This Day in History – 3 Iyar/April 22

Yahrtzeiten

5505/1745, Harav Leib Pistiner of Kalmai, a talmid of the Baal Shem Tov

5539/1779, Harav Dov Ber of Zamutch

5685/1925, Harav Yeshayah Steiner of Kerestir.

5593/1833, Harav Aryeh Leib Tzintz (Eibschutz) of Plotzk, zy”a

Harav Aryeh Leib, also known as Reb Leibush Charif, was born in Pintchov in the year 5525/1765. His father, Harav Moshe Eibschutz, was a nephew of Reb Yonasan, the Urim V’tumim. From his tender youth, he was recognized as extremely gifted and an exceptional iluy. He devoted himself ardently to Torah study.  Before the age of 18, he was already known for a vast number of chiddushim. In his early 20s, he wrote a complex chibbur on maseches Kesubos titled Ayeles Ahuvim, but since he had no financial resources he was forced to shorten it; even then it took two more years until it was finally published under the name Yaalas Chein.

Reb Leibush Charif moved to Prague and was very close to the Noda B’Yehudah, who cherished this young Gaon and invited him to eat at his table. Subsequently, he moved to Pressburg, where his brilliance became even more apparent. He penned many letters to contemporary Rabbanim, and was influential even among the greatest scholars. When he was only 30 years old, a complex she’eilah on certain batim of tefillin arose. Despite his relative youth, Rav Aryeh Leib opined that they were mutar. With time, he became known as the great meishiv.

Many communities sought Rav Aryeh Leib as their Rav, and the city of Plotzk, Poland, was fortunate to earn the privilege. He led the city with nobility, strength, logic and wisdom. His piskei halachah were revered by all; he went out of his way to free agunos so they could remarry.

On his deathbed he wrote in the presence of his greatest talmidim: “Whoever will make efforts to print my sefarim, I will be an advocate for him in Olam HaElyon.” He asked for this to be engraved on his matzeivah. Indeed, it became a well-known segulah for people seeking a yeshuah to print his sefarim.

Due to recent increased interest in this segulah, a special organization, Mechon Maharal Tzintz, was established to print these sefarim in an enhanced format.

April 22

In 1889, at high noon, thousands rushed to claim land in the Land Run of 1889. Within hours, the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie were formed with populations of at least 10,000.

In 1898, the United States Navy began a blockade of Cuban ports and the USS Nashville captured a Spanish merchant ship.

In 1945, after learning that Soviet forces had taken Eberswalde without a fight, Adolf Hitler, ym”s, admitted defeat in his underground bunker and stated that suicide was his only recourse.

In 1993, the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC was dedicated.