B"H Yom Yom

From Day by Day in Jewish History by A.P. Bloch

Courtesy of Pomeranz Bookseller and Ktav Publ.

Tammuz

[15] Hur, son of Miriam, was killed when he tried to
dissuade the people from making the Golden Calf. He thus
has the distinction of being the first Jew to die "by Kiddush HaShem" (martyrdom).

[16] Pope Gregory IX ordered the confiscation of all copies
of the Talmud.

[17] Smashing of the Luchot following the Sin of the Golden
Calf. King Menashe placed an idol in the Beit HaMikdash.
Jerusalem was breached (prior to the destruction of the
second Beit HaMikdash). The cessation of the Korban Tamid. Thousands of Jews were massacred in various Spanish cities. As 17 Tammuz and 9 Av are the beginning and end (in a certain sense) of Churban Bayit Sheni, so too were these riots in Spain a beginning of the downfall of Spanish Jewry, which culminated with the Expulsion from Spain on Tish'a b'Av, 101 years later. The Jewish Quarter of Prague was burned and looted (1559). 4000 Jews of the Bialystok ghetto were shot (1941). The Nazis decreed the liquidation of the Kovno ghetto (1944). Libya ordered the confiscation of Jewish property (1970).

The American Colonies declared their independence and
proclaimed them selves the United States of America (1776). [As with many dates in World History, we think in terms of the secular date – in this case, July 4th. But sometimes there is a significance to the Jewish date. Of course, what that significance is is not often apparent.

[18] Louis XIV of France decreed that all Jews must wear
the yellow badge of shame (1269). Massacre of the Jews of Morgentheim, Austria (1298).

[19] First 14 members of BILU (Beit Yaakov L'chu V'Neil'cha) arrived in Eretz Yisrael (1882). Alfred Dreyfuss restored to army with full honors (1906). Yahrzeit of Chief Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Herzog.

[20] Herzl's yahrzeit. The Nazis spite fully used this day
for many massacres. The Knesset passed the Settlement Law (1950).

[21] Jews were barred from settling in Brazil (1567). Don
Lope de Vera y Alarcon HY"D, Spanish nobleman who converted to Judaism, was executed by the Inquisition (1664). 182 years later (!), last victim of the Inquisition was
executed in Valencia, Spain. Last remains of the Masada
community were buried at Masada almost 1900 years after
they died. Many Jews killed in Vilna in Polish riots (1795).

As you look through this column week after week, there are
many points to ponder. For example, I was unaware of the
history of the Yellow Star. It was not a Nazi invention. Makes one think. Or the general fact that most European
Jewish communities were not strangers to anti-Semitic
violence long before the Holocaust. Handwriting on the
wall?

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