This Day in History – 9 Sivan/June 12

9 Sivan
Yahrtzeiten

5444/1684, Harav Moshe Ravkash, zt”l, mechaber of Be’er Hagolah on Shulchan Aruch. According to some, his yahrtzeit is on 13 Tammuz.

5599/1839, Harav Yisrael of Shklov, zt”l, mechaber of Pe’as Hashulchan and Taklin Chadatin on Maseches Shekalim, who led the aliyah to Eretz Yisrael of the Vilna Gaon’s talmidim.

5639/1879, Harav Aharon Konvarti, zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Hamekubalim Beis Kel in Yerushalayim and mechaber of She’eilos u’Teshuvos Kapei Aharon

5690/1930, Harav Avraham Tzvi Perlmuter, zt”l, Rav of Warsaw

5699/1939, Harav Yaakov Chaim Sofer, zt”l, mechaber of Kaf Hachaim, Yismach Yisrael, and many other sefarim


5633/1873

Harav Yitzchak Eizik Eichenstein, Rebbe of Ziditchov, Zy”a

Harav Yitzchak Eizik of Ziditchov was born in Ziditchov, Galicia, in 5565/1805. (Ziditchov/Czatachowa is a town located somewhat north of Katowice.) He was the only son of Harav Yissachar Berish, zy”a, who was a talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin, zy”a, and the brother of Harav Tzvi Hersh, the first Rebbe of Ziditchov, zy”a.

The family traced its lineage to the Tosafos Yom Tov.

Rav Yitzchak Eizik was a very close disciple of his uncle, Rav Tzvi Hersh, and in his sefarim he constantly quotes his Torah thoughts.

Rav Yitzchak Eizik’s unparalleled hasmadah and memory were amazing, and from the age of 14 until his petirah, a night did not pass without him being deeply engrossed in profound Torah study.

Although he lived a life of poverty, he constantly traveled to the great Rebbes of his generation to quench his great spiritual thirst.

After the petirah of Rav Tzvi Hersh, Rav Yitzchak Eizik spent much time imbibing Torah and Chassidus from another uncle, Harav Moshe of Sambur, zy”a. He also traveled to Harav Naftali of Ropshitz, Harav Meir of Premishlan and Harav Shalom of Belz, zechusam yagen aleinu, among others.

Although he never wanted to become a Rav, he was apparently destined to become a Rebbe. After the petirah of Harav Yehudah Tzvi of Rozdol, zy”a, he became the successor of the Ziditchov Chassidus.

Among his primary talmidim were Harav Yosef Meir, Rebbe of Spinka, zy”a, and Harav Shalom Mordechai Hakohen Schwadron, the Maharsham of Berzon, zt”l.

The Rebbe was fluent in Zohar and sifrei Kabbalah. He wrote a peirush on Midrash; Likutei Torah v’HaShas on sefer Bamidbar; and Yalkut Maharya on Yalkut Shimoni.

His sons were Harav Sender Lipa of Ziditchov; Harav Yissochor Berish of Dolino; Harav Eliyahu of Ziditchov, mechaber of Zichron Eliyahu; Harav Shlomo Yaakov; and Harav Menachem Mendel, mechaber of Likutei Maharam, zechusam yagen aleinu.

In 5749/1989, the sefer Yalkut Maharya was published for the first time. It contains minhagim, letters and his divrei Torah, collected from various sources by his descendants Rav Shimon Hirschler and Rav Moshe Leib Weiser of London. His toldos are printed in the sefer Pe’er Yitzchak.

Rav Yitzchak Eizik was niftar on 9 Sivan.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.


June 12

President Ronald Reagan speaking in front of the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987.

In 1665, England installed a municipal government in New York, formerly the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam, and appointed its first mayor, Thomas Willett.

In 1776, Virginia’s colonial legislature adopted a Declaration of Rights.

In 1849, Lewis Haslett patented a gas mask.

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan, during a visit to the divided German city of Berlin, exhorted Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall.”

In 1997, the U.S. Treasury Department unveiled a new $50 bill meant to be more counterfeit-resistant.

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