This Day In History 4 Elul/September 7

In 5151/1391, Jews of Barcelona, Spain, were massacred by attacking mobs. Hy”d.

Yahrtzeiten

5336/1576, Harav Moshe Porbinchalo of Montova, zt”l, mechaber of She’eilos U’teshuvos Maharam Porbinchalo

5515/1755, Harav Elazar, zt”l, Rav of Vilna

5560/1800, Harav Tzvi Hersh, zt”l, Rav of Berlin

5591/1831, Harav Aryeh Leib Teumim, zt”l, mechaber of Gur Aryeh

5594/1834, Harav Nosson, zt”l, Rav of Levertov

5654/1894, Harav Moshe Idan, zt”l, one of the chachamim of Djerba, Tunisia, mechaber of Tiferes Moshe

5674/1914, Harav Nesanel Fried, zt”l, mechaber of Pnei Meivin

5686/1926, Harav Meir Simchah Hacohen of Dvinsk, zt”l, mechaber of Ohr Same’ach and Meshech Chochmah

5701/1941, Harav Yosef Meir Pollack of Bergsas, Hy”d

5591/1831, Harav Yeshayahu Weltfried of Pshedborz, Zy”a

Harav Yeshayah Weltfried was born in Lask in 5518/1758. His father, Harav Meir, was a descendant of Harav Elyakim Getz, mechaber of Even Hashoham.

Reb Yeshayah was a talmid of Harav Pinchas Zelig of Lask, mechaber of Ateres Paz.

In 5532/1772, at the age of 14, he moved to Pshedborz, where became a close friend of the (future) Yehudi Hakadosh of Peshischa. Together, they learned in the yeshivos of Rav Dovid Tevel of Lisa and Rav Aryeh Leib of Pshedborz. Under the influence of Harav Dovid of Lelov, the two traveled to the court of the Chozeh in Lublin. The Chozeh would call Reb Yeshayah “my sefarim shelf,” as he was renowned for his greatness in Torah.

In 5548/1788, Reb Yeshayah was appointed Rav in Pshedborz, one of the oldest kehillos in Poland. In 5575/1815, following the petirah of the Chozeh, many Chassidim began to travel to Pshedborz to Reb Yeshayah; he became one of the leading Rebbes in Poland of that time. Among his better-known Chassidim were Reb Moshe of Lelov; Reb Yosef Baruch, the “Gutte Yid” of Neustadt; and the Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk, who quotes Reb Yeshayah often in his sefarim.

Reb Yeshayah was niftar on 4 Elul 5591/1831, at the age of 73.

His son Reb Emanuel succeeded him as Rebbe.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Sept. 7

In 1916, the Federal Employees Compensation Act, providing financial assistance to federal workers with job-related injuries, was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson.

In 1940, Nazi Germany began its eight-month blitz of Britain during World War II with the first air attack on London.

In 1977, the Panama Canal treaties, calling for the U.S. to eventually turn over control of the waterway to Panama, were signed in Washington by President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.