This Day In History 15 Shevat/January 31

Today is Tu BiShvat (the 15th of Shevat) which marks the beginning of a New Year for Trees. This is the season in which the earliest-blooming trees emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle. Halachically, the New Year relates to the dinim of maasros, orlah, neta riva’i and, according to some, Shemittah.

In 5691/1931, the first Siyum HaShas of the Daf Yomi cycle was celebrated.

In 5701/1941, the Nazis established the ghetto of Lodz.


Yahrtzeiten

5583/1823, Harav Chaim Mordechai Margulies, zt”l, mechaber of Shaarei Teshuvah

5663/1903, Harav Shlomo Dovid Yehoshua Guterman of Radzimin, zt”l

5685/1925, Harav Refael Shlomo Laniado, zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah of Porat Yosef


5638/1878, Harav Gedalyah Aharon Rabinowitz of Linitz, Zy”a, Mechaber of Chen Aharon

Harav Gedalyah Aharon Rabinowitz was born in 5575/1815. He was the son of Harav Yitzchak Yoel of Linitz, zy”a, of whom he was orphaned at a young age.

Reb Gedalyah Aharon learned under Harav Yisrael of Ruzhin, Harav Moshe Tzvi of Savran, and Harav Shmuel of Kaminka.

He married the daughter of Harav Shmuel Abba Shapira, the son of Harav Moshe of Slavita, a scion of the Koritzer dynasty. The couple lived in Reb Shmuel Abba’s home until 5599/1839, when they returned to Linitz. There Reb Gedalyah Aharon was appointed successor to his father, as Rebbe and Rav of the town.

In 5602/1842, for an unknown reason, Reb Gedalyah Aharon moved to Sokolovka, a small town near Linitz. He resided there until 5628/1868.

Although Reb Gedalyah Aharon was known for his greatness in Torah, he barely ever delivered public divrei Torah. He led the Chassidim in the Koritzer style, as he had seen in the home of his father-in-law.

Reb Gedalyah Aharon was nearly taken away by the Russians to Yeruslav, but he was forewarned and managed to escape to Romania, where he spent the last 10 years of his life. He was niftar on 15 Shevat 5638/1878.

One of his Chassidim in Romania compiled many of his divrei Torah and published them under the name Chen Aharon.

Reb Gedalyah Aharon’s sons were Harav Yitzchak Yoel of Kantikozbah; Harav Pinchas of Sokolovka; Harav Yosef, Rav in Boheflah; and Harav Yaakov of Tcherkas.

His sons-in-law were Harav Yaakov Shimshon Chodarov; Harav Shaul, Rav in Chatin; and Harav Yaakov Leib of Lubashov.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.


Jan. 31

In 1865, the U.S. House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution abolishing slavery, sending it to states for ratification. (The amendment was adopted in December 1865.)

In 1917, during World War I, Germany served notice that it was beginning a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.

In 1929, revolutionary Leon Trotsky and his family were expelled from the Soviet Union.

In 1953, a major storm with winds in excess of 100 MPH caused flooding in 3 countries with North Sea coastal areas, killing a total of more than 2,000 people in the Netherlands, Great Britain and Belgium.

In 1958, the United States entered the Space Age with its first successful launch of a satellite, Explorer 1, from Cape Canaveral.

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