YAHRZEITS FOR THE 1ST OF TISHREI ~ BEGINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT (10-03-2024)
Rabbeinu Amnon - Unesana Tokef
Author of the piyut, “Unesana Tokef”. Rav Amnon Magentza of Mainz was one of the gedolei hador in the 11th century. He was learned in Kabbalah, and was wise in all forms of wisdom. He was a wealthy and handsome man from a family of distinguished yichus.
Sara Imeinu (2086 / -1676 - 3,698th Yahrzeit)
Chazal on Bereishis 23:1-2 teach us that when Sarah heard about Akeidas Yitzchok she passed away. When Avraham returned from Mount Moriah, the Satan became infuriated. He had not achieved what he had desired, which was to thwart the sacrifice of Avraham. What did he do? He went to Sarah and asked: “Did you hear (any news) of what has happened in the world?” She replied, “No.” He said, “Avaham took Yitzchok his son and slaughtered him, offering him up on the altar as a sacrifice.” Sarah began to cry, and moan the sound of three wails which correspond to the three blasts of the shofar, and her soul burst forth from her and she died. Avraham came only to find that she had died. From where had he come? From Mount Moriah. — Midrash Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter 31-32.
Rav Shefatia - Author of Selicha 'Yisroel Nosha Ba'Hashem' (4646 / 885 - 1,138th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yekusiel Zalman HaLevi Segal Moelin (5148 / 1387 - 636th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yekusiel Zalman Segal HaLevi Moelin was the son of Rav Moshe of Magentza, who was among the greatest rabbanim and gedolim of the Rhinelands. Rav Yekusiel Zalman passed away on the 1st of Tishrei 5148 (1387).
Rav Isaac Stein of Gunzenhauser (5256 / 1495 - 528th Yahrzeit)
Rav Isaac was one of the gedolei Ashkenaz from Nurenberg who taught Torah in Gutzenhoizen. He was the author of the Biurei HaSmag. In the year 5255 ה'רנ"ה 1495)), he was exiled along with all the other Jews of his area, and they fled to Regensburg, where he passed away on Rosh Hashanah of the next year, 5256 .ה'רנ"ו
Rav Yosef Kalmankash (5397 / 1636 - 387th Yahrzeit)
Rosh Bais Din of Prague. Rav Yosef Kalmankash, born in 5287 (1526), was the son of Rav Avraham, Av Bais Din of Lublin. Rav Yosef’s matzeva testifies that he lived to the age of 110! He was a great posek and gaon. Rav Yosef passed away on the 1st of Tishrei 5397 (1636).
Rav Boruch Hamaggid of Lvov (5460 / 1699 - 324th Yahrzeit)
Rav Baruch HaMaggid of Lvov was a holy, pure gaon and tzaddik who taught Torah to the masses.
Rav Yehuda Ayas of Algiers - Eiash (5521 / 1760 - 263rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Dov Ber of Zolkova (5521 / 1760 - 263rd Yahrzeit)
He lived in Pinsk and in Zolkova. He was laid to rest in Zolkova on the first day of Rosh Hashanah 1760 (תקכ''א).
Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Abali (5569 / 1808 - 215th Yahrzeit)
(Some say the Yahrzeit is on the 2nd of Tishrei)
Served as Av Beis Din of Stavnitz-Pintshuv. Rav Avrohom Yitzchok, the son of Dov Beirish, had illustrious ancestors on both sides of the family. Rav Avrohom Yitzchok passed away on 1 Tishrei (some say 2 Tishrei) in the year 5569.
Rav Tzvi Hirsch Zeidel - Rav Hirsch Lasker (5596 / 1835 - 188th Yahrzeit)
Rav Tzvi Hirsch Zeidel was also known as Rav Hirsch Lasker, after his city of birth, Lask. He was a gadol in Torah and avodah. He was the Av Beis Din of Ozorkov. Rav Tzvi Hirsch announced his own passing in the midst of his drasha before tekiyas shofar in 5596 (1835), then died right there before the aron kodesh.
