13 Teves
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yitzchok Huberman, the Tzaddik of Ra'anana. A student of the Shem MiShmuel who then studied under various other great luminaries of both the Lithuanina and Chassidic world. He spent the war years as a wood cutter in Siberia after which he was briefly a rabbi in Germany and then spent the last 25 years of his life in Ran'anana.
14 Teves
- On this date in 1152 the Ibn Ezra was in England and was asked to counter those who argued that the night should follow the day and not the opposite as it is according to Halacha.
16 Teves
- Purim of Baghdad. In 1529 the Jews of Baghdad helped the Turkish Sultan recapture the city from the Persians.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Chaim Kreisworth (d. 2001), rabbi of Antwerp and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Merkaz HaTorah in Yerushalaim.
17 Teves
- Yahrzeit of the Maggid of Dubno. He traveled to communities in Europe sharing his famous parables to encourage people.
- Yahrziet of Rav Aryeh Leib Lipshutz (d. 1846) known as the Aryeh d'Bei Ilaii. He was a student of the Ketzos HaChoshen and then married into a Chassidic family and was very revered among the CHassidim.
18 Teves
19 Teves
- Yahrzeit of Rabbi Aryeh Leib Heller, (d. 1813) author of Ketzos HaChoshen, Avnei Miluim and Shev Shamaasa, all very important works in understanding various topics in the Talmud.
6 Teves
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yaakov Reischer (d. 1733) author of many important Halachic works and commentary on Ein Yaakov.
7 Teves
- Yahrzeit of Rav Moshe Dovid Valle (d. 1777). A doctor and close friend of the Ramchal, he authored the only known Kabbalistic commentary on the entirety of Tanach. On many books of the Tanach he wrote multiple commentaries weaving innovative pshat insights with Kabbalistic concepts. Over the past thirty years they have been published, as of now 28 volumes have been printed.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Ishbitz (d. 1854). His grandson referred to him as the only one to have the guts to say what the Baal Shem Tov really meant. His teachings and those of his descendants and student Rebbe Tzaddok of Lublin have had an indelible impact on Jewish thought.
8 Teves
- Anniversary of the completion of the Septuagint a day on which darkness descended onto the world. Some have the custom to fast on this day.
9 Teves
- Yahrzeit of both Ezra and Nechemia who were instrumental in the rebuilding of the Jewish community in Israel upon the return at the beginning of the Second Temple. Some have the custom to fast on this day.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Chaim Shur (d. 1632) author of important commentaries on the Talmud.
- In 1895 on this day Alferd Dreyfuss was publicly stripped of his military rank.
10 Teves
- Fast of the Tenth of Teves commemorating the onset of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian armies of Nevuchadnezzar. Two and one half years later the city capitulated and the Temple was destroyed.
- Yahrzeit of Rebbe Nosson (d. 1845), primary student and expositor of the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.
12 Teves
- Yahrzeit of Rav Moshe Margolis (d. 1781) author of Pne'i Moshe, one of the primary commentaries on the Talmud Yerushalmi.
29 Kislev
30 Kislev
- 30 Kislev exists in most years, but not all. Thirteen years ago there was no 30 Kislev. According to most poskim since 30 Kislev this year is considered to be the first day of Rosh Chodesh, boys born in 2004 on the first of Teves, which was the first (and only) day of Rosh Chodesh that year, celebrate their Bar Mitzvah on the 30th of Kislev.
1 Teves
- During Temple times different families would donate wood for the sacrifices. On this date the family of Parush ben Yehuda would bring their donation.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yair Bachrach, better known by the name of his Halachic work Chavos Yair.
2 Teves
- In Temple times people were required to bring Biqurim, first fruits, and leave them for the Kohanim (priests) who were there. The recitation of certain verses went along with the delivery. However, if one delayed bringing last year's crop until after Chanukah, he could no longer recite those verses. This day, then, is the last day for their recital.
3 Teves
- Death of Yaakov Frank, one of a series of false Messiahs in the 17th and 18th centuries.
- Second Yahrzeit of Rav Mattisyahu Safran. A descendant of Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Komarna, who did much work to make his writings understandable.
4 Teves
- Yahrzeit of the Radziner Rebbe, Rav Gershon Chanoch Henech Leiner, who claimed to have discovered the secret of Techels (blue wool). He was well-educated in the sciences and wrote extensive works on Kabbalah as well as in-depth commentary on difficult tractates in the order of Kodoshim.
5 Teves
- Execution of Shlomo Molcho a converso who returned to Judaism, but then began to have prophetic messianic pretensions. He was greatly influenced by David Reubeni. He was executed by the Inquisition after he refused to return to Catholocism.
