This Day in History – 25 Tishrei/October 8

Yahrtzeiten

5554/1803, Harav ­Binyamin of Zaloshitz, zt”l, mechaber of Turei Zahav

5570/1809, Harav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, zt”l

5758/1997, Harav Dovid Matisyahu Rabinowitz, the Biala Rebbe of Bnei Brak, zt”l

5600/1839, Harav Moshe Sofer, zt”l, the Chasam Sofer

Harav Moshe Sofer was born in 5526/1766. His parents were Harav Shmuel and Gittel Sofer of Frankfurt-am-Main.

Reb Shmuel invested all his energies into his son’s chinuch, realizing that he was grooming a future leader of Klal Yisrael.

When Reb Moshe was 10, Harav Nosson Adler became his rebbi.

At 16, he returned to Frankfurt, where he opened a ­yeshivah. He then married the daughter of the Rav of Prosnitz. For seven years, Rav Moshe was supported by his brother-in-law, Reb Hirsch, and devoted himself to learning Torah. After Reb Hirsch lost all his money, and Reb Moshe saw that his wife sold her own clothing to support them, he reluctantly agreed to serve as Rav in the city of Dresnitz.

After five years, the Chasam Sofer became Rav in Mattersdorf. His yeshivah eventually had hundreds of talmidim.

Many communities in Europe vied to have to the Chasam Sofer serve as their Rav. Neustadt agreed to the Chasam Sofer’s strict conditions regarding support for his yeshivah.

The Chasam Sofer’s planned transition to Neustadt was derailed due to a huge fire that broke out in Mattersdorf. He remained in Mattersdorf to help restore the city.

The Chasam Sofer ultimately became Rav of Pressburg in 1806, a position he held for 33 years. He became one of the leading Gedolei Yisrael.

After the petirah of his first wife, the Chasam Sofer married the daughter of Harav Akiva Eiger. From this zivug, the Chasam Sofer was finally zocheh to children, and altogether they had three sons and seven daughters.

During Sukkos of 5600/1839, the Chasam Sofer became ill. On the night of Hoshana Rabbah, he overcame his agonizing pains and began to learn Torah with amazing hasmadah. In the morning, he went to shul for Shacharis. But in the middle of the davening, he was forced to return home.

On Simchas Torah, a minyan was held in his home.

On 25 Tishrei, he was niftar.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Oct. 8

In 1918, American Sgt. Alvin C. York led an attack that killed 25 German soldiers and captured 132 others in the Argonne Forest in France.

In 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced that the secret of the atomic bomb would be shared only with Britain and Canada.

In 1982, all labor organizations in Poland, including Solidarity, were banned.