This Day in History – 13 Cheshvan/November 6

In 4971/1210, EnglishJews were imprisoned by King John.

In 5314/1553, under Pope Julius III, Cardinal Peter Caraffa, head of the Inquisition and the future Pope Paul IV, burned many copies of the Talmud in the center of Venice.

In 5521/1760, the first siddur was printed in the United States.

Yahrtzeiten

5414/1653, Harav Pinchas Horowitz, zt”l, Rav of Fulda and Dayan of Prague

5531/1770, Harav Yosef Kahana, zt”l, father of the Ketzos Hachoshen

5695/1934, Harav Shloime Alter, zt”l

5542/1781, Harav Baruch of Kossov,zt”l

Reb Baruch of Kossov, a devoted talmid of Harav Menachem Mendel of Premishlan, served as the maggid of Kossov.

His talmid Harav Aryeh Leib of Butshan relates that “hearing about his drashos is not like actually hearing [them directly], when one could see fiery sparks emanating from his mouth as he taught Torah to Bnei Yisrael.”

He settled in Kossov in order to eradicate the persistent heretic impression brought about by Shabsai Tzvi. He also traveled around the neighboring towns and villages to arouse Yidden to become closer to Hashem, and to spread Toras Hachassidus.

The mochiach of Kossov, as he was known, was a well-known figure of the time. He was a tzaddik honored in all circles, receiving glowing haskamos for his sefarim from both chassidishe and misnagdisheRabbanim. Among those who gave haskamos were the son and son-in-law of the Pnei Yehoshua, and the son of the Chacham Tzvi.

Reb Baruch was the mechaber of Yesod Ha’emunah and Amud Ha’avodah, actually two parts of one sefer. In them he brings divrei Torah from the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, Reb Mendel of Premishlan, Reb Nachman of Kossov, and Reb Leib Pistiner, among others. Reb Baruch was fluent in Toras HaKabbalah, as is evident from his sefarim.

His sefarim, sifrei hayesod in Chassidus, continue to have a lasting influence.

The sefarim were not printed until over 70 years after his petirah. They were recently republished in an enhanced format.

Reb Baruch of Kossov was niftar on 13 Cheshvan of either 5542/1781 or 5543/1782. His son-in-law was Harav Avraham Katz, the Maggid Meisharim of Butshan. His sons were Harav Yosef, who began to print his father’s sefarim, and Harav Avraham, whose son Harav Moshe actually brought these sefarim to print in Chernowitz in 5614/1853.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Nov. 6

In 1860, former Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln defeated three other candidates for the presidency: John Breckinridge, John Bell and Stephen Douglas.

In 1861, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was elected to a six-year term of office.

In 1934, Nebraska voters approved dissolving their two-chamber legislature in favor of a nonpartisan, single (or “unicameral”) legislative body, which was implemented in 1937.

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower won re-election, defeating Democrat Adlai E. Stevenson.

In 1962, Democrat Edward M. Kennedy was elected Senator from Massachusetts.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan won re-election by a landslide over former Vice President Walter Mondale, the Democratic challenger.

In 2012, President Barack Obama was elected to a second term of office, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney.