HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen told an astounding story about HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, z’tl on the way from Yerushalayim to Bnei Brak for the levaya on Sunday.
“Over 40 years ago, I went to the home of the Steipler in Bnei Brak,” Rav Cohen said. “I used to go to his home to buy the Kehillos Yaakov sefarim he authored. It was before Sukkos and I saw the Steipler, z’tl dragging planks of wood for the sukkah.”
“I was shocked. I thought to myself that such a thing couldn’t be. I approached the Steipler and asked him: ‘Why is the Rav doing this and not your son?'”
“The Steipler responded with these exact words: ‘My son learns better than me. I don’t want to be mevateil torah.'”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
I also used to visit the Steipler z’l over forty years ago. He was functionally deaf. One could only communicate with him by writing. HaRav Cohen l’hbclc, must be referring to a time much before forty years ago.
I think Rav Shalom Cohen, shlita, is an under-appreciated Gadol. May he have many years of good health.
I also used to visit the Steipler (May his memory be blessed) over 40 years ago. His hearing was not good. His family used to speak to him in a voice a little bit louder than the usual and they would stand very close to him and they would bend a little bit towards his ear. I saw this a few times with my two eyes.
arizona: This is true that he was functionally deaf. But I was there 39 years ago with my Rav (who himself wore a hearing aid), and he shouted into the Steipler’s ear to communicate. So he actually *could* hear. Maybe Rav Cohen knew how to do that as well. Or maybe he asked him by way of a note, or hand gestures.