This Day in History – June 24/2 Tammuz

In 4856/1096, the Crusaders arrived in the city of Weltzk, assembled all the Jews and led them to their deaths. Hy”d.

Yahrtzeiten

2310, according to most opinions, Yosef Hatzaddik. He was also born on this date in 2200. According to other opinions, he was niftar on 27 Tammuz.

5625/1865, Harav Mordechai Zev Itinga, zt”l, mechaber of Mefarshei Hayam

5649/1889, Harav Avraham Twersky, zt”l, the Trisker Maggid

5678/1918, Harav Eliezer Nissen, Rebbe of Dzikov, zt”l

5525/1765, Harav Nachman of Horodenka, Zy”a

Harav Nachman was born to Harav Yitzchak of Zalkava and his wife in approximately 1670. He was a close colleague of the Baal Shem Tov. His son, Harav Simchah, zt”l, married the Baal Shem Tov’s daughter Udel. They later had a son who grew up to become the renowned Harav Nachman of Breslov, zy”a, named for his grandfather.

It is said that the Baal Shem Tov once asked Rav Nachman to deliver a letter to Harav Dov Ber of Mezritch, zy”a (who later became known as the Mezritcher Maggid), in which he attempted to persuade him to become a Chassid. Upon receiving the letter, Rav Dov Ber said, “I see an auspicious sign in the talmid who brings me this letter. If Rav Nachman is such a holy tzaddik, how much more so is his teacher — the Baal Shem Tov.” Rav Dov Ber then agreed to meet with the Baal Shem Tov and later became an adherent of Chassidus.

Harav Pinchas of Koretz, zy”a, said about Rav Nachman that as long as he was in Russia, the Russians would be unable to conquer Poland.

It was said about Rav Nachman that his emunah was “as strong as a pillar of iron.” He was wont to remark about challenging situations that “Gam zu l’tovah — this is for the good.”
In 1764, he emigrated to the Holy Land with another son, Harav Shimshon Chaim, and settled in Teveriah. The following year (5525/1765), he was niftar and buried there.

Divrei Torah from Harav Nachman of Horodenka are recounted in sefarim Toldos Yaakov Yosef and Degel Machaneh Ephraim.

Zechuso yagein aleinu.

June 24

In 1497, the first recorded sighting of North America by a European took place as explorer John Cabot spotted land, probably in present-day Canada.

In 1948, Communist forces cut off all land and water routes between West Germany and West Berlin, prompting the Western allies to organize the Berlin Airlift. The Republican National Convention, meeting in Philadelphia, nominated New York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey for president.

In 1964, AT&T inaugurated commercial “Picturephone” service between New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (the service, however, never caught on).

In 1975, 113 people were killed when Eastern Airlines Flight 66, a Boeing 727 carrying 124 people, crashed while attempting to land during a thunderstorm at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

In 1983, the space shuttle Challenger — carrying America’s first woman in space, Sally K. Ride — coasted to a safe landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

In 2015, a federal judge in Boston formally sentenced Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death for the 2013 terror attacks.