The Rabbi of Bnei Brak • The Leading Sage of the Generation
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
Recent GenerationsRabbi Chaim Kanievsky, son of the Steipler Gaon, was regarded as the foremost Torah authority of his generation and as the spiritual leader of the Lithuanian Haredi community. He was renowned for his extraordinary mastery of every area of Torah and for his immense devotion to bot…
Biography
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, son of the Steipler Gaon, was regarded as the foremost Torah authority of his generation and as the spiritual leader of the Lithuanian Haredi community. He was renowned for his extraordinary mastery of every area of Torah and for his immense devotion to both study and the public. Thousands turned to him with questions and requests for blessing.
Life Story
Childhood
He was born in Bnei Brak to Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (the Steipler) and Miriam. He was raised in a home of Torah and reverence for Heaven, and became the outstanding disciple of his uncle, the Chazon Ish.
Teachers
He studied primarily under his father, the Steipler, and his uncle, the Chazon Ish, both of whom profoundly shaped his path.
Students
His home was open to all, and thousands of people from across Israel and around the world came to hear his Torah teachings and receive his blessing.
Family
He married Batsheva, daughter of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. His children and grandchildren continue in his path.
Key Events
After the passing of his wife in 2011 and of Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman in 2017, he became the undisputed leader of the Lithuanian Haredi public. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he guided the community on halakhic and public matters.
Miracles
He was famed for his astonishing memory and for his mastery of all areas of Torah—Shas, halakhic decisors, Midrash, and Kabbalah.
Influence
For many years he led the Lithuanian Haredi community, and his words and directives helped shape its path.
Death
He passed away in Bnei Brak on the 18th of Adar II, 5782, and vast multitudes accompanied his funeral procession.
Writings
Sha'arei Teshuvah
Halakhah and Jewish Thought
A work on the laws of repentance.
Taharat Yisrael
Halakhah
On the laws of ritual purity.
Ma'amarei HaGaon Rabbi Chaim
Talmud
Novellae on tractates of the Talmud.
His Way and Views
Torah Study
He viewed Torah study as the highest value and was meticulous in maintaining fixed study schedules by day and by night.
Halacha
He was regarded as the leading halakhic decisor of the Lithuanian Haredi community in his generation.
Faith
He embodied simple and wholehearted faith, with complete trust in Divine providence.
Ethics
Love of fellow Jews, humility, and devotion to every person who approached him.
Customs
He was even more exacting than his father regarding study times, and his home remained open throughout the day.
Character
Warm, patient, and possessed of immense love for the Jewish people, he listened patiently to everyone who came before him.
Public Role
He led the Lithuanian community and influenced major questions of education, military service, and society.
Famous Quotes
"Nothing stands in the way of Torah study."
"Whoever gives up more than is proper for him will have it taken from him."
Famous Stories
He would study from the early hours of the morning until late at night, and yet still found time for every person who came to seek his counsel.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he instructed the public to follow physicians' directives, saying that the Torah is protective of human life.
Students
Teachers
Grave Site
Grave Details
- Grave Name
- Grave of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
- City
- Bnei Brak
- Country
- Israel
Timeline
Birth in Bnei Brak
Passing of his wife, Batsheva
Became the leading sage of the generation
Passing in Bnei Brak
Legacy
He left behind a generation of תלמידים and rabbis, and his path in Torah and leadership continues to guide the Lithuanian Haredi community.