Gedolim Be'misasm Yoser
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 13TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS FRIDAY NIGHT (12-14-2024)
Ravina I (4182 / 421 - 1,603rd Yahrzeit)
Ravina berei D’Rav Huna, Rosh Mesivta of Sura, together with his teacher, Rav Ashi, collected and commented upon the Gemora of what would henceforth be known as the Talmud Bavli.
Rav Azaryah - Me'or Einayim (5338 / 1577 - 447th Yahrzeit)
Rav Moshe Mordechai Margulios (5377 / 1616 - 408th Yahrzeit)
Rav Shlomo Zalman Yosef Frankel (5618 / 1857 - 167th Yahrzeit)
Rav Shlomo Zalman Yosef, a beloved talmid of the Kozhnitzer Maggid. He studied under his father and received the Chassidic tradition as a talmid muvhok of Rav Meir of Apta, mechaber of Or Lashomayim, and Rav Naftoli Tzvi of Ropshitz, as well as Rav Naftoli’s son-in-law and successor, Rav Osher Yeshaya of Ropshitz.
Rav Dov Ber Friedman (5636 / 1875 - 149th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yisrael Taub - Modzitzer Rebbe, Divrei Yisrael (5681 / 1920 - 104th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yisrael Taub of Modzhitz, mechaber of Divrei Yisrael, was the son of Rav Shmuel Eliyohu Taub of Zhvullin (1888) and the grandson of Rav Yechezkel Taub of Kuzmir (1856), who was one of the talmidim of the Chozeh of Lublin. He was a descendant of the Kuzhmir dynasty. He became the first Rebbe of Modzhitz and was succeeded by his son, Shaul Yedidya Elozor.
Rav Yisrael Friedman - Chortkover Rebbe (5694 / 1933 - 91st Yahrzeit)
Rav Yisrael was born on 10 Iyar 5614/1854, the son of Rav Dovid Moshe Friedman of Chortkov, and the grandson of Rav Yisrael of Rizhin, founder of the Rizhiner dynasty. In 5654, on Hoshana Rabba night, at his father’s request, he began to take upon himself the mantle of leadership and accepted the role of Rebbe.
Rav Yechiel Michel and his son Boruch of Horodna (5702 / 1941 - 83rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Sholom Hedaya of Aram Sova (5705 / 1944 - 80th Yahrzeit)
Rav Sholom Hedaya was born in Aram Tzova. The lineage of his father, Rav Moshe Chaim Hedaya, could be traced back to Rav Saadya Gaon. In 1904, Rav Sholom was appointed Moreh Tzedek in the Bais Din of Rav Vidal Anjel and Rav Boruch Elnekava. In 1930, he was appointed Raavad (Rosh Av Bais Din) of all the Sefardi communities in Yerushalayim. In 1927, Yerushalayim’s chief Mekubol and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Bais Keil, Rav Mas’ud HaKohen Elchaded, was niftar, and Rav Sholom was appointed his successor.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 14TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS SATURDAY NIGHT (12-15-2024)
Reuven ben Yaakov Ovinu (2317 / -1445 - 3,468th Yahrzeit)
Rav Menashe Ben Yisrael of Amsterdam (5418 / 1657 - 367th Yahrzeit)
Rav Menashe ben Yisrael of Amsterdam, mechaber of Nishmas Odom, was a friend of Rembrandt van Rijn, who, apart from making an etching of the Rav, also illustrated his books.
Rav Menachem Nuchem Freidman - Shtefanester Rebbe, Nachlas Yitzchok (5629 / 1868 - 156th Yahrzeit)
Rav Menachem Nuchem was born in 5583/1813, the son of Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin. After his father’s petira in 5611, he settled in Stefanisht, Romania, and transformed it into a Chassidic center.
Rav Yaakov Yitzchok Unger of Zhavna (5652 / 1891 - 133rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Yaakov Yitzchok was the son of Rav Yisrael Elimelech of Zhavna, and a scion of the Dombrover dynasty, who succeeded his father as Rebbe in the city of his rabbinical post of Zhavna.
