Today, 361 years ago, in the year 1659, the great Rabbi Heschel passed away in Cracow.
R’ Yehoshua Heschel, known as the “Rebbe, R’ Heschel”, is one of the very famous Polish Rabbis. He was called with the double title “Rebbe Reb”, like many other great Polish Rabbis, due to having a big Yeshivah, with many students. In my opinion, since everyone was referring to him, as their Rebbe, just with the Title “the Rebbe”’ it eventually caused people to explain to which Rebbe they were referring to. Thus started this idea of calling the great Rashei Yeshivas as “The Rebbe, R’…”
His most famous disciple was the Schach. Whilst studying in his Yeshivah, the Schach gave a golden chain to his rebbi for safekeeping, but it was stolen by his Jewish servant. R’ Heschel used a gun in his possessions to threaten his servant into giving back the stolen chain. Read more about it here.