On the morning of the 4th of Nissan, a civilian convoy of doctors and nurses traveling to the Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus (see Today in Jewish History for 20 Iyar) was attacked by Arab forces. Of the ten vehicles in the caravan, five escaped. The other five vehicles, however, which included two buses and an ambulance, were riddled with machine gun fire and later set ablaze. Altogether 77 Jewish civilians were massacred on that day.
Shortly afterwards, the hospital was closed down and moved to the western part of Jerusalem.
The Mt. Scopus hospital only reopened after the eastern part of Jerusalem was liberated by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Primarily staffed by Israeli doctors, it is the largest and best equipped hospital in the eastern section of Jerusalem.
In today's "Nasi" reading (see "Nasi of the Day" in Nissan 1), we read of the gift bought by the nasi of the tribe of Reuben, Elitzur ben Shedeur, for the inauguration of the Mishkan.
A Jew entered the Alter Rebbe’s study and said, “Rebbe, I am a simple man. Please explain to me: What is this holiday of Shemini Atzeret?”
The Alter Rebbe held his head in his hands for a moment. Then he answered:
“For a long journey, you might make a concentrate of the food and drink you will need for the way. At every stop, you mix some of the powder with water, and you have enough for that day.”
“Shemini Atzeret contains all the joy for the entire year, but in highly concentrated form. Treasure every moment!”