38 Years Since the Passing of Maran, Author of Kehillos Yaakov

Today, the 23rd of Av, we mark 38 years since the ascent to the Heavenly Treasuries of the mighty gaon, the author of Kehillos Yaakov, Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky—known by all as “the Steipler.” Below is a brief account of his life, and a glimpse of the special connection he had with the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

The Steipler was born to Chaim-Peretz and Bracha Kanievsky on the 9th of Tammuz, 5659 (1899), in the town of Tashan (today: Taofipol) in Ukraine. At the age of eleven he was orphaned from his father, and he moved with his mother to her hometown of Hornostaypel, near Chernobyl. Already at age twelve he went into exile for Torah—leaving home to grow in holiness—and began to rise in the Novardok yeshivah. When he reached the age of conscription, he was drafted into the Russian army and assigned to guard military installations in Moscow. In later years he related that it was there, during those frozen nights—standing watch in the Russian frost without normal conditions—that he became hard of hearing. After some time, he escaped across the border to Poland and joined the Novardok yeshivah that had been reestablished in Bialystok. After three years, at only twenty-three, he published his first sefer, Sha’arei Tevunah. At age twenty-five he married the sister of the Chazon Ish, the daughter of R’ Shemaryahu Yosef Karelitz. After his marriage, for seven years he served as a maggid shiur in the Novardok yeshivah in Pinsk. In Adar of the year 5694 (1934) he came up to Eretz Yisrael by ship and settled in Bnei Brak, which was then a young settlement. Upon his arrival he was appointed Rosh Yeshivah of Novardok in Bnei Brak (Beis Yosef). About half a year later, his brother-in-law the Chazon Ish also came up to Eretz Yisrael. Until the Chazon Ish’s passing, the Steipler related to him as his primary Rav. After the Chazon Ish passed away, he became one of the leading gedolei hador together with the Rosh Yeshivah, HaGaon Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach zt"l.

The Connection Between Rabbi Berland and the Steipler:

During the years that The Rav shlit"a learned in the Chazon Ish kollel, The Rav would often go up to learn with the Steipler and ask him questions in halachah. The Steipler honored The Rav shlit"a greatly, and on one occasion—according to the testimony of R’ Yehoshua Dov Rubinstein—the Steipler stood up to his full height in honor of The Rav shlit"a. The Steipler also encouraged The Rav shlit"a to open the “Shuvu Banim” yeshivah, and even wrote him several letters of recommendation.

Below is the testimony of the tzaddik and mekubal Rabbi David Chaim Stern shlit"a, in the name of the Steipler, about The Rav Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, as first published here in the year 5776 (2016):

“I have known this tzaddik for more than 50 years. We speak—we spoke a great deal and conversed. And he was the chavrusa of the Chazon Ish’s brother-in-law, the Steipler, for many years. He was then a young avreich. I asked the Steipler about him—what he says—I wanted to know. So he told me ‘Know this: he is expert in the entire Torah— a righteous and holy man!’ And this is testimony from the mouth of the gadol hador. It is as clear as the sun that the Steipler had true Ruach HaKodesh—there is no dispute about this. I knew him (R’ Leizer). We had many connections, many matters—an elevated Jew; there is no such Jew. He was entirely chesed and compassion: whenever he had money, on the spot he distributed it all to tzedakah. A Jew who gives so much tzedakah and chasadim—it is clear to us that Hashem rests His Shechinah upon a person: ‘One who has compassion on the creations, Heaven has compassion on him.’ And in any case, Hashem rests His Shechinah upon him, and Hashem guides him as Hashem understands. And it is clear to all of us that we await and yearn that the Good Name will do miracles and wonders. Others do not know R’ Leizer the way I knew him, and they did not ask the Steipler what I asked about him. He was a young avreich; the Steipler was the gadol hador, older than him, and he was his chavrusa—they learned hours every day! It interested me what he said about him: ‘He is holy and pure’ —that’s all!”

On Friday night, the 23rd of Menachem-Av, the Ark of G-d was taken captive. At his funeral, held on Sunday, the 24th of Menachem-Av, some two hundred thousand people participated—from every shade and stream of Judaism. He was buried near his brother-in-law the Chazon Ish in the Ponevezh cemetery in Bnei Brak.

A number of years ago, The Rav Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a wrote an article for the day of the yahrtzeit, speaking of the Steipler’s greatness:

To merit, on the holy yahrtzeit of the Steipler, to be included within his great light—shining double and sevenfold beyond the light of the sun—to know that there is none besides Him, and to subdue all the enemies of Israel completely

As is known, the gaon, Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov zt"l, was the Rav of all the בני הגולה—of the entire Diaspora—both in Eretz Yisrael and outside it. He merited an attainment of the level of Adam Kadmon of Adam Kadmon: he merited to rise above all the בני דורו, all the people of his generation—one like him did not exist and will not exist until the coming of Moshiach. From the time of Moshe Rabbeinu there has not yet been such a tzaddik, and there will not be such a tzaddik until the coming of Moshiach; there has not been such a gaon, and there will not be such a gaon until the coming of Moshiach. Fortunate is the generation that merited such a light—“the light of the seven days,” a clear and polished light, with nothing comparable to it and no second like it.

And now, on the yahrtzeit, his light shines with multiplied intensity—sevenfold beyond the light of the sun, and sevenfold beyond the “light of the seven days.” For he merited the crown of Yesod—the power of holy bonding and spiritual foundation—and to raise Malchus (the revealed Kingship of Hashem in the world) up to the Kesser of Adam Kadmon of Adam Kadmon, and to know that “there is none besides Him.” And to subdue all the enemies of Israel until no trace of them remains. He merited that the verse was fulfilled in him: “And it was turned about, that the Jews ruled over those who hated them.” Through this he merited to subdue all eleven chieftains of Esav, in gematria Serach bas Asher 1411. She entered Gan Eden with her body = 177, in the merit of the wondrous harp with which she danced and played; and through this she brought the “end of wonders.” And she entered Gan Eden with her body = 177, through teaching Torah by day and by night = 177.