Reb Yair Chaim Bachrach (1702), author of Chavas Yair . His grandmother Chava was a granddaughter of the Maharal of Prague and famed for her unusual scholarship and piety. Her husband Reb Shmuel was appointed rabbi of Worms. Her husband was murdered during a pogrom in 1615, and she never remarried. Chava lived in Worms till her grandson Yair Chaim’s thirteenth birthday at which time she undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land but died on the way. Reb Yair Chaim esteemed her to such an extent that the title of his most famous work, Chavos Yair, is based on her name. One of his works, Mekor Chaim, a major commentary on the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim was ready to be printed when the commentaries of Taz and Magen Avraham were printed. Sadly, Reb Yair Chaim withdrew his own commentary. Besides his halachic expertise he had complete mastery of all the sciences, music and had a deep interest in history. He also wrote poetry. He compiled a 46 volume encyclopedia on many topics. In 1689 the Worms community was decimated by the French. Gradually, it was rebuilt. In 1699 he was finally appointed rabbi of Worms where his father and grandfather had served before him. He served for only three years until his death in 1702 .

Photo of the grave of the Chavas Yair in Worms

Reb Chaim Shmuelevitz, rosh yeshivas Mir (1902-1978) see www.famousrabbis.com/Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz

Rav Avraham Brandwein of Stretyn (1865), the second of four sons of Reb Yehuda Tzvi of Stretyn, who was the foremost student of Reb Uri of Strelisk. Reb Avrohom succeeded his father as the Rabbi of Stretyn, after his father's death in 1854. Reb Avrohom left four daughters, and many of the Stretyner Chasidim followed his son-in-law, Reb Uri Rohatyner, and Reb Uri’s son, Yehuda Tzvi, after him. Other Chasidim of Reb Avrohom followed Reb Nachman of Bursztyn, who was nifter in 1914.

Reb Yaacov Cohen Gadisha (1851-1909), Av Beis Din of Yerba, Tunisia, wrote Kochav Yaacov, Ma'il Yaakov and Halichos Yaacov.

Reb Gershon Henich Leiner of Radzin (1891), Baal Hatecheles, (1839-1891) . His grandfather was the great Rabbi Mordecai Yosef Leiner of Ishbitz, who founded the Hassidic Court at Ishbitz after leading a group of disciples from the Court of Reb Menachem Mendel of Kotzk. He replaced his fater as Rebbe of Ishbitz after the former’s petira in 1878. Reb Gershon Hanoch travelled from Radzin to Italy in search of the Chilazon, the marine source from which the dye was obtained. The Chilazon carried the dye in a special sac located in its pharynx. In the famed aquarium at Naples he saw the Chilazon and studied the way in which the dye was removed and prepared. He discovered that it was used by artists in their paintings because it would never fade.

Rebbetzin Recha Schwab (1908-2003). Married in 1931, she moved with Rabbi Schwab to the United States in 1936, and settled in Washington Heights in 1958. She left this world with 180 descendents, all Torah-observant.

Reb Yaakov Shaul Katzin, head of New York Aleppo community

Reb Mordechai Pinchos Teitz- rov of Elizabeth, NJ . 1908 -1995 . One of the sSeforim - books he wrote is online thanks to www.hebrewbooks.org "Mafteiach Shel Geulah" in Yiddish by Rabbi Pinchas Teitz (Elizabeth, NJ 1948) .Please also see History of Rav Teitz on www.famousrabbis.com/Rav Teitz .

Reb Avrohom Yaakov of Sadiger (1884-1961). Born the 8th of Av, named for his grandfather, the first Sadigerer rebbe. When Reb Avrohom Yaakov turned 18, he married the Rebbitzen Bluma Raizel, the daughter of the Kapischnitzer Rebbe, Reb Yitzchok Meir Heschel . With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the Rebbe fled to Vienna, Austria, and lived there for 24 years. When the Nazis entered Vienna in 1938, the Rebbe was seized and forced to sweep the streets clean, to the amusement of the onlooking Germans.

Reb Shlomo Molcho was born in Lisbon, Portugal, a descendant of Portuguese Marranos. He even published 22 essays on the topic of redemption according to the secrets of Kabbalah in his work, Sefer Hamefoar. He met with the Pope and asked him to stop the campaign against the Marranos. He also met Rabbi Yossef Karo in Tzfas and the Kabbalist Rabbi Yosef Taitzik of Salonica who taught R' Molcho Kabbalah. His speeches inspired many Marranos to publicly return to their faith. Arrested by the officers of the Inquisition, he recited Shema with great joy, as he was burned at the stake (1500-1532).

