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It seems this is so even when there is no money to inherit.

We all know how simply Rav Chaim Kanievsky lived. He lived in the tiniest of apartments, he never held a job or paid position and lived on meager means. Not really much there for his kids to inherit and fight over. At least not in the form of money. It seems though that his kids are pretty good at turning his things into money to fight over.

We already saw a few weeks ago that someone in the family sold his shtender to an anonymous buyer from abroad for tens of millions of dollars. We dont know the details of that - we dont know who the buyer was, we dont know the exact price paid, we dont know who had the authority to take the shtender and decide to sell it, and we dont know who got the money or how it was divided up.

While we dont really know much, we do know that the family has figured out how to turn Rav Chaim's meager possessions into big earnings. And to fight over them.

According to Globes, Louie Eliezer Sheiner, a wealthy frum businessman in the USA, approached Rav Shaul Kanievsky, one of the son's of Rav Chaim, and proposed purchasing the original manuscript of Rav Chaim's commentary on the Talmud Yerushalmi. He offered 7 million dollars! According to the report, negotiations were had, the other brothers were not informed. Of course they found out all on their own and that led to a fight. 

They fought like any other family fighting over who should get what.  

The 3 brothers are Rabbis Shaul, Avraham Yeshaya, and Shlomo. There were also daughters, but they get nothing, as per the Torah laws of inheritance, which Rav Chaim seems to have wanted them follow. Also, the oldest was a daughter, so no son could claim the double portion of a bechor. Maybe that turned out to be a blessing.

Shaul claimed his father wanted him to be the sole inheritor, so he should get everything. Questionable claim with nothing to support it, but that's what he claims. Shlomo and Avraham Yeshaya were shocked to hear such a claim made and both said their father wanted inheritance to pass in accordance with the Torah laws. Truly it is difficult to imagine Rav Chaim wanting it any other way and he clearly did not leave any such instructions in writing or with witnesses. 

Mediation is under way, some grandsons also got involved claiming they deserved a piece of the pie for managing the house for so long, and it turns out that while Rav Chaim was exceptional and on a completely different level than most other people, it seems the rest of his family is really just like everyone else. 

And you know what - good for them. not for fighting, of course, but for figuring out how to monetize their father even after death, if that's what they want. If not them, someone else would have. So good for them.

Before mentioning Rav Zilbershtein's answer I would note that I don't even understand the question - hundreds of thousands of people, maybe upwards of a million according to some estimates, participated in the funeral and eulogies physically and probably hundreds of thousands more participated online and by phone. I am not sure how anyone can think that the community (rather than a specific individual) inadequately eulogized Rav Kanievsky. I think he was afforded great honor with his funeral.

But anyway.

Rav Zilbershtein responded definitively that Hashem protects the nation of Israel, and Rav Chaim as well continues to protect the nation of Israel in general and on the city of Bnei Braq specifically. Gedolim, great people, are greater after death than they were when alive, and no damage will befall the nation of Israel.

Just it should be known that one of the things protecting us is the holy Shabbos. In places where there is shmiras shabbos, there is protection, and in places where there is no shmiras shabbos the protection is lacking. So, in a place where there is a deficiency in the shmiras shabbos, where people drive on on Shabbos in the streets, the protection will be decreased and Rav Kanievsky's promise/guarantee doesnt apply in those places.

(what is not said explicitly is that the area where the terrorist attack took place is one that has chilul shabbos even though it is technically in Bnei Braq)

Rav Zilbershtein closed off with a wish that we will strengthen the level of shmiras shabbos and increase the level of protection provided to am yisrael.

I must say that while I normally really like Rav Zilbershtein and his style, this one makes me slightly uncomfortable. He puts Rav Chaim Kanievsky up on a really high pedestal, sounds like almost equal with Hashem, both of them providing protection.

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The topic raised was putting prayers and requests on notes into the Kotel - is it ok, not ok, acceptable, problematic?

Rav Avigdor Neventzahl,. rav of the Old City of Jerusalem, believed there is no source for this and no need as Hashem hears prayers, He doesn't read prayers.

Rav Bentzion Mutsafi paskened that Hashem does not need notes, He hears prayers, the Kotel is holy and sticking notes into the cracks in the stones or in between the stones can dislodge dirt and stone form the wall and that is a problem of "meila" - misappropriation of something holy.

