Tzadikim

Shmelke of Nikolsburg (1726 Chortkiv, Galicia - 1778 Nikolsburg, Moravia) was one of the great early Chasidic Rebbes. Born Shmuel Horowitz (but commonly known by the diminutive "Shmelke"), he was the oldest son of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Horowitz of Chortkiv.

A Levite, he traced his lineage back directly to the prophet Samuel who was also a Levite. In their early years, Shmelke and his brother Pinchas - who would also become a famous rabbi - studied Torah together. After traveling to Mezritch and meeting the great chasidic master Dovber of Mezeritch, they became his ardent followers.

After serving as rabbi in Ryczywół and Shineva, Shmelke was invited, in 1773, to become the rabbi of Nikolsburg in Moravia, where he served until 1778. On the first day of his being rabbi of Nikolsburg, Abraham Trebitsch a native of Nikolsburg reports him performing a miracle and bringing rain. It is told that his strong attachment to Chasidus angered many members of the community, which led to bitter quarrels that were quelled as a result of the personal intervention of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk.

Shmelke established a major yeshiva that attracted numerous outstanding students. Among these were such luminaries as Rabbis Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin, Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, Yisroel Hopsztajn, Mordecai Benet and Moshe Leib of Sassov.

• POTOMCI RABI SMELKEHO

A Video about Shmuel "Schmelke" (ben Hirsh Halevi) Horowitz of Nikolsburg (1772–1778) and Chassidism in Czech. The moderator interviews Rabbi Manis Barash of Chabad Prague, Shmuel Fleischman of Nikolsburg, and Rav Yisroel Zusha Horowitz Halevi of Yerushalayim. It features video of The Horowitz Family and Matisyahu Miller.

R. Samuel Shmelke Horowitz 1726-78. Together with his younger brother he studied in his youth uder the Chassidic leader, DovBer the Maggid of Miedzryzcz. He became ABD Rychwal (1754), Sieniawa (1766) and from 1773 as ABD Nikolsburg (Mikulov) in Moravia, from where he became known as the Chassid Shmelke of Nikolsburg.

He did much to spread the spirit of Chassidism throughout Poland and Galacia. Because of this, his last appointment led to bitter opposition, but he was confirmed in office by the Empress Maria Theresa.

Many stories and miraculous happenings were related about him. He had many disciples but kept much to himself leading an ascetic life. He was the author of "Divrei Shmuel", published in 1862 and "Nezir Hashem", published in 1869.

It is recorded that he preached about seven different sciences on each of his first seven Sabbaths as ABD Nikolsburg, and on the eighth he preached about the Torah. In this way he showed the community his acquaintance with the sciences, but that he nevertheless preferred from experiences the Holy Law.

On the first day of Iyar (in 1778) Rabbi Shmelke said to his disciples:

"Today is my dying day. The soul of the Prophet Samuel is within me, for I am called Samuel like him of the Levites, and like him my life has been 52 years." Whereupon he bade farewell and died sitting in his chair.

Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Halevi of Nikolsburg (1726 Chortkiv, Galicia - 1778 Nikolsburg, Moravia) was an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi and one of the great early Chasidic Rebbes.

He was the oldest son of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Chortkiv. He traced his lineage back directly to the prophet Samuel who was also a Levite.

In their early years, Shmelke and his brother Pinchas - who would also become a famous rabbi - studied Torah together for a long time. After traveling to Mezritch and meeting the great chasidic master Rabbi Dov Ber the Maggid, they became his ardent followers.

After serving as rabbi in Ritchval and Shinive, Shmelke was invited, in 1773, to become the rabbi of Nikolsburg in Moravia, where he made a powerful impact. On the first day of his being Rabbi of Nikolsburg; Abraham Trebitch a native of Nikolsburg reports him performing a miracle and bringing rain. It is told that his strong attachment to Chasidus angered many members of the community, which led to bitter quarrels that were quelled as a result of the personal intervention of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk.

"Directory and Genealogy of the Horowitz-Margareten Family- from Generation to Generation" revised Edition 1994. -Chart no.1

The first day of Iyar is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Shmuel Shmelke Horowitz of Nikolsburg, known as the Rebbe Reb Shmelke (1726-1778). The firstborn son of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Chortkov, Shmuel Shmelke traced his ancestry

back to the Baal HaMaor and to Shmuel HaNavi. As a teenager, he and his brother Pinchas - who was to become the Ba’al HaFla’a of Frankfurt – would study bechavrusa; their chidushim were printed by Rav Pinchas in a kunterus called “Sheves Achim.” In their early years, Shmuel Shmelke and Pinchas studied Torah in nonchasidic Lithuanian yeshivos; but after traveling to Mezritch and meeting the Maggid, they became his ardent followers. After becoming a chasid, he became Rav of Ritchval, the site of his famous yeshiva that produced his many famous talmidim. After serving there for 10 years, he became Rav of Shiniva. Then, in 1773, he was invited to become Rav of Nikolsburg in Moravia. Although he was there only 5 years, he made a powerful impact, an dhe remains associated with that city to this day. Among his disciples are the Chozeh of Lublin, Reb Menachem Mendel of Rymanov, Reb Yisrael of Koznitz, Reb Mordechai Banet and Reb Moshe Leib of Sassov. His homilies and novellae were published in Divrei Shmuel, and anthologies of his Torah thoughts were published under the titles Imrei Shmuel, Nazir Hashem and Shemen Hatov.

Reb Shmelke has at the end of his list of Hanhagot, Spiritual Practices: Read these things over three times each day. Make it a fixed rule for yourself, to be done always, without exception. And it is best if you read it once as soon as you wake up, once after the Morning Prayers and before you go out to work, and once after the Evening Prayers before sleep. (Shemen Ha-Tov #54)

May the merit of the tzadik Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke HaLevi Horowitz, of Nikolsburg protect us all. Amen