Rav Shabsei (ben Meir) Hakohen Katz zy”a, best known as the Shach, (an abbreviation of Sifsei Cohen), his monumental commentary on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah and Choshen Mishpat, passed away 1 Adar Aleph 5423/1663. He also authored several other seforim.  The Shach passed away at the young age of 41. It is difficult to understand…

26 Shevat is the yahrzeit of Rav Dovid (ben Shmuel) Halevi Segal zy”a, author of Turei Zahav – Taz, one of the primary commentaries on the four sections of Shulchan Aruch. He also wrote a super-commentary on Rashi to Chumash. He was a son-in-law of the Bach. In his introduction to Yoreh Deah, the tzaddik…

25 Shevat is the yahrzeit of Reb Yisroel (ben Zev Wolf) Lipkin zy”a, better known as Reb Yisroel Salanter, the father of the Mussar movement. He passed away Erev Shabbos Mishpatim 5643/1883. It has been pointed out that the date of the tzaddik’s passing is no coincidence, as Mishpatim teaches the laws of dealing with peoplein…

22 Shevat is the yarzeit of Reb Yehuda Zev (ben Moshe Yitzchok) Halevi Segal zy”a. My Rebbe, Reb Shlomo Kupetz zt”l was a talmid of his, and I heard numerous first-hand accounts of his greatness and his great level of kedusha, which he imparted to his talmidim. As is well known, Rav Segal inspired and…

22 Shevat is the yahrzeit of a talmid of the Kotzker Rebbe, Reb Yehuda Leib ben Shlomo Eiger zy”a, grandson of Reb Akiva Eiger. When Reb Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Ishbitz left Kotzk to lead his own court, Reb Leibele Eiger followed him. Still, he felt pained his whole life over separating from the Kotzker, and…

22 Shevat is the yahrzeit of the legendary Kotzker Rebbe, Reb Menachem Mendel (ben Yehuda Leibush) Morgenstern zy”a. He was a talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin, the Yid Hakodosh and the Rebbe Reb Bunim of Peshischa.  Reb Menachem Mendel passed away on a Thursday between Yisro and Mishpatim. The date of his passing, כ“ב ב‘שבט,…

17 Shevat is the yahrzeit of Reb Yechezkel (ben Tzvi Hirsch) Taub of Kuzhmir zy”a, a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin. The first Modzitzer Rebbe was his grandson. There are numerous beautiful heartwarming stories involving Reb Yechezkel, many of which highlight his great dedication towards the honor of Shabbos. Nusach Sefard recites Ha’Aderes V’ha’Emuna, which…

Rav Daniel (ben Naftali Hertzka) Frisch zy”a passed away 14 Shevat 5765/2005. He was one of the chashuvim of the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Chassidim. He revolutionized the learning of Zohar Hakadosh with his popular pirush titled Masuk Midvash, which translates and explains the Zohar Hakodosh in a relatively simple manner. He also penned pirushim on…

Reb Mordechai (ben Noach) Lechovitcher zy”a passed away 13 Shevat 5570/1810. He was a descendant of the Levush. He was a talmid muvhak of Reb Shlomo Karliner, as well as a talmid of the Rebbe Reb Boruch’l of Medzhibozh. There is a tradition to light a candle in the tzaddik’s memory, mentioning his name with…

The sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Yosef Yitzchok ben Sholom Dov Ber zy”a, passed away 10 Shevat 5710/1950. This tzaddik was known as the ריי״ץ, and his father was known as the רש״ב. As is well known, the last Lubavitcher Rebbe was especially known for his belief that every Jew has a soul waiting to be…