This Day in History – 24 Iyar/June 1

In 5705/1945, the Mauthausen concentration camp, where over 200,000 inmates were killed, was liberated.

Yahrtzeiten

5704/1944, Harav Yisrael Shalom Yosef of Antiniya, Hy”d

5739/1979, Harav Binyamin Mendelsohn, Rav of Komemiyus, zt”l

5671/1911, Harav Yitzchak Feigenbaum, Rav of Warsaw, zt”l

Harav Yitzchak Hakohen Feigenbaum was born in Warsaw in 5588/1828. His father was Harav Yisrael Isser.

Reb Yitzchak was a talmid of the Chiddushei Harim, who lived at that time in Warsaw. The Chiddushei Harim took Reb Yitzchak along with him to the Kotzker Rebbe, where Reb Yitzchak was recognized for his lamdanus, Chassidus and outstanding middos.

Later, Reb Yitzchak would journey to the court of the Sochatchover Rebbe (the Avnei Nezer), who was the son-in-law of the Kotzker Rebbe, and later still to the Avnei Nezer’s son, the Shem MeShmuel.

In 5628/1868, Reb Yitzchak was appointed Rav of Warsaw. He received she’eilos from Rabbanim and poskim across Poland and Russia, and his rulings were held in the highest esteem.

In 5642/1882, Urim V’tumim by Harav Yonasan Eibschutz was printed with the commentary of Reb Yitzchak in the margins. Reb Yitzchak said he hoped that as a result of the effort and toil he had put into this work, Reb Yonasan would be a meilitz yosher for him.

Reb Yitzchak was also the founder and editor of the journal, Shaarei Torah until 1903. The first journal of its kind in Poland, it was dedicated to halachic rulings on current matters and their implications. Many Rabbanim from Poland, Lithuania and other countries participated. After the petirah of Reb Yitzchak, the journal was published by his son Reb Yisrael Isser until the outbreak of World War II.

Reb Yitzchak was known for his love of Eretz Yisrael. He would bring wine from Eretz Yisrael to use for Birkas Hamazon at seudos mitzvah.

Reb Yitzchak was niftar on 24 Iyar 5671/1911 at the age of 83.

He was buried in Warsaw.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

June 1

In 1792, Kentucky became the 15th state of the union.

In 1796, Tennessee became the 16th state.

In 1916, Louis Brandeis took his seat as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the first Jewish American to serve on the nation’s highest bench.

In 1977, the Soviet Union formally charged Jewish human rights activist Anatoly Shcharansky with treason. (Shcharansky was imprisoned, then released in 1986; he’s now known by the name Natan Sharansky.)