This Day in History – 18 Kislev/December 10

In 5554/1793, the Jews of Strasbourg, France, were forbidden to circumcise their infants, to wear beards or own Hebrew books.

In 5679/1918, Polish forces attacked the Jews of Lvov.

Yahrtzeiten

4998/1237, Rabbeinu Avraham ben HaRambam, zt”l, mechaber of Hamaspik L’Ovdei Hashem

5497/1736, Harav Aryeh Leib Darshan of Posen, zt”l

5572/1811, Harav Baruch of Mezhibuzh, zt”l

5622/1861, Harav Yekusiel Shmuel Shmelke of Sassov, zt”l

5636/1875, Harav Yosef Yitzchok of Ovritch, zt”l, son of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch

5759/1998, Harav Eliezer Zev Rosenbaum of Rachov, zt”l

Harav Eliezer Zev Rosenbaum was the son of Harav Yitzchak of Rachov, a scion of the Nadvorna dynasty. He was born in Rachov in 5689/1929.

As a young child, his melamed — seeing his amazing potential — called him “Rosh Yeshivah.”

At 15 he went through the horrors of World War II, losing his entire family except for one sister.

Harav Eliezer Zev himself had a close escape from death; as he was being taken out with 500 other Jews to be shot, he managed to run away.

Following the end of the War, Harav Eliezer Zev remained in Europe for another year and then reached Eretz Yisrael.

He married the daughter of his cousin Harav Chaim Mordechai of Nadvorna.

At the instruction of Harav Aharon of Belz, zy”a, Harav Eliezer Zev began to lead Rachover Chassidus, in 5711/1951, initially in Ramle and later in Ramat Gan.

Reb Eliezer Zev was renowned for his avodah in tefillah and for his acts of chessed.

He was niftar on 18 Kislev 5759/1998, at the age of 70, and succeeded by his son Harav Yechiel Meir Rosenbaum, shlita, Rachover Rebbe. Another son is Harav Yitzchak Rosenbaum.

His sons-in-law are Harav Shlomo Kahana of Spinka; Harav Yehudah Rosenbaum, Linsker Rebbe; Harav Gedaliah Moshe Roth, son of the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe, shlita; and Harav Yitzchak Eizik Kahana, son of Harav Moshe Nachman of Spinka.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Dec. 10

In 1787, Thomas H. Gallaudet, a pioneer of educating the deaf, was born in Philadelphia.

In 1817, Mississippi became the 20th state of the Union.

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for helping mediate an end to the Russo-Japanese War.

In 1931, Jane Addams became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; the co-recipient was Nicholas Murray Butler.

In 1948, the U.N. General Assembly adopted its Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

In 1950, Ralph J. Bunche was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the first black American to receive the award.