Rav Yerachmiel Tzvi Rabinowitz, the Biala-P’shischa Rebbe (2003). Born 1923, the first-born son of the previous Biala Rebbe, the Chelkas Yehoshua. He became Rebbe after his father was nifter in 1982 and opened his beis midrash in the Har Nof section of Yerushalayim.

6 Teves

7 Teves

Reb Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam, the Shinover Rov. He was born in Rudnick, Galicia, eldest son of Reb Chaim of Sanz. He was an ardent follower of Reb Osher of Ropshitz, and a chassid of Reb Tzvi Hirsh of Rymanov, The Sar Shulem of Belz, and Reb Meir of Premyshlan. Tragically, he was married and widowed 5 times. His first wife was the grand-daughter of the Yismach Moshe, The Satmar Rebbe Reb Moshe Teitelbaum of Ujehly, Hungary. (1815-1899) whose yarzheit is 28th Tammuz.

Reb Moshe Dovid Walli, talmid of Ramchal

Reb Yechezkel Halshtuk , the Ostrovtzer Rebbe

Rabbi Shmuel Hellmann, Rov of Metz France 5525 (1765)

Zecharia ben Berachya ben Ido Hanavi, Zechariah the Prophet

Reb Nosson Sternhartz of Breslov, author of Likutei Halachos, Breslov, author of LikuteiHalachos. As a young man, he lived in Nemirov, nine miles north of Breslov. Despite family opposition, Reb Nosson became the disciple who recorded Reb Nachman's thoughts, edited his writings and wrote the early history of the Breslover Hasidim. Before Reb Nachman passed away he himself testified about Reb Nosson and said the following "without Reb nosson none of my teachings would have remained".

Reb Refoel Wexelbaum, Rosh Yeshivas Itri

Reb Avrohom Abba Leifer, the Pittsburgher Rebbe, the Admor of Petersburg-Ashdod. He was succeeded by Reb Mordechai Leifer. (1989)

Reb Moshe Margulies, 1781, author of Pnei Moshe on the Yerushalmi

Reb Moshe ben Dovid Biderman, the Lelover Rebbe, (1776-1850). Born in abject poverty, he married Rachel Rivka, a daughter of the Yid Hakadosh of P’shischa. After the latter’s petira in 1813, he became a chasid of Rav Simcha Bunim of P’shischa, along his close friend, Rav Yitzchak of Vorki. In 1843, he finally agreed to a leadership position, agreeing to be rav of the community of Przedborz, Poland. In the last years of his life, he decided to move to Eretz Yisroel. He and many of his Chasidim arrived at Akko on Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan. He traveled to Yerushalyim, but immediately took ill. Tragically, between the illness and the Arabs, he was never able to daven at the kosel, his life-long dream. He was succeeded by his son, Rav Elazar Mendel, and a vibrant community of Lelover Chasidim still exist in Eretz Yisroel today. Sadly, the community in Przedborz – about 4500 Jews – was liquidated at Treblinka.

Reb Yechiel Mordechai Gordon, rosh Yeshivas Lomza, Rosh Yeshivas Lomza. Among the roshei yeshivos who travelled to the United States to raise funds during WW2 were Rabbis Reb Eliezer Yehuda Finkel from Mir, Reb Yechiel Michael Gordon from Lomza, Reb Aaron Kotler from Kletzk, Reb Shimon Shkopf from Grodno, Reb Elchonon Wasserman from Baranowitz, and Reb Boruch Ber Leibowitz from Kamenetz.

