Third Yahrtzeit of Sar Hatorah Harav Chaim Kanievsky Zatzal

To mark the 3rd Yahrtzeit of the Sar Hatorah, Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky Zatzal, large crowds of people are expected to attend his kever in Bnei Brak starting tonight m, Motzi Shabbos, and a tefilah event will be held there on Monday.

Rav Chaim, as he was known the world over, led Klal Yisroel for decades as not only a massive Gadol BaTorah, who wrote seforim on topics that were not often discussed, but as a tzadik with immense kedushah who shouldered the burden of the community and the individual.

He was 94 years old when he returned his pure and holy neshama to Hashem on Shushan Purim, 5782.

Rav Chaim was the oldest son of the Steipler Gaon, Harav Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky zt”l, who married the sister of the Chazon Ish zt”l.

Rav Chaim’s Rebbetzin, an address for Jewish women of all stripes, was the daughter of Hagaon Harav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l.

Known for his indefatigable hasmada, Rav Chaim would learn a daily amount of what he called “chovos,” “obligations,” and would make a siyum on kol hatorah kulah every year. His encyclopedic knowledge of all parts of Torah was legendary, and stories abound of his ability to use his immense Daas Torah to apply ths dvar Hashem to everyday issues.

Once, women in a certain office began having leg pains. They asked Rav Chaim, and his immediate reply was to ask if they work on Chol Hamoed. Perplexed, they responded that they did, and Rav Chaim said this is why they are having leg problems, because Yom Tov is called “regel” in the Torah, which also means “leg.” They undertook to stop working on Chol Hamoed and were healed.

On leap years, Rav Chaim had a little extra time to fill his chovos, which he spent writing his seforim. Among his holy writings are Derech Emunah on the Rambam, Shoneh Halachos, and Orchos Yosher on mussar.

His tefilah, power to bestow brachos and ruach hakodesh when dealing with people were famous. One year after Pesach, the mikvaos in Bnei Brak were running low and the city’s Mayor asked Rav Chaim if the people could daven for rain; he replied that if was forbidden, because rain after Pesach is a bad siman, but he said everything will be alright – and indeed the rain fell soon after, an extremely unusual occurrence in Eretz Yisroel.

Tents with refreshments will be set up near Rav Chaim’s kever, located in the Ponevezh beis chaim, with preparations beginning motzi Shabbos.

A 24-hour kollel will be set up near the kever as well, during the entire Yahrtzeit, and a hachnasas sefer Torah will be held in his memory.

On Monday at 1:30 PM, an atzeres Tefilah will be held with the participation of Hagaon Harav Shimon Galai shlita. Attendees will only he able to access the cemetery from Chazon Ish Street.