The second day of Sukkos is the yahrzeit of Rav Moshe Zacut (Ramaz) (1625-1697). Born in Amsterdam to a family of conversos who had subsequently managed to escape Portugal he studied in Beit Midrash Etz Chaim that had been founded by Menasseh ben Israel. He also studied under Rav Shaul Morteira together with Baruch Spinoza.
Rav Moshe traveled to Posen to study Kabbalah and in 1845 moved to Italy where he studied Kabbalah in Verona under Rav Binyomin HaLevi author of Chemdas Yomim. The aging Rav Azariah Figo, invited him to move to Venice to replace him as the rav of Venice. While in Venice Rav Moshe also worked as a book editor.
Rav Moshe planned on moving to Tzefas but was offered a position in Mantua. He decided to go to Mantua, but the community in Venice protested that he had four years remaining on his contract, so his move was delayed. In 1673 he moved to Mantua where he founded a very large yeshiva. The yeshiva focused on studying the teachings of the Arizal together with in-depth study of Talmud and halacha. The yeshiva published the works of the Arizal which contributed to their dissemination throughout the Jewish world, especially in Europe. He determined that the only writings of the students of the Ari that were worth studying were those composed by Rav Chaim Vital.
Among his students was Rav Yeshaya Bassan, the rebbe of the Ramchal. The Ramaz wrote countless works on Tanach, Mishna, Songs and Kabbalah.
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The second day of Sukkos is the yahrzeit of Rav Tzvi Hersh Shapiro (1850-1913), second Munkatcher Rebbe.
A great-grandson of the Bnei Yissachar, he was born in Strzyzow, Poland and named for Rav Zvi Hersh of Ziditchov on whose yahrzeit he was born. When he was six, he was engaged to Chana Horvitz who came from an illustrious Chassidic/rabbinic family. The wedding took place nine years later. Rav Tzvi Hersh was a chassid of Rav Chaim Sanzer and, later, Rav Chaim’s son the Shinover Rebbe.
His father Rav Shlomo, became Rav of Munkatch in 1881, at which time Rav Tzvi Hersh was named to head the bais din there. After Rav Shlomo passed in 1893, Rav Tzvi Hersh took his place. He was removed from that role by the government as he did not speak fluent Hungarian. He remained as the unofficial rabbi and eventually was allowed to resume official functions.
He wrote significant works on halacha (Darkei Teshuva) and Kabbalah (B’er L’chai Roi on the Tikkunei Zohar) which was his primary area of study. He opened a Kollel in Yerushalayim and raised funds to support the kollel and community, although he opposed political Zionism. His son and successor was the Minchas Elozar.
Someone once asked Rav Tzvi Hersh to daven for him that he should be diligent in his Torah study. Rav Tzvi Hersh responded that diligence in Torah is a mitzvah and is dependent on one’s exercise of his own free will, to study diligently or not. As such, it is not something for which one can daven to receive from Hashem. However, he offered, I can daven that you should enjoy the study of Torah and consequently you will be diligent.
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The third day of Sukkos is the yahrzeit of Rebbitzen Batsheva Kanievsky (1932-2011). Born in Meah Shearim she was the oldest daughter of Rav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv and his wife Shayna Chaya, who was the daughter of Rav Aryeh Levin. As a child she would accompany her grandfather on his visits to prisoners, hospitals and the needy. For elementary school she attended the Altschuler girls school and was known as an outstanding student. In her youth she worked as a bookkeeper and assisted her father as he edited the works of his grandfather, the Ba’al HaLeshem.
In 1952 the Chazon Ish arranged a shidduch for her with Rav Chaim Kanievsky, then learning in Yeshiva Lomza in Petach Tikvah. The young couple moved to Bnei Brak. She and her husband would wake up each morning and recite the morning berachos together. They would take walks in the evening, and always eat meals together. In the 1990s she began to receive women who needed advice and berachos in her home. This had already been happening on a smaller scale as her father-in-law, the Steipler Gaon, would not receive women, and would tell them to go to her. She would daven each morning at the vasikin minyan in the Lederman Shul and over time many women joined her. She had three sons and five daughters.
In the final decade of her life she increased her public activity. She sponsored charitable events, encouraged Jewish outreach efforts, and supported campaigns to encourage people to refrain from speaking lashon hara. She created initiatives to improve women’s mental health and economic status.
