This Day in History – 12 Cheshvan/November 5

In 5059/1298, the Rindfleisch massacres claimed 200 Jewish lives. Hy”d.

In 5736/1975, the U.N. declared that Zionism is racism.


 

Yahrtzeiten

5448/1687, Harav Moshe Kremer, zt”l, Rav of Vilna, grandfather of the Gr”a

5548/1787, Harav Zev Wolf Kitzes, zt”l, disciple of the Baal Shem Tov

5612/1851, Harav Yisrael Dov Ber, zt”l, of Stefanesh

5629/1868, Harav Aharon Singer of Mattersdorf, zt”l, mechaber of Tiferes Aharon

5752/1991, Harav Yehudah Tzadkah, zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah of Porat Yosef


 

5626/1865, Harav Nachum Levi, zt”l, Rav of Shadik

Harav Nachum Levi was born c. 5571/1811; his father was Rav Avraham.

Reb Nachum was a talmid of Harav Shlomo Zalman Lifshitz, Rav of Warsaw and mechaber of Chemdas Shlomo, whom he quotes in his sefarim.

In 5604/1844, he moved to Eretz Yisrael and became one of the leading Rabbanim in Yerushalayim.

He was renowned for his prishus; he fasted from one Shabbos to the next and sat all day adorned in tallis and tefillin, teaching talmidim.

He never ate alone. When he wasn’t fasting, or when he broke his fast, he always brought home a poor man to eat with him.

He was niftar on 12 Cheshvan 5626/1865.

Reb Nachum’s chiddushim on Bava Metzia and his She’eilos U’teshuvos were published under the name Avnei Kodesh.

His sons were Harav Shlomo Zalman Baharan and Harav Dovid Baharan (Baharan is an acronym for “ben Harav Nachum”). His son-in-law was Harav Yehudah Bergman.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.


 

Nov. 5

In 1781, the Continental Congress elected John Hanson of Maryland chairman, giving him the title “President of the United States in Congress Assembled.”

In 1872, suffragist Susan B. Anthony defied the law by attempting to cast a vote for President Ulysses S. Grant. (Anthony was convicted by a judge and fined $100, but she never paid.)

In 1912, Democrat Woodrow Wilson was elected president, defeating Progressive Party candidate Theodore Roosevelt, incumbent Republican William Howard Taft and Socialist Eugene V. Debs.

In 1914, Britain and France declared war against the Ottoman Empire.

In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term in office as he defeated Republican challenger Wendell L. Willkie.

In 1968, Republican Richard M. Nixon won the presidency, defeating Democratic Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey.

In 1990, Brooklyn-born Rabbi Meir Kahane was shot to death at a New York hotel. (Egyptian native El Sayyed Nosair was convicted of the slaying in federal court.)

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