This Day In History 25 Adar/March 12

25 Adar

In 3365/396 B.C.E.,

Nevuchadnetzar, the king of Bavel, died. (There are a number of opinions regarding the sequence of events of the next few days; we follow the Braisa of Seder Olam. See Luach d’Var Yom b’Yomo for further discussion of this topic.)

In 4941/1181, the King of France ordered all Jews in Paris attending shul on Shabbos to be detained for ransom.

In 5109/1349, the Jews of Strasbourg, France, were burned to death in the Jewish cemetery; Hy”d.

In 5256/1496, the Jews of Corinthia, Austria, were expelled, and not readmitted until 5608/1848.

Yahrtzeiten

5521/1761, Harav Gershon of Kitov, zy”a

5695/1935, Harav Betzalel Ya’ir Danziger of Alexander, zt”l

5722/1962, Harav Dovid Sperber, zt”l, the Brashover Rav and mechaber of Afarkasta D’Anya

5763/2003, Harav Yisrael Yaakov Fisher, zt”l, Rav of Zichron Moshe and Raavad of the Eidah Hachareidis of Yerushalayim

5733/1973

Harav Salman Chugi Abudi, Zt”l

Harav Salman Chugi Abudi was born in Baghdad in Tammuz 5654/1894.

Like the other children, young Salman learned in the local Medrash Talmud Torah. But he went on from there to Yeshivas Medrash Beit Zilchah, where he learned under two of the leading Sephardic Gedolim of the time: Harav Yehudah Pattaih, zt”l, and Harav Shimon Agasi, zt”l. Rav Salman was soon noted for his knowledge of all facets of Torah and for his hasmadah.

In 5676/1916, during World War I, Rav Salman fled Baghdad with Harav Moshe Yehoshua, zt”l (later Rav of Givatayim), for fear they would be drafted into the Turkish army.

They went to Basra, where hundreds of others also came to avoid army duty. The Rav of the city, Harav Yechezkel Sasson, zt”l, helped by arranging lodgings and supporting them.

When the war ended, Rav Salman returned to Baghdad, where he was appointed Rosh Yeshivah in Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim for excellent bachurim.

In 5688/1928, at 34, he was appointed Av Beis Din in Baghdad, and a few years later, he became Rosh Rabbanei Bavel.

In this capacity Rav Salman did much for the welfare of his brethren. He brought many Jews back to their roots with his fatherly love.

In 5711/1951, Rav Salman moved to Eretz Yisrael and was appointed Dayan in Petach Tikvah. Several years later he moved to Yerushalayim, where he was appointed Av Beis Din.

Rav Salman was niftar on 25 Adar I 5733/1973. Thousands attended his levayah.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

March 12

In 1864, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assumed command as general-in-chief of the Union armies in the Civil War.

In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered the first of his 30 radio addresses that came to be known as “fireside chats,” telling Americans what was being done to deal with the nation’s economic crisis.

In 1938, the Anschluss merging Austria with Nazi Germany took place as German forces crossed the border between the two countries.

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman announced what became known as the “Truman Doctrine” to help Greece and Turkey resist communism.