This Day in History – 2 Iyar/May 7

2 Iyar

In 5680/1920, the Supreme Council of the Peace Conference recognized the Balfour Declaration and proclaimed Eretz Yisrael a mandated territory under British administration.

In 5705/1945, the British army liberated the death camp of Bergen-Belsen and its 40,000 inmates, barely alive.

Yahrtzeiten

5330/1570, Harav Nassan Shapiro, zt”l, mechaber of She’arim l’Shaarei Dura

5572/1812, Harav Avraham Dov Ber Auerbach, zt”l, Rav of Chmielnik

5663/1903, Harav Yosef Shloffer, zt”l, mechaber of Poras Yosef

5669/1909, Harav Avraham Yitzchok Glick, zt”l, Rav of Toltchova and mechaber of Be’er Yitzchok and other sefarim

5675/1915, Harav Moshe Zakan Mazuz of Djerba (Tunisia), zt”l, mechaber of Shaarei Moshe

5693/1933, Harav Yosef Nechemia Kornitzer, zt”l, the last Rav of Cracow

5750/1990, Harav Avraham Baddouche of Mexico, zt”l, mechaber of Meoros Avraham

5751/1991, Harav Tzvi Hersh Zaks, zt”l, a grandson of the Chofetz Chaim.

5320/1560

Harav Kalman Vermeisa of Lvov, Zt”l

Harav Kalman Vermeisa of Lvov (Lemberg), though probably a native of Worms, as his surname suggests, was Rosh Yeshivah in Lemberg for 42 years.

He is mentioned in responsa and by his contemporaries as one of the foremost marbitzei Torah of his time.

He was famed for heading a major yeshivah, as did Harav Shalom Shachna, zt”l, the Rebbi of the Rema, in Lublin. These two yeshivos were the leading yeshivos of their time, and the top bachurim would travel to learn there.

Some say that the Rema also learned under Harav Kalman Vermeisa of Lvov.

Rav Kalman’s son-in-law was Harav Eliezer ben Rav Manoach, zt”l, a foremost talmid chacham. Harav Yosef Hakohen of Cracow, zt”l, author of She’eiris Yosef, states in that work that he submitted a response of his to Rav Kalman and his son-in-law for their agreement.

Rav Kalman was described by the Maharshal of Lublin in Yam shel Shlomo as “zaken v’yoshev b’yeshivah — vererated elderly and sitting and learning.”

He was niftar in Lvov 2 Iyar 5320/1560 after serving as Rav and Rosh Yeshivah there for 42 years.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

May 7

In 1939, Germany and Italy announced a military and political alliance known as the Rome-Berlin Axis.

In 1945, Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Rheims, France, ending its role in World War II.

In 1963, the United States launched the Telstar 2 communications satellite.

In 1992, the latest addition to America’s space shuttle fleet, Endeavour, went on its first flight.

In 1998, Londoners voted overwhelmingly to elect their own mayor for the first time in history. In May 2000, Ken Livingstone was elected.