This Day in History – 25 Elul/September 9

First day of Creation: “In the beginning Hashem created the heaven and the earth” (Bereishis 1:1) (according to Rabi Eliezer in Rosh Hashanah 10:2; according to Rabi Yehoshua it, was on 25 Adar).

In 3428/333 B.C.E., Nechemiah completed the rebuilding of the walls of Yerushalayim which had been in ruins since the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash 88 years earlier, as related in Nechemiah (Perek 6).

Yahrtzeiten

3862/102, the Tanna Rabi Elazar, son of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai (some disagree with this date)

5542/1782, Harav Yechiel Mechel of Zlotchov, zt”l

5661/1901, Harav Aharon Abuchatzeira, zt”l

5654/1894, Harav Dovid Halberstam of Kshanov, zt”l, son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz

Harav Dovid was born in Rudnik in 5578/1818. He was the second of seven sons of the Divrei Chaim, Harav Chaim Halberstam of Sanz, zy”a, (after Harav Yechezkel Shraga of Shinev) and was named after his grandfather Harav Dovid of Tarnigrad.

Rav Dovid was an avid talmid and Chassid of his great, holy father, yet he maintained a bond with other tzaddikim as well.

Rav Dovid married the daughter of Harav Yosef Zev of Tarnigrad. After her petirah, he married again; his second wife was a descendant of the esteemed Tzintz family.

Rav Dovid excelled in learning and was known as an exceptional Gaon and masmid.

The Divrei Yechezkel of Shinev often praised his younger brother for his character and modesty, and once said that through being Rav Dovid’s talmid he was fulfilling the dictum that one should accept upon himself a Rav.

During the lifetime of his father, Rav Dovid became Rav in the town of Kshanov, where he quickly became a leading authority in Halachah. After the petirah of the Divrei Chaim, Rav Dovid agreed, after consistent pleading from Chassidim, to lead a chassidic court in Kshanov. (His brothers were Rebbes as well.)

Rav Dovid was the first of the brothers to be niftar, on 25 Elul 5654/1894. His sons were Harav Yosef of Kshanov, Harav Aryeh Leibush of Dukla, Harav Naftali of Kshanov and Harav Moshe of Kshanov.

Yehi zichro baruch.

Sept. 9

In 1776, the second Continental Congress made the term “United States” official, replacing “United Colonies.”

In 1850, California became the 31st state of the Union.

In 1948, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) was declared.

In 1986, Frank Reed, director of a private school in Lebanon, was taken hostage; he was released 44 months later.

In 1997, Sinn Fein, the IRA’s political ally, formally renounced violence as it took its place in talks on Northern Ireland’s future.