Rav Mordechai Twersky of Chernobyl - Reb Mottele (5666 / 1905 - 119th Yahrzeit)
Rav Dovid Abuchatzeira - Baba Do (5680 / 1919 - 105th Yahrzeit)
Rav Shaul Rosenberg - Chemdas Shaul (5700 / 1939 - 85th Yahrzeit)
Rav Mordechai Yaakov Breish - Chelkas Yaakov (5737 / 1976 - 48th Yahrzeit)
Rav Mordechai Yaakov Breish of Zurich, the Chelkas Yaakov, was born in Skohl, Galicia. He became Rav in Alesk, and then in 1928, of Disbourg, Germany. After a brief time in Lance, France, they settled in Zurich, Switzerland, where he nurtured the Jewish community for forty years. In 1967, he established the Kollel Le’Horo’a Chelkas Yaakov in Bnei Brak.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 15TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS SUNDAY NIGHT (12-16-2024)
Rav Yehuda - Rabbeinu HaKodosh, Rebbi (3953 / 192 - 1,832nd Yahrzeit)
Rav Avrohom ibn Ezra (5521 / 1760 - 264th Yahrzeit)
Rav Eliezer Fishel of Brody (5572 / 1811 - 213th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yisrael Ephraim Fischel Sofer (Schreiber) - Av Beis Din of Nanash (Hajdunanas) (5659 / 1898 - 126th Yahrzeit)
Born around May 1822, to Rav Tzvi Hirsh Sofer of Sarospatak a descendant of Rav Shaul Wohl Katzenellenbogen. Rav Yisroel Efraim Fischel Sofer was one of the last talmidim of the Chasam Sofer and a chassid of the Yetev Lev. He served as AvBeisDin of Nanash (Hajdunanas) for fifty years.
Rav Simcha Bunim Sofer of Pressburg - Shevet Sofer (5667 / 1906 - 118th Yahrzeit)
Rav Simcha Bunim, born on the first day of Chanuka 5603. He was the son of the Kesav Sofer, the grandson of the Chasam Sofer, and a great-grandson of Rav Akiva Eiger. He succeeded his father as Rav and Rosh Yeshiva in Pressburg in 1872, at the age of twenty-nine. When Rav Akiva Sofer neared his thirty-third year as Rav, he asked his uncle, the Erlauer Rav, what to do. Upon his uncle’s advice, the Daas Sofer moved to Eretz Yisrael in 1940, thus saving himself from the horrors of World War II.
Rav Refoel Even-Tzur (5677 / 1916 - 108th Yahrzeit)
Rav Dovid Twersky - Skverer Rebbe (5680 / 1919 - 105th Yahrzeit)
Rav Chaim Dovid Leibowitz - Reb Dovid Warshawer (5702 / 1941 - 83rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Dovid HaKohen Leibowitz was born in Warsaw and studied in the Yeshiva of Radin as a teenager, where he held private study sessions with his great-uncle, the Chofetz Chaim. In 1908, Rav Dovid went to learn in the Slabodka Yeshiva. In 1915, Rav Leibowitz succeeded his father-in-law as Rav of Selechnik. After six years, however, he returned to Slabodka as a founding member of the Slabodka Kollel. Rav Leibowitz founded Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yisrael Meir HaKohen.
Rav Dovid HaKohen Lebowitz - Founder of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yisroel Meir - Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva (5702 / 1941 - 83rd Yahrzeit)
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 16TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS MONDAY NIGHT (12-17-2024)
Rav Yaakov Hirsch Hirsch Babad Levenstam - Lubliner Rebbe, Lubliner (5405 / 1644 - 380th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yaakov of Lublin - Father of Rav Herschel of Cracow (5405 / 1644 - 380th Yahrzeit)
Rav Aryeh Feivish Kahana (5566 / 1805 - 219th Yahrzeit)
Rav Arye Feivish was the son of Rav Aharon Kahana, Av Bais Din of Kzilowitz and is counted among the famed Chachomim of the Kloiz in Brody, where he served as Rav and posek.
