This Day in History – 20 Cheshvan/November 18

20 Cheshvan

Yahrtzeiten

4949/1188, Rabbeinu Avraham, zt”l, the Raavad, mechaber of the Eshkol

5648/1887, Harav Meshulam Yissachar Horowitz, Rav of Stanislav, zt”l, mechaber of Bar Levai

5681/1920 Harav Shlomo Zalmina Zuckerman, Rebbe of Rashkov, zt”l

5702/1941, Harav Yisrael Yitzchak Kalisch, Rebbe of Skrenevitz, Hy”d,

5743/1982, Harav Moshe Nosson Nuta Lemberger, Makava Rav of Kiryat Ata, zt”l

5744/1983, Harav Mordechai Sharabi, zt”l

5612/1851

Harav Shalom Rosenfeld, Zt”l, Rav of Kaminka

Harav Shalom Halevi Rosenfeld was born in Ravva, in 5560/1800, to Harav Yaakov Yosef. When he was born, many tzaddikim attested that a lofty neshamah had come to the world.

From his youth, he was noted for his genius mind. He learned under Harav Tzvi Charif, zt”l, and from Harav Shlomo Kluger, zt”l.

He finished the entire Shas before his bar mitzvah.

It is related that his father took him to Harav Ezriel Horowitz of Lublin, zt”l, the Rosh Habarzel, to whom the young boy delivered a pilpul.

Rav Yaakov Yosef also took his son to receive brachos of the leading Rebbes; among them the Chozeh of Lublin, zy”a.

When he became of age, the naggid Reb Naftali Nosson Hirsh of Kreshov chose Rav Shalom as the chassan of his daughter.

Together with his close friend, Harav Chaim of Sanz, zy”a, Rav Shalom traveled to the court of Harav Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz, zy”a.

After the petirah of his Rebbe, Rav Shalom traveled to the courts of other leading Rebbes, usually together with Rav Chaim of Sanz.

Other Rebbes whom Rab Shalom frequented included Harav Tzvi Hirsh of Rimanov, Harav Yisrael of Ruzhin, Harav Meir of Premishlan, zechusam yagein aleinu, and many more.

Rav Shalom was held in highest esteem by all these Rebbes.

Rav Shalom’s first rabbinic post was in Yaritchov; later he was appointed Rav in Kaminka, after which he was known.

Many halachah sefarim quote the chiddushim of Rav Shalom, and he was often quoted by other Rabbanim in their responsa.

Despite all this, Rav Shalom refused to serve as Rebbe. His son, Harav Yehoshua, served as Rebbe after his father’s petirah, in Kaminka.

Rav Shalom was niftar on 20 Cheshvan 5612/1851.

Some of his divrei Torah and biographical highlights were published under the name Ohev Shalom.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

Nov. 18

In 1883, the United States and Canada adopted a system of Standard Time zones.

In 1963, the Bell System introduced the first commercial touch-tone telephone system in Carnegie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

In 1978, U.S. Rep. Leo J. Ryan (D-Calif.) and four others were killed in Jonestown, Guyana, by members of the Peoples Temple; the killings were followed by a night of mass murder and suicide by more than 900 cult members.

In 2004, Britain outlawed fox hunting in England and Wales.

In 2014, several feet of lake-effect snow paralyzed the Buffalo, New York, area on a day when temperatures fell to freezing or below in all 50 states.