Reb Yitzchak Hakohen Huberman, the tzadik of Ranana

Reuven ben Yaakov Avinu

Reb Reuven Dov Dessler (1863-1935), father of Reb Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, the Michtav M'Eliyahu. Born in Libau, Lithuania to Reb Yisroel Dovid and Chinke Hinde, who (along with Rav Yisroel Dovid’s brother, Rav Eliezer) were great philanthropists and who helped Reb Simcha Zissel move his yeshiva from Kelm to Grubin, a small town near Libau. When he was 12, Reb Reuven Dov was sent to Reb Simcha Zissel’s yeshiva and stayed there for 11 years. When it closed, he moved to Kelm to continue learning with the Alter. In 1891, he married Henne Freidel Grodnensky, daughter of Reb Eliyahu Grodzensky, a leading dayan in Vilna. Her maternal grandfather was Reb Yisroel Salanter. She gave birth to Reb Reuven Dov’s only son, Reb Eliyahu Eliezer. Sadly, she was nifter 4 years after they wed, and Reb Reuven Dov married Fruma Rachel Rabinowitz of Telz. A few years later, he moved to Homel, on the Ukraine-White Russia border. Although he was very successful in business, he maintained a rigid learning schedule, and he took off every Elul and Tishrei to travel to Kelm to learn. In 1923, the Communists gained control of the area, and Reb Reuven Dov lost all of his assets. His final years were trying. In 1931, he moved into his son’s home in London and immersed himself in Torah study.

Reb Raphael Meir Penijel (1804-1894). He was born in Bulgaria to a pious and learned merchant. His father moved the family to Eretz Yisroel when his son was 3 years old, in order to raise him in its purity. When Raphael Meir was 15, his father died, and his mother worked as a seamstress in order to assure his Torah studies. When he was 17, he married the daughter of Reb Osher Halevi. In the early 1940s, he was chosen as one of the “shadarim” (sheluchei de’rabbanan) and sent to Northern Africa to collect funds for the yeshuv. Following stints in Morocco and Tunisia, he traveled to Italy. While there, he befriended the Pope, who offered to show him the Vatican’s archives. There, he saw some of the sacred vessels that Titus had stolen from the Beis Hamikdash. The visit is described in his sefer, Lev Hamarpei. When he returned to Eretz Yisroel, he founded the Doresh Tzion Yeshiva in 1868 and was instrumental in helping to found the Tiferes Yerushalayim institutions. In 1881, Yerushalayim’s Chief Sephardic Rabbi, the Rishom LeTzion, Reb Avraham Ashkenazi, was nifter, and Reb Raphael Meir was appointed to replace him. In addition to the sefer noted above, he also authored Sheilos U’Teshuvos Leshon Marpei.

The Amoraim Rav Huna, Mari bar Mar Zutra and Mashrisha bar Pekud of Bavel

Reb Chaim Mordechai of Nadvorna (1904-1977). Born to Reb Issamar of Nadvorna, he learned with his father in his youth, and married a first cousin ag age 19, then learned full-time, supported by his father-in-law. He took a position as Rav of Seret in 1928. In 1941, Romania allied itself with Germany. Of the 420,000 Jews of Romania, 160,000 were murdered by German and Romanain soldiers, and another 150,000 were shipped by cattle car s to Transnitra in the Ukraine; 10,000 died on the trip and another 80,000 died in the camps there. In 1942, Reb Chaim Mordechai and his family arrived in the Djurin camp in Transnitra. Reb Chaim Mordechai and his family arrived in Yerushalyim on Sukkos 1948, but moved to Tel Aviv because of the war. He established Yeshivas Ma’amer Moredechai in Yaffo and moved his yeshiva to Bnei Brak in 1961. After his petira, he was succeeded by his only son.

16 Teves

17 Teves

Rabbi Chaim Kreiswirth, Rov and Av Beis Din of Antwerp and son-in-law of Reb Avrohom Grodzinski. Reb Chaim was well-known to have memorized Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, as well as Rishonim and Acharonim (1920-2001).

Reb Yaakov Krantz, Dubner Maggid, (1741-1804). Born in a province of Vilna, Jacob ben Wolf Kranz showed exceptional homiletical and Kabbalistic talents at an early age, and by the age of twenty became the darshan of his city. From there he began preaching through the cities of around Lublin in Poland, finally settling in Dubnow. His reputation as a maggid spread, bringing him in contact with the great rabbis of the period, including the Vilna Gaon. The majority of his works were in homiletics, using stories and parables to transmit deeper ethical and moral teachings.

Reb Pinchos Epstein, av beis din of Yerushalayim

Reb Suleiman (Salman) Mutzafi of Yerushalayim (5735); born in Baghdad on 27 Shevat, 5660. His father, Reb Tzion Meir, descended from an illustrious family of Torah scholars who first arrived in Baghdad during the Spanish expulsion.

Rav Huna bar Mar Zutra Reish Galusa killed al kiddush Hashem

Reb Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Dinov, the Bnei Yissachar, 1841 , 1841. A talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin, Reb Tzvi Elimelech was told by the Chozeh that he was from Shevet Yissoscher, which explained the talmid’s special feelings towards Chanukkah, as it is known that the Sanhedrin of the Chashmonaim had many members from Shevet Yissoscher. For this reason, he called his sefer “Bnei Yissoscher.”

