This Day in History – 6 Adar II/March 13

In 2369, (as recorded in Yalkut Shimoni) Moshe Rabbeinu completed Mishneh Torah and was told by Hashem that his petirah was near.

In 5109/1349, a plague killed hundreds of Yidden in the kehillah of Worms, Germany.

In 5242/1482, the first printed edition of the entire Chumash with Targum Onkelos and Rashi was published in Bologna, Italy.

In 5576/1816, the final expulsion of the Jews of the city of Lubeck, Germany, took place. This was 117 years after they were expelled the first time.

Yahrtzeiten

5549/1789, Harav Aryeh Leib, zt”l, mechaber of Panim Chadashos

5606/1846, Harav Daniel Prustitz, zt”l, of Pressburg, mechaber of Machaneh Dan

5676/1916, Harav Naftali of Amsterdam, zt”l, talmid of Harav Yisrael Salanter (Adar II)

5695/1935, Harav Chanoch Tzvi Levin, zt”l, the Bendiner Rav

5696/1936, Harav Yosef Baumgarten, zt”l, Rav of the Schiffschul in Vienna

5759/1999, Harav Yehoshua Dovid Povarski, zt”l, Rosh Yeshivas Ponevez

5606/1846, Harav Yitzchak Auerbach, Zt”l, Rav of Luntchitz and mechaber of Divrei Chaim

Harav Yitzchak Auerbach was the son of Harav Chaim, zt”l, Rav of Luntchitz and mechaber of Divrei Mishpat on Orach Chaim and Mayim Chaim on Yoreh Deah.

His brother, Rav Menachem, zt”l, was Rav in Ostrovtza.

Rav Yitzchak was a gaon with an exceptionally sharp mind; he was called Rav Yitzchak Charif.

His first rabbinic post was in Dobri. Later he served as Rav in Plotzk. Following the petirah of his father, he succeeded him as Rav in Luntchitz.

Rav Yitzchak was the author of Divrei Chaim, chiddushim on all four sections of the Shulchan Aruch.

He was niftar on 6 Adar II, 5606/1846.

His son was the Gadol Hador Harav Meir Auerbach, zt”l, Rav in Kalisch and later in Yerushalayim, author of Imrei Binah.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

March 13

In 1764, Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who served as British Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834 (and for whom Earl Grey tea is named), was born in Falloden, Northumberland.

In 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis signed a measure allowing black slaves to enlist in the Confederate States Army with the promise they would be set free.

In 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court approved corporate tax law.

In 1925, the Tennessee General Assembly approved a bill prohibiting the teaching of the theory of evolution. (Gov. Austin Peay signed the measure on March 21.)

In 1933, banks in the U.S. began to reopen after a “holiday” declared by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.