Rabbi Benayahu Yissachar Shmueli Speaks on the Hilula of Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (the Steipler) ZT"L - 23 Av 5785

Rabbi Benayahu Yissachar Shmueli Speaks on the Hilula of Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (the Steipler) ZT"L - 23 Av 5785

Today is the anniversary of the passing (Yahrtzeit) of the Steipler, Rabbi Yaakov Kanievsky.

Right, the father of Rabbi Chaim. Do you know what self-sacrifice (Mesirot Nefesh) he had? He was an unparalleled diligent scholar (Matmid) in Torah study and service of Hashem.

They took him to Siberia, and they wanted to draft him to work. He said to them: "On the Sabbath (Shabbat), I do not work."

 They said to him: "What? There is no such thing. You don't work on Shabbat? Here, everyone must work every day."

 He said: "No, it goes against the Torah."

 They said: "Look, you will walk down a lineup of soldiers, and each one will strike you on the head with the stock of his rifle. If you manage to walk through that and stay alive, we will waive Shabbat for you. Don't work."

He said he was ready.

And so it was. There was a lineup, and every single one struck him on the head with the rifle stock. He accepted this—all these afflictions—for the honor of the Holy Sabbath, so as not to work on Shabbat.

Another story happened with him regarding Shabbat: It was in the extreme cold of Siberia, well below zero. He had to work.

One day, while he was there on Shabbat, he forgot his coat hanging on a tree. And he could not—he was unable to take the coat on Shabbat [due to a halachic prohibition].

He didn't know what to do. He had a problem—what should he do now?

He remained without a coat in the most intense, severe cold. He would not move it. Because of that severe cold, he became a bit... a bit hard of hearing.

 On the day when he needed to... The Chazon Ish said to his sister: "I have arranged Rabbi Kanievsky for you; it is worthwhile for you to marry him. The Steipler—take him."

 So what did he do?

 He said they needed to meet. She didn't say anything to him, but he heard that he needed to meet her the next day.

 So all night long, he studied Torah. The next evening, he was set to meet her. During the day, he was to ride the train to reach the match's (Meshudachat) town.

 All night he studied Torah. He thought: During the day, he would sit on the train, sleep, and arrive.

 At night—he studied the entire night. In the morning, he boarded the train and saw that the seats... it wasn't simple, there was a concern of Sha'atnez [wool and linen mix in the upholstery]!

 He did not sit down! He stood the entire day. He didn't sleep all day long.

 Then he arrived to meet her, and she saw: What is this? This man has no energy, and he keeps saying "Yes... what... what..." [hard of hearing].

 They said to her: "Listen, it may be that he doesn't hear so well, but it's worth it," the Chazon Ish told her.

 So she listened to him, married him, and they brought into the world Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.

What fear of Heaven (Yirat Shamayim) he had! It is beyond human comprehension.

They had a Mikveh [ritual bath]... both Rav Shach and the Steipler—each of them had a Mikveh in his own home.

 People think they were just... ah, righteous, holy, pure individuals! They had an exceptionally powerful service of Hashem.

They say that once he fell down on the road. So what did he shout? "Quickly, quickly!" He wanted to get up.

At first people didn't understand: Okay, he fell, so he fell, help him up. Why is he shouting frantically?

Then he said: "No, no, no! So that it doesn't look like bowing down to a prostration stone (Even Maskit)!" where he fell; so it shouldn't look like spreading hands and feet in prostration [which is forbidden on stone outside the Temple]. So he didn't want to lie there.

Yes, that's how pure their fear of Heaven was, yes, yes.

And Rabbi Yitzchak Poizon told me that when he entered the Steipler's room, the Steipler asked him: "Are you wearing Tzitziot?"

 He replied: "Of course."

The Steipler asked him again: "Are you wearing Tzitziot?"

He said: "Yes, Honorable Rabbi."

When he got home, he said to himself: "The Rabbi didn't ask me for no reason."

He inspected his Tzitziot, and he saw that two strings were torn. He marked them, untied the knot, and it was those exact two strings that were broken underneath!

That's it. So you see? They knew exactly what was happening in the world.

May Hashem... may his merit protect us.

So here, let us light a candle in honor of the author of Kehillot Yaakov, Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael son of Rabbi Chaim Peretz.

May his merit protect us, all our brothers in Israel, and the entire holy congregation.