This Day In History 25 Teves/January 12

In 5072/1312, anti-Jewish riots erupted in various parts of Austria.

In 5319/1559, the first edition of Chovos HaLevavos was published in Italy.

In 5478/1717, Frankfurt’s Jewish streets and shuls were burnt down and many Jewish valuables were destroyed or confiscated. This date was declared a public fast day in Frankfurt.

Yahrtzeiten

5598/1838, Harav Moshe Tzvi, Rebbe of Savran, zt”l

5688/1928, Harav Eliyahu Meir Feivelsohn of Ekaterinoslav, zt”l

5742/1982, Harav Shlomo Mazuz, zt”l, mechaber of Sho’eil U’meishiv Kerem Shlomo and Cheshek Shlomo

5645/1885, Harav Yosef Rosen, Zt”l, Rav Of Telshe and Slonim

Harav Yosef Rosen was the son of Harav Yitzchak. One of the leading Torah authorities and poskim in Lithuania in his time, Rav Yosef was appointed Rav in Telshe, and later Rav of Slonim.

While he was Rav in Telshe he wrote the sefer Edus BiYehosef, a compilation of his responsa on Yoreh De’ah. Later, during his tenure as Rav in Slonim, he wrote another sefer, Poras Yosef, his responsa on Choshen Mishpat.

Rav Yosef chose Harav Yitzchak Yaakov Reines of Lidah, zt”l, author of Edus L’Yaakov, as his son-in-law.

It is related in the sefer Hizaharu Bichvod Chavreichem that Rav Yosef once visited Ponevez together with Rav Yitzchak Yaakov. They were honored visitors of Harav Moshe Yitzchak Segal, zt”l, the Mara d’Asra, who greeted them together with the tovei ha’ir and the leading talmidei chachamim of the city. They began with a Torah discussion. Rav Yosef raised a difficult question. Rav Moshe Yitzchak responded, opening an entire debate over the question, but the question remained unanswered in the end.

As they were leaving to the home of their host, Rav Yitzchak Yaakov turned to his father-in-law and asked him, “What has the Rav done?”

Rav Yosef asked him, “Regarding what?” To this, Rav Yitzchak Yaakov replied, “The Rav asked a question of the local Rav, in the presence of the talmidei chachamim of the city, and the result was that the Rav couldn’t answer it…”

“Oy,” exclaimed Rav Yosef in fright, “with that I have embarrassed him publicly!” As he was speaking, he fell in a faint.

Rav Yosef was niftar on 25 Teves 5645/1885.

Yehi zichro baruch.

Jan. 12

In 1773, the first public museum in America was organized in Charleston, South Carolina.

In 1915, the U.S. Congress established the Rocky Mountain National Park.

In 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Sipuel v. Board of Regents of University of Oklahoma, unanimously ruled that state law schools could not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race.

In 1986, the shuttle Columbia blasted off with a crew that included the first Hispanic-American in space, Dr. Franklin R. Chang-Diaz.