Rav Yechezkel was the son of Rav Moshe Paneth of Desh and the son-in-law of Rav Shmuel Yehuda Pollack of Ober Vishiva. Born on Zos Chanuka 5630/1870, he was recognized as a gifted youth and a child prodigy. At a young age he was already writing chiddushim in Torah and his grandfather ordered him to even begin wearing tefillin!
He continued his studies in Munkascz with Rav Chaim Elozor, later famed as the Minchas Elozor, as his chavrusa. He also acquired a deep and intimately familiar knowledge of Kabbola and the hidden wisdom of Torah.
In 5655/1895 he was elected Rav of Ahirshar and in 5658/1898 he moved to Morush-Oyvahr.
In 5646/1886, at age sixteen, he was already a participant in the Asifas HoRabbonim in Budapest and was the youngest Rav in attendance. In 5663/1903, he was elected Rav and Rebbe of Deish, the third generation of Paneths. In his days, the Yeshiva there flourished. He was the Rosh Kollel of Zibenburgen and worked to see its advance and growth.
After his petira, his writings in Chassidus were discovered on Shas and Teshuvos, halachic responsa. They were printed and published under the title Knesses Yechezkel on the Torah. A kuntres named Kol Bochim was published, mourning him and detailing his biography.
His sons were: Rav Yaakov Elimelech of Deish, Rav Yosef of Deish, Rav Moshe Paneth of Deish-Shatz.
His daughters were: Masha, the wife of Rav Yehoshua Greenwald and Chava Tila, wife of Rav Dovid Yehuda Freund of Sasregen.
