This Day in History – 11 Shevat/January 21

5270/1510, the Jews of Colmar, Northern France, were expelled.

Yahrtzeiten

5566/1806, Harav Yehudah Leib of Desdau and Berlin, zt”l

5640/1880, Harav Chaim Yehoshua Blumenthal, zt”l

5679/1919, Harav Yehudah Tzvi Hakohen Yalas of Sambur, zt”l

5639/1839, Harav Nosson Dovid Deitsch, zt”l, Rav of Kretchinef

Harav Nosson Dovid Deitsch was the son of Harav Yosef Yoel, who served as Rav in Chodorov and was the author of She’eilos U’Teshuvos Yad Yosef.

Reb Nosson Dovid married the daughter of Harav Yitzchak Eizik, a descendant of the Rebbe Reb Heshel of Cracow, the Taz and the Shach.

A gaon in Torah, Reb Nosson Dovid was also renowned for his exceptional middos. He served as Rav of Kretchinef, where he was actively involved in the growth of Torah life.

Despite being frail all his life, Reb Nosson Dovid dedicated his time to learning, day and night. The davening of Reb Nosson Dovid was full of fervor and inspiration, motivating all around him to daven with deeper kavanah.

Reb Nosson Dovid was niftar on 11 Shevat 5639/1839.

Nearly 50 years later, his grandson Rav Mordechai, son of his son Rav Moshe, published his divrei Torah under the name Nefesh Dovid.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

Jan. 21

In 1954, the first atomic submarine, the USS Nautilus, was launched at Groton, Connecticut. However, the Nautilus did not make its first nuclear-powered run until nearly a year later.

In 1976, British Airways and Air France inaugurated scheduled passenger service on the supersonic Concorde jet.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter pardoned almost all Vietnam War draft evaders.

In 2010, a bitterly divided U.S. Supreme Court, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, vastly increased the power of big business and labor unions to influence government decisions by freeing them to spend their millions directly to sway elections for president and Congress.