Reb Mendel Geffner, initiator of mass Chol Hamoed Birchas Kohanim at the Western Wall Jerusalem

Reb Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller, author of Ketzos Hachoshen, 1813

Reb Avrohom Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, the Kesav Sofer (1815-1872), born and died in Pressburg, Hungary, oldest son of the Chasam Sofer and grandson of Reb Akiva Eiger via his mother, Rebetzen Sorel. After his father’s death in 1839, the Ksav Sofer succeeded him as Rov and Rosh Yeshiva in Pressburg, at the unusually young age of 24. He served Pressburg for 33 years, the exact number of years his father had served before him.

Reb Menachem Mendel Zaks, son-in-law of the Chofetz Chaim

Rabeinu Moshe ben Maimon, the Rambam, 1204 see www.famousrabbis.com/Rambam and please see www.mishne.com for whole of Mishne Torah of the Rambam .

Reb Yaakov Abuchatzera, patriarch of Abuchatzera family buried in Demanour, author of Abir Yaakov .

Rabbi Shulem Moshkovitz , The Shotzer Rebbe , London 5718 -1958 see our special feature here with photos of his will at his Tomb - Ohel in London , and below is photo of his famous will at the Tomb - Ohel , where he promises to help anyone who comes to his grave and lights 3 candles ( as tradition from Sefer Tikunim ) . It is well known, especially amongst the Orthodox Jews of Stamford Hill London N16, that 1000's of people have had help from the Shotzer Rebbes Neshoma - Soul, after lighting candles, praying on a friday morning, improving spiritually and changing . In London, amongst Jews, it is accepted that whenever anyone has a difficulty or problem the first suggestion is to go to Enfield to the Shotzer Rebbe .

Reb Shmuel Heller, rov of Tsefas

22 Teves

23 Teves

Reb Yehuda Leib Eiger (1816-1888). A grandson of the renowned Reb Akiva Eiger, Reb Leibel was born in Warsaw. He learned under Reb Yitzchak Meir Alter, later known as the Chiddushei Harim in Warsaw. At 20, he married and moved to Lublin where he davened at the Shul of the Chozeh. There, he befriended Reb Yisroel, the Chozeh's son. He then moved to Kotzk. He became a rebbe after the Rebbe of Izbitza passed away in 1854. After his death his son, Reb Avrohom, printed his sefarim "Toras Emes" and "Imrei Emes"

The Telzer Rosh Yeshiva Rav Mordecai Gifter , see www.famousrabbis.com/ Rav Gifter , Reb Mordechai Gifter (1915-1991). Born in Richmond, Virginia, he moved to Baltimiore with his family, when his father noted the difficulty in teaching his son in a city not noted for its strong Torah resources. As a youth, he studied in the Reb Yitzchok Elchonon Yeshiva of New York City under his rav, Reb Moshe Halevi Soloveitchik. Rav Gifter studied together with Reb Nosson Wachtfogel, zt"l, former mashgiach of Lakewood and Reb Avigdor Miller of Flatbush in the Reb Yitzchok Elchonon Yeshiva. On the advice of his uncle, Reb Yehuda Leib Zer, one of the directors of the Reb Yitzchok Elchonon Yeshiva, Rabbi Gifter went to study in the Telz yeshiva of Lithuania in the winter of 1932. He became very close to the rosh yeshiva, Reb Avrohom Yitzchok Bloch. In the summer of 1939, Rav Gifter became engaged to the daughter of Reb Zalman Bloch. The wedding date was set for a year later. The couple married in the United States. With the expansion of the Ner Yisroel yeshiva in Baltimore by Reb Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, Rav Gifter was asked to deliver chaburos to the students. In 1943, Rav Gifter became rov of the chareidi community in Connecticut, and one year later, his uncles, Reb Eliyahu Meir Bloch and Reb Chaim Mordechai Katz founded the Telz yeshiva in Cleveland. They asked him to join them as ram and mashgiach. He moved to Eretz Yisroel in 1976, founding the Telz yeshiva in Kiryat Telz-Stone near Yerushalayim. However, three years later, the rosh yeshiva of Telz in Cleveland, Reb Boruch Sorotzkin, was nifter, and Rav Gifter returned to Cleveland to succeed him. And there he remained until his own petira.

