After hearing him preaching in Berlin, Moses Mendelssohn called him "the Jewish Aesop" (although he did not use animal imagery for his parables). Another admirer was the Gaon of Vilna who invited him to Vilna in 1790, after he had fallen ill, "to entertain and revive him". His works were collected and published after his death by his son and a pupil.
