the Steipler
Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky
Recent GenerationsRabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, known as the Steipler, was among the foremost Torah and halakhic authorities of his generation. He was renowned for his unceasing diligence in Torah study and for his work Kehillot Yaakov on tractates of the Talmud. He lived with great simplicity i…
Biography
Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, known as the Steipler, was among the foremost Torah and halakhic authorities of his generation. He was renowned for his unceasing diligence in Torah study and for his work Kehillot Yaakov on tractates of the Talmud. He lived with great simplicity in Bnei Brak and was one of the leading figures among the Lithuanian yeshivah heads.
Life Story
Childhood
He was born in the town of Horodok in Ukraine to Rabbi Chaim Peretz, who served as the town rabbi. From an early age, he displayed extraordinary talent in Torah study.
Teachers
He studied at the Slabodka Yeshivah under Rabbi Baruch Ber Lebowitz and the Alter of Slabodka.
Students
Thousands of students from all over the world came to hear his lectures.
Family
His elder brother was the Chazon Ish. He married Miriam, and his son was Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.
Key Events
He immigrated to the Land of Israel before the Second World War and settled in Bnei Brak. He served as a rosh yeshivah and delivered daily lectures.
Miracles
He was famed for the exceptional power of his learning and for his ability to explain the most profound difficulties in the Talmud.
Influence
His work Kehillot Yaakov became a foundational text in every beit midrash, and his method of learning influenced generations of students.
Death
He passed away in Bnei Brak on the 29th of Iyar, 5745, and tens of thousands accompanied his funeral procession.
Writings
Kehillot Yaakov
Talmud
A profound work on tractates of the Talmud, and one of the foundational texts of yeshivah study.
Maaseh Rav
Halakhah
Halakhic responsa and religious practices.
His Way and Views
Torah Study
He emphasized Torah study for its own sake and with complete self-sacrifice, and regarded the study of the Talmud as the foundation of all else.
Halacha
He rendered halakhic rulings with humility, and his halakhic practices are studied to this day.
Faith
He possessed a simple and complete faith in God and in Divine providence.
Ethics
Modesty, humility, and contentment with little.
Customs
He conducted himself with ascetic restraint and discretion, and was meticulous in maintaining fixed times for study.
Character
Humble, unassuming, and patient, with a fatherly warmth toward all who approached him.
Public Role
He exerted influence from within, without seeking publicity or public office.
Famous Quotes
"Whoever studies Torah is, by that very act, continuously fulfilling a practical commandment."
"Nothing can stand in the way of a determined will."
Famous Stories
He would study day and night without interruption, and even during severe illness he continued to learn and to deliver lectures.
He lived with great simplicity in a small apartment in Bnei Brak, and despite his towering Torah stature, he refused every official position.
Students
Teachers
Grave Site
Grave Details
- Grave Name
- The grave of the Steipler
- City
- Bnei Brak
- Country
- Israel
Timeline
Birth in Ukraine
Immigration to the Land of Israel and settlement in Bnei Brak
Passing in Bnei Brak
Legacy
His method of learning and his books continue to guide study in Lithuanian yeshivot to this day.