This Day in History – 15 Sivan/May 24

15 Sivan

Today is a Yom Tov as cited in Megillas Taanis, because on this date the residents of Beis Shaan and Bikasa, who aided the enemies of Klal Yisrael, the Yevanim, were exiled from their homes by the Chashmona’im.

In 4859/1099, the accursed Crusaders laid siege to Yerushalayim. As they conquered the city, the Crusaders massacred almost the entire population of Yerushalayim, including its Jews. The reign of the Christians lasted until 4947/1187. When it ended, it prompted additional Crusades.

In 5687/1927, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Harav Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, zt”l, was arrested by agents of the Soviet secret police for disseminating Jewish learning and observance throughout the Soviet Empire. The Rebbe was held and tortured in prison and then sent to Kastroma, a prison camp, until his ultimate release on the 12th of Tammuz.

His release was achieved by the intense hishtadlus of chassidim. Two years later, the Rebbe fled Russia and traveled to America. When WWII broke out he was in Warsaw. He was saved and returned to America, where he rebuilt the Lubavitcher Chassidus.

In 5742/1982, Israeli forces crossed into Lebanon to destroy PLO bases. Named “Operation Peace for Galilee,” its aim was to drive out the terrorists. In 5743/1983, Lebanon’s President, Amin Gemayel, signed a peace treaty with Israel. A year later, Syria forced Gemayel to renege on the agreement. The war continued as the IDF captured Beirut and surrounded Yasser Arafat and his co-terrorists. The war ended in 5745/1985 when Israel was forced to withdraw. A total of 1,216 Jewish lives were lost. Hy”d.

Yahrtzeiten

2314/1447, B.C.E., Yehudah, son of Yaakov Avinu, z”l. His birthday is on this date as well. He was born in 2195/1566 B.C.E.

5704/1944

Harav David Dov Meisles of Uhel, the Binyan David, Hy”d 5449/1689

Harav Yitzchak of Posen, zt”l, mechaber of She’eilos U’teshuvos Be’er Yitzchak

Harav Yitzchak of Posen was the son of Harav Avraham and the son-in-law of the Rosh Yosef.

He was the talmid of Harav Yonah Teumim, the Kikayon D’Yonah.

Initially, Rav Yitzchak served as Rav in Loitsk, from where he moved to Vilna, replacing Harav Moshe, the Chelkas Mechokek. Later, he was appointed Rav in Posen, replacing Harav Sheftel Horowitz, the son of the Shelah.

In Posen, Rav Yitzchak founded his yeshivah and answered the many halachic she’eilos he was sent, later published as She’eilos U’teshuvos Be’er Yitzchak. In his time, he was seen as the posek hador. Despite being held in such high esteem by all of the Gedolei Hador, Harav Yitzchak wrote his teshuvos and would pasken very humbly.

His yeshivah attracted hundreds of bachurim. The most famous among them was Harav Avraham Abali, the Magen Avraham, who quotes Harav Yitzchak numerous times in his work on Shulchan Aruch.

Harav Yitzchak served as the head of the Vaad Arba Aratzos. In 5443/1683, he agreed to the printing of Maginei Zahav, which answered the questions of the Nekudos Hakesef on the Turei Zahav.

Rav Yitzchak was niftar on 15 Sivan 5449/1689. His son was Harav Yaakov of Posen, a known talmid chacham and parnas. Harav Yitzchak’s son-in-law was Harav Fishel of Ladmor.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

May 24

In 1775, John Hancock was elected President of the Continental Congress, succeeding Peyton Randolph.

In 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message “What hath G-d wrought” from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened America’s first telegraph line.

In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan, was dedicated by President Chester Alan Arthur and New York Gov. Grover Cleveland.

In 1937, in a set of rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Social Security Act of 1935.

In 1941, the German battleship Bismarck sank the British battle cruiser HMS Hood in the North Atlantic, killing all but three of the 1,418 men on board.

In 1961, a group of Freedom Riders was arrested after arriving at a bus terminal in Jackson, Miss., charged with breaching the peace for entering white-designated areas. (They ended up serving 60 days in jail.)

In 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Aurora 7.

In 1976, Britain and France opened trans-Atlantic Concorde supersonic transport service to Washington.

In 1980, Iran rejected a call by the World Court in The Hague to release the American hostages.

In 2001, 23 people were killed when the floor of a Jerusalem wedding hall collapsed beneath dancing guests.