This Day In History 14 Teves/January 1

14 Teves

In 5275/1515, the Jews of Laibach, Austria, were expelled.

Yahrtzeiten

5634/1874, Harav Levi Yitzchok of Stefin zt”l

5761/2001, Harav Alter Menachem Mendel, Rebbe of Lelov, zt”l

5764/2004

Harav Aryeh Leib Bakst, Zt”l

Harav Leib Bakst was born in 5675/1915 in Polish Lithuania. As a young bachur he learned in the Yeshiva of Lida, headed by Harav Yaakov Neiman, zt”l, and later continued on to other great yeshivos, ending up at the Mirrer Yeshiva of Poland. Rav Leib was known as one of the “lions of Mir” and became close with its great mentors including the Mashgichim, Harav Yeruchem Levovitz, zt”l, and later Harav Yechezkel Levenstein, zt”l. He was esteemed by the roshei yeshivah as well as his peers.

Rav Bakst was among a select few budding talmidei chachamim who were chosen to study with Torah luminaries such as the Brisker Rav, zt”l, and Reb Baruch Ber Leibovitz, zt”l.

In 5699/1939, Polish Jewry began experiencing the onslaught of the Nazi regime. In anticipation of the imminent danger, the Mir’s leadership planned a slow and systematic migration from Central Europe.

Rav Bakst was chosen, along with 29 other scholars, to be in the first group to leave Poland. After months of travel through Vladivostok and Siberia, with limited provisions, the entourage of talmidim arrived in Kobe, Japan, after which they traveled on to Shanghai, China. Eventually, the entire Mirrer Yeshivah was reunited in Shanghai to study in relative solitude for the remainder of the war years.

The Mirrer students’ arrival in North America in 5707/1947 was heralded as a sign of a new beginning.

Rav Bakst became known across North America for his brilliance in Torah. In 5709/1949, community leaders and Rabbanim from Detroit met with Rav Bakst and invited him to become the dean of Yeshivah Beis Yehudah.

Rav Bakst dedicated his life to building Jewish education in Detroit. In 5745/1985, he embarked on a plan to revitalize chinuch in Detroit by creating an independent yeshivah for high school-age bachurim, Yeshivah Gedolah Ateres Mordechai.

As Rosh Yeshivah in Detroit, Rav Leib Bakst was know for his knowledge of the entire Torah. Despite being in America, Rav Leib, as he was affectionately known, expected from his talmidim the highest dedication to limud haTorah, toiling in Torah and depth in Torah. To watch him smile as he related a sevara, was to watch a soul rejoice with the Torah. The fire of Torah that he exuded as he argued a knotty talmudic topic left a profound impression on generations of talmidim who sought to emulate him, at least in a small way. His sharp and incisive daas Torah, served as a source of chizuk and inspiration to countless students and members of the community.

Yehi zichro baruch.

Jan. 1

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that slaves in rebel states shall be “forever free.”

In 1913, the U.S. Parcel Post system went into operation.

In 1979, the United States and China held celebrations in Washington and Beijing to mark the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two new countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

In 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect.