This Day in History – 17 Cheshvan/October 30

In 1656/2106 B.C.E, according to Rabi Eliezer, the rains of the Mabul began to fall, flooding the earth and causing the waters to rise above the highest mountains.

In 2923/839 B.C.E., when Dovid Hamelech found out that King Shaul and seven members of his family had not been buried following their fall in battle, he made haste to bring them to kevuras Yisrael amid great honor and respect. After that he davened to Hashem and a famine of three years’ duration came to an end.

In 5408/1647, Chmielnicki’s Cossacks massacred 12,000 Jews in Poland. Hy”d.

Yahrtzeiten

5357/1596, Harav Avraham Rappaport, zt”l, mechaber of Minchah Belulah

5584/1823, Harav Yaakov Kopel of Tismenitz, zt”l, a talmid of Harav Moshe Leib of Sassov

5586/1825, Harav Menachem Mendel of Kossov, zt”l, the Ahavas Shalom

5597/1836, Harav Mordechai Zev Orenstein, zt”l, Rav of Lvov

5748/1987, Harav Meshulam Zushe Twersky, zt”l, the Chernobyler Rebbe of Bnei Brak

5659/1898, Harav Yehoshua Rosenfeld, zt”l, of Kaminka

Harav Yehoshua Rosenfeld was the son of Rav Shalom of Kaminka.

He married the daughter of Rav Tzvi Hirsh of Drishkopoli, who was the brother-in-law of the Sar Shalom of Belz.

His first Rabbinical post was in Yaritshov; later, after the petirah of his father, Reb Yehoshua was appointed Rav in Kaminka. Unlike his father, though, Reb Yehoshua also served as Rebbe.

During his last 15 years Reb Yehoshua was paralyzed, and he would communicate with his Chassidim during those years using sign language. He was niftar on 17 Cheshvan 5659/1898.

His sons were Rav Shalom of Kaminka and Rav Elazar of Ushpitzin. His sons-in-law were Harav Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov; Harav Moshe Chaim Rabinowitz of Shidlovtza; and Harav Alter Eichenstein, Rav of Yaritchov.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Oct. 30

In 1864, Helena, Montana, was founded.

In 1961, the Soviet Union tested a hydrogen bomb, the “Tsar Bomba,” with a force estimated at about 50 megatons.

In 1975, the New York Daily News ran the headline “Ford to City: Drop Dead” a day after President Gerald R. Ford said he would veto any proposed federal bailout of New York City.

In 1985, schoolteacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe witnessed the launch of the space shuttle Challenger, the same craft that carried her and six other crew members to their deaths in January 1986.