This Day in History – 22 Iyar/May 30

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 of Husyatin, zt”l

5690/1930, Harav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari, zt”l, the Saba Kadisha

5554/1794, Harav Yeshayah of Dinowitz, zt”l, talmid of the Mezritcher Maggid

Harav Yeshayah of Dinowitz was born in Berditchev and was a close talmid of Harav Lieber of Berditchev.

He was the son-in-law of Rav Yaakov Yehudah from Ostroa, known as Yudel Chassid.

Reb Yeshayah davened for a clear voice to serve Hashem, and indeed he was zocheh to a beautiful voice. Through his tefillos Reb 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, Reb Yeshayah was prominent in the dissemination of Chassidus. He is mentioned in Tzavaas HaRivash, as Rav of Yanov, where he served as Rav after Dinowitz. However, he is more generally known by the name of the city of Dinowitz.

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

Reb Yeshayah owned many unique manuscripts in his sefarim collection. Tzavaas HaRivash was published based on the manuscript that Reb 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.

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

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

May 30

In 1922, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., was dedicated in a ceremony attended by President Warren G. Harding, Chief Justice William Howard Taft and Robert Todd Lincoln.

In 1943, during World War II, American troops secured the Aleutian island of Attu from Japanese forces.

In 1966, NASA launched Surveyor 1, a probe that made a soft landing on the moon three days later.

In 1971, the American space probe Mariner 9 blasted off from Cape Kennedy on a journey to Mars.