Shmelke of Nikolsburg

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Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Halevi of Nikolsburg (1726 Chortkiv, Galicia - 1778 Nikolsburg, Moravia) was an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi and one of the great early Chasidic Rebbes. He was the oldest son of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Chortkiv. He traced his lineage back directly to the prophet Samuel who was also a Levite. In their early years, Shmelke and his brother Pinchas - who would also become a famous rabbi - studied Torah together for a long time. After traveling to Mezritch and meeting the great chasidic master Rabbi Dov Ber the Maggid, they became his ardent followers.

After serving as rabbi in Ritchval and Shinive, Shmelke was invited, in 1773, to become the rabbi of Nikolsburg in Moravia, where he made a powerful impact. On the first day of his being Rabbi of Nikolsburg; Abraham Trebitch a native of Nikolsburg reports him performing a miracle and bringing rain. It is told that his strong attachment to Chasidus angered many members of the community, which led to bitter quarrels that were quelled as a result of the personal intervention of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk.

Rabbi Shmelke established a major yeshivah that attracted numerous outstanding students. Among these were such luminaries as Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, Rabbi Yisrael of Koznitz, Rabbi Mordecai Benet and Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sassov.