A sign on the wall of Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky’s home on Thursday morning announced that the Gadol’s kabalas kahal has been discontinued, Kikar H’Shabbos reported.
The unprecedented announcement of the cancellation of the Gadol HaTorah’s kabalas kahal follows the Health Ministry’s announcement on Wednesday night about tightened restrictions against the spread of the coronavirus in Israel, including a ban of gatherings of over 100 people.
According to Harav Chaim’s bnei bayis, there are at least 100 people in Harav Chaim’s small home in Bnei Brak during the daily kabalas kahal and many of the visitors are tourists and businessmen from abroad, increasing the risk of infection.
This is the first time in 50 years that Harav Chaim’s kabalas kahal, which takes place twice a day every day, has been indefinitely canceled. Visitors to Harav Chaim in the recent past have already been instructed not to shake or kiss the Gadol’s hand.
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Harav Chaim will continue to serve as a sandak for brissim for the time being in a designated area in the Lederman Beis Medrash on the condition that less than 100 people are present.
The Rav’s bnei bayis added that if the situation continues for a long period, kabalas kahal will be conducted through prior registration for emergency situations only.
Those who wish to send shailos and names for brachos to Harav Chaim can fax: 03-547-9183. Faxes with shailos should include a clearly written name and telephone number.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Agree. This should of been done a long time ago. Now, all the bored Americans with too much time and money on their hands will have to find a new tourist site to get their picture taken. It’s time to stop treating Rav Chaim like a toy. Of course it’s important to see, watch, and listen to Gedolim, but come on, MOST Americans going in to him with their little tzatzgila are only going so they can get their picture in the FJJ or Yated, perhaps a WhatsApp status on YWN, and to brag to their buddies during Lecha Dodi on their firat Shabbos back home. %90 are not going in there for “serious” shailos. Any normal person has his own Rav and mora hora where he lives. End the madness.
mamish “not getting involved” ?
But well vented- not that it makes Hashem happy
Now he’ll enjoy his tome undisturbed. He’ll be able to learn.