Rabbeinu Pinchos Halevi was the son of Rabbi Zvi, rov of Tchortkov. When he was a young child, his mother would claim that she had two sons, Pinchos and Shmelke (later Rabbi Shmelke of Nicholsburg), who never washed netilas yodayim in the morning and never said Krias Shema al Hamitoh, alluding to the fact that they both learned all through the nights as well as the days, never lying down in bed to sleep.

From Our Archives

A Mashgiach's Loneliness in Faraway Lands by Rochel Gil The man we interviewed visited more than twenty-five countries in nine years as a well-known kashrus mashgiach who is an expert on kosher raw materials from chutz la'aretz. Besides problems of language, kosher food for himself during trips, and unpleasant loneliness, hashgacha abroad requires much intuitive wisdom. There are places where one can't believe what the locals say. There are other places that the size of the factory poses a tremendous challenge.

Opinion and Comment Beware of Bilaam and His Talmidim: Every Intention of a Rosho is for Evil by the Tzanz-Klausenberg Rebbe, zt"l This speech was given by the Tzanz-Klausenberg Rebbe, zt'l, at a meeting of educators in the year 5732 (1972). The Rebbe's yahrtzeit is 9 Tammuz. The Rebbe was a Holocaust survivor who had very extensive and bitter experience of the worst excesses of Israel's enemies.

There are Certain People One Must Study Carefully by Avrohom Hacohen HaGaon R' Elchonon Bunim Wassermann zt'l Hy'd used to leave Baranowitz each year at the beginning of Elul to be in the proximity of the Chofetz Chaim, where he remained until after Simchas Torah. After the death of the Chofetz Chaim, from the beginning of 5694 (1933), he began visiting Kelm during that period, and continued to do so until his death.