This Day in History – 6 Adar II/March 16

In 2488/1273 B.C.E., [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.

Yahrtzeit

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

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

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

His brother, Rav Menachem, was Rav in Ostrovtza.

The family descended from the famed Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.

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

Reb 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, Rav in Kalisch and later in Yerushalayim, author of Imrei Binah.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

March 16

In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson signed a measure authorizing the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.

In 1926, rocket science pioneer Robert H. Goddard successfully tested the first liquid-fueled rocket at his Aunt Effie’s farm in Auburn, Massachusetts.

In 1935, Adolf Hitler decided to break the military terms set by the Treaty of Versailles by ordering the rearming of Germany.