This Day in History – 29 Cheshvan/November 11

In 4402/641, with the Arab capture of Egypt, Jews were again permitted to live in Alexandria. (The Egyptian Jewish community was already 1,000 years old at that time.)

Yahrtzeiten

5600/1840, Harav Chaim Hakohen Rappaport of Ostraha, zt”l, mechaber of Mayim Chaim

5633/1872, Harav Shimon Yehudah Fonfeder, zt”l, Rav of Tokai and mechaber of Maayanei Mayim

5744/1983, Harav Avraham Abish Kanner, zt”l, the ­Tchechoiver Rebbe of Haifa

5613/1852, Harav Yitzchak Eizik Chaver, zt”l

Harav Yitzchak Eizik Chaver was born in 5549/1789; his father was Rav Yaakov. From his earliest youth, Reb Yitzchak Eizik had no other interest but Torah study.

When he was 14, Harav Menachem Mendel of Shklov began to teach him the Kabbalah secrets of his own teacher, the Vilna Gaon. Through Rav Menachem Mendel, Reb Yitzchak Eizik came into possession of rare manuscripts of the Vilna Gaon’s teachings. Leading mekubalim of the generation used to come to Rav Yitzchak Eizik to study those manuscripts.

Rav Menachem Mendel was very close to the Vilna Gaon; he published the Gaon’s commentary on Mishlei. He was called the Gaon’s “third mouth,” expounding and spreading his Torah-teachings. His younger contemporary, Harav Yitzchak Elchanan Spector, Rav of Kovno, called him the greatest Kabbalist of his time. Many stories are told of the mofsim he performed using Kabbalah.

Aside from his knowledge of Kabbalah, Reb Yitzchak Eizik was renowned as a genius in Toras hanigleh as well, with fluency in the entire Shas and Poskim.

He held a number of Rabbinic posts, most prominently in Tiktin and Suvalk. In every community he worked hard to inspire the townsfolk and raise their spiritual level.

Since he was known as a poel yeshuos, many came to ask for his brachos and sage advice.

Even with his Rabbinic responsibilities, Reb Yitzchak Eizik’s own learning did not suffer; at the age of 60 he finished Shas for the 60th time.

Reb Yitzchak Eizik published numerous sefarim, including She’eilos U’Teshuvos Binyan Olam. In his later years, Reb Yitzchak Eizik was appointed Rav in Suvalk, where he was niftar on 29 Cheshvan 5613/1852, at the age of 64. He was buried in Suvalk.

Zechuso yagen aleinu.

Nov. 11

In 1889, Washington became the 42nd state.

In 1918, fighting in World War I came to an end with the signing of an armistice between the Allies and Germany.

In 1966, Gemini 12 blasted off from Cape Kennedy with astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. aboard.

In 1972, the U.S. Army turned over its base at Long Binh to the South Vietnamese, symbolizing the end of direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War.