Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky
Encyclopedia
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic scholar, and posek
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
("decisor" of Jewish law).
Biography
He was born in the UkrainianUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
town of Hornostaypil
Hornostaypil
Hornostaypil is a village in the Kiev Oblast located on the Teteriv River and the Kiev Reservoir.Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky was from Hornostaypil.-See also:* Hornsteipl...
, from which his appellation, "the Steipler", was later derived. He was the son of Chaim Peretz, who was a Chernobyl
Chernobyl (Hasidic dynasty)
Chernobyl is a Hasidic dynasty that was founded by Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky, known by the name of his work as the "Meor Einayim Chernobyl is a Hasidic dynasty that was founded by Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky, known by the name of his work as the "Meor Einayim Chernobyl is a...
Chassid and the local shochet. Around the age of 11, Kanievsky entered the Novardok
Navahradak
-Early history:First mentioned in the Sophian First Chronicle and Fourth Novgorod Chronicle in 1044 in relation to a war of Yaroslav I the Wise against Lithuanian tribes. It was also mentioned in the Hypatian Codex under 1252 as Novogorodok -Early history:First mentioned in the Sophian First...
yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, studying under its famed dean
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
, Rabbi Yosef Yoizel Horowitz.
Having progressed rapidly and gained a reputation as a Talmid Chacham
Talmid Chacham
Talmid Chacham is an honorific title given to one well versed in Jewish law, in effect, a Torah scholar....
, around the age of 19 he was sent by Horowitz to set up a branch of the yeshiva in Rogochov. However, the Bolshevik Revolution was in full swing and Kanievsky was conscripted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
into the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. In spite of the harsh conditions, he continued to strictly observe all the mitzvot
Mitzvah
The primary meaning of the Hebrew word refers to precepts and commandments as commanded by God...
.
Once, during his army stint, Kanievsky was Court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
led for "failing to do his duty" when there was a possibility of breaking the Sabbath
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
. He was forced to walk between two rows of soldiers who were ordered to beat him as he passed. In later years, Kanievsky remarked that the satisfaction he had enjoyed for making a stand for his religious convictions was an achievement never again equaled for the rest of his life.
After serving under arms for some time, Kanievsky managed to get discharged. He decided to move to Białystok in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in order to continue learning Torah unhindered from Communist interference. There, he studied under Rabbi Avrohom Jofen.
In 1925, Kanievsky published his first sefer ("work"), Sha'arei Tevunah ("gates of understanding"). This was received with great acclaim, and the work eventually reached Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz
Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz
Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz, , popularly known by the name of his magnum opus Chazon Ish, was a Belarusian born Orthodox rabbi who became leader of Haredi Judaism in Israel, where his final 20 years, from 1933 to 1953, were spent.-Birth and Youth:Born in Kosava , Karelitz was sent as a youth to study...
(known as the Chazon Ish) in Vilna
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. Without even meeting him, Karelitz decided that the author of such a work was worthy of marrying his sister Miriam.
Kanievsky was then appointed rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
of the Novarodok yeshiva in Pinsk
Pinsk
Pinsk , a town in Belarus, in the Polesia region, traversed by the river Pripyat, at the confluence of the Strumen and Pina rivers. The region was known as the Marsh of Pinsk. It is a fertile agricultural center. It lies south-west of Minsk. The population is about 130,000...
. In 1934, he relocated to Bnei Brak in the British Mandate of Palestine, where his brother-in-law Karelitz had already been living for a year and a half. For many years he was head of two yeshivas there. Though known as a world-class scholar, Kanievsky shunned publicity and lived in humble surroundings, teaching, writing and devoting himself to Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
and good deeds.
Over 150,000 mourners attended Kanievsky's funeral in 1985. His son, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
Chaim Kanievsky
Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky, , is an Israeli rabbi and posek. Kanievsky is considered a leading authority in Haredi Jewish society.-Biography:...
, following in his father's path, is a well-known Haredi rabbinical authority.He also has a daughter who currently lives in Bnei Brak.
Works
The Steipler wrote many works, his magnum opusMasterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
being the multi-volume Kehillot Yaakov ("assembly of Jacob
Jacob
Jacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...
"), containing his unique analysis of most of the tractates and concepts of the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
. He also authored Birkath Peretz (on the Pentateuch) and Chayei Olam.There are several volumes of letters, known as Karyana D’Igarata, and several volumes written by a disciple, Rabbi A Horowitz, describe his daily life. These are known as Orchot Rabbeinu.