This Day in History – 14 Sivan/May 23

14 Sivan

In 5270/1510, Germany’s emperor rescinded an order to burn all the sefarim found in Cologne and Frankfurt.

In 5348/1588, 24 Jews were burned at the stake al kiddush Hashem at an auto-da-fe. Hy”d.

Yahrtzeiten

5510/1750, Harav Uren of Pintchov, who was hung al kiddush Hashem in Brodi. Hy”d.

5568/1808, Harav Leib, zt”l, brother of the Vilna Gaon

5581/1821, Harav Chaim of Volozhin, zt”l, mechaber of Nefesh Hachaim and founding Rosh Yeshivah of Volozhin Yeshivah.

5662/1902, Harav Naftali Hertz of Yafo, zt”l

5707/1947, Harav Shmuel Abba Twersky, the Makarov-Winnipeg Rebbe, zt”l

5745/1985, Harav Moshe Horowitz, zt”l, the Bostoner Rebbe of New York

5760/2000

Harav Nissim Yagen, zt”l

Harav Nissim Yagen was born on 12 Cheshvan 5702/1941, in Yerushalayim. His father, Chacham Yaakov, was a talmid of Harav Yosef Arab, and later of the mekubal Harav Mordechai Sharabi, joining his beis medrash for 20 years.

As a youngster, Harav Nissim learned in Talmud Torah Magen David. Later he learned in Yeshivas Merom Shir, where he became close to the Amshinover Rebbe, zt”l, who suggested that he travel to learn in the yeshivah in Lakewood, under Harav Aharon Kotler. About four years later he returned to Eretz Yisrael, where he married.

When he was still a young avreich, Harav Nissim learned in the Kollel Dayanus of Harav Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg, and he also attended the sichos of Harav Chaim Shmuelevitz on a steady basis, in Yeshivas Mir.

Every Shabbos night, in his home, Harav Nissim would deliver talks to bachurim from the Chevron yeshivah on parashas hashavua and other topics.

He then founded a large Torah community in the city of Zichron Yaakov, which included a few hundred families.

When he returned to Yerushalayim a few years later, he was appointed menahel ruchani of Ohr Somayach, and then mashgiach in Ohr Boruch, and one of the Roshei Yeshivah of Ohel Moed.

In 5737/1977, Rav Nissim founded the Kehillas Yaakov kollel on Yosef ben Mattisyahu Street in Yerushalayim, for baalei teshuvah. He later invited avreichim who were not baalei teshuvah to join the kollel. Avreichim would arrive in the yeshivah for Shacharis and eat their morning meal in the kollel in order to quickly return to their learning. Harav Yagen would, in turn, offer them an additional stipend for their willingness to begin studies so early in the morning.

Rav Nissim was thus one of the significant figures of the teshuvah movement in Eretz Yisrael and worldwide. For 10 years, he occupied a senior position in the Arachim movement, and conducted seminars all over the world. He also produced 300 cassettes on parashas hashavua and other Torah topics.

A few years before his petirah, he fell ill with a devastating disease. For many months, prayers were recited for his recovery. During that period Rav Nissim often went to medical centers in Eretz Yisrael and abroad for treatments. He spent the last month of his life in Hadassah Hospital in Yerushalayim.

Rav Nissim was niftar on Shabbos Parashas Behaalos’cha, 14 Sivan, 5760/2000, at the age of 58.

He was buried in the Sephardic chelkah on Har Hamenuchos.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

May 23

In 1788, South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify the United States Constitution.

In 1873, Canada’s Parliament voted to establish the North West Mounted Police force.

In 1911, the newly completed New York Public Library was dedicated by President William Howard Taft, Gov. John Alden Dix and Mayor William Jay Gaynor.

In 1937, industrialist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, founder of the Standard Oil Co. and the Rockefeller Foundation, died in Ormond Beach, Fla., at age 97.

In 1945, Nazi official Heinrich Himmler took his own life while imprisoned in Luneburg, Germany.

In 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was established.

In 1967, Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships, an action which precipitated war between Israel and its Arab neighbors the following month.

In 1984, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop issued a report saying there was “very solid” evidence linking cigarette smoke to lung disease in non-smokers.