Rav Shmuel Heller, Azhenazi Rav of Tsefas for 40 years (1884). On the 24th of Teves in 1837, hewas discovered buried up to his neck in stones. He had been standing under the lintel of the Beis Midrash Ari at the moment of the earthquake. His wounds were so severe that he was bedridden for six months, and lost the use of one arm for the rest of his life. Rav Shmuel was a disciple of Rav Avraham Dov Auerbach of Avritch [1765-1840], who spent ten years as Rav in Tzefas.

Rabbeinu Moshe ben Maimon, the Rambam (1135-1204). Born at Cordova, Spain, the Rambam received his rabbinical instruction at the hands of his father, Maimon. Moshe was only thirteen years old when Cordova fell into the hands of the fanatical Almohades, and Rav Maimon and the other Jews were compelled to choose between Islam and exile. Rav Maimon and his family chose the latter course, and for twelve years led a nomadic life, wandering throughout Spain. In 1160 they settled at Fez, Morocco. In 1165 they went to Acre, to Jerusalem, and then to Fostat (Cairo), where they settled. After the death of Maimon, Moses’ brother Dovid supported the family by trading in precious stones.

Rav Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller, author of Ketzos Hachoshen, Avnei Miluim, and Shev Shmaatsa (1813)
Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, the Kesav Sofer (1815-1872). Born and died in Pressburg, Hungary, oldest son of the Chasam Sofer and grandson of Rav Akiva Eiger via his mother, Rebetzen Sorel. After his father’s death in 1839, the Ksav Sofer succeeded him as Rav 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.
Rav Menachem Mendel Zaks, son-in-law of the Chafetz Chaim
Today in History – 19 Teves
·       The Catholic Church in Recife, Brazil closed the two existing shuls , 1638.

Rav Huna bar Mar Zutra (the Reish Galusa) killed al kiddush Hashem, along with Rav Mesharshiya bar Pekod (470)
Rav Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Dinov (1783-1841 [or 1850]), born to Reb Pesach and his wife, the niece of Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk. A talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin, Tzvi Elimelech was told by the Chozeh that he was from Shevet Yissascher, which explained the talmid’s special feelings towards Chanukkah, as it is known that the Sanhedrin of the Chashmonaim had many members from Shevet Yissascher. This is the source of the name of his sefer, Bnei Yissaschar.

Rav Yaakov Krantz, Dubna 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.
Rav Ephraim Fishel Shapira of Strikov (1743-1822). A disciple of the Magid of Mezritch, the Rebbe Elimelech and the Chozeh of Lublin, he was called the “Oleh Temimah.”

Rav Chaim Kreiswirth, Rav and Av Beis Din of Antwerp and son-in-law of Rav Avraham Grodzinski. Rav Chaim was well-known to have memorized Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, as well as Rishonim and Acharonim (1920-2001).
Today in History – 16 Teves
· The Turkish leader Morad IV conquered Baghdad from the Persians with the help of the Jews, 1640. This day became Baghdad Purim.

The Amora, Mashrisha bar Pekud of Bavel
Rav Raphael of Bershed, a talmid of Rav Pinchas of Koritz (1827)

Rav Moshe ben Dovid Biderman, the Lelover Rebbe (1776-1850 or 1851). 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 with his 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 Yisrael. 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.

Rav Moshe Margulies, author of Pnei Moshe on the Yerushalmi (1781)
Rav Moshe of Pshevorsk, author of Ohr Pnei Moshe . (1805)
Rav Mordechai Chaim Kastelantiz of Teveria, known as “Reb Mottel Slonimer” (1953)
Today in History – 12 Teves
· A violent earthquake rocked Eretz Yisrael, seriously damaging the walls of Yerushalayim and Migdal Dovid, 1033.
· The New Duchy of Frankfurt passed a law granting Jews civil rights and privileges equal to other citizens, 1811, following a request by including Meyer Anschel Rothschild.
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Rav Moshe of Ostraha, author of Arugas Habosem (1784).
Rav Shlomo Eiger, Rav of Posen, author of Gilyon Maharsha, son of Rav Akiva Eiger. (1851)
Rav Shlomo Zalman Ullman of Makava, author of Yerios Shlomo (1865). Son of Rav Shalom Charif, Rav Shlomo Zalman served as Rav of Rendick for two years and of Makova , Hungary , for 39 years. He fought against any inroads of the Reform movement for much of his life. At the end of his sefer, Rav Shlomo Zalman added Kuntres Beis Yad, where he expounds on fourteen differences in the sugya of eid echad neeman b’issurim. This kuntres is the basis of many of the halachos os issur ve’heter.
Rav Yehoshua Horowitz of Dzikov, author of Ateres Yeshua. (1912)