In an inspiring display of unity and kavod haTorah, history was made on Motzei Simchas Torah in Israel on Tuesday evening when HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky participated in the ‘neilas hachag’ tisch of chassidus Vizhnitz.

HaRav Chaim’s participation in the event was in honor of the Chanukas HaBayis of the new Vizhnitzer Beis Medrash in Bnei Brak.

On erev Sukkos, HaRav Chaim Meir Hagar, the Rebbe’s eldest son and Av Beis Din of Vizhnitz, visited the home of HaRav Chaim to personally invite him to the new Beis Medrash.

Thousands of chassidim greeted HaRav Chaim with great simcha and singing and the Rebbe arose to greet the Gadol Hador and escorted him out when he left.

At the event, HaRav Chaim’s son, Rav Yitzchak Shaul, read a special letter of divrei bracha in the name of his father, in which HaRav Chaim praised the fact that the new building is equipped with a generator for Shabbos.

The rare event has a historical precedent as the Chazon Ish, z’tl, participated in the Hanachas Even Hapinah of the previous Vizhnitzer Beis Medrash and HaRav Shach, z’tl, attended the Chanukas HaBayis.

On Chol Hamoed, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein delivered a shiur at the new Beis Medrash, the first time the Ponevezher Rosh Yeshivah was in attendance at a Chassidish event.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)