This Day In History 4 Sivan/May 29

In 2449/1312 B.C.E., Moshe Rabbeinu explained to Bnei Yisrael the mitzvos of hagbalah and perishah. According to Rabi Yosi (Shabbos 86b), there were three days of hagbalah and the Torah was given on 7 Sivan; according to the Chachamim, there were two days of hagbalah and the Torah was given on 6 Sivan.

On this date, Moshe Rabbeinu wrote down the first 68 perakim of the Torah, from Bereishis to Mattan Torah, and the mitzvos that they were commanded in Marah (Shemos 24:4; Rashi ibid.). He also taught the seven mitzvos of Bnei Noach.

In 4336/576 C.E., over 500 Jews were forcibly baptized in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

In 5241/1481, the pope issued an order calling on all Christian princes to send back to Spain any Jews who had fled the Inquisition.

In 5408/1648, the infamous riots of tach v’tat broke out. Led by Bogdan Chmielnicki, ym”s, they resulted in the massacre of more than 300,000 Jews, Hy”d.

Yahrtzeiten

5648/1888, Harav Yeshayah Naftali Hertz of Dinov, zt”l, mechaber of Hanosen Imrei Shefer

5686/1926, Harav Moshe Jungreis, zt”l, Rav of Kashua

1979/5740, Harav Yosef Avrohom Wolf, zt”l, Dean of Rav Wolf’s Seminar Bnei Brak

Harav Yosef Avrohom Wolf was born in 1911/5671 to Rav Pinchos Wolf and Helena (Hinda) Auerbach, daughter of Harav Aviezri Zelig Auerbach, Rav of Halberstadt. Rav Wolf studied in Germany. He married Liesl Klein, daughter of Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchok Klein, the Rav of Nuremberg. In 1939/5699 they immigrated to Eretz Yisrael and settled in Tel Aviv.

Rav Wolf first taught in the Bais Yaakov Seminaries in Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv. Later, the Chazon Ish, zt”l, invited him to oversee the Bais Yaakov Seminary in Bnei Brak. Besides expanding the seminary, he planned and implemented the curriculum. He did not allow the secular education system to influence the religious content of the seminary. He believed that material written by secular writers lacking yiras Shamayim usually includes false assumptions.

Rav Wolf was respected by all Orthodox Jewish circles in Bnei Brak. When opponents lashed out against his approach, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, Harav Chaim Meir Hager, zt”l, defended him.

After Rav Wolf’s petirah on 4 Sivan 1979/5740, his son, Rav Zev Wolf, took over leadership of the seminary.

Rav Yosef Avrohom Wolf wrote several sefarim and kuntresim, such as Torah Umada, Hachinuch L’or Hatekufah, Neviei Emes, Toras Hanefesh and Hatekufah U’baayoseha (4 parts).

May 29

In 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire.

In 1765, Patrick Henry denounced the Stamp Act before Virginia’s House of Burgesses.

In 1790, Rhode Island became the 13th original colony to ratify the United States Constitution.

In 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state of the union.

In 1961, a couple in Paynesville, West Virginia, became the first recipients of food stamps under a pilot program created by President John F. Kennedy.