This Day in History – April 22/28 Nissan

28 Nisan

In 2489, the walls of the fortified city of Yericho fell and the Jews conquered it. For seven days, Bnei Yisrael had marched around the city walls carrying the Aron Kodesh, preceded by Kohanim sounding the shofar. On the seventh day, which fell on Shabbos, the walls crumbled and the city was conquered (Yehoshua 6). Yehoshua then composed the tefillah of Aleinu Leshabei’ach.


Yahrtzeiten

5420/1660, Harav Shabsi Sheftel Horowitz, zt”l, mechaber of Vavei Ha’amudim

5665/1905, Harav Yosef Yozke Rosenberg, zt”l, mechaber of Yad Yosef and Revid Hazahav

5688/1928, Harav Yissachar Leib Weinberg, zt”l, Rebbe of Slonim

5703/1943, Harav Shem Klingberg, Hy”d, the Zaloshitzer Rebbe of Cracow

5761/2001, Harav Aharon Hakohen Rosenfeld, zt”l, the Pinsk-Karliner Rebbe


5633/1873

Harav Yehoshua of Ostrova, Zt”l, Author of Toldos Adam

Harav Yehoshua of Ostrova was the son of Harav Shlomo Leib of Lentchna, zy”a.

In his youth he learned under the tutelage of his father. He also traveled to the court of the Sar Shalom of Belz, zy”a.

Rav Yehoshua frequented the courts of many of the generation’s Rebbes. Among them were Harav Yisrael of Ruzhin, Harav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, Harav Yitzchak of Vorka and Harav Meir of Premishlan, zechusam yagein aleinu.

His father noted that it was no wonder he traveled to so many Rebbes, as his neshamah was that of the Tanna Rabi Yehoshua ben Perachyah, who says in Pirkei Avos that one should make a Rav for himself.

After the petirah of his father on 19 Nisan 5603/1843, Rav Yehoshua succeeded him as Rebbe in Lentchna. Later he moved to Sosnowiec, and from there to Ostrova.

Rav Yehoshua served as Rebbe for 30 years. He was niftar on 28 Nisan 5633/1873 in Warsaw and was buried there. His kever was refurbished in recent years.

His divrei Torah were published under the name Toldos Adam a year after his petirah. At the end of the sefer there were also some of the divrei Torah of his father, Rav Shlomo Leib, and of Harav Yerachmiel of Peshischa, zy”a.

Rav Yehoshua’s only daughter married Harav Yitzchak Yaakov Rabinowitz of Biale, zy”a — a descendant of the Yehudi Hakadosh — who succeeded his father-in-law.

Zechuso yagein aleinu.


April 22

In 1509, Henry VIII ascended the throne of England following the death of his father, Henry VII.

In 1864, Congress authorized use of the phrase “In G-d We Trust” on U.S. coins.

In 1889, the Oklahoma Land Rush began at noon as thousands of homesteaders staked claims.

In 1954, the Senate Army-McCarthy hearings began. They were broadcast on tv.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson opened the New York World’s Fair.

In 1993, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

In 1994, Richard M. Nixon, the 37th U.S. president, died at a New York hospital four days after suffering a stroke. He was 81.

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