22 Kislev
- There is a custom to set-up one's Chanukah Menorah 2 days prior to the beginning of Chanukah.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Eliezer Ashkenazi. Famed traveler to many Jewish communities of Europe and the Sephardic countries in the 1500s. Also wrote commentaries on books of the Tanach and Talmud.
- 20th Yahrzeit of Rav Sholom Schwadron, the Maggid of Yerushalaim. I had the privilege of hearing him speak on numerous occasions. He had a very unique personality and style.
23 Kislev
- On November 15, 1348 accusations that Jews were responsible for the Black Plague led to anit-Jewish rioting that then spread across much of Europe.
24 Kislev
- Yahrzeit of Rav Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini, author of Sdei Chemed and encyclopedia of Talmudic topics. There was an interesting controversy about the propriety of spelling the name of his word שדי חמד because of the possibility that it would get confused with a name of God. He believed that he merited his great Torah knowledge because he refused to defend his honor when it meant besmirching the name of another.
25 Kislev
- The mnemonic כ"ח נער"ה - שיר"ה indicates the relationship between the day of the week on which Chanukah falls out and the day on which Rosh Hashana began. If the year is כ-כסדרן או ח-חסר (meaning that Cheshvan has 29 days) then the first נ-נר (candle) of Chanukah will fall on the same day of the week as ער"ה-ערב ראש השנה, the day preceding Rosh Hashana. If the year is ש-שלם (that Cheshvan has 30 days) then יחול, it will fall out on ר"ה - ראש השנה the same day of the week as Rosh Hashana.
- Chanukah begins on Tuesday night 22% of the time.
- Unlike most time-bound Mitzvos found in the Torah, the Mitzva of Chaukah candles is the same for women as for men. Many have the custom that women do not work while the candles are burning, which makes it a good opportunity for the men to pitch in with some help around the house.
- The custom of eating donuts is found already in the writings of the father of the Ramba"m who lived around 1,000 years ago is Fez, Morocco.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yaakov Ettlinger who passed away in 1872. Wrote important commentary on a number of Talmudic tractates as well as on halachic topics.
26 Kislev
- Yahrzeit of Rav Avraham ben Dovid, better known as the Raavad, a prolific Rishon, best known for his comments on the Rambam.
27 Kislev
- The Chanukah candles must be lit prior to the Shabbos candles and remain lit until half an hour past nightfall. As such, one should ensure that he/she has completed the Shabbos preparations early.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Chaim Tzchernowitz, author of a number of significant CHassidic works, most notably Sidduro Shel Shabbos.
28 Kislev
- Many have the custom to daven Mincha earlier than usual so that they finish Seuda Shlishis early and do not run the risk of davening Maariv late and thereby delaying the lighting of Chanuka candles
15 Kislev
- In many communities there is a custom for the member of the Chevra Kadisha (burial society) to fast on this day. In some communities the custom is the 18th of Kislev.
- Yahrzeit of Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi redactor of the Mishna
16 Kislev
- The date on which the Ark of Noach came to rest on the mountains of Ararat
- Yahrzeit of the Modzitzer Rebbe, Rav Shaul Yedidiah Elozar Taub. Like other Rebbes of that Chassidic dynasty he was well known for his musical compositions.
17 Kislev
- At night going into the 17th we begin to recite ותן טל ומטר לברכה during the Shemoneh Esrei.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yosef Yozel Horvitz, also known as the Alter of Navordohk. He was one of the primary leaders of the Mussar movement and founded a large network of Yeshivos in preSoviet Russia.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Shlomo Heiman, Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Vdaas.
18 Kislev
- Yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritz. He was the student of the Baal Shem Tov who was most responsible for transmitting the teachings of the Baal Shem to the next generation.
20 Kislev
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yitzchok Hutner, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Chaim Berlin and author of Pachad Yitzchok. With his unique personality and charisma, as well as his genius, he forged a bond between the worlds of Mussar and Chassidus, focused on the teachings of the Maharal. He considered himself to be a kindred spirit of Rav Kook with whom he spent much time when Rav Hutner attended the Slobodka Yeshiva in Chevron.
21 Kislev
- Megillas Taanis relates that the Cuthites had requested that Alexander the Great destroy the Temple. Shimon Hatzaddik greeted him dressed in the priestly garments along with the leaders of Jerusalem. When they met Alexander the Great got off his horse and bowed before the High Priest telling him that he saw a vision of him in his dreams before every battle. He executed the Cuthites who had spoken ill of the Temple.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.