On the other hand, the Ohr Hachayim Hakadosh was known for having sent a student to put a note int he Kotel on his behalf.

Rav Boaren paskened that it has become a minhag among the jewish people to put notes in so it is ok and even has a valid source.

Rav Shmuel Rabinovitz, rav of the Kotel and Holy sites of Israel, is in favor of the minhag.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky paskened, according to Kikar, that the note is not necessary - Hashem knows without the note. However it seems to me that it is not prohibited, just not necessary, as Rav Kanievsky is further quoted as saying that according to those who prohibit it, they would not be allowed to benefit from this - to me this sounds kind of pareve, saying it isnt necessary but isnt necessarily prohibited. He also said there is no need to specify a list of names specifically (on a note) as Hashem knows without that.

What I dont understand because of the comments of Hashem knows without the note - Hashem knows everything, whether we are explicit  or not, whether with the note or with prayers or with anything we might be asking for, so why is there ever a need to ask for something, to daven, to say a prayer for a sick person and mention him/her by name, etc. Hashem knows, so why would I need to say it? And if I do, why is the note any different?

and let's add in this second tweet as well, also from Itzik Ohana, reporter for Kikar

Ohana reports on Twitter of a kiddush hashem in that the players of the Macabbi Tel Aviv basketball team wore a black strap on their uniforms last night in their game against Hapoel Galil Elyon in memory of Rav Chaim Kanievsky. In the 2nd tweet he shows the fans of Beitar Jerusalem soccer club hung a sign in their game saying we all feel the pain of the passing of the gadol hador Rav Chaim Kanievsky.

These are all wonderful gestures, but not everything nice is a kiddush hashem. Rav Kanievsky was the furthest thing away from sports and I am not even sure he would appreciate such a gesture. Again, doing nice things is wonderful, but kiddush hashem? 

What do you think?

This also reminds me of the funny story (I do not know if it is true but I have heard it several times) in which someone asked Rav Chaim Kanievsky if he could play basketball on Shabbos. Rav Chaim asked him what is basketball? When the fellow explained it is a game where you try to throw the ball into a hoop, Rav Chaim suggested incredulously that he should just put the ball in the hoop before Shabbos...

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Rav Chaim Kanievsky was a great person, a great talmid chochom, and a great leader, whether or not he actually held any official leadership position. Rav Kanievsky lived simply and humbly, dedicated to learning Torah. Rav Kanievsky was not a scam artist, he was not someone who raked in millions taking payment for brachas and taking cash in envelopes for advice and blessings. Rav Kanievsky was seemingly untarnished in that way - he just had no need for it, no interest in it and no use for it. He did and said what he believed, and nobody could think he was bought off or had other interests leading him astray.

Any complaints or anger directed at him was really misdirected. Sure, people can argue or think his opinion was wrong, but a difference of opinion is not usually what makes people angry or full of hate. I don't think Rav Kanievsky is one who could be hated - nobody would have a reason to hate him or be angry at him. Any anger at him was really anger at his gabbaim, his handlers, his followers, his community who at times perhaps misconstrued what he was saying or led him astray with partial information to prompt specific public statements or by people, in his family or otherwise, who might have benefited from their connection to him in various ways... 

People don't like when something is sold as holy but there are really agendas behind it. Rav Kanievsky had no agenda. Nothing other than Torah. The people around him might fairly be accused as having agendas, and any anger or hate, not just now but throughout his life and leadership, was really at those agendas and the people behind them, not at Rav Kanievsky himself.

(one example would be in the hespedim the speakers spoke about how he didnt even know the names of the streets he walked on to go to the shul or to get places near the house because he was busy learning and the names of the streets were not on his mind - so did he really know what a smartphone is? yet he spoke out against smartphones because his people told him how bad they are. He trusted them, but it was their agenda, not his.)

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A doctor in Hadassah Hospital contacted Rav Zilbershtein asking if he could use, to save a Jewish life, a copy of a medical book that was compiled based on studies performed by the Nazis on Jews. This book is considered one of the best and most comprehensive of its kind, and it details in great detail (supposedly) the entire muscular system, the skin and bones, the system of nerves and organs. All based on  studies performed on Jews in the Holocaust. But it would be used to save a Jewish life. And all Nazi symbols have been removed form the copy of the book he has access to. 

Can he use the book or not, to save a Jewish life?

Rav Zilbershtein said he presented the question to his brother in law, Rav Chaim Kanievsky. Rav Kanievsky responded that it is prohibited. If he uses this book he will not succeed in saving the person's life.

Rav Shmuel Baruch Ganot, a rebbi and posek, says that he was asked by several congregants, or gabbaim, of a shul that publicized their scheduled service of Hallel with musical accompaniment in a shul and several avreichim expressed protest of this type of a service claiming it is changing form tradition, if it is allowed or not.

Rav Ganot says that poskim in the past have dealt with this issue already and generally have paskened that it is not allowed because it both looks too similar to the service of the Reform, and also because it is inappropriate to do so when standing in front of the King. Rav Ganot says there might be a difference between the regular part of the davening and Hallel, as even the Levites in the Mikdash sang Hallel and played instruments along with it, so perhaps during Hallel it is appropriate even when standing before the King. Additionally, perhaps in Eretz Yisrael there is no problem of being similar to the Reform and there is no concern we might get swept up and follow in their ways. Presumably this is because they have so little influence or impact here in Israel.

Rav Ganot points out that the shul of Rav Dov Kook, the mekubal in Tiberias, sings Hallel with musical accompaniment, but they do so with seriousness and a sense of exaltedness, so the style is different than the style of the services being discussed.

Rav Ganot concluded paskening that in the shul they should hang a sign letting everyone know that Hallel will be sung with musical accompaniment with a serious attitude and atmosphere, and not in any way with letzanus and fun. Additionally the sign should say this is a one time event as it was already announced but it needs to be discussed further with the gedolim before such a service will be planned again.

Rav Ganot expounded further on the matter with no definitive conclusion and says he asked Rav Chai Kanievsky about Hallel with musical accompaniment and Rav Kanievsky said it is not appropriate.

Rav Kanievsky said, in response to Professor Zarka's request for a bracha for success along with his own call for people to vaccinate, and 3rd dose if relevant, that we have the vaccines due to heavenly assistance and everyone should take them to prevent sickness and bittul torah. Additionally Rav Kanievsky said that every person should do everything possible to avoid getting infected and to avoid infecting others and to adhere to the guidance and rules of the Ministry of Health.

Professor Zalka asked Rav Kanievsky about the school system, with many teachers and other staff  - estimated at about 3500 people in the Haredi school system - still unvaccinated while coming into contact with children that cannot yet be vaccinated. Rav Kaniebsky issued a psak that all men and women, all teachers in the schools must get vaccinated, and principals of schools should suspend teachers who will not vaccinate.

source: Kikar

An avreich found a a nice stash of money - $5000. He also noticed clear simanim indicating ownership, realizing it would be fairly simple to find the owner. It seems the simanim also made it clear the owner is not Jewish, and according to halacha there is no need to returnt eh lost object of a non-Jew 9and according to some opinions it might not even be allowed at all, unless returning it would cause a kiddush hashem). 

This fellow sent his question to some of the gedolim for uidance - he asked if he should return it to make a kiddush hashem or should he keep it considering he needs money desperately and is in debt and his needs take priority over the benefit of making a kiddush hashem?

Rav Meir Stern paskened that the only situation in which the person should return a lost item to make a kiddush hashem is when he is completely confident in the decision and completely happy in using the lost object to create a kiddush hashem and is happier doing this than he would be keeping it for his own needs and paying his debts. Rav Stern says this is rare today as most people would not be that happy, and then the benefit of returning the money would be lost  in the deficiency of the kiddush hashem being lower quality. 

Rabbis Mordechai Gross and Shamai Gross paskened that if the avreich is needy he should not return it as his life comes first before making a kiddush hashem, especially if he has debts that he needs to pay back. he has debts and suddenly came across this money sent from Heaven - he takes priority over a mitzva he is not really obligated in anyway..

Rav Chaim Kanievsky paskened differently, saying he should return the money. Rav Kanievsly said nobody loses when making a kiddush hashem. If he would return the money to make a kiddush hashem, it is guaranteed that he won't lose.

