This Day in History – 7 Cheshvan/November 5

7 Cheshvan

5639/1878, Jews began to prepare the ground at Petach Tikva for a new settlement.

5702/1941, 10,000 Jews of the Kovno ghetto were taken out for execution. The Nazis murdered them all during that day and the next. Hy”d.

In 5704/1943, Jewish children below the age of 12 were taken from Shavl, Lithuania, and executed. Hy”d.

Yahrtzeiten

5562/1801, Harav Shimon Deutsch of Dobormil, zt”l, mechaber of Nachlas Shimon

5608/1847, Harav Yehuda Tzvi of Rozdol, zt”l, mechaber of Daas Kedoshim

5626/1865, Harav Nosson Dovid Rabinowitz, Rebbe of Shidlovtza, zt”l

5666/1905, Harav Yehoshua Schwartzberg, zt”l, Rav of Zarik and mechaber of Divrei Yehoshua

5791/1930, Harav Yosef Yehudah Leib Bloch, zt”l, Rosh Yeshivas Telshe

5693/1932, Harav Yehuda Meir Shapira of Lublin, zt”l

5734/1973, Harav Yisrael Weltz, zt”l, Rav of Budapest and mechaber of Teshuvos Divrei Yisrael

5632/1871

Harav Tzvi Hersh Labl of Tomashov, Zt”l, Talmid of Harav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

Harav Tzvi Hersh Labl was born in Bilgoray in 5559/1799 to Rav Yisrael, one of the leaders of the kehillah.

Reb Tzvi Hersh learned in the yeshivah in Tarnigrad, together with the Divrei Chaim of Sanz. They learned under Harav Yosef Horowitz, zt”l, the brother of the Chozeh of Lublin.

He married the daughter of Reb Yaakov of Tomashov. After his marriage Rav Tzvi Hirsh resided in Tomashov, where he became acquainted with Harav Menachem Mendel Morgenstern, zy”a, who was later Rebbe in Kotzk. Under his influence Reb Tzvi Hirsh became a Peshischa Chassid, and the two were among the leading Chassidim of the Rebbe Reb Bunim in Peshischa, zy”a.

After the petirah of the Rebbe Reb Bunim in 5587/1827, Rav Tzvi Hirsh was among those who chose Rav Menachem Mendel as his successor.

When Rav Menachem Mendel moved from Tomashov to Kotzk, Rav Tzvi Hirsh moved with him, as he was one of the closest Chassidim. He was the Rebbe’s right-hand man, and nothing in the court could be done without his consent. When the Kotzker Rebbe was ill, Rav Tzvi Hirsh sent out letters that the Chassidim should daven on his behalf.

In 5619/1859, after the petirah of the Kotzker Rebbe, Rav Tzvi Hirsh was among the first of those who appointed Harav Yitzchak Meir, zy”a, the Chiddushei Harim, as the new Rebbe.

Rav Tzvi Hirsh would journey to the court of the Chiddushei Harim, and later to the Rebbe Reb Henoch of Alexander, zy”a, and after the latter’s petirah to the Sfas Emes, zy”a.

He was niftar on 7 Cheshvan 5632/1871 at the age of 72. He was zocheh to be buried near his Rebbe, Harav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Nov. 5

In 1605, the “Gunpowder Plot” failed as Guy Fawkes was seized before he could blow up the English Parliament.

In 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term in office.

In 1974, Ella T. Grasso was elected governor of Connecticut, becoming the first woman to win a gubernatorial office without succeeding her husband.

In 1994, former President Ronald Reagan disclosed he had Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2006, Saddam Hussein was convicted and sentenced by the Iraqi High Tribunal to hang for crimes against humanity.

In 2009, a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas left 13 people dead; Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, was later convicted of murder and sentenced to death.