Tzvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov (1783–January 11, 1841)^[1] was a famous Hasidic Rebbe in Poland. A prolific writer, known as the author of Bnei Yissachar, a classic Hasidic text containing conversations about the Torah. He is also the author of many other works on various topics. He stubbornly fought against the Haskalah movement.

He was a nephew of Elimelech of Lizhensk and a student of Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin and Yisroel Hopstein. Alternately, he was the rabbi of several cities of Poland, and led work from Dynów.

The traditions of Zvi Elimelech Spira from Dynuw continue among his descendants and rabbis in Brooklyn. His grave in Poland became a place of pilgrimage for the Hasidim.

References

Tefilin worn by the Bnei Yissaschar

Bnei Yissaschar used to wear tefillin made from dakos leather, a more refined type of leather. This was before the advent of modern tefillin machine presses that now almost exclusively manufacture with gasos leather. Because dakos is a more refined leather they more easily wear out and need replacement. As a result the Bnei Yissaschar had several throughout his lifetime. Here is a picture of a preserved pair of tefillin worn by the Bnei Yissaschar.