Rav Zilbershtein said, and I would guess he was talking about any laws the government might pass regarding the CoronaVirus including a possible lockdown but I'm not sure, that everyone has to obey the law - except for one person. The one person that does not need to obey the law is the chochom, the wise man, of the city - he can do whatever he wants and break any law he decides to. The chochom of the city is Rav Chaim Kanievsky - he is not subject to any law - only to the laws of Hashem. If Rav Chaim decides one thing, nobody can tell him anything else.

Interesting. 

What's the source for this exemption? Is it the chochom of the country and there is only one or the chochom of each city and Rav Zilbershtein was simply talking about Bnei Braq? 

Aren't we all subject to the laws only of God, but those laws also include following the laws of the society we live in (ie dina dmalchusa dina)?

According to Kikar, Rabbi Uri Tigger had gone to ask his rebbi, Rav Chaim Kanievsky some question about public transportation, as at the time Rav Kanievsky was encouraging the use of the mehadrin bus lines.

Rav Tigger asked if one is allowed to sit behind a woman - he explains that when he comes to talk to Rav Kanievsly he takes the shared shuttle taxis that run on the bus lines, and sometimes a woman is sitting in a seat and other passengers do not want to sit in the seats behind her. Rav Tigger says that he wants to know, once and for all, if this is ok or not, as sitting behind a  woman in such a situation you are not even really seeing her, except for maybe a tiny bit. So is it ok to sit behind a woman or not?

Rav Kanievsky responded that the problem halachically is only walking behind a woman, not sitting behind a woman.

Additionally, Rav Tigger asked, Rav Kanievsky has previously paskened that if a woman gets on the bus and sits beside you, a male, you do not need to get up. Rav Tigger asked if this is really, lechatchila ok to continue sitting there and not get up?

Rav Kanievsly responded that according to the halacha if he is not going to be touching her by continuing to sit in his seat, there is no need to get up and there is no question about it. the only problem is sitting between two women.

Rav Tigger asked for confirmation about the problem of sitting between two women and quoted the Gemara that says not to walk between two women. Rav Kanievsky confirmed sitting between two women is also a problem and he referred to a different Gemara that infers in his opinion that even sitting between two women is a problem.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky explained that where Torah is being learned, there is no concern for safety. Safety rules must be adhered to, and when air raid sirens are blared, everyone must take the necessary precautions for protection, but the schools and yeshivas should not close or relocate.

That report is from Ynet, so maybe they got it wrong, but Rav Kanievsky has a history of this opinion and it is consistent with what he has said in the past in other dangerous situations.

According to Behadrei, several days later Rav Kanievsky instructed his son in law, Rav Zelig Braverman, to relocate his yeshiva, Derech Emuna, from Lod to somewhere safer until the tiktokifada (again, Rav Kanievsky probably did not use this name) subsides, until the rage passes.

Upon Rav Kanievsky's advice, the yeshiva temporarily relocated to Hadera, waiting for the situation in Lod to calm down.

It seems like a contradiction in Rav Kanievsky's beliefs. I have a few possible solutions:

1. Less likely is that in the yeshiva Derech Emuna they are not learning so diligently, so they have less protection and thus need to relocate while other yeshivas do not. It just does not seem likely this came up or was discussed or is even the situation.

2. Perhaps the situation in Lod was so bad that the Torah could no longer be enough protection - either God was showing a moment of rage during which even Torah does not really protect, or maybe where danger is imminent and fairly definite and not just theoretical or possible the Torah does not protect. the danger of rockets down south earlier in the week was pretty definite, so it is difficult to make this distinction, but maybe that is what he felt.

3. Perhaps the boys were so scared that even though the Torah protects, they were possibly not learning well due to being afraid, or maybe the protection of the Torah versus the fear of the boys, it was determined to be worth moving the yeshiva just to calm the boys (and even the staff)

4. family connections. everyone else should stay put but son in law can move if necessary. This seems less likely. Rav Kanievsky does not come off as a "protexia" type person. He seems to say what he thinks, be it as it may.

Any other suggestions?

