This Day in History – 12 Nisan/April 17

In 2449, the Nasi of the tribe of Naftali, Achira Ben Einan, brought his korban.

In 3413, Ezra Hasofer and his followers departed from the Eihu River on their way to Yerushalayim.

Yahrtzeiten

5482/1722, Harav Aryeh Leib, Rav of Kovle and Slutzk, zt”l

5625/1865, Harav Shlomo Zalman Ulman, zt”l, mechaber of Yerios Shlomo

5761/2001, Harav Shimshon Dovid Pincus, Rav of Ofakim, zt”l

5622/1862, Harav Shmuel Heschel, Rebbe of Krilovitz, Zy”a

Harav Shmuel Heschel was the son of Harav Meshulam Zusia Heschel of Zinkov, zy”a, who was the grandson of Harav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel, the Ohev Yisrael of Apta, zy”a.

Rav Shmuel married the daughter of Harav Avraham Twersky, the Maggid of Trisk, zy”a.

Rav Shmuel was appointed Rebbe in his father’s lifetime, holding court in Krilovitz (in the Podolya region), Ukraine. The local nobleman invited Rav Shmuel to his city, hoping that a Rebbe’s court would bring an influx of visiting Chassidim and thus increase his income.

Rav Shmuel was niftar on 12 Nisan 5622/1862, and his younger brother, Harav Yechiel, zy”a, became Rebbe in Krilovitz in his stead.

Rav Shmuel’s son was Harav Yitzchak Meir, who was the son-in-law of Harav Efraim of Matzov.

His father, Rav Meshulam Zusia, was niftar on 3 Elul 5624/1864, a year and a half after the petirah of Rav Shmuel.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

April 17

In 1492, a contract was signed by Christopher Columbus and a representative of Spain’s King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, giving Columbus a commission to seek a westward ocean passage to Asia.

In 1861, the Virginia State Convention voted to secede from the Union.

In 1969, a jury in Los Angeles convicted Sirhan Sirhan of assassinating Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.

In 1970, Apollo 13 astronauts James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise and Jack Swigert splashed down safely in the Pacific, four days after a ruptured oxygen tank crippled their spacecraft while en route to the moon.

In 1973, Federal Express (later FedEx) began operations as 14 planes carrying 186 packages took off from Memphis International Airport, bound for 25 U.S. cities.

In 1991, the Dow Jones industrial average closed above 3,000 for the first time, ending the day at 3,004.46, up 17.58.