Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky

Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (Template:Langx), known as The Steipler or The Steipler Gaon (1899 – 10 August 1985), was a Haredi rabbi, Talmudic scholar, and posek (decider of Jewish law in new situations), and the author of Kehilos Yaakov, a 19-volume commentary on the Talmud.

Biography

Early years

Kanievsky was born in Hornostaypil, Ukraine to Rabbi Chaim Peretz Kanievsky, a Chernobyl Chassid and the local shochet (kosher slaughterer), and his second wife Bracha.Template:Efn It was the family's subsequent move to the town of Hornostaypil, from which his appellation, "the Steipler", was later derived.

Kanievsky studied in the Novardok Yeshiva in Navahrudak, under rosh yeshiva (dean), Yosef Yoizel Horowitz.

Later years

After serving in the military 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 Avraham Yoffen.

Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz (known as the Chazon Ish) married Kanievsky's sister Miriam.

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

The Land of Israel

In 1934, at the urging of his brother-in-law, the Chazon Ish, he left Poland and moved to Israel, settling in Bnei Brak, and was appointed Rosh Yeshiva (dean) of Yeshivas Beis Yosef - Novardok in Bnei Brak.

He died on Friday night, 23 Av, 5745 (1985), and over 150,000 mourners attended his funeral. His son Chaim Kanievsky was also a rabbi.

File:Memorial plaque to Rabbi Kanyevsky in Bnei Brak.JPG

A memorial plaque for Kanievski on Rashbam Street in Bnei Brak

Political involvement

Kanievsky believed the Yom Kippur War was intentionally started as a means of Herut gaining political popularity.

Kanievsky strongly criticized the Poalei Agudat Yisrael party, calling it "of the parties who damage in the vineyard of the House of the Lord", and added: "When we be granted the salvation, this party will be on the side of those who ruin and destroy religion." On the leaders of the party, he wrote that they "corrupted and turned it into a distinct-materialistic party ... and they put venom of "אשר קרך" into their ranks"; and on its voters, he wrote that they "violate the name of God in secret and in multitude".

In the 1984 elections, he supported Shas.

Commemoration

The "Kehilot Yaakov Street" in the "Merkaz Baalei Melacha" neighborhood of Bnei Brak was named after him, after he died, and the neighborhood was also renamed "Kehilot Yaakov". Acommunity in this neighborhood is called "Mishkenot Ya'akov", after him. In addition, the Yeshivat Kehilot Yaakov was established in his name, which was located in Hazon Yehezkel and moved to Modi'in Illit, as well as Yeshivat Tifereth Yisrael in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem. The name of the "Derech Emet" Talmud Torah in Petach Tikvah was changed to "Birchas Yaakov" after him, and the Talmud Torah network Tiferet Yaakov in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem is named after him.

Works

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.

External links

• Biography: The Steipler
• The Steipler Gaon, Zt'l 25th Av 5760, His Fifteenth Yahrtzeit
• We Knew The Steipler Gaon, zt'l 23rd Av 5760, His Fifteenth Yahrtzeit