There are slightly different versions of exactly what he said, so I'll just paraphrase the point of what he supposedly said.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky was, supposedly, asked if the Haredi parties should support a government that is reliant on the Arab parties, or if they should reject that and support a government of Jews but they are Leftists. What the exact wording of the question was, I do not know -I saw a few different versions, but that was the point of the supposed question (I keep saying supposedly and supposed because they video and publish everything about him nowadays. Anything that is put out in his name without some form of documentation is just supposed). 

Rav Chaim Kanievsky's answer was, again supposedly, that it is better to make a government with Arabs rather than Leftists because they do not want to create a melting pot and turn us all into secular Jews and also because their family values and respect for religion is a lot closer to our views than those of the seculars.

Supposedly he said something like that, with the point being (no matter what the exact words were, if he said it at all) that he has no problem with the Haredi parties being part of a coalition that includes, or is reliant upon, Arab parties and would prefer that over an alternate coalition that includes Lapid, Labor, Meretz, etc.

People are shocked and horrified over this, Rav Chaim Kanievsky is choosing the murderous and terror-supporting Arabs as coalition partners over his own Jewish brothers!?!?! Shock! Horror! See how much he/they hates the rest of us! So selfish for his narrow interests he will sell the entire country down the creek!

First, that shows how far the values of so many Jews has moved from his values, and seemingly from the values of the traditional Judaism that he represents. He does not have to prefer liberal values over traditional ones if he is opposed to them.

Second, as far as I can tell nothing new was said here (if anything was actually said at all). We have frequently seen the Haredi parties cooperating with the Arab parties to thwart potential laws that might hurt one or the other group, and in the other direction as well - cooperating to pass laws that help one or the other. They have found each other, for a long time already, to be convenient partners and on close enough to the "same page" that they have found it easy and convenient to work together often. As they say, politics makes strange bedfellows. The Haredi and Arab parties have been bedfellows for a long time already and this is nothing new.

Just a few days ago, the son of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Yitchak Shaul Kanievsky, said that his father, Rav Chaim, had said the whoever votes for, and helps in canvassing votes for, UTJ will merit a seat in Gan Eden, along with meriting to have good children and parnassah, and Rav Chaim concluded saying he is guarantor on all this.

Obviously a guarantee like this from Rav Chaim Kanievsky is going to make some waves and draw i some people who might not have previously considered voting UTJ.

Shas campaigned similarly back in 2006 with a promise from Rav Ovadiah Yosef.

It seems that not only are the Litvishe Haredim turning a bit more Hassidic, but now are also turning somewhat Sefardic. Maybe all distinctions are somewhat blending and soon there will be little difference between the different groups.

If it works, it works. You can't argue with results. UTJ, Degel Hatorah, is now putting out campaign videos of people (people who do not look like the typical UTJ voter) saying they are voting UTJ because of Rav Kanievsky's guarantee of gan eden.

I only hope that his guarantee is worth more than the recent guarantee of the Haredi parties that the rotation agreement between Gantz and Netanyahu would be fulfilled..

the topic under discussion is the friction between the Haredi community and the State over the CoronaVirus laws and appropriate behavior. The article itself declares him "the King of COVID".

I really wonder though about the article to the right of the picture in Rav Kanievsky's house - about one dose of the vaccine being enough to fight COVID-19.

Anyway, Rav Chaim K is big news nowadays. Even UTJ pulled its social media out of the mothballs recently for the new election campaign.

With Ron Huldai's "Hayisraelim" political party posting campaign billboards featuring Rav Chaim Kanievsky, UTJ posted that Huldai is financing the campaign for UTJ...

The question is, where will Rav Chaim Kanievsky NOT show up?

Rav Kanievsky paskebned for this group of questioners that nursing women should get vacicnated. Pregnant women should get vaccinated, even if they had CoronaVirus already more than 6 months prior. Anyone who does not take the vaccine is considered to be causing danger to others.

A wife can take the vaccine even if her husband does not want her to.

Women who do not want to get vaccinated should understand it is pikuach nefesh and must get vaccinated.

I haven't brought the various piskei halacha on getting vaccinated. Most rabbis seem to be saying to take the vaccination while those who do not are mostly pointing to the conspiracy theories rather than actual good reasons. Rav Chaim Kanieevsky's psak here isn't the standard "take the vaccine" psak but relates to women specifically