Yahrtzeit: Rebbe Yechiel Michel of Kurima (Sivan 25)

Born to Rebbe Tzvi Menachem Mendel of Dinavitz (son of the Rebbe Reb Zisha of Anipoli) and Rebbetzin Sima (a great-granddaughter of the Baal Shem Hakadosh) in the year 5535 (1785).

After his father's passing, he served as Rav of Dinavitz.

The minhag in Hornosteipel was to say in the berachah of V'lamalshinim, "v'chol haminim v'hamosrim k'regah yoveidu". Reb Nuchim from Tel Aviv (son of the Rebbe Reb Leibele) wrote that this addition came from Reb Mechel of Kurima "who suffered immensely from mosrim (informers)". After suffering at the hands of the mosrim in his home town, some say he was held in prison for two years in Dinavitz. Somewhere between 5596-5570 it was ruled that he was to be taken to Siberia with the Rizhiner (who also had just been taken prisoner). On the way, his chassidim rescued him, and he ran to Kurima where he was appointed Rav.

Before his passing (in 1856), he told his children that no one should visit his tziyun (trans. grave, see left) without first saying the entire book of Tehilim twice!

His son was Rebbe Meshulam Zisha Yitzchak of Tolomitch, the father of the Rebbe Reb Motele of Hornosteipel, zy"a.

There is much more to be said but it will have to wait for another opportunity. Meanwhile, for more info see MiGedolei HaChassidus, pg. 86-88, Rabeinu Hakadosh MiTzanz, pg. 441-444, Devarim Areivim, pg. 114, 182. Also here (English) and here (Yiddish and Hebrew). The second link is to a forum where someone posted a gripping account of the entire story of how Reb Mechel Kurimer was captured and ultimately rescued. The account is from a handwritten manuscript (in Hebrew) by the Keretzkier Ruv, a son-in-law of the Kedushas Yom Tov. More later...