Today’s Yahrtzeits and History – 12 Shevat

Rav Chaim Kapusi (~1540-1631). Born in Algiers, he moved with his family to Egypt in his early years. He became Rav and Dayan in Egypt and is buried in the Cairo Jewish cemetery. He authored Sifsei Chaim (unpublished) on the Sifri and the Mechilta, and Be’or Hachaim on Chumash, which was published about 300 years after his petirah.

Rav Tzvi Hersh Shor (1635), author of Toras Chaim.

Rav Baruch Kapilish of Lublin (1739).

Rav Meir Atlas (1848-1926), one of the foremost rabbonim in Lithuania in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He helped found the Yeshiva of Telshe in 1875 and brought Rav Eliezer Gordon to head it. Rav Meir’s daughter, Michle was married to Rav Elchonon Wasserman, Rosh Yeshiva of Baranovich. Rav Meir first served as Rav in Libau, Kurland, and subsequently in Salant, Kobrin, and Shavli.

Rav Zev Dov Zamoshitz (1942), author of Minchas Zikaron.

Rav Shmuel Chamoula (1942-2004).

Rav Shabtai Aton, Rosh Yeshivas Reishis Chochmah (1925-2006). Born in Yerushalayim’s Old City to Rav Ben-Tzion, one of the ten founders of Yeshivas Porat Yosef in the Old City, Reb Shabtai learned at his father’s yeshiva and was appointed as Rav of the Yerushalayim neighborhood of Malcha. In 1957, he was appointed as the spiritual leader of Yeshivas Porat Yosef, under the Roshei Yeshiva, Rav Ezra Attiah and Rav Yaakov Addas. It was at this time that the Yeshiva moved from the Old City to Geulah. In Teves 1960, Rav Aton was widowed and left with four small children. In 1967, he opened Yeshivas Reishis Chochmah. At first, the Yeshiva was located in the Yerushalayim neighborhood of Mekor Baruch, after which it moved to its present location in Sanhedria Murchevet.

History – 12 Shevat

· The French extend active citizenship to the Sephardic Jews of Bordeaux, 1790. Their poorer Ashkenazic brothers in Alsace-Lorraine continued to struggle for rights for another year and a half.
· Nazis provoked the first anti-Jewish riots in Amsterdam, 1941. The Jews successfully fought off their attackers.
· Jews in the Warsaw ghetto put up their first resistance to the Nazi effort at liquidation, 1943.
· The Russian army liberated the last 2,819 survivors of Auschwitz, 1945.

{Yahrtzeits licensed by Manny Saltiel and Anshe.org to Matzav.com Newscenter/Chinuch.org}