Rav Meir Tauber - Ayin Meir (5658 / 1897 - 127th Yahrzeit)
Rav Menachem Kalish - Amshinover Rebbe (5678 / 1917 - 107th Yahrzeit)
Rav Menachem Kalish of Amshinov succeeded his father, Rav Yaakov Dovid Kalish, in 1878, at the young age of eighteen.
Rav Chaim Yeshaya Schneerson of Paritsh (5681 / 1920 - 104th Yahrzeit)
Rav Chaim Yeshaya was the son of Rav Sholom Dov Shneerson of Ritzitza, and the grandson of Rav Yehuda Leib of Kapust, a scion of the Chabad Lubavitcher dynasty. From 5654, he served as Rav of Paritsch and from 5664 as Rav of Roman.
Rav Shaul Yedidya Elozor Taub - Modzitzer Rebbe, Imrei Shaul (5708 / 1947 - 77th Yahrzeit)
Rav Shaul Yedidya Elozor Taub (the Imrei Shaul), the second Modzhitzer Rebbe, was born in Osherov in 1886, and assumed the leadership of Modzitz upon the passing of his father Rav Yisrael, the Divrei Yisrael, in 1920. From 1940 until 1947 the Rebbe lived in Brooklyn, New York. Rav Shaul was probably the most prolific Chassidic composer of all time, with the total output numbering close to a thousand compositions.
Rav Dovid Leib Schwartz - Der Heiliger Tzaddik (5760 / 1999 - 25th Yahrzeit)
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 17TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS TUESDAY NIGHT (12-18-2024)
Rav Shlomo Shapira of Santov (5408 / 1647 - 377th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yitzchok Chai Taib - Lo Met (5596 / 1835 - 189th Yahrzeit)
Rav Mordechai Tzvi Schlesinger (5656 / 1895 - 129th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yosef Yoizel Horowitz - Alter of Novardok (5680 / 1919 - 105th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yosef Yoizel Horowitz, the Alter of Novardok, was born in the Lithuanian town of Plongian to Rav Shlomo Zalman, Rav and Dayan of the town. In 1894, Rav Yosef Yoizel began to visit the Alter of Kelm, Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv. Later, he established a large Yeshiva in Novardok and was responsible for creating a whole network of Yeshivos.
Rav Yechiel Michel of Oiverosh - Toras Yoffe (5699 / 1938 - 86th Yahrzeit)
Rav Refoel Chaim Shlomo Heiman (5705 / 1944 - 80th Yahrzeit)
Rav Shlomo Heiman, Rosh Yeshiva of Bais Medrash Elyon, Torah Vodaas, was born in Paritsch, near Minsk, and entered the Yeshiva in Halusk at the age of twelve, where he learned under Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 18TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT (12-19-2024)
Rav Avrohom - Birkas Avrohom
Rav Avrohom Maimonides - Ben HaRambam (4999 / 1238 - 786th Yahrzeit)
Rav Avrohom ben HaRambam, the only son of the Rambam, was born to him by his second wife. He was born in Fostat, Egypt and is the mechaber of HaMaspik L’avdei Hashem as well as Shu"t is Birkas Avrohom.
Rav Arye Leib Darshan (5497 / 1736 - 288th Yahrzeit)
Rav Boruch Asheknazi of Mezhibuzh - The Rebbe Reb Baruch (5572 / 1811 - 213th Yahrzeit)
Rav Boruch’s father, Rav Yechiel, was the son-in-law of the Ba’al Shem Tov, who married the Ba’al Shem’s daughter, Adel.
Rav Moshe Tzvi Hirsch Meislish - Chemdah Genuza (5581 / 1820 - 204th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yekusiel Shmuel Shmelke Erblich - Sassover Rebbe (5622 / 1861 - 163rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Yekusiel Shmuel Shmelka was born in Sassov in 5560/1800, the son of Rav Moshe Yehuda Leib. Orphaned at seven years old, he was raised by Rav Avrohom Chaim, the Orach LeChaim of Zlotshuv, and then by Rav Menachem Mendel of Kossov, until he married.
