This Day in History – 6 Tishrei/September 30

Yahrtzeiten

5566/1805, Harav Binyamin Zev Eiger, zt”l, Rav of Leipnik

5572/1811, Harav Aryeh Leib, the Shpolyer Zeide, zt”l

5580/1819, Harav Avraham Kalfon, zt”l, Rav of Tripoli, Libya

5632/1871, Harav Mordechai of Tolna, zt”l

5728/1967, Harav Yisrael Taussig of Kiryas Mattersdorf-Yerushalayim, zt”l

5736/1975, Harav Tzvi Hersh Hakohen Kupshitz of Yerushalayim, zt”l

5670/1909, Harav Noach Shachor, zt”l, of Biale

Harav Noach Shachor was the son of Harav Yitzchak Eizik of Mir. Reb Yitzchak Eizik was a wealthy Chassid and talmid chacham who traveled to the courts of Kotzk and later Ger. Harav Chaim Berlin, the son of the Netziv of Volozhin, married the daughter of Reb Yitzchak Eizik.

Reb Noach, too, was a Chassid of the Kotzker Rebbe, and often traveled to the court in Kotzk. Later, after the petirah of the Kotzker Rebbe, Reb Noach traveled to the Gerrer Rebbes. He learned at times with the Avnei Nezer.

It is related that a few hours before the petirah of the Chiddushei Harim, his Rebbetzin asked him what shidduch should be made for his grandson, the infant Avraham Mordechai, later the Imrei Emes. The Chiddushei Harim answered that he had set his eye on three of the Chassidim: Reb Lipman, Reb Noach Shachor and Harav Chaim Elazar Wachs, the Nefesh Chayah.

When the time came, the daughter of Reb Noach was suggested to the Sfas Emes for his son, Reb Avraham Mordechai. The wedding was held in 5641/1881. It is interesting to note that the words of the Chiddushei Harim were not for naught; all three people that he mentioned later became mechutanim of his children.

Reb Noach lived in Biale, where he headed a yeshivah in his home for over 40 years.

He was fluent in the entire Rashba. Once, during a shiur, one of the talmidim quoted a Rashba that did not entirely agree with the chiddush of Reb Noach. Upon hearing the Rashba, and realizing that he had overlooked and forgotten this Rashba, Reb Noach fainted due to the pain and anguish of forgetting the words of the Rashba.

Reb Noach was renowned for his hasmadah. When a bachur took leave of Reb Noach before one Sukkos, Reb Noach asked him a difficult question and told him to work it out during his vacation. When this bachur heard that a fire broke out in the home of Reb Noach, he traveled back to Biale to see what could be salvaged. He came on Chol Hamoed Sukkos, and saw that the entire house was burned to ashes; only the sukkah was still standing, and Reb Noach was sitting in the sukkah learning. Seeing the dire situation, the bachur began to cry. When Reb Noach noticed him crying, he comforted the bachur, “Even if you haven’t yet found an answer to my question, that is no reason to cry.” Reb Noach couldn’t even imagine that the bachur was crying over the burnt house.

Reb Noach was niftar on 6 Tishrei 5670/1909.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

Sept. 30

In 1399, England’s King Richard II was deposed by Parliament; he was succeeded by his cousin, Henry of Bolingbroke, who was crowned as King Henry IV.

In 1777, the Continental Congress — forced to flee in the face of advancing British forces — moved to York, Pennsylvania.

In 1846, Boston dentist William Morton used ether as an anesthetic for the first time as he extracted an ulcerated tooth from Eben Frost.

In 1938, after co-signing the Munich Agreement allowing Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain said, “I believe it is peace for our time.”

In 1949, the Berlin Airlift came to an end.

In 1949, The National Farm Workers Association, founded by Cesar Chavez and a forerunner of the United Farm Workers, held its first meeting in Fresno, California.

In 1962, James Meredith, a black student, was escorted by federal marshals to the campus of the University of Mississippi, where he enrolled for classes the next day. Meredith’s presence sparked rioting that claimed two lives.

In 1986, the U.S. released accused Soviet spy Gennadiy Zakharov, one day after the Soviets released American journalist Nicholas Daniloff.

In 1997, France’s Roman Catholic Church apologized for its silence during the systematic persecution and deportation of Jews by the pro-Nazi Vichy regime.