Rav Meir Yehuda Leibush Wisser - Malbim (5640 / 1879 - 144th Yahrzeit)
Born in Valatshisk (or Volochisk, Volhynia) in Tashkent. He was renowned as a genius in Torah and became known as the illui of Volhynia. In Tashkent he was appointed rav of Vereshna. Malbim became rav of the larger town of Kempen in 1841 where he served for 17 years. In 1858 Malbim accepted an invitation from Bucharest to become chief rabbi of Romania where he remained for five years. In 1869, he became rabbi of Kherson (Ukraine) and in 1870 he returned to Luntshitz to serve as rabbi there. Yet, machlokes caught up with him and he left Luntschitz for Chersan and then Mogilev (or Mahilyow; Belarus Russia) where he served as rabbi from 1872 to 1875. His final post was in Königsberg (Kaliningrad) from 1875 to 1879. He passed away in 1879 and was laid to rest in Kiev en route to another rabbinic post in Kremenchug (Ukraine). His kever remains unknown due to the fear of reprisal from his many opponents.
Rav Refoel Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky - Ridbaz (5674 / 1913 - 110th Yahrzeit)
Rabbi Yaakov Dovid was born to the Tzaddik Rabbi Zev in the Russian town of Kobrin on Shevat 30, 5605 (1845). From his earliest years, the young Yaakov excelled through his extraordinary diligence. Besides his breathtaking memory, he studied Torah day and night and exhibited an extreme dedication to work. At the age of 23 he was appointed as the Rav of Izballin (1868), then as the Rav of Bobruisk (1878), the Rav of Vilna (1881), and finally the Rav of the large city of Slutzk, which merited that he was called by its name: Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Slutzker. Rabbi Yaakov David returned to Slutzk, but in 1903 he once again traveled to the United States. He was appointed as the Rav of Chicago, but he did not remain there long. In 1905 he left the United States and settled in Eretz Israel. Upon his arrival, he decided to live in a tranquil area in Sefat, where he founded the Torat Eretz Israel yeshiva. The Ridbaz remained in Eretz Israel for less than a decade, passing away on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, 1913.
Rav Yitzchok Meir Heschel of Kopishnitz (5696 / 1935 - 88th Yahrzeit)
Rav Yitzchok Meir, son of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel, was born in Mezibuzh on 21 Kislev in the year 1861, 5622/תרכ''ב. In the year 5654/תרנ''ד, he began to hold court as the Kopishnitzer Rebbe, not far from Husyatin, and the area soon grew to be a large stronghold of Chassidus. Rav Yitzchok Meir was renowned for his wonder-working and miracles. After the davening on the first day of Rosh Hashana in the year 5696/תרצ''ו , Rav Yitzchok Meir returned his pure, holy soul to his Maker. He was laid to rest in Vienna, and an ohel was erected on his kever.
Rav Dovid Rappaport (5701 / 1940 - 83rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Ezriel Yuda Leibowitz - Av Beis Din Vien (5752 / 1991 - 32nd Yahrzeit)
In 1958, Rabbi Ezriel Yehuda Lebowitz (Hudhazer Rov) succeeded Rav Yonasan Steif as Rav of Kehal Adas Yereim Vien. He founded the Mesivta Nachlas Yakov, which came to be one of the foremost leading yeshivos in the United States. After his passing on the first day of Rosh Hashana 1991, he was succeeded by the current Viener Rav, Rabbi Asher Anshel Katz.
Rav Shmuel HaLevi Shechter (5760 / 1999 - 24th Yahrzeit)
Rav Shmuel Halevi Shechter (1915-1999). Born in Montreal, Canada, he was only five years old, when his mother passed away. During his years at Rabbi Isaac Elchonon Theological Seminary, he shared a dormitory room with Rav Avigdor Miller. Later, he traveled to Poland to learn at the Mirrer Yeshiva under Rav Yeruchom. After his marriage, he learned at Kelm. When he returned to America, he learned with Rav Aharon Kotler, first at White Plains, NY, then at Lakewood. Years later, he settled in Eretz Yisrael.