Rav Yosef Yitzchok Schneerson of Avritsh - Rebbe of Avritsh (5638 / 1877 - 147th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yosef Yitzchok of Ovritch was the son of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch, and father of Rebbetzin Shterna Sara, the wife of the Rebbe RaShaB.
Rav Mordechai Alishberg (5650 / 1889 - 135th Yahrzeit)
Rav Chaim Tzvi Ehrenreich (5697 / 1936 - 88th Yahrzeit)
Rav Chaim Tzvi Ehrenreich, mechaber of ShU”T Kav Chaim, was born in Savrantz. His grandfather was Rav Avrohom Yehuda Schwartz, the Kol Arye. His primary teacher was his brother, Rav Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich. Rav Chaim Tzvi became Rav of the Mahd community when he was fifty-seven, succeeding his father-in-law. He was also Av Bais Din of Mahd for over thirty years.
Rav Eliezer Zev Rosenbaum - Rachover Rebbe (5759 / 1998 - 26th Yahrzeit)
Rav Tzvi Menachem Teller (5768 / 2007 - 17th Yahrzeit)
Rav Tzvi Menachem Teller was Rosh Yeshiva at the Bais Medrash L’Torah (Skokie Yeshiva). He learned at the Ponovezh Yeshiva for seven years as a talmid of Rav Dovid Povarsky and Rav Shmuel Rozovsky.
Rav Levi Yitzchok Horowitz - Bostoner Rebbe (5770 / 2009 - 15th Yahrzeit)
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, the Bostoner Rebbe (18 Kislev 2009), a direct descendent of Rabbi Shmuel-Shmelke of Nicholsburg, led two communities: in Boston and in the Har Nof district of Yerushalayim. He was known for the vast help he has extended to people in medical emergency situations, and his open, friendly nature that made him beloved to Jews of every type.
YAHRZEITS FOR THE 19TH OF KISLEV ~ BEGINS THURSDAY NIGHT (12-20-2024)
Rav Dov Ber of Mezritch - Maggid of Mezritch, Maggid Devorov l'Yaakov, Der Groisse Maggid (5533 / 1772 - 252nd Yahrzeit)
Rav Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch, was born in Lukatch to Rav Avrohom. He was descended from Rav Hai Gaon and Rav Yochonon HaSandlar, a descendant of Dovid HaMelech.
Rav Yeshayahu Bennet - Av Beis Din of Kaliv (5625 / 1864 - 160th Yahrzeit)
Rav Elozor Rokeach (5642 / 1881 - 143rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Menachem Nuchem Twerski - Tolner Rebbe (5676 / 1915 - 109th Yahrzeit)
Son of Rav Mordechai of Tolna, and the grandson of Rav Dovid of Tolna, scions of the Czernobyl dynasty. He later became the son-in-law of Rav Moshe of Tshitshlenik of the Savraner dynasty. He was his grandfather’s primary successor, since his father passed away during his grandfather’s lifetime and he was crowned Rebbe at his Bar Mitzvah.
Rav Chaim Halberstam of Satmar (5702 / 1941 - 83rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Shaul Mekiketz Shelai (5730 / 1969 - 55th Yahrzeit)
Rav Shaul Mekiketz Shelai, born in Djerba, one of the two main cities in Tunisia, was the son of Rav Matuk Shelai, and grandson of Emmanuel Shelai. At an early age, he leaned under Rav Dovid HaKohen, and at the age of twenty, he began to teach in the Yeshiva of Rav Yosef Bereibi, the Ben Porat Yosef. With the latter’s passing, Rav Shaul became the Rosh Yeshiva.
Rav Moshe Tzvi Neriya (5756 / 1995 - 29th Yahrzeit)
