This Day in History

5 Adar

Yahrtzeiten

5583/1823, Harav Ze’ev Wolf of Ostraha, zt”l

5601/1841, Harav Avraham Halevi Bing, zt”l, Rav of Wurzburg

5624/1864, Harav Shmuel Abba Shapira of Slavita, zt”l

5628/1868, Harav Yeshayah Muskat, zt”l, the Harei Besamim

5635/1875, Harav Avraham Landau of Tchechonov, zt”l

5645/1885, Harav Yechezkel Yalzon, zt”l, Rav of Altuna

6 Adar

In 2369/1392 B.C.E., [as recorded in Yalkut Shimoni] Moshe Rabbeinu completed Mishneh Torah and was told by Hashem that his petirah was near.

5731/1971

Harav Mordechai Shlomo Friedman of Boyan, zt”l

Harav Mordechai Shlomo Friedman, youngest son of Rav Yitzchak of Boyan, was born in Boyan in 5651/1891.

Before he was born, his mother went to her father, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe, for a brachah. The doctors had declared that she would have no more children, and she wished for the gift of one more son. Reb Yochanan of Rachmastrivka promised her good news.

When the son was born, he was named Mordechai Shlomo, after the Maggid of Chernobyl and Reb Shlomo of Sadigura, but he was generally called Mottenyu, from the word matanah, gift.

At an early age, it was already apparent that Reb Mordechai Shlomo was destined for greatness. Even his father, who was known to count every word, uttered rare praise and proclaimed that his son was a chiddush. The Boyaner Rebbe held his son in high esteem. He set aside time every Shabbos to speak to Reb Mordechai Shlomo, saying that when he looks at him it gives him oneg Shabbos.

As a youth Reb Mordechai Shlomo sat in a closed room all day long, immersed in study. Deeply engrossed in learning during his waking hours, he was rarely seen around the house. Reb Mordechai Shlomo’s mother became worried that the long hours spent learning and the lack of fresh air and exercise would ruin his health and she asked her husband to watch over their son’s progress. “I already said a long time ago that he is a chiddush,” he answered her. “You don’t have to worry about him.”

Soon after the outbreak of World War I in 5684/1914, the town of Boyan was destroyed, and the Boyaner Rebbe and his family were forced to flee to Vienna. There they stayed until the petirah of Rav Yitzchak on the 17th of Adar 5677/1917. Reb Mordechai Shlomo joined his brothers in Vienna in continuing the dynasty. In 5687/1927, on the recommendation of his brother the Chernowitzer Rebbe, and his uncle Harav Yisrael of Tchortkov, he immigrated to the United States.

The Rebbe lived in New York for over 40 years, during which time he was instrumental in changing the city from a spiritual wilderness to a fortress of Torah. Without any pomp; without any rebuke; with very few words — he counted every syllable — he attracted many of the younger generation not just to Torah and Yiddishkeit, but to true Chassidus and kedushah. He was a father figure who, by personal example, showed the way for others to follow.

Reb Mordechai Shlomo was revered by Gedolei Torah and Chassidus for his holiness and piety. He was a member of the Mo’etzes Gedolei HaTorah and one of the prominent leaders of Agudath Israel. He was renowned for his exalted middos, humility and wisdom.

At meetings of Agudath Israel, the Boyaner Rebbe’s opinion was revered, but he never imposed his will or authority. He would listen equally to the small and the great and would often ask what others thought. If he differed with someone, he would suggest apologetically, “So-and-so has said this-and-this, but it is hard for me to agree. To us it seems that one might look at the issue this way.” And even after outlining his view, he would never imply that his opinion should be adopted, even when it was patently correct.

Reb Mordechai Shlomo visited Eretz Yisrael several times. He initiated the construction of the Ruzhiner yeshivos in Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak together with other Rebbes of the Ruzhiner dynasty, and he worked to support and maintain them. Despite ill health in his later years, he was involved in work for the klal to the very end.

The Boyaner Rebbe said that a person must first and foremost be a chassid of the Beis Yosef and fulfill all the halachos in the Shulchan Aruch. Then one may be a chassid of any Rebbe. For the concept of being a “chassid” is that one does chessed with one’s Creator by fulfilling more than the minimum requirements of the law. But for that, one must first fulfill those minimum requirements.

The Boyaner Rebbe was niftar on 5 Adar 5731/1971 and was buried on Har Hazeisim. He was succeeded by his grandson Harav Nochum Dov Brayer, shlita, the present Boyaner Rebbe, in Yerushalayim.

February 15

In 1764, the city of St. Louis was established by Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau.

In 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana Harbor, killing more than 260 crew members and bringing the United States closer to war with Spain.

In 1933, President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt escaped an assassination attempt in Miami that mortally wounded Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak.

In 1942, the British colony Singapore surrendered to Japanese forces during World War II.

In 1952, a funeral was held at Windsor Castle for Britain’s King George VI, who had died nine days earlier.

In 1965, Canada’s new maple-leaf flag was unfurled in ceremonies in Ottawa.

In 1971, Britain and Ireland “decimalised” their currencies, making one pound equal to 100 new pence instead of 240 pence.

In 1989, the Soviet Union announced that the last of its troops had left Afghanistan, after more than nine years of military intervention.