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Aggadah
R. Johanan said: Why was it destined for Jeroboam, king of Israel (the northern kingdom of Israel), to be counted with the kings of the house of David, the kings of the southern region (who were, on the whole, more righteous than the Kings of Israel)? (Vide Hosea i. 1.) Because he did not listen to slander said about Amos, as it is written [Amos vii. 10]: “Then sent Amazyah the priest of Beth-el, to Jeroboam the king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel,” etc.; and further, it is written [ibid. 11]: “For this has Amos said: By the sword shall Jeroboam die,” etc., and Jeroboam answered: “God forbid that the righteous man (Amos) should have said this; but if he did, what can I do concerning him? Surely the Divine Presence put the words in his mouth!”
Pesachim
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April 2 in History
Today is the birthdate of Charlemagne, born 742. Charlemagne was both King of the Franks and the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Despite pressure from the Catholic Church and the mighty Pope Gregory, Charlemagne treated his Jewish subjects and they played a prominent part in his realm. Unfortunately, after his death in 814, his successors were unable to continue to his policies towards the Jews of Christian Europe.
April 3 in History
In 1544, Charles V, Emperor of the Roman Empire confirmed the privileges of Austrian Jews. The Emperor was anti-Jewish and a persecutor of the Marranos. But he was convinced by Josel of Rosheim to condemn the accusations of ritual murder. The fate of Jews under Charles appeared to have been a matter of geography. In 1541 he expelled the Jews from Naples and Flanders he instituted the Inquisition in Portugal in 1543. But in his Germanic holdings, Charles found the Jews to be useful and confirmed their rights in Augsburg, Speyer and Regensburg as well as Austria. Charles treatment of the Jews must be viewed in terms of the clash between the Catholics and the Protestants and not just in terms of Jews versus Christians.
18 Nisan in History
Following the Jewish nation’s grand exodus from Egypt, Pharaoh, who only gave official permission for the Jews to to leave for three days, was informed by secret agents whom he sent together with the Jews that they had no intention of returning.
Pharaoh decided to mobilize his army and pursue the Jews, with the intention of bringing them back to Egypt. This led to the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea on the seventh day of Passover.
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rav Yosef Dov Soloveichik (1903-1993). Son of Rav Moshe Soloveitchik, and older brother of Rav Ahron Soloveichik. Great-grandson of Rav Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, the Beis HaLevy (1820- 1892), and nephew of the Brisker Rav, Rav Velvel. Born in Pruzhan, Poland, on 30 Shvat. He was awarded a Ph.D. from the University of Berlin, and then settled in Boston in the early 1930’s. He became Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva University, and gave weekly shiurim to senior students, while delivering philosophy lectures to graduate students.
19 Nisan in History
Today is tbe Yahrzeit of Rabbi Menachem Zemba was born in a suburb of Warsaw, Poland in 1883. A follower of the Gerrer chassidic dynasty, he was a great genius and Torah scholar. He joined the Warsaw rabbinate in 1935, and was recognized as a leading rabbinic figure in pre-war Eastern Europe.
Rabbi Zemba was a moral force in the Warsaw Ghetto, always striving to infuse the community with optimism and hope. He arranged clandestine locations in cellars and bomb shelters where girls and boys would study Torah. Although afforded opportunities to escape the ghetto, he refused to do so, insisting that his presence was needed by the Jews in the ghetto.
Rabbi Zemba was a strong supporter of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, donating personal funds for ammunition and giving his whole-hearted blessing for the endeavor. Five days after the fighting begun, on Shabbat the 19th of Nissan, the house were Rabbi Zemba was hiding was set afire by the SS. When attempting to escape, Rabbi Zemba was shot dead by the Nazis.
The rabbi was buried in the Ghetto, and in 1958 his body was flown to Israel where he was buried in Jerusalem amid a great funeral procession.
Rabbi Zemba was a prolific writer. Unfortunately, most of his scholarly manuscripts were burnt in the Warsaw Ghetto. His few works which were authored before the war are still studied by Torah scholars world-wide.
The Jewish Almanac 