This Day In History 26 Adar/March 13

In 5004/1244, the pope issued an edict ordering the burning of the Talmud.

In 5437/1677, the Jewish community of Newport, R.I., bought land for a cemetery.


Yahrtzeiten

5573/1813, Harav Eliezer Lipa of Chmelnik, zt”l, son of the Rebbe Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk, zy”a

5682/1922, Harav Moshe Nachum Wallenstein, zt”l, Rav of the Perushim kehillah in Yerushalayim


5762/2002, Harav Avraham Chaim Brim, Zt”l

Harav Avraham Chaim Brim was born in Yerushalayim in Teves 5682/1922. His father was Harav Mordechai Dovid Brim, zt”l, and his mother came from the distinguished Rokeach family from Yerushalayim.

Rav Avraham Chaim learned at Yeshivas Etz Chaim, under Harav Isser Zalman Meltzer, zt”l, the Rosh Yeshivah.

He married the daughter of Harav Yisrael Taussig of Mattersdorf, zt”l.

Despite his unassuming manner, Rav Avraham Chaim’s greatness was recognized by the Torah world: All held him in the highest esteem.

Rav Brim was close to the Chazon Ish, zt”l, who recognized his extraordinary character and showed him great affection. Harav Brim was also close to the Brisker Rav, zt”l.

He taught Torah to multitudes of talmidim, was extremely active in safeguarding the kedushah of Yerushalayim, and engaged in the battle for Shabbos observance.

Rav Avraham Chaim was close to the Rebbes of the Ruzhiner dynasty, and a close Chassid of the Boyaner Rebbe, zy”a.

In his youth, he and his brother Harav Yehoshua Brim, zt”l, founded the Boyaner kollel in Yerushalayim. For a few years, he was a R”M at the Mirrer Yeshivah in Yerushalayim and at the Slabodka Yeshivah in Bnei Brak. Later he founded Yeshivas Ohel Yaakov in Zichron Meir, Bnei Brak.

Rav Avraham Chaim spent several years in the United States, where he was Rosh Yeshivah of Skver. He was often invited to speak at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, delivering mussar shmuessen there during Aseres Yemei Teshuvah.

Returning to Yerushalayim, Rav Avraham Chaim founded the Mishkan Yosef Kollel, where he served as Rosh Kollel.

In the wake of the Six-Day War and the spiritual awakening that swept Eretz Yisrael, Rav Avraham Chaim headed groups of askanim who went out to spread the word of Hashem. This initiative quickly became the Shiurei Torah network of Agudas Yisrael, which Harav Brim supported all his life.

In his later years, Rav Avraham Chaim’s physical condition weakened. On 26 Adar 5762/2002, he was niftar at the age of 80.

Rav Avraham Chaim was buried on Har Hazeisim, in the Galicia section.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.


William Herschel, discoverer of Uranus

March 13

In 1781, the seventh planet of the solar system, Uranus, was discovered by Sir William Herschel.

In 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis signed a measure allowing black slaves to enlist in the Confederate States Army with the promise they would be set free.

In 1877, Chester Greenwood patented the earmuff.

In 1933, banks in the U.S. began to reopen after a “holiday” declared by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1974, the U.S. Senate voted 54-33 to restore the death penalty.

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