The matter of informing Posek HaDor HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita of the petira of his daughter, Rebitzen Batsheva Esther Kanievsky ob”m seems to be preoccupying the minds of many.
HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita has already informed those around him that they should not tell his father-in-law, Maran R’ Elyashiv, due to his fragile weak physical condition of late.
According to attorney Dov Halbertal, one who is a frequent visitor to Rav Elyashiv home, told Kol Berama Radio that “Baruch Hashem, the Rav’s condition continues to improve and the Gadol HaDor heads out for tefilla, gets an aliyah to the Torah and responds to questions”.
When asked how they can keep the news of the petira of his daughter from him, Halbertal stated Rav Wosner visited yesterday, Sunday, 25 Tishrei, and some feared he would speak with Rav Elyashiv about this, but it worked out.
KB: The Rav did not suspect anything?
Halbertal: This is a complicated matter that also contains a number of components of paramount importance, Halachic, humanistic, and moral. First of all, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky has indicated he believes the Rav should be informed. Despite this, the other sons-in-law, sons, those close to the Rav all agree there is nothing to tell at present. There is a dispute here among the poskim if the Rav should be made aware of the petira.
Those close to the Rav and family members went to Rav Kanievsky to speak with him, but he was not persuaded. He continues to ask “you still didn’t tell the Rav?” During the shiva, Rav Kanievsky told someone that after the shiva, he will visit the Rav and tell him personally.
Halbertal also address the Halachic reality, the need to consider medical realities vis-à-vis the Gadol HaDor’s condition.
“The one person who we could ask we cannot ask. You see the dilemma” stated Halbertal.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Im sure Rav Claim will tell Rav Elyashiv when the time is right and in a manner that will not be too alarming. We should all hear euros tovos.
Rav Chaim*
one of HaRav Elyashiv’s Gabboim told my son that he already knows
Can they withhold for 30 days so he sits shiva for only an hour???
A true gadol will have no problem dealing with the info, and it weill have little effect on him.
ny100k
I guess according to you Yaakov Avinu was not a “true gadol”. It seems that if Maran Hagri”sh shlit”a would react the way yaakov did to the loss of a child he would not be able to handle it.
Nobody knows how he will take the news so we need to stop guessing.
#6 Thinking said: “It seems that if Maran Hagri”sh shlit”a would react the way yaakov did to the loss of a child he would not be able to handle it”.
You’re wrong! Chazal clearly state that the only reason that Yaakov Avinu could not be consoled for the tragedy of Yosef was only because Yosef was not realy dead. “ain mekablim tanchumim al hachai shesovar shehu meis”
But if He really would have been dead (as in our case of Rebbitzen K.) he definately would have excepted the condolence.
ny100k – One of the many מעלות of living in Eretz Yisroel is being able to make a kesher with gedolim. Until one has a personal kesher with a gadol it is possible to make the common mistake of thinking that they are מלאכים. A Gadol is not a malach! His greatness is in his battle, not his G-d given abilities. A malach is holy because he was created that way and therefore does not have the ability to rise to greater heights. Man’s greatness is in his battles by overcoming his challenges in life. Thus he can grow from strength to strength.
With that said, we must keep in mind what Chazal teach us, “that a צדיק falls seven times before getting up”. In other words, tzaddikim are humans with human emotions and weaknesses. We can not assume that a tzadik will overcome his yetzer and place him in a nasiyon unnecessarily.
When the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s brother died he hid the info from his mother for 11 years. I’m sure she was a tzadekes. Thus we must conclude that Lubavitcher Rebbe felt that non-the-less she was still a human being and that the knowledge could kill her.
There was once a Gadol who responded to his doctor’s hesitance to reveal his prognosis, “don’t worry, I can take it”. Upon the doctor’s revelation the Gadol fell into his chair and proclaimed, “I WAS WRONG,I COULDN’T TAKE IT AS WELL AS I THOUGHT I COULD!”.