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 (his second marriage; details regarding his first marriage remain unknown).
Rav Meshulem Feivish received the Chassidic tradition as a talmid of the great Mezritcher Maggid, the Ba’al Shem Tov’s successor, as well as from Rav Menachem Mendel of Premishlan and Rav Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov.
He was a close colleague of Rav Chaim of Czernowitz, who mentions him often in his magnum opus, Be’er Mayim Chaim on the Torah.
Rav Meshulem Feivish was one of the earliest and greatest Chassidic writers, and authored the seforim Yosher Divrei Emes, Derech Emes, and Darchei Tzedek.
His sons were Rav Shimon of Ozhiran, Rav Boruch Yitzchok of Zavnitz, and Rav Moshe Aharon.
Among his talmidim were Rav Dovid Shlomo of Soroka, mechaber of Levushei Serod and Arvei Nachal; Rav Chaim of Czernowitz, mechaber of Be’er Mayim Chaim; and Rav Menachem Mendel of Kosov, mechaber of Ahavas Sholom and founder of the Kosov Vizhnitz dynasty.
