This Day In History 25 Teves/January 23

25 Teves

In 5319/1559, the first edition of Chovos Halevavos was published in Italy.

In 5478/1717, Frankfurt’s Jewish streets and shuls were burned down and many Jewish valuables destroyed or confiscated. This date was declared a public fast day in Frankfurt.

Yahrtzeiten

5645/1885, Harav Yosef Rosen, zt”l, Rav of Telshe and Slonim

5688/1928, Harav Eliyahu Meir Feivelsohn of Yekaterinoslav, zt”l

5742/1982, Harav Shlomo Mazuz, zt”l, mechaber of Sho’el U’meishiv Kerem Shlomo and Cheshek Shlomo

5598/1838

Harav Moshe Tzvi Gitterman of Savran, zy”a

Harav Moshe Tzvi Gitterman was born in 5535/1775. He was the oldest son of Harav Shimon Shlomo, the Maggid of Savran, who was a talmid of the Mezritcher Maggid.

Reb Moshe Tzvi was known for his kedushah even as a youth. At the age of 12, he was already fluent in the entire Seder Nezikin.

He traveled to Harav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev and to Harav Baruch of Mezhibuzh, where he absorbed Torah and Chassidus and became a cherished talmid.

The name of his first Rebbetzin is not known; in his second marriage, his wife was the daughter of Harav Dovid Halevi of Stefin, the son-in-law of the Zlotchover Maggid.

After his father’s petirah in 5562/1802, Reb Moshe Tzvi succeeded him as the Maggid of Savran.

When the Berditchever Rebbe was niftar, Reb Moshe Tzvi was appointed Rav in Berditchev, only to return to Savran some years later.

Eventually, Reb Moshe Tzvi became Rav of the two kehillos of Uman and Keshanov.

When Reb Baruch’l of Mezhibuzh was niftar in 5571/1811, Reb Moshe Tzvi assumed the mantle of Admorus and officially began leading Chassidim.

Reb Moshe Tzvi was greatly honored by, and was very close with, many of the generation’s leading Rebbes and Rabbanim.

In 5591/1831 he moved to Chichelnik, where he was niftar six years later, on 25 Teves 5598/1838.

Reb Moshe Tzvi was buried in Chichelnik, and an ohel was built on his kever. The kever of Reb Moshe Tzvi is known as a mekom tefillah where tefillos are answered. The Ribnitzer Rebbe, zy”a, a Chassid of Reb Baruch of Chichelnik, said that the most famous kever he knew for having prayers answered was that of Reb Moshe Tzvi, especially for banei, chayei u’mezonei (children, life and livelihood). The ohel attracted the biggest nesiah in Ukraine, especially on the yahrtzeit of Reb Moshe Tzvi.

The divrei Torah of Reb Moshe Tzvi are printed in Likutei Shoshanim, of which a new expanded edition was published in 5746/1986.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Jan. 23

In 1845, Congress decided all national elections would be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

In 1933, the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the “Lame Duck Amendment,” was ratified as Missouri approved it.

In 1950, the Israeli Knesset approved a resolution affirming Yerushalayim as the capital of Israel.

In 1964, the 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution, eliminating the poll tax in federal elections, was ratified as South Dakota became the 38th state to endorse it.