This Day in History – 4 Kislev/November 7

4 Kislev

In 3411/351 B.C.E., the last prophecy of the last Navi, Zechariah, was that the Jews should not mourn on Tishah B’Av during the era of the second Beis Hamikdash.

In 5287/1526, the Jews of Pressburg were expelled by order of Maria of Hapsburg.

In 5503/1742, Empress Elizabeth ordered the expulsion of the Jews from Russia.

Yahrtzeiten

5566/1805, Harav Tzvi Hersh Margulies of Lublin, zt”l.

5638/1877, Harav Yaakov Dovid Kalisch of Amshinov, zt”l

5715/1954, Harav Yaakov Mordechai of Stretin, zt”l

5449/1688

Harav Eliyahu Kubo, zt”l, Av Beis Din of Salonika and author of Aderes Eliyahu

Harav Eliyahu Kubo was born about 5388/1628. His father Harav Yehudah was killed al Kiddush Hashem in Salonika less than ten years later, on Shabbos, 15 Elul 5397/1637, after fighting a decree of the government.

The Kubo family was well known among Salonika Jewry for disseminating Torah in the city for many hundreds of years. The family emigrated from Spain to Greece during Geirush Spharad. They were called “Kubo” after the city in northern Spain where they originated.

Harav Eliyahu married the daughter of Harav Moshe ben Harav Chaim Shabsi, the Maharchash. The Maharchash had become Chief Rabbi in Salonika in 5443/1683; during his tenure as Rav, many hundreds unfortunately converted to Islam together with Shabsai Tzvi, shem reshaim yirkav.

After his father-in-law, the Maharchash’s, petirah, Harav Eliyahu was appointed Rav of Salonika and Rosh Yeshivah of the local yeshivah gedolah. He taught hundreds of talmidim, notably Harav Tzvi Ashkenazi (the Chacham Tzvi) and Harav Shmuel Yitzchak Modielano.

Harav Eliyahu suffered a lot in his lifetime. Two of his sons were niftar in the epidemic in 5444/1685; a third son, Reb Yehudah, was niftar the same year that he was.

His daughter was married to Harav Yehoshua Chandali.

Harav Eliyahu was mechaber Aderes Eliyahu and Shnei Hameoros HaGedolim (halachic responsa).

He was niftar on 4 Kislev 5449/1688 and buried in Salonika, Greece.

Zecher tzaddik livrachah.

November 7

In 1811, U.S. forces led by Indiana Territory Gov. William Henry Harrison defeated warriors from Tecumseh’s Confederacy in the Battle of Tippecanoe.

In 1861, former U.S. President John Tyler was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives. (However, Tyler died before he could take his seat.)

In 1862, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln replaced replace Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac with Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside.

In 1916, Republican Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman elected to Congress.

In 1917, Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution took place as forces led by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin overthrew the provisional government of Alexander Kerensky.

In 1940, Washington State’s original Tacoma Narrows Bridge, nicknamed “Galloping Gertie,” collapsed into Puget Sound during a windstorm.

In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt won an unprecedented fourth term in office, defeating Thomas E. Dewey.

In 1962, Republican Richard Nixon, having lost California’s gubernatorial race, held what he called his “last press conference,” telling reporters, “You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore.”

Former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, 78, died in New York City.

In 1972, President Richard Nixon was re-elected in a landslide over Democrat George McGovern.

In 1973, Congress overrode President Richard Nixon’s veto of the War Powers Act, which limits a chief executive’s power to wage war without congressional approval.