This Day in History – 22 Av/August 7

In 4261/501 C.E., a violent earthquake rocked Eretz Yisrael, destroying the city of Acco.

Yahrtzeiten

5377/1617, Harav Moshe Kozis, zt”l, the Maharam Kozis

5541/1781, Harav Meir Hagadol of Premishlan, zt”l

5709/1949, Harav Eliyahu Dushnitzer, zt”l, Mashgiach of Yeshivas Lomza, Petach Tikva

Harav Eliyahu Hakohen Dushnitzer was born in a small village near Lomza in 5636/1876, to Harav Yosef.

He learned in Telshe and Slabodka, but mainly in the yeshivah of the Chofetz Chaim in Radin. Reb Eliyahu also learned in the Kodshim Kollel under the Chofetz Chaim, along with other Gedolim, including Harav Elchanan Wasserman, Hy”d.

During these years, as he grew in Torah, Reb Eliyahu garnered treasures of yiras Shamayim and sheleimus in middos. These special attributes stayed with him all his life, and he instilled them in his talmidim.

In 5686/1926, with the establishment of the Lomza Yeshivah in Petach Tikvah, Reb Eliyahu was asked to be maggid shiur and Mashgiach. He moved to Eretz Yisrael and served in these capacities until his petirah.

Besides his mussar shmuessen, Reb Eliyahu delivered a Gemara shiur twice a week, quoting chiddushim he had heard from Harav Shimon Shkop, zt”l, Harav Elchanan Wasserman, Hy”d, and Harav Naftali Trop, zt”l.

Many future Gedolei Yisrael were among his talmidim. To name a few of the more famous ones: the Maggid Harav Shalom Schwadron, zt”l; Harav Elazar Menachem Shach, zt”l; and, ybl”c, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita.

Reb Eliyahu used to go around imploring the storekeepers to close for Shabbos.

He was so particular concerning bitul Torah that he scheduled the levayah of his Rebbetzin for bein hasedarim.

Reb Eliyahu was niftar on 22 Av 5709/1949 at the age of 83.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

August 7

In 1782, Gen. George Washington created the Order of the Purple Heart, a decoration to recognize merit in enlisted men and noncommissioned officers.

In 1789, the U.S. War Department was established by Congress.

In 1927, the already-opened Peace Bridge connecting Buffalo, New York, and Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, was officially dedicated.

In 1942, U.S. and other allied forces landed at Guadalcanal, marking the start of the first major allied offensive in the Pacific during World War II. (Japanese forces abandoned the island the following February.)

In 1959, the United States launched the Explorer 6 satellite, which sent back images of Earth.

In 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, giving President Lyndon B. Johnson broad powers in dealing with reported North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. forces.

In 1990, President George H.W. Bush ordered U.S. troops and warplanes to Saudi Arabia to guard the oil-rich desert kingdom against a possible invasion by Iraq.