This Day in History – 26 Shevat/February 1

26 Shevat

Yahrtzeiten

5427/1667, Harav Dovid Halevi, zt”l, the Turei Zahav

5700/1940, Harav Shaul Brach, Rav of Kashau, zt”l

5746/1986, Harav Yaakov Landau, zt”l, Rav of Bnei Brak

5689/1929

Harav Mordechai Yosef Elazar Leiner, Zy”a, the Tiferes Yosef of Radzin

Harav Mordechai Yosef Elazar Leiner was born in 5627/1867 in Radzin to Harav Gershon Chanoch Heinich of Radzin, zy”a. He was named for the founder of the Izhbitza-Radzin dynasty, Harav Mordechai Yosef of Izhbitza, zy”a.

He married the daughter of Harav Meshulam Margulies of Pintchov; after her petirah, he married the daughter of Harav Shlomo Cohen of Krashick.

Following the petirah of his father in 5651/1891, Rav Mordechai Yosef was appointed Rebbe in Radzin, where he lived until the outbreak of World War I in 5674/1914. Forced to leave Radzin, he moved to Warsaw. His court attracted thousands of Chassidim.

Rav Mordechai Yosef was known as a Gadol baTorah and an expert in all its facets. He took it upon himself to refute the questions that arose on his father’s sefarim (his father was renowned for discoveries, the most famous undoubtedly being the techeilis), and published his father’s Ein HaTecheiles and Dalsos Shaarei Ha’Ir. His own divrei Torah were published under the name Tiferes Yosef.

He had a large library containing many sefarim of great value.

He was well respected by all the Gedolei Hador.

Rav Mordechai Yosef was niftar on 26 Shevat 5689/1929, at the age of 62. His levayah was well attended, despite a temperature well below zero. The local yeshivos were closed in honor of the levayah. He was succeeded by his son, Harav Shmuel Shlomo, Hy”d.

His sons-in-law were Harav Yaakov Gruman from Warsaw, Harav Tzvi Gur-Aryeh from Kremenchug, and Harav Avraham Yissachar Englard, zechusam yagein aleinu.

Harav Avraham Yissachar was crowned Radziner Rebbe in Eretz Yisrael after the Holocaust.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Feb. 1

In 1790, the U.S. Supreme Court convened for the first time in New York. (However, since only three of the six justices were present, the court recessed until the next day.)

In 1943, during World War II, one of America’s most decorated military units, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, made up almost exclusively of Japanese-Americans, was authorized.

In 1960, four black college students began a sit-in protest at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, where they had been refused service.

In 1968, Richard M. Nixon announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

In 2003, the space shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry, killing all seven of its crew members, including payload specialist Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli in space.