The chossid Reb Nateh, the Rov of Malastirzineh, was a prominent chossid of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek, and was known for his exceptional bittul. When young chassidim in Lubavitch tried throwing out of the Rebbe’s shul, Reb Nateh was not offended – and even defended them.

Reb Yehoshua Aizik Baruch, a mashpia in Kovno and Vilna, stood out in his genuine sincerity. When the Rebbe asked him to deliver regards to Anash, he made sure to relay it to every person he met, and when he missed the special Tehillim on Rosh Hashana, he said them on Rosh Hashana l’Chassidus.

Reb Boruch Sholom, the eldest son of the Tzemach Tzedek, had a special relationship with the Alter Rebbe. Once during a packed maamar, he tried climbing onto the fireplace, but unable to move, he remained with just one foot on the mantel for the duration of the maamar.

One of the first talmidim in Tomchei Temimim, Reb Avraham Dovid Poizner was an outstanding tomim who was removed from worldly matters. When someone mocked his hafshata, saying that he left shechita since he was “too afraid of the animal,” the Rebbe Rashab retorted that it was Hashem who he was afraid of.

The rov of Starodub, R’ Meshulam Zalman Neimark was arrested with 80 community members, accused of helping Yidden evade the draft with guidance from the Rebbe Maharash. Not wanting the Rebbe to suffer, he took full blame and spent two years in prison, where he learned and davened ba’avoda.

Rebbetzin Fraida, the Alter Rebbe‘s daughter, was an illustrious woman and was very dear to her father, who would recite Chassidus privately for her. Her brother, the Mitteler Rebbe, would give her a question in Chassidus to ask their father, and then hide in the room to listen to the answer.

Reb Shneur Zalman Fradkin, known as the “Gaon of Lublin” or by his sefer “Toras Chesed”, was a chossid of the Tzemach Tzedek and an exceptional genius. The seforim seller only allowed him to look at the cover pages, since once he flipped through a sefer, he knew it by heart.

Reb Alter Simchovitch was an outstanding chosid of the Rebbe Rashab and Frierdiker Rebbe who served as a mashpia in various branches of Tomchei Temimim. When a bochur expressed surprise at his meager seudas Shabbos, Reb Alter shared his ideal for a mashpia in Lubavitch.

Titled “yedid beis Rebbe,” Reb Elye Chaim Althaus was a devoted chossid of the Frierdiker Rebbe and stood by his side in all his activities. When Reb Yisroel Jacobson expressed surprise that the Rebbe’s shul was not ready on erev Rosh Hashana, Reb Elye Chaim turned the question around.

Reb Moshe Yitzchak of Yasi, a chossid of the Alter Rebbe and Mitteler Rebbe, was returning from the mikvah one erev Shabbos, when he suddenly looked up to the sky and became very excited. The incident remained a mystery for years until the Tzemach Tzedek explained it.

A misnagdishe communal leader in Vilna, Reb Meir Refoel’s became an ardent chossid after witnessing two incredible mofsim by the Alter Rebbe. Despite the attacks the Vilna chassidim faced, he insisted on keeping the peace.

A misnagdishe communal leader in Vilna, Reb Meir Refoel’s became an ardent chossid after witnessing two incredible mofsim by the Alter Rebbe. Despite the attacks the Vilna chassidim faced, he insisted on keeping the peace.

Blessed by the Rebbe Maharash to be a lamdan and a gevir, R. Zalman Schneerson of Lodz was indeed both, as well as a profound oved. When he couldn’t take mashke, a few lines of Tanya about the joy from HaShem’s omnipresence was enough to fire him up in vigorous dancing.

Reb Yosef Yitzchok of Avrutch, son of the Tzemach Tzedek and son-in-law of Reb Yaakov Yisroel of Tcherkas, settled in Horonsteipel and visited Lubavitch from time to time. When he asked his father on one visit why in Chabad they didn’t say all the zemiros, his father had a strong response.

A devoted gabbai of the Rebbe Rashab and the Frierdiker Rebbe, Reb Chonye Morozov was accused by some as not being ‘mekushar‘ enough. But when he explained his definition of hiskashrus, the tables were turned.

Amongst the intellectual giants of Chabad, R. Chaim Ber Vilensky stands out as an independent thinker and a silent leader. Though he rarely shared his thoughts and feelings, his inner world was very much alive, leading Chassidim to nickname him “The Cold Firebrand.”

When Reb Shlomo Zalman, the Rebbe of Chabad-Kopust, heard that bochurim in Tomchei Temimim learn four hours of Chassidus daily, he was surprised. But later he admitted that the Rebbe Rashab was right, “The world is deteriorating by the hour, and he will be very successful.”

Not a common jokester as some imagine, Reb Shmuel Munkes was one of the towering chassidim of the Alter Rebbe who often used jest to communicate profound ideas. Suspending himself in front of the Rebbe’s home, he taught an important lesson.

After suffering in prison for over a year for not sending his children to secular schools, Reb Yisroel Nevler was released. But when he saw his daughter heading for the door with a knapsack, he threatened to go back there.

An outstanding chassidishe woman held in high esteem by the Tzemach Tzedek and Rebbetzin Rivkah‘s grandmother, Rebbetzin Leah Golda was  was always calm and collected, never getting angry over wrongdoing or complaining when she suffered.