The incredible news that Rosh HaYeshivah HaGaon HaRav Tzvi Kushelevsky welcomed his first child, a ben bechor, at the age of 88 on Sunday morning spread quickly on Israeli media and was even widely reported on secular sites.

After the Rosh HaYeshivah left the hospital, the first place he went to was the home of HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shternbuch to thank him for the bracha he gave him nine months ago that he’ll be zocheh to a ben zachar.

According to a B’Chadrei Chareidim report, HaRav Kushelevsky, who got married to his second wife six years ago, consulted with HaRav Shternbuch on the shidduch and after it was finalized, asked him to be the mesadeir kiddushin. According to HaRav Kushelevsky’s talmidim, immediately after the siddur kiddushin, HaRav Shternbuch told the Rosh Yeshivah: “You’ll be zocheh to have zera shel kayama from this zivug.”

But in the past year, HaRav Shternbuch added another bracha: “You’ll be zocheh to a ben zachar.” Nine months months later, the baby was born.

When HaRav Kushelevsky arrived at HaRav Shternbuch’s home to thank him for his bracha, the Rav answered: “I don’t know if the bracha helped, the ikar is to thank Hashem. We were zochech that Hakadosh Baruch separated us from the goyim and we acknowledge when He does chasadim for us. By us, the goal is not the nissim in itself but the recognition of chasdei Hashem.”

HaRav Kushelevesky then asked for a bracha that his son be a big talmid chacham. HaRav Shternbuch responded that “that already depends only on you.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)