This Day in History – 27 Cheshvan/November 25

27 Cheshvan

In 1657, “the earth dried up” (Bereishis 8:14) completing the 365-day extent of the Mabul; on this day Hashem commanded Noach to come out of the teivah and repopulate, settle and civilize the earth.

Yahrtzeiten

5270/1509, Harav Yaakov Chaviv, zt”l, mechaber of Ein Yaakov

5457/1696, Harav Dovid, zt”l, mechaber of Ir Dovid, Ir Miklat, and Sharvit Hazahav

5609/1848, Harav Meir Binyamin Menachem Dunin, zt”l, mechaber of Be’er Hasadeh

5701/1940, Harav Dovid Friedman, Hy”d, the Rebbe of Ployesht

5757/1996, Harav Shmuel Halevi Ashlag, zt”l

5759/1998, Harav Yaakov Leser, zt”l, Pshevorsker Rebbe of Antwerp

5586/1825

Harav Refael Ashkenazi of Izmir, zt”l, mechaber of Mar’eh Einayim

Harav Refael Ashkenazi was the son of Harav Yehudah, zt”l, the mechaber of Machaneh Yehudah.

When Refael was just seven years old, his father was niftar. When he grew up he arranged publication of his father’s sefer.

Rav Refael was the Chief Rabbi of Izmir, Turkey, and was known for settling disputes in the city, causing peace to reign in the local kehillah.

He also served as Dayan, and headed a yeshivah.

A baal yissurim, he suffered many illnesses in his lifetime.

Rav Refael was the author of many sefarim. All his sefarim begin with the name Mar’eh, an abbreviation of Moreinu Refael Ashkenazi. They include Mar’eh Einayim, a compilation of mar’ei mekomos on the whole Shas; Mar’eh Hanoga, his chiddushim on the Rambam; Mar’eh Hagadol, his drashos; and Mar’eh Adam, his she’eilos u’teshuvos.

Rav Refael was niftar on 27 Cheshvan, 5586/1825, in Izmir.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

Nov. 25

In 1783, the British evacuated New York, their last military position in the United States during the Revolutionary War.

In 1957, President Eisenhower suffered a slight stroke.

In 1984, William Schroeder of Jasper, Ind., became the second man to receive a Jarvik-7 artificial heart, at Humana Hospital Audubon in Kentucky. He lived 620 days on the device.

In 1986, the Iran-Contra affair erupted as President Reagan and Attorney General Edwin Meese revealed that profits from secret arms sales to Iran had been diverted to Nicaraguan rebels.

In 2002, President Bush signed legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security, and appointed Tom Ridge to be its head.