This Day in History – 18 Tammuz/June 26

18 Tammuz

In 2449/1312 B.C.E., Moshe Rabbeinu destroyed the egel and ascended Har Sinai to invoke Heavenly mercy for Bnei Yisrael over committing the cheit ha’egel.

In 3334/427 B.C.E., the navi Yechezkel finished the 390 days that he was commanded to lie on his left side, and started to lie on his right side for 40 days.

In 5029/1269, Louis IX, king of France, decreed that all Jews must wear the distinctive yellow badge, known as the badge of shame.

In 5058/1298, the Jewish community of Morgentheim, Austria, was massacred. Hy”d.

In 5298/1538, the community of Candia (Crete), Greece, established a Purim.

Yahrtzeiten

5479/1719, Harav Shmuel Shatin, zt”l, mechaber of Kos Hayeshuos. (According to some, his yahrtzeit is 14 Tammuz.)

5548/1788, Harav Yehudah Halevi Edel, zt”l, mechaber of Afikei Yehudah

5608/1848, Harav Avraham ben Harav Yehudah Leib, zt”l, mechaber of Maskil L’eisan, Be’er Avraham and Nachal Eisan

5634/1874, Harav Yaakov Aryeh Guterman of Radzymin, zt”l

5664/1904, Harav Yehoshua of Tomashov, zt”l

5615/1855

Harav Moshe David Ashkenazi, zt”l, Rav of Toltshova-Tzfas

Harav Moshe David Ashkenazi was born in 5534/1774. His father, Harav Asher Anshil, was Rav in Razdil. He was a descendant of the Chacham Tzvi, the Maginei Shlomo, the Taz and many other leading Gedolei Yisrael.

Reb Asher Anshil later moved to Lvov (Lemberg), where he replaced his father, Harav Moshe, as Rav. Reb Asher Anshil was also one of the leading Rabbanim of the Vaad Arba Aratzos.

In 5563/1803, at the age of 29, Reb Moshe David was appointed Rav of Toltshova, Hungary. He held this post for 40 years. During his tenure as Rav, he installed many takanos on behalf of the community. Reb Moshe David also taught many bachurim, and was much loved by the entire community.

Reb Moshe David was known as an outstanding gaon and talmid chacham, and was respected by many of the generation’s tzaddikim and Rebbes.

At the age of 70, in 5603/1843, Reb Moshe David decided to fulfill his life’s dream: to settle in Eretz Yisrael.

Before his trip, he traveled to receive the brachos of many Rebbes including the Toras Chaim of Kossov, Harav Yisrael of Ruzhin and Harav Meir of Premishlan.

When Reb Moshe David came to Reb Meir Premishlaner, Reb Meir asked him to stay for Shabbos — even though he had planned to travel on Tuesday. He complied with the wish of Reb Meir, although it would delay his plans, and remained for Shabbos. When he reached the port to await the next ship, he heard the news that the previous ship — the one he had wanted to travel on — had sunk.

Upon his arrival in Eretz Yisrael, Reb Moshe David settled in Yerushalayim. Later, he moved to Tzfas, where he was appointed Rav of the Ashkenazic kehillah.

Reb Moshe David was dynamic until his last day; he even served as sandak at a bris on the day of his passing.

He was niftar on 18 Tammuz 5615/1855, at the age of 82. He was buried in the old cemetery of Tzfas.

Reb Moshe David wrote Be’er Sheva on the Torah and Toldos Menachem on Shas.

His sons were Harav Shlomo, Rav of Bakshvitz; Harav Mordechai, Rav of Pistick; Harav Yoel, Rav of Zlotchov, and Rav Avraham, who was niftar in his younger years.

Reb Moshe David’s sons-in-law were Harav Yekusiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, the Yetev Lev and Harav Yosef Yoel Deutsch.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

June 26

In 1483, Richard III began his reign as King of England; he was crowned the following month at Westminster Abbey.

In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was nominated for a second term of office by delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

In 1945, the charter of the United Nations was signed by 50 countries in San Francisco.

In 1948, the Berlin Airlift began in earnest after the Soviet Union cut off land and water routes to the isolated western sector of Berlin.

In 1950, President Harry S. Truman authorized the Air Force and Navy to enter the Korean conflict.

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin, where he delivered his famous speech expressing solidarity with the city’s residents, declaring: “Ich bin ein Berliner” (I am a Berliner).

In 1973, former White House counsel John W. Dean told the Senate Watergate Committee about an “enemies list” kept by the Nixon White House.

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush went back on his “no-new-taxes” campaign pledge, conceding that tax increases would have to be included in any deficit-reduction package worked out with congressional negotiators.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton announced the U.S. had launched missiles against Iraqi targets because of “compelling evidence” Iraq had plotted to assassinate former President George H.W. Bush.