Rav Yehuda Hachosid, founder of the Churva shul in Yerushalayim (1700)

Rav Shlomo Dovid Yehoshua Weinberg, the Admor Hatzair of Slonim (1943)
Rav Yechiel Menachem of Alexander-America (1988)
Today in History – 6 Cheshvan

· The Rambam arrives in Yerushalayim (6 months after arriving in Eretz Yisrael) and commemorates the day as a private holiday, 1165.
· By orders of King John, Jews of England imprisoned until they paid the enormous sum of 66,000 marks as a tax, 1210. Abraham of Bristol, who refused to pay his “share” (10,000 silver marks) had a tooth pulled every day until he agreed to pay. He lost seven teeth before he was able to raise the funds

Rav Tzvi Hirsh Kalisher
Rav Moshe Birdogo, son of Rav Avraham. Rav Moshe resided in western Morocco and was known as the Rosh Mashbir (1730)
Rav Avraham Halevi Zions, rosh yeshivas Knesses Yisrael in New York
Rav Avraham Rice, pioneer of the Baltimore Jewish community and founder of one of the first Hebrew schools in the U.S.
Today in History – 5 Cheshvan

· Pogrom against Alexandria’s Jews and their expulsion from the city by the Christian rabble incited by Bishop Carilius, 413 CE
· Jews massacred in Beit Shean by Greeks, 333 BCE
· 200 Jews massacred in Germany, 1298
· Pope Gregory X condemns the libel of Jews for ritual murder, 1272

Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin (1797-1850). Born to Reb Shalom, the Rebbe of Prohibisht (who was a son of Reb Avraham HaMalach, the son of the Maggid of Mezerich). He was engaged to the Rav of Berditchev at the age of seven; six years later, the chasuna took place. When Reb Yisrael turned sixteen his older brother, Reb Avraham (who had succeeded their father), was niftar, leaving no children. He was then succeeded by Reb Yisrael.

Rav Baruch Hager, the Seret-Viznitz Rebbe, the Makor Baruch (1895-1963). Born to Rav Yisrael of Vizhnitz and Rebbetzin Hinda, a daughter of Rav Meir Horowitz of Dzikov, Rav Baruch was named after his grandfather, the Imrei Baruch of Vizhnitz, who had passed away two years earlier. In 1912, Rav Baruch married Henia, a daughter of Rav Yissachar Dov of Belz. He married a second time, to Tzyril, a daughter of Rav Eliezer Nisan of Dzikov/Tsfas, in 1923. He then became rav of Polein-Riskova, and then served as the rav of Kotzman, Romania, for nine years. He established a Talmud Torah, a Beis Yaakov school and worked extensively for Agudas Yisrael. In 1935, Rav Baruch moved to Seret, a Romanian town of about 2,000 Jews.

Rav Yosef Engel, rav of Krakow and Vienna (1859-1919). Born in Austrian Poland, his rebbe refused to teach him any longer when he reached the age of 12, and between that age and his marriage at 19, he wrote eleven sefarim. Among his sefarim were Gilyonei Hashas, Shiv’im Panim LaTorah Lekach Tov, Esvan D’Oraysa, and Beis HaOtzar, a Talmudic encyclopedia. His only child, Miriam, married the heir to the leadership of the Kotzker chassidim, but he abdicated that position in order to remain near his father-in-law, Rav Yosef. At age 46, Rav Yosef left his wealthy father-in-law’s home and, for the first time, had to seek a living. He found a position as one of several rabbinical judges in Krakow.

Rav Tzvi Hirsh Chayos, the Maharatz Chayos (Chiyus), Rav of Zolkov (1805-1855). Born in Brody to Rav Meir Chiyus. He was a descendent of Rav Yitzchak Chiyus, the Zera Yitzchak. The family could trace their lineage back to Dovid Hamelech. He received smicha at the age of 21 from Rav Ephraim Zalman Margulies, Rav of Brody. Two years later, he was appointed Rav of ZolokovaIn 1854, he became Rav of Kalisch. His was the author of Sheilos U’teshuvos Maharatz, Atreres Tzvi, and Divrei Horaa. His thoughts on Shas are prinyted in the back of Geamaras used today. Rav Tzvi Hirsch’s son. Rav Yitzchak, was mechaber of the sefer Siach Yitzchak on maseches Makkos.
Rabbi Moshe from Shershov (1826)

Shimon Hatzadik of the Anshei Knesset Hagedola, 313 BCE
Rav Menachem Mendel of Vizhnitz (1830-1885), author of Tzemach Tzedek. Named for His grandfather, Rav Menachem Mendel Hager of Kossov (1768-1825), founder of the Vizhnitz dynasty. Born to Rav Chaim of Kossov, who betrothed him to Miriam, daughter of Rav Yisrael of Rizhin, when his son was only 6 years old. The wedding took place in 1844. In 1854, he moved to Vizhnitz, a small town at the foot of the Carpathian mountains, 30 miles from the Romanian border. Shortly thereafter his father was niftar. He assumed the mantle of Vizhnitz when he was only 24. He was succeeded by his son Rav Baruch (1845-1893).

Rav Aharon of Zhitomer, author of Toldos Aharon (1816). A talmid muvhak of Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, he succeeded Rav Zev Wolf of Zhitomir (the Ohr Hemeir) upon the appointment of the Kedushas Levi. His divrei Torah were written down by one of his closest talmidim, Rav Levi of Zhitomir,after he heard them, at the end of every Shabbos and Yom Tov.

Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev (1740-1810). At the suggestion of his mentor, Reb Smelke of Nikolburg, he traveled to Mezritch and became a close disciple of the Magid of Mezritch. Following posts at Zelichov and Pinsk, he spent the last 25 years of his life in Berdichev. His teachings are contained in the posthumously published Kedushas Levi.

Rav Moshe Sofer – the Chasam Sofer – was born in 1766 to Rav Shmuel and Gittel Sofer of Frankfurt Am Mein. Rav Shmuel was an outstanding talmid chacham who traced his yichus back to the Yalkut Shimoni. At the age of three, he turned to his melamed in puzzlement and asked, “Why does the verse repeat itself in the expression ‘afar min ha’adama?'” The melamed tried to hurry on to the next verse, but the young Moshe would not be put off and demanded an answer straight away. Astounded by the child’s grasp, the melamed told Rav Shmuel what had happened.