This Day In History 6 Cheshvan/October 26

In 3340/422 B.C.E., Nevuchadnetzar killed King Tzidkiyahu’s sons before his eyes, subsequently blinding him. (See Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 580:2)

In 3427/355 B.C.E., the Yevanim implemented a mass slaughter of the Jews of Beis She’an.

In 4174/413, the Jews of Alexandria, Egypt, were expelled by Christian masses.

In 4926/1165, the Rambam arrived in Yerushalayim and celebrated his arrival as a private Yom Tov.

In 5127/1366, the king of Sicily forbade decorating the outside of shuls.

In 5461/1700, Rabbeinu Yehudah Hachasid built his shul in the old city of Yerushalayim.

In 5704/1943, 100 Jews of Florence, Italy, were deported to extermination camps.

Yahrtzeiten

5202/1441, Harav Shmuel Chaim, zt”l, mechaber of Shemen Hamishchah

5564/1803, Harav Yitzchak Eliyahu Igra of Tismenitz, zt”l

5691/1930 Harav Yeshaya Levy, Rav of Kehillas Ohab Zedek

5704/1943, Harav Shlomo Dovid Yehoshua Weinberg, Hy”d, the Slonimer Rebbe

5749/1988, Harav Yechiel Menachem Singer, Zt”l, Rebbe of Aleksander-America

Harav Yechiel Menachem Singer, born in 5579/1919, was the son of Harav Yaakov Shraga Feivel, zt”l, Rav of Ostrow (son of Harav Yitzchak Meir Singer, zt”l, Rav in Aleksander, and son-in-law of Harav Shmuel Tzvi, zy”a, the Tiferes Shmuel of Aleksander).

He was brought up and taught by his uncle, Harav Yitzchak Menachem, the son and successor of the Tiferes Shmuel. (Killed in the war, his sefer was posthumously titled the Akeidas Yitzchak. Hashem yinkom damo.)

After the War, Reb Yechiel Menachem, as a grandson of the Tiferes Shmuel, was appointed Aleksander Rebbe in America by the chassidim. He reluctantly accepted the leadership.

He was niftar on 6 Cheshvan 5749/1988, at the age of 70, and buried in New Jersey.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

October 26

In 1825, the Erie Canal opened in upstate New York, connecting Lake Erie and the Hudson River.

In 1861, the legendary Pony Express officially ceased operations, giving way to the transcontinental telegraph. (The last run of the Pony Express was completed the following month.)

In 1944, the World War II Battle of Leyte Gulf ended in a major Allied victory over Japanese forces, whose naval capabilities were badly crippled.

In 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed a measure raising the minimum wage from 40 to 75 cents an hour.

In 2001, President George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot Act, giving authorities unprecedented ability to search, seize, detain or eavesdrop in their pursuit of possible terrorists.