Before he left to the USA, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita asked to receive Rav Kook’s special Birchas Kohen.

Rav Ben Tzion Hacohen Kook, a very respected posek in Yerushalayim, head of the ‘Beis Hora’ah HaKlali’ in Eretz Yisrael, arrived in the United States before Shabbos, visiting New York and New Jersey after two years in which he has not visited the United States.

Rav Kook traveled to the United States to attend the chasenah of his talmid in New York, but is expected to stay for a few more days, to give shiurim in halacha and shmuesen in yeshivos and batei medrashim, to meet the rabbonim and receive an audience for advice and brachos. The rav is scheduled to give a shiur in Lakewood on Monday, June 24, 2019.

Rav Kook, author of the Seforim Tzioni Halacha including thousands of piskei halacha he heard from his rov, Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv ZT”L, spent next Shabbos in Monsey and will then stay in Lakewood.

Before leaving Israel, Rav Kook came to receive a bracha for the trip from Rav Kanievsky. This was in the framework of the establishment of a special beis din – “Mamleches Kohanim’ – for Taharas Kohanim headed by Rav Kook.

Rav Kook spoke in front of Rav Chaim about the privilege that the kohanim receive from him. “Even among the thousands of letters that arrive at the large house on Rashbam Street, Maran Shlita first responds to the questions of the kohanim before all others ‘m’din vekidashtoi’.

Then Maran asked for a bracha from Rav Kook – Birchas Kohen Gadol. It was a thrilling occasion in which the six members of the beis din, all of them halachic authorities, rabbis and respected dayanim – chassidim, litvaks and sephardim, headed by Rav Kook, giving the Gadol Hador a bracha.

Reb Chaim’s face lit up. “I always give broches. Once I am aloud to receive Birchas Kohen from a meyuchas Kohen”, Rav Kanievsky said to Rav Kook.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/ קרדיט צילום, שוקי לרר)