Undoubtedly an unconventional chossid, Reb Zalman Moshe Hayitzchaki was devoted to the truth with his whole heart. He fought hard with his yetzer hara, using harsh and sometimes colorful terms to put it away.

When Reb Berel Garfinkel was twenty-one, he knew all of Shas with Rashi, Tosfos, and other rishonim, as well as all the printed maamorim – by heart! Yet, he carried no air of pride or feigned “humility.”

Though he suffered many hardships, Reb Gershon Ber Paharer was always thankful for the good things that happened to him. A great chossid, he would resolve every night that the next day be different than the one that passed.

It was late one blustery Friday night under Communism when knocking was heard on the door of a chossid’s home in Nevel. Terrified, he opened the door, to find the town’s shochet Reb Chaim Dovid Lein looking for candlelight by which to learn a maamar.

A chossid of the Alter Rebbe from his early years in Liozna, R. Yisroel Yafeh of Dubravna was a talented baal menagen. When the Alter Rebbe went to rest during the Zhlobiner chassuna, he played his violin outside the door, inspiring the Rebbe to recite a maamar until 7 am.

One of three people to receive semicha from the Rebbe Maharash, Reb Yaakov Mordechai Bezpalov, later the rov of Poltava, was the Rebbe Rashab‘s chavrusa and close friend who brought him comfort after his father’s histalkus.

When a woman began shouting derogatory statements against Reb Boruch Mordechai Babroisker, his Rebbetzin could not bear it. But then the Rov demonstrated to her that the woman didn’t really mean it.

When the Frierdiker Rebbe asked R’ Boruch Sholom Kahn to buy mattresses for the Rebbe Rashab and Rebbetzin Shterna Sara, he went to the fanciest store and was not satisfied until they gave him the mattresses designated for Czar Nikolai II.

R’ Nechemya of Dubrovna, who was married to the Alter Rebbe‘s granddaughter, was a chavrusa to the Tzemach Tzedek and an exceptional gaon. Yet, he shied away from publicity and earned his livelihood from his taleisim factory.

During the year after the Tzemach Tzedek‘s histalkus, people would not want to join the minyan of Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman. Once he started davening, he would forget where he was and became absorbed in the davening for hours…

A rov in Poznan, R. Akiva Eiger was an incredible gaon, yet unpretentious. While traveling to the health spas in Karlsbad, the Mitteler Rebbe visited him and was impressed by his great humility.

Born in Latvia and raised in Chevron, R’ Shlomo Yehuda Leib Eliezerov was sent by the Rebbe Rashab to Samarkand, where he served as a rov and taught Torah to the young.

A prominent figure in Lubavitch, Rebbetzin Rivkah, whose 110th yahrtzeit is on Yud Shvat, was known for her wisdom and storytelling, as well as her sensitivity and kindness. Her admiration for her husband, the Rebbe Maharash, was so exceptional that she never sat while he stood and didn’t disturb him when her dress got caught in the door…

An exceptional violin player, R’ Shlomo Chashniker‘s nigunim could melt his listeners’ hearts. Playing at the Zhlobiner Chassuna, R’ Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev showed him his heart and R’ Shlomo never had another machshava zara during davening.

An early tomim, R’ Avrohom Elyeh Akslerod came to the US in 1924 where he served a rov in Baltimore. He continued to act just as in Lubavitch and the Frierdiker Rebbe had a unique compliment for him.

Rebbetzin Sterna, the daughter of wealthy parents from Vitebsk, married the young Alter Rebbe. When he was shunned for becoming a chossid, she refused to get divorced and faithfully stood by her husband’s side.

Under Communist rule, Reb Yona Kahn “Poltaver” risked his life by running all underground branches of Tomchei Temimim in Russia. When Reb Mendel Futerfas asked him about leaving, Reb Yonah shared how he felt about it.

At first a successful businessman, after losing his fortune R. Avremke Zhebiner became a respected chassidishe rov. Known for being R. Groinem‘s mashpia, he didn’t leave this world before tearfully parting with the Tanya.

A tall man with hardened facial features, seemingly cold and calculated, Reb Chaim Ber Wilensky of Kremenchug didn’t look like a warm “chossid.” The truth, however, was quite the opposite, and those who were close to him, dubbed him, “the cold firebrand.”

When the Mitteler Rebbe‘s widow, Rebbetzin Shaina, suggested her granddaughter as a shidduch for the Rebbe Maharash, the Tzemach Tzedek asked what dowry she was offering. The Rebbetzin replied, “I will give forty years of eishes chaver kechaver – the wife of a tzadik being equal to the tzadik himself!”