Reb Moshe Mordechai Biderman, the Lelover Rebbe

Reb Moshe Tikochinsky, mashgiach of Slabodka

Reb Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, author of Michtav M'Eliyahu, Gateshead, England; Bnai Brak (Ponevezh Yeshiva) (1892-1954) see www.famousrabbis.com/R Dessler

Rabeinu Avraham bar Dovid miPosquires (Ra'avad), author of Hasagos on Rambam & Rif

27 Teves

27 Teves

Reb Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, Frankfurt-on-Maine, Germany (1808-1888) see www.famousrabbis.com/Rav Hirsch

HaRav Shmuel Hillel Shenker see www.famousrabbis.com/Reb Shenker

27 Teves

28 Teves

Reb Avrohom Simcha Hakohen Kaplan of Tzefas - 1990

Mashgiach Par Excellence Reb Meir Halevi Chodosh, Reb Meir Chodosh was a talmid muvhak of the Alter of Slabodka, Reb Nosson Tzvi Finkel see www.famousrabbis.com/Reb Meir Chodosh , (some say yarzheit is 29th Teves)

Reb Yoshua Leib Diskin, the Rov of Brisk . son of Reb Binyamin Diskin, rov of Volkovisk. He was born in Horodno. Reb Yehoshua Leib was engaged before his bar mitzva and at the age of fourteen he married the daughter of Reb Brode and lived with his father-in-law in Wolkowitz. He became rov in various cities such as Lomza, Mezritch, Kovno, Shklov, and finally in Brisk. Moved to Eretz Yisroel after Yom Kippur in 1876. Nifter 1898.

Reb Yerachmiel Yisroel Yitzchak of Alexander, the Yismach Yisroel . At an early age, his father, Reb Yechiel of Alexander, took him to Reb Menachem Mendel of Vorke, then Reb Beirush of Biala. After the latter’s passing, he became of a chasid of his father. After his father’s passing on 14 Shevat 1894, he became the Alexander Rebbe. (1853-1910)

Reb Meir Chodosh, mashgiach of Yeshivas Chevron, a talmid muvhak of the Alter of Slabodka, Reb Nosson Tzvi Finkel, born on 27 Shevat, 5658, in Patrich, Lithuania, lived through the Arab massacre of Chevron's Jews on Shabbos morning, 16 Av, 5689, died 5749.

Rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler, Chief Rabbi of England, author of Nesina L'ger, (1803-1890). He was Rabbi of Oldenburg, 1829-1830, Rabbi of Hanover, 1830-1844, and Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, 1844-1890. Please see Jewish-history.com for article on Rabbi Adler and see www.heritage.org.il for the amazing true story of the Chief Rabbi and Queen Victoria, & see "artscroll" for more about Rabbi Adler.

Reb Chaim Shamshon Swiatycki, nephew of the Chazon Ish and scion of the Karelitz dynasty, whose patriarch and matriarch – Reb Shemaryahu Yosef and Rasha Leah, had 15 children. Her third child, Henya Chaya, married Reb Abba Swiatycki, who became Rov of Kosova, after the petira of Reb Shemaryahu Yosef during WW I. Their only child was Reb Chaim. Reb Chaim’s mentor was his uncle, Reb Yitzchak Zundel Karelitz, brother of the Chazon Ish. At the age of 14, he left for Mir, then learned with Reb Baruch Ber Lebovitz in Kaminetz, where he stayed for six years. In 1934, he followed his uncle to Eretz Yisroel to escape conscription. He learned at Yeshiva Chevron in Yerushalayim and Yeshivas Volozhin in Tel Aviv. He then moved to America in 1938 where he joined the faculty at Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim. (1914-2004)

Rabbi Daniel Levy, he learned at Gateshead Yeshiva and Kollel, was very close with Biala Rebbe of Lugano Switzerland (always coming to Lugano for a learning holiday to spend time with the Rebbe), since they met in Gateshead Kollel . He then became Rov of the Khal Adass Yeshurun of Zurich, Switzerland . ( 2004)

חכם יצחק כדורי זצל, The passing to Spirit world of Chacham Yitzchak Kadouri on Saturday evening 28th January 2006, 29th Teves 5766, one of the most special spiritual souls of our generation, and disciple of the famous Ben Ish Chai, Rabbeinu Yosef Chaim. May his soul be a מליץ יושר for all Klal Yisroel and a guide for all spiritually minded people throughout the whole world.