This Day In History 29 Av/August 21

29 Av

Yahrtzeiten

5591/1831, Harav Moshe of Zaloshen, zt”l, mechaber of Mishpat Tzedek

5617/1857 Harav Yosef Meir, Rebbe of Machnovka, zt”l

5669/1909, Harav Shmuel Salant, zt”l, Rav of Yerushalayim

5702/1942, Harav Menachem Mendel Alter, Hy”d, Rav of Paviniecz

5705/1945, Harav Avraham Dov, Rebbe of Rachmastrivke, zt”l

5742/1982, Harav Eliezer Zusha Portugal, the Skulener Rebbe, zt”l

5671/1911

Harav Yisrael Shalom Yosef Heschel, zt”l, of Mezhibuzh

Harav Yisrael Shalom Yosef Heschel was born in Zhinkov in Cheshvan 5613/1853. His father was Harav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel, son of Harav Meshulam Zusha, Rav of Zinkov. The child was named for his maternal grandparents, Yisrael after the Ruzhiner Rebbe and Shalom Yosef after the Ruzhiner’s oldest son, Harav Shalom Yosef, his mother’s father.

In Elul 5626/1866, he married the daughter of Harav Avraham Yaakov, Rebbe of Sadigura, his great-uncle.

Reb Yisrael Shalom had a sharp mind, humility and sterling middos.

Following the petirah of his father in 5641/1881, Reb Yisrael Shalom was appointed Rebbe in Mezhibuzh. It is related that his father-in-law, the Sadigura Rebbe, was asked how he allowed him to serve as Rebbe in Mezhibuzh, for it was known that the Rebbes in Mezhibuzh were niftar young. The Sadigura Rebbe answered that “just as the Baal Shem Tov lived in Mezhibuzh for 30 years, so will Reb Yisrael Shalom”… Reb Yisrael Shalom was niftar 30 years later, in 5671/1911.

After the petirah of his first wife on 25 Sivan 5647/1887, Reb Yisrael Shalom married the daughter of Harav Yaakov Shimshon Chodorov of Bahapli. They had four sons and five daughters.

The sons were Pinchas, z”l, who was niftar young; Harav Avraham Yehoshua Heshel, Rebbe of Mezhibuzh-Tarnipol, Hy”d; Harav Yitzchak Meir, Mezhibuzher Rebbe of Chaifah, zy”a; and Harav Moshe, Hy”d. The daughters were Rebbetzin Chavah Sarah, wife of Harav Mordechai Shlomo, Rebbe of Boyan, zy”a; Rebbetzin Mirel, wife of Harav Mordechai Shalom Yosef, Rebbe of Sadigura-Pszemishel, zy”a; Rebbetzin Leah Rochel, wife of Harav Shmuel Feiner, z”l; Bluma Reizel, who passed away young; and Chayah Miriam Sima, who was killed in the War.

Reb Yisrael Shalom was niftar on 29 Av, Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5671/1911, in Dvenzhkeh near Vizhnitz. He was fifty-eight. He was buried in the Ohel in Vizhnitz near the Tzemach Tzaddik.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

August 21

In 1680, the Pueblo Indians drove the Spanish out and took possession of Santa Fe, N.M.

In 1841, a patent for venetian blinds was issued to John Hampton.

In 1888, the adding machine was patented by William Burroughs.

In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order making Hawaii the 50th state.

In 1991, the hard-line coup against Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev collapsed in the face of a popular uprising led by Russian Federation President Boris N. Yeltsin.