This Day in History – October 14/26 Tishrei

5577/1816, Harav Aharon, maggid of Zhitomir, zt”l, mechaber of Toldos Aharon

5587/1826, Harav Asher, Rebbe of Stolin, zt”l, son of Harav Aharon Hagadol of Karlin

5753/1992, Harav Nosson Lubart, zt”l, mechaber of Shearis Nosson

5772/2011, Harav Moshe Halberstam, zt”l, Kiviashader Rebbe of Williamsburg


5693/1932, Harav Dovid Shapiro of Sonik-Dinov, Zt”l

Born in 5637/1877, Harav Dovid Shapiro was the son of Harav Yosef, Rebbe of Dinov, zy”a. He learned first under his father.

He married the daughter of a relative, Harav Yehudah Meir Shapiro of Bukovsk.

While his father reigned in Dinov, Rav Dovid held court in Sonik. His court attracted many Chassidim, even those who weren’t close with the Dinover court.

He was renowned for his greatness in Torah and fine middos. With his powerful voice, his tefillos were rousing and inspiring.

In the winter of 5692/1931, Rav Dovid was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. As was the custom in those days, he went to Vienna for a surgical procedure. During his stay in Vienna his father was niftar, and Rav Dovid was appointed Rebbe in Dinov.

Rav Dovid was warmly welcomed to the city. He was still weak,but managed to lead the Selichos of Erev Rosh Hashanah at the amud. Later he collapsed and returned to Sonik.

Rav Dovid was niftar less than a month later, on 26 Tishrei 5693/1932, at the age of 55. Harav Meir Shapiro, zt”l, of Lublin came to deliver a hesped.

Rav Dovid’s three sons, Harav Menachem Mendel, Rav of Dinov; Harav Elazar, Rebbe of Dinov-Sonik; and Harav Yisrael all perished in the War. Hashem yinkom damam.

The divrei Torah of Rav Dovid published in 5699/1939 were all destroyed or lost during the War.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.


October 14

In 1066, Normans under William the Conqueror defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings.

In 1944, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel took his own life rather than face execution for allegedly conspiring against Adolf Hitler.

In 1947, Air Force test pilot Charles E. (“Chuck”) Yeager broke the sound barrier as he flew the experimental Bell XS-1 (later X-1) rocket plane over Muroc Dry Lake in California.

In 1960, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy suggested the idea of a Peace Corps while addressing an audience of students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

In 1964, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

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