This Day in History – 20 Iyar/April 30

20 Iyar

In 2450/1311 B.C.E., Bnei Yisrael left the area of Har Sinai, after having spent almost a year there.

In 5048/1288, Jews of Troyes, France, were condemned to the stake by the Inquisition.

Yahrtzeiten

5597/1837, Harav Mordechai, the Maggid of Chernobyl, zt”l

5642/1882, Harav Asher Anshil Neiman, zt”l, Rav of Weitzan

5674/1914, Harav Yitzchak Eizik Rabinowitz, zt”l, mechaber of Doros Harishonim

5743/1983, Harav Yosef Valtuch, zt”l, famed mekubal and  grandson of the Maggid of Zlotchov

5769/2009

Harav Meir Bransdorfer, zt”l, author of Keneh Bosem

Harav Meir Bransdorfer was born 27 Elul 5694/1934 in Antwerp. His father, Harav Shlomo, was a descendant of Harav Yissachar Shlomo Teichtel, mechaber of Mishnas Sachir. Harav Shlomo was married in Hungary and moved to Antwerp following his chasunah, where Reb Meir was born.

During World War II, the family went into hiding in France, and in the summer of 5705/1945 they moved to Eretz Yisrael.

Reb Meir became close to Harav Aharon Roth, the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe. After the latter’s  petirah, he grew close to his son-in-law the Toldos Aharon Rebbe, who cited him as a prime example of hasmadah and ahavas HaTorah. The Toldos Aharon Rebbe stood up for him despite Reb Meir’s much younger age.

Reb Meir married the daughter of Reb Shimon Dov Krischevsky, who had served as secretary of the Diskin Orphanage Home as well as secretary to Dr. Moshe Wallach, head of Shaare Zedek Hospital.

Rav Meir had received semichah at the age of 22, and at 30 became a moreh horaah and the Rav of the Toldos Aharon community. The Minchas Yitzchak, Harav Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss, entrusted him with all matters of shechitah; he said that whatever Reb Meir paskens is accepted in Shamayim.

Reb Meir was close to Harav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, who sent him she’eilos in halachah. Indeed, he was greatly esteemed by Gedolei Yisrael everywhere.

In 5721/1961 he was appointed to oversee all inyanei shechitah and mikvaos.

With time, Reb Meir became a leading posek and received she’eilos from all over the world. He was called upon 24 hours a day. Everyone knew that he was always available, as he was up most of the night, learning.

It was known that Reb Meir learned Torah mitoch ha’dchak. He lived in a one-room apartment in Batei Ungarin.

Together  with his friend Harav Moshe Halberstam, Reb Meir became a chaver haBadatz in Elul 5756/1996, when the Gaavad, Harav Moshe Aryeh Freund, was niftar.

Reb Meir was a mohel mumcheh; he served as mohel at more than 3,000 brisos.

Reb Meir was niftar on 20 Iyar 5769/2009 at the age of 75. He was buried on Har Hazeisim, next to his father and his Rebbes, leaving behind a family of marbitzei Torah and talmidei chachamim.

Many of his teshuvos were published in the four-volume She’eilos U’teshuvos Keneh Bosem.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

April 30

In 1789, George Washington took office in New York as the first president of the United States.

In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for 60 million francs, the equivalent of about $15 million.

In 1812, Louisiana became the 18th state of the Union.

In 1863, the design of the Great Seal of the Confederate States of America was approved by the Confederate Congress.

In 1900, engineer John Luther Jones of the Illinois Central Railroad died in a train wreck near Vaughan, Miss., after staying at the controls in a successful effort to save the passengers.

In 1939, the New York World’s Fair officially opened with a ceremony that included an address by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1945, as Russian troops approached his Berlin bunker, Adolf Hitler committed suicide along with his wife of one day, Eva Braun.

In 1968, New York City police forcibly removed student demonstrators occupying five buildings at Columbia University.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced the resignations of top aides H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, Attorney General Richard G. Kleindienst and White House counsel John Dean, who was actually fired.

In 1988, Gen. Manuel Noriega, waving a machete, vowed at a rally to keep fighting U.S. efforts to oust him as Panama’s military ruler.