This Day In History 27 Shevat/February 12

Shaar blatt of sefer Tevuos Shor.

 

27 Shevat

In 5343/1583, Joseph Sanalbo, a Ger Tzedek, was burned at the stake in Rome, Hy”d.

Yahrtzeiten

5597/1837, Harav Elazar Lev, zt”l, Rav of Santov and author of Shemen Rokeach

5625/1865, Harav Emanuel Weltfried of Pshedborzh, zt”l

5631/1871, Harav Menachem Nachum, Rebbe of Chernobyl, zy”a

5735/1975, Harav Yitzchak Bochnik, zt”l, of Djerba, Tunisia, mechaber of Vayomer Yitzchak and Bnei Chai

5742/1982, Harav Mordechai Shulman, zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah of Slabodka-Bnei Brak


5497/1737

Harav Alexander of Zolkov, Zt”l, the Tevuos Shor

Harav Aleksander Sender’s father was Harav Efraim Zalman Shor of Zalkawa, a descendant of Rabbeinu Yosef Bchor Shor (one of the Baalei Tosafos). His mother was the daughter of Rav Sender, son of Harav Meir, zt”l, the Rav of Brisk, who was the son-in-law of Harav Yaakov Temrilsh, zt”l, mechaber of Sifra D’tzniusa, and a grandson of Harav Shalom Shachna of Lublin, zt”l.

He was a talmid chacham and a leading posek.

His first rabbinic position was in Hibniv; after resigning from this post he returned to his hometown of Zalkawa and refused any other rabbinic post, no matter how much the people implored him. He spent the rest of his life in Zalkawa, supporting his family by making whisky. It is related that the Baal Shem Tov visited Zalkawa to observe and learn from the ways of Rav Sender, and to fulfill the mitzvah of serving talmidei chachamim.

Rav Sender was most famous for his sefarim, Simlah Chadashah on hilchos Shechitah, and on treifos, Tevuos Shor, where he expounds on the halachos in his Simlah Chadashah, and Bchor Shor, on Shas.

Not much is known about his life and times, but some of his grandchildren went on to become leading Gedolei Torah, notably Harav Efraim Zalman Margulies of Brody, zt”l, the Matteh Efraim, and Harav Aleksander Sender Margulies, zt”l, of Satnav.

A close associate, though much younger, was Reb Yitzchak Eizik of Zalkawa, zt”l. They learned together for many years. In his last year, Rav Sender was ill and went to a resort as instructed by his doctors. At that time Reb Yitzchak Eizik also got sick; he was niftar a few months before the Rav Sender. They tried to keep the sad news from him.

A few days before the petirah of Rav Sender, the community leaders came to visit him. When he asked if Reb Yitzchak Eizik was still alive, they said that he was. Rav Sender said that he knew they were lying, because Reb Yitzchak Eizik had appeared to him and asked him to be buried next to his kever.

After his petirah, the chevrah kaddisha went to look for a plot for the venerated Rav near Reb Yitzchak Eizik, but none was available. Not knowing what else to do, the head of the chevrah kaddisha started digging next to the kever of Reb Yitzchak Eizik and, to everyone’s great surprise, the ground opened up and stretched out, leaving enough room for the kever of Reb Sender. And so, the good friends were buried next to each other.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.


Feb. 12

In 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded.

In 1914, groundbreaking took place for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (A year later on this date, the cornerstone was laid.)

In 1959, the redesigned Lincoln penny — with an image of the Lincoln Memorial replacing two ears of wheat on the reverse side — went into circulation.

In 1973, the State of Ohio went metric, becoming the first in the U.S. to post metric distance signs.

To Read The Full Story

Are you already a subscriber?
Click to log in!