This Day in History – 24 Cheshvan/November 2

24 Cheshvan

In 5701/1940, the SS Patria, with 1,900 desperate immigrants aboard, blew up and sank in Haifa port. Two hundred Jews died.

Yahrtzeiten

5404/1643, Harav Avraham Azulai, zt”l, the Chessed L’Avraham

5524/1763, Harav Gedalyah, Dayan of Zalkava, zt”l

5663/1902, Harav Dovid Twersky, Rebbe of Makarov, zt”l

5668/1907, Harav Hillel Moshe Meshil Gelbstein, zt”l

5710/1949, Harav Gedalyah Moshe of Zhvill, zt”l

5748/1987, Harav Rafael Dovid Auerbach, zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah of Shaar Hashamayim

5625/1864

Harav Chaim Yosef Brukstein of Pistin, Zt”l

Harav Chaim Yosef Brukstein was born in Bohislov, in the Kiev region, in 5555/1795. His father was Harav Yehoshua Yitzchak.

In his younger years, until the age of 15, he grew up in the home of Harav Leib, the Shpola Zeide, zy”a, who was like a father to him.

Rav Chaim Yosef then attached himself to some of the generation’s leading Rebbes, among them Harav Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Baal HaTanya; Harav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev; and Harav Aharon of Zhitimor, zechusam yagein aleinu.

When Rav Chaim Yosef left Russia and moved to Poland, he was chosen as Rav in Prustien, in the Kossov region, in Galicia. Living in that region, Rav Chaim Yosef became close to the Kossover Rebbe, Harav Menachem Mendel, zy”a, and later to his son Harav Chaim, zy”a.

He suffered all his life from many troubles, including health problems and financial difficulties.

Rav Chaim Yosef authored numerous sefarim, including Tosafos Chaim on the Torah and Nishmas Chaim on Tehillim.

He was niftar on 24 Cheshvan 5625/1864, in Kleinwardein. His sons whose names we know were Harav Yisrael Nosson Alter and Harav Pinchas.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Nov. 2

In 1783, General George Washington delivered his Farewell Address to the Army near Princeton, New Jersey.

In 1864, the U.S. Post Office started selling money orders. Money orders provided a safe way to send payments by mail.

In 1889, North Dakota and South Dakota became the 39th and 40th states.

In 1948, President Truman surprised experts by being re-elected in a narrow upset over Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey.

In 2000, American astronaut Bill Shepherd and two Russian cosmonauts, Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, became the first residents of the International Space Station.