This Day in History – 10 Cheshvan/October 23

In 1656/2106 B.C.E., Noach and his family entered the teivah.

Yahrtzeiten

5421/1660, Harav Yechiel Michel of Cracow, zt”l, mechaber of Seder Gittin

5510/1749, Harav Aryeh Leib of Stanislav, zt”l, mechaber of Nachlas Aryeh

5550/1789, Harav Meir, zt”l, Rav of Lvov and Ostroha, mechaber of Meir Nesivim

5587/1826, Harav Avraham Oppenheim, zt”l, mechaber of Eishel Avraham on Shulchan Aruch

5592/1831, Harav Yosef Meir, zt”l, Rav of Golina

5612/1851, Harav Yitzchak Schick, Rav of Karlin, zt”l, mechaber of Keren Orah

5633/1872, Harav Meir Shapit of Kobrin, zt”l, mechaber of Nir L’Yerushalmi

5726/1965, Harav Dov Berish Weidenfeld, the Tchebiner Rav, zt”l

5662/1901, Harav Shmuel Zanvil Klapfish, zt”l, Rav in Warsaw

Harav Shmuel Zanvil Klapfish was born in 5585/1825 in Nemirov. When he was still a young boy, his family moved to Warsaw.

He was a talmid of Harav Moshe Yehudah Leib Silberberg, the Zayis Raanan, and received semichah from Harav Chaim Davidson, Rav of Warsaw.

Reb Shmuel Zanvil married the daughter of Harav Mordechai, known as Reb Mottele, a Rav in Warsaw.

After the petirah of Harav Nosson (Reb Noske) Spiegelglass of Warsaw in 5633/1873, Reb Shmuel Zanvil was appointed his successor.

Reb Shmuel Zanvil headed a yeshivah in Warsaw, from which many leading talmidei chachamim emerged. He delivered a daily shiur of seven hours’ duration. Later, when the responsibility of being Rav took more of his time, his shiur was only (!) four hours long. Reb Shmuel Zanvil purposely located the yeshivah far from his home, so as not to be disturbed with she’eilos while saying shiur.

Many leading Gedolim addressed their she’eilos to Reb Shmuel Zanvil, among them the Chiddushei Harim, zt”l, who knew Reb Shmuel Zanvil from his days in Warsaw; Harav Yosef Ber, the Brisker Rav, zt”l; and Harav Dov Berish Meisels, zt”l.

Reb Shmuel Zanvil was niftar on 10 Cheshvan 5662/1901, at the age of 76.

He had written chiddushei Torah on many masechtos and also many halachic teshuvos, but these were never printed.

His son was Harav Mordechai, Rav in Warsaw. His sons-in-law were Harav Shlomo Dovid Kahana, Harav Chaim Yehudah Leib Yudkowski and Harav Abba Chaim Miklishanksi, all of whom served as Rabbanim in Warsaw; and Harav Chaim Fein, Rav in Radzin.

Yehi zichro baruch.

October 23

In 1707, the first Parliament of Great Britain, created by the Acts of Union between England and Scotland, held its first meeting.

In 1942, during World War II, Britain launched a major offensive against Axis forces at El Alamein, in Egypt, resulting in an Allied victory.

In 1992, Emperor Akihito became the first Emperor of Japan to stand on Chinese soil.