Rav Moshe Hager of Antiniya (1994)
Rav Yeshayahu Menachem ben Yitzchak of Cracow, the originator of the Heter Iska (1599)
Today in History – 25 Av
· The final in a series of Latin anti-Jewish Laws were passed, 531. The Law of Justinian Concerning Heretics and Manichaeans and Samaritans forbade a Jew to bear witness in court against an orthodox Christian.
· Jews who were previously expelled from France are invited back by King Louis IX, 1249..
· Peter Stuyvesant barred Jews from military service, 1655.
· Many Jews of Copenhagen were killed when the British bombed the city in 1807.

Rav Aharon of Terbeli, author of Machneh Aharon (1741).
Rav Ephraim Zalman Margulies, Rav of Brod, author of Mateh Ephraim, Beis Ephraim, Olelos Ephraim, Shaarei Ephraim (1762-1828)
Rav Dovid Ortinberg of Berditchev, the Tehilla LeDovid (1910)
Rav Shalom Halperin, the Vasloier Rebbe (1857-1939). Born in Sadigua to Rav Dovid Halpern, who was a son-in-law of Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin. At the age of seventeen, he married his cousin Chana Sarah, the daughter of the first Bohusher Rebbe, Reb Yitzchak. When Rav Shalom was nearing forty years of age, the Bohusher Rebbe decided that it was time for his son-in-law to lead his own chassidim.
Today in History – 24 Av

Rav Mordechai ben Hillel, the “Mordechai” (~1230-1298). A descendent of the Ravyah, he was a principle disciple of the Maharam miRottenberg, and a close friend of the Rosh. The Mordechai cites views of French and German authorities and brings the piskei halacha of the Tosefos without the discussion. He, his wife, and their five children were all burned at the stake during the Rindfleisch pogroms, when over 100,000 Jews in Bavaria and Austria were murdered, and well over 100 communities disappeared.

Rav Levi Yitzchak (ben Baruch Schneur) Schneerson (1878-1944). Born to the oldest of the seven sons of the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel (the Tzemach Tzedek). He was a devoted chasid of Rav Shalom Dov Ber Schneerson, the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe (the Rebbe Rashab). After the Rebbe Rashab passed away, Rav Levi Yitzchak became equally dedicated to his successor, Rav Yosef Yitzchak (the Rebbe Rayatz). Rav Levi Yitzchak and his wife, Rebbitzen Chana had three sons. The oldest, Rav Menachem Mendel, became the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe. Rav Levi Yitzchak was Chief Rabbi of the major Ukrainian city Yekaterinoslav (today called Dniepropetrovsk) until his arrest and exile.

Rav Yaakov Kuli (Culi), author of Me’am Loez (1689 or 1690-1732). He was a grandson and talmid of Rav Moshe ibn Habib. He moved from Tzefas to Constantinople , where he worked closely with RavYehudah Rosenas, the Mishneh LeMelech. He was appointed Dayan in Constantinople , After the Mishneh LeMelech was niftar in 1727, Rav Kuli published all of his works (which had been in chaotic manuscript form). Rav Kuli himself only published Me’am Loez on Breishis and half of Shemos before he died. Because of its overwhelming popularity, other prominent rabbis of Turkey completed the remaining volumes.

Rav Moshe Bernstein, Rosh Yeshivas Kamenitz. Born in the town of Turetz, he learned in Mir. He became the son-in-law of Reb Baruch Ber Lebowitz. Hired Rav Elya Lopian as mashgiach under the recommendation of Rav Moshe Aaron Stern.
Rav Shlomo Chanoch Rabinowitz, the fourth and last Rebbe of Radomsk, perished with his family in the Warsaw Ghetto (1942). He was known for the network of Yeshivos Keser Torah he had established throughout Poland and Galicia. The Radomsker Chassidim during the period between the two World Wars, were counted among the three largest Chassidic movements in Poland.
Today in History – 18 Av

Nachum Ish Gamzu, Rabi Akiva’s rebbi for 22 years, buried in Tzefas.
Rav Benzion Yadler, Maggid of Yerushalayim (1952 or 1962)
Rav Asher, the Stoliner Rebbe (1760-1828). The son of Rav Aharon Karliner, he was raised by Rav Shlomo Karliner after his father’s petira. Rav Asher later settled in Stolin.
Rav Shimon ibn Lavie, author of Kesem Paz and composer of “Bar Yochai” (1588)

Rav Yosef Naftali Stern, rosh yeshivas Pressburg in Yerushalayim (1971)
Rav Tzvi Hirsch of Liska, Hungary (1798-1874). Rav Tzvi Hirsch spent several years at the court of the Yismach Moshe of Uhel, who spent a dominant role shaping his life. Rav Tzvi Hirsch authored Ach Pri Tevua and Hayashar Vehatov. His son mand successor was Rav Chaim Friedlander of Liska.
Rav Yitzchak Friedman, the Bohusher Rebbe (1903-1992). Born in Spikov, Russia to his father Rav Shalom Yosef.
Today in History – 14 Av
· Arabs took control of Eretz Yisrael from the Byzantines, 636.
· Pope Nicholas III requires compulsory attendance of Jews at conversion sermons, 1278.

Rav Mordechai Banet of Nikolsburg, Hungary, author of Parashas Mordechai (1753-1829)
Rav Nosson Nota Shapira, author of Megaleh Amukos and Ranav Ofanim (1585-1633). Eliyahu HaNavi is said to have visited with him regularly. Son of Rav Shlomo Shapira, and grandson of Rav Matisyahu ben Yosef Treves of Provence (1325-1382) who was appointed Chief Rabbi of Paris by Charles the Fifth. The Shapiro family comes from the German town of Speyer from where the founder of the family escaped at the time of the First Crusade in 1096.

Rav Zevulun Aryeh Graz (1904-1989). Born in Ozband, Lithuania, to Rav Yosef Nesanael, a student of the Alter of Kelm and, for a while, the menahel ruchani of the Telz yeshivah. As a youngster, Rav Zevulun Aryeh studied for a while in Kelm, and then under Rav Eliyahu Lopian in Telz. In 1924, he joined a group of Telz students to Eretz Yisrael to study in the Knesses Yisrael yeshivah in Chevron, a branch of Slabodka. After the massacre of 1929, the survivors left Chevron and settled in Yerushalayim. Rav Zevulun Aryeh noved back to Lithuania in 1931, married, and delivered shiur at Yeshivah Ohel Moshe. Later, Rav Zevulun Aryeh studied in the Kovna kollel of Rav Avraham Kahana-Shapiro, the Dvar Avraham.