20 Sivan was almost fixed in our calendar as a Public Fast Day. It just missed, so to speak, on some technicalities, but it is a serious day of which to take note. In 4931 (1171ce), Rabbeinu Tam and the Sages of France declared 20 Sivan as a Fast Day, because of events that occurred during the Crusades and because of particularly “spectacular”blood libel that happened on the day itself. Centuries later, the massacres of tens of thousands of Jews and the destruction of hundreds of Jewish communities in Poland and the Ukraine at the hands of Chmelnicki and his hordes (1648-49, TACH V’TAT), were added to the tragedies 20 Sivan marked. In our own time, the date picked up another black mark - the most costly battle of Operation Sh’lom HaGalil, the Battle of Sultan Yakub, took place on 20 Sivan 5752. Among others, Yair Landau HY"D (for whom the Israel Center's library was named) was killed, and several IDF soldiers were captured, including Zacharia Baumel. [The
Parshat Sh'lach Homepage]
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