Grave

The Steipler Gaon

Yahrzeit (Hillula)

23 Av — Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky - the Steipler Gaon

Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael ben Chaim Peretz Kanievsky - The Steipler Gaon Yahrzeit - 23 Av Resting place - Israel, Bnei Brak, "Zichron Meir" Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky was born in Ukraine, in Hornostaypil, and in his youth was known as the ilui of Hornostaypil - Hornostaypler. This is where the nickname "Steipler" came from. He was the son of Rabbi Chaim Peretz, a Chernobyl chossid and the local shochet. At the age of 11 he entered the Novardok Yeshiva and studied under Rabbi Yosef Yoizel Horowitz - the Saba of Novardok. He progressed in his learning very quickly and earned a reputation as a talmid chacham. At the age of 19, the Saba of Novardok sent him to establish a branch of the yeshiva in Rogachev. But the October Revolution was in full swing, and Rav Kanievsky was drafted into the Red Army. Despite the harsh conditions, he continued to keep all the mitzvot. Once, during his army service, Rav Kanievsky was court-martialed for "failure to perform his duties" in connection with keeping the mitzvah of Shabbat. He was forced to walk between two rows of soldiers who had been ordered to beat him as he passed. Rabbi Kanievsky later recalled that the satisfaction he felt at that moment, standing firm for his religious convictions, was immeasurably great, and he never experienced anything like it again. After his army service, he decided to go to Bialystok, Poland, to continue learning Torah away from the Communist regime. There he studied under Rav Avraham Yoffen. In 1925, Rabbi Kanievsky published his first book, "Sha'arei Tevuna" (Gates of Understanding). This was achieved through great effort, and the work came to the attention of Rav Yeshayahu Karelitz (the Chazon Ish) in Vilna. Even without having met Rav Kanievsky, Rav Karelitz decided that the author of such a work was worthy of marrying his sister Miriam. In 1933 he left Poland and moved to Israel, settling in Bnei Brak, where his brother-in-law Rabbi Karelitz had already been living for a year and a half. For many years he headed two yeshivot. After the passing of the Chazon Ish in 5714 (1954), the Steipler became his universally recognized spiritual heir - thousands of people from all corners of the Jewish world turned to him with halachic questions and came for advice and blessings. He avoided publicity and lived simply, teaching, writing, and devoting himself to Torah and good deeds. More than 150,000 mourners attended his funeral in 1985. His son, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, following in his father's footsteps, became a world-renowned Orthodox authority. The Steipler Gaon wrote many works, his main work being the multi-volume "Kehilot Yaakov", which contains a unique analysis of most tractates of the Talmud. He was also the author of "Birkat Peretz" (on the Torah) and "Chayei Olam". There are also several volumes of his letters, "Karyana D'Igarta", and several volumes recorded from his words by his student Rabbi Horowitz, describing his life, "Orchot Rabbeinu". May the merit of the tzadik Rabbi Yisrael Kanievsky protect us all. The Steipler and Tehillim in Operation Peace for Galilee At the very beginning of the summer of 5742 (1982), before Operation Peace for Galilee, two Israeli military pilots who had recently made teshuva (returned to observing the laws of the Torah) came to the Steipler. They came to him with an urgent and completely secret matter. The next morning, according to their combat assignment, they were to destroy Soviet-made Syrian missile installations deployed deep in enemy territory. According to intelligence, these missiles were heavily guarded: ultra-modern radars, operated by Soviet specialists, detected any aircraft within a twenty-kilometer zone around them. The operation was scheduled for eight o'clock in the morning. The Steipler blessed the pilots and said that at 7 o'clock in the morning he would be reciting Tehillim for the success of their operation. The pilots tried to correct him, pointing out that they were flying out on the mission not at 7 but at 8, but the Steipler insisted that he would be reciting Tehillim for them at 7 o'clock. Shortly before dawn, additional intelligence data came in, and command moved the start of the operation forward by an hour. At half past seven in the morning, the squadron of Israeli fighter jets safely returned to base - all targets had been successfully struck. This operation became one of the most glorious and impressive in the history of the Israeli Air Force. (Sunset p.168-169). How the Mitzvah of Hachnasat Kallah Added 22 Years to a Life https://silatehilim.com/секрет-мицвы-ахнасат-кала-или-сгула-от/ (https://dailyzohar.com/tzadikim/294-Rabbi-Yaakov-Yisrael-Kanievsky)