This Day in History – 8 Tishrei/October 2

In 2937/825 B.C.E., the dedication festivities celebrating the completion of the Beis Hamikdash, built by Shlomo Hamelech, commenced on this date and continued for seven days, including Yom Kippur.

 Yahrtzeiten

5550/1789, Harav Baruch Schneerson, zt”l, father of the Baal HaTanya

5616/1855, Harav Elazar Nissan Teitelbaum of Drohbitz, zt”l

5691/1930, Harav Shimon Sofer, zt”l, Rav of Sandra and Paks

5700/1939, Harav Shlomo Benzion Twersky of Chernobyl, zt”l

5693/1932, Harav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel Rabinowitz of Lublin, zt”l

Harav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel Rabinowitz was the son of Harav Yitzchak Yaakov of Biala, mechaber of Divrei Binah. He was born in Ostrova in 5635/1875, when his father was living near his father-in-law, Harav Yehoshua of Ostrova.

He married the daughter of Harav Shimon Chaim Alter, the brother of the Sfas Emes of Gur.

Following the petirah of his father, the Divrei Binah, on 23 Adar II 5665/1905, Reb Avraham Yehoshua Heschel served as Rebbe in Chelm. Later he settled in Lublin, where he was known as the Biala Rebbe of Lublin. He was a great masmid and talmid chacham.

He was niftar in Lublin on 8 Tishrei 5693/1932, at the age of 58.

His sons were Harav Aharon Dovid of Lentshna; Harav Shlomo; and Harav Tzvi. His son-in-law was Harav Baruch Mordechai Weinberg, son of Harav Yissachar Aryeh Leib of Slonim.

The divrei Torah of Reb Avraham Yehoshua Heschel on Bereishis and Shemos were published under the name Yeshuos Avraham.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Oct. 2

In 1780, British spy John Andre was hanged in Tappan, New York, during the Revolutionary War.

In 1835, the first battle of the Texas Revolution took place as American settlers fought Mexican soldiers near the Guadalupe River; the Mexicans ended up withdrawing.

In 1889, the first International Conference of American States convened in Washington, D.C.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a serious stroke at the White House that left him paralyzed on his left side.

In 1958, the former French colony of Guinea in West Africa proclaimed its independence.

In 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court as the court opened its new term.

In 1984, Richard W. Miller became the first FBI agent to be arrested and charged with espionage. (Miller was tried three times; he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but was released after nine years.)