This Day in History – 22 Iyar/May 27

22 Iyar

In 5491/1731, all the sefarim in the Papal States were confiscated.

In 5679/1919, the Romanian government granted citizenship to all native-born Jews.

In 5704/1944, the Nazis began the deportation of Jews from greater Hungary to the extermination camps.


Yahrtzeiten

5654/1894, Harav Mordechai Shraga Feivish Friedman, Rebbe of Hosyatin, zy”a
5690/1930, Harav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari, zt”l, the “Saba Kadisha”

5554/1794

Harav Yeshayah of Dinowitz, Zy”a, talmid of the Mezritcher Maggid

Harav Yeshayah of Dinowitz was born in Berditchev and was a close talmid of Harav Lieber of Berditchev, zt”l.

He was the son-in-law of Harav Yaakov Yehudah from Ostroa, zy”a, known as Yudel Chassid.

Rav Yeshayah davened for a clear voice to serve Hashem, and indeed he was zocheh to a beautiful voice. Through his tefillos, Rav Yeshayah was able to awaken many Yidden to teshuvah, and some followed him to Chassidus.

A talmid of the Baal Shem Tov and later of the Mezritcher Maggid, Rav Yeshayah was prominent in the dissemination of Chassidus. He is mentioned in Tzavaas HaRivash, the tzavaah of the Baal Shem Tov, as Rav of Yanov. However, he is more well known as Rav of Dinowitz.

Some of his divrei Torah are quoted by the Rebbes of his generation, most notably by Harav Chaim of Chernowitz, zy”a, in Sidduro shel Shabbos.

Rav Yeshayah owned many unique manuscripts in his sefarim collection. Tzavaas HaRivash was published based on the manuscript that Rav Yeshayah had, as was Ohr Torah of the Maggid of Mezritch. He also had manuscripts written by Harav Shimshon Ostropolier and Harav Lieber of Berditchev, zecher tzaddikim livrachah.

Rav Yeshayah was niftar in Smila on 22 Iyar 5554/1794.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.


May 27

In 1861, Chief Justice Roger Taney, sitting as a federal circuit court judge in Baltimore, ruled that President Abraham Lincoln lacked the authority to suspend the writ of habeas corpus. (Lincoln disregarded the ruling.)

In 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. O’Brien, upheld the conviction of David O’Brien for destroying his draft card outside a Boston courthouse, ruling that the act was not protected by freedom of speech.

In 1985, in Beijing, representatives of Britain and China exchanged instruments of ratification for an accord returning Hong Kong to Chinese control in 1997.

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