This Day In History 9 Shevat/January 25

In 5704/1944, Harav Aharon of Belz, zy”a, and his brother, Harav Mordechai of Bilgorei, zy”a, were saved from the Holocaust. On this day they arrived in Beirut, where many Chassidim anxiously awaited them.

Yahrtzeiten

5134/1374, Rabbeinu Nissim, zt”l, the Ran

5587/1827, Harav Yisrael Yaakov, Rav of Bilkamin, zt”l, son of Harav Menachem Mendel of Rimanov

5609/1849, Harav Yaakov Helburn, zt”l, Rav of Zenta

5625/1865, Harav Yehosef Schwartz, zt”l, mechaber of Tevuos Haaretz and Divrei Yosef

5728/1968, Harav Eliezer Silver, zt”l, Rav of Cincinnati, Ohio, and President of Agudas Harabbanim of the United States and Canada

5761/2001, Harav Dovid Twersky, Rebbe of Skver–Boro Park, zt”l

5776/2016, Harav Rafael Shmulewitz, Rosh Yeshivas Mir-Yerushalyim

5544/1784, Harav Eliyahu Yisrael, Zt”l, Rav of Alexandria

Harav Eliyahu Yisrael was born about 5475/1715, in Rhodes.

In his youth he learned under his father, and also under Harav Yitzchak Hakohen, zy”a, the Batei Kehunah.

In 5504/1744, Rav Eliyahu went up to Eretz Yisrael, settling in Yerushalayim, where he learned in Yeshivas Chessed L’Avraham U’Binyan Shlomo. He was also Rav of a shul, answering many she’eilos.

In 5523/1763, Rav Eliyahu was asked to go to Western Europe on behalf of the kehillah of Yerushalayim. He traveled to Egypt and from there to Italy, where he made the rounds to Livorno, Venice, and other cities. He also traveled to Amsterdam, Holland, and Frankfurt, Germany.

All the time that Rav Eliyahu was away from Eretz Yisrael, he longed to return; in his letters from abroad, he always ended with his longing to be back in Yerushalayim. He also complained about the lack during his travels of the sefarim he required for his learning.

When he finished his shlichus in 5529/1769, Rav Eliyahu settled in Rhodes, but he didn’t serve there as Rav.

In 5532/1772 he moved to Alexandria, Egypt, where he was appointed Rav the following year.

As one of the leading Rabbanim of the generation, Rav Eliyahu corresponded with many of the other Gedolim of his time. Most notable is his connection with the Chida, who knew him from the time he lived in Yerushalayim. The Chida quotes Rav Eliyahu many times in his works.

Rav Eliyahu was niftar on 9 Shevat 5544/1784. He was survived by two sons, Rav Moshe and Rav Yedidyah Shlomo.

Rav Eliyahu wrote close to 20 sefarim, although none was published in his lifetime. After his petirah, his youngest son, Harav Yedidyah Shlomo, undertook to publish his works. His best-known sefarim are She’eilos U’Teshuvos Kol Eliyahu; Shnei Eliyahu, his drashos; Ara D’Yisrael on many inyanim; and Kisei Eliyahu on halachah. Some of his manuscripts were never published.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

Jan. 25

In 1799, Eliakim Spooner patented the seeding machine.

In 1890, the United Mine Workers of America was founded in Columbus, Ohio.

In 1915, America’s first official transcontinental telephone call took place as Alexander Graham Bell, who was in New York, spoke to his former assistant, Thomas Watson, who was in San Francisco, over a line set up by American Telephone & Telegraph.

In 1945, the World War II Battle of the Bulge ended as German forces were pushed back to their original positions.

Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first community to add fluoride to its public water supply.