Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky

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Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (Hebrew: יעקב ישראל קַנִיֶּבְסְקִי), known as The Steipler or The Steipler Gaon (1899 – 10 August 1985),^[2][3] was a Haredi rabbi, Talmudic scholar, and posek^[4] ("decisor" of Jewish law), and the author of Kehilos Yaakov, "a multi-volume^[5] Talmudic commentary". ^[6]

Biography

Early years

The Steipler was born in

Once, during his stint, Kanievsky was court-martialled for "failing to do his duty" when there was a possibility of breaking the Sabbath. He was forced to walk between two rows of soldiers who were ordered to beat him as he passed. In later years, Kanievsky remarked that the satisfaction he had enjoyed for making a stand for his religious convictions was an achievement never again equaled for the rest of his life; earlier, he had insisted on wearing a summer uniform in winter, since there was a problem of shatnez.^[3]

Later years

After serving under arms for some time, Kanievsky managed to get discharged. He decided to move to Białystok in Poland, in order to continue learning Torah unhindered from Communist interference. There, he studied under Rabbi Avraham Yoffen.

In 1922 (1925), Kanievsky published his first

Kanievsky was then appointed rosh yeshiva of the Novarodok yeshiva in Pinsk.

The Land of Israel

Rabbi Kanievsky is notable for having never left Israel for even a brief visit abroad since his arrival.

In 1934, at the urging of his brother-in-law, the

The Steipler was high-level hearing-impaired, and therefore, those who turned to him would write their question or request, and he would reply and bless them after reading the script. In his last decades, after the Beit Yosef Yeshiva was closed, he performed a yearly shiur at the Kollel Chazon Ish on the death anniversary of the Chazon Ish, with the participation of a large public.^[citation needed]

He died on Friday night, 23rd of

Political involvement

The Steipler strongly criticized the

In the 1984 elections, he joined Rabbi Shach's view, and announced: "My family and I will vote Shas." This was the beginning of the process that led to the split of Agudat Yisrael and the establishment of Degel HaTorah, prior to the 1989 elections.

Commemoration

The "Kehilot Yaakov Street" in the "Merkaz Baalei Melacha" neighborhood of

Works

The Steipler wrote many works, his magnum opus being the multi-volume Kehillos Yaakov ("assembly of Jacob"), containing his unique analysis of most of the tractates and concepts of the Talmud; one volume he composed while in the army.^[3]

He also authored Birkas Peretz (on the Torah) and Chayei Olam. There are several volumes of letters, known as Karyana D'Igarta, and several volumes written by a disciple, Rabbi A Horowitz, that describe his daily life. These are known as Orchos Rabbeinu.

Rabbi Kanievsky's Eitsot V'Hadrachot contains "letters to an American psychologist, Dr. Yaakov Greenwald, in which The Steipler advises him on psychological problems".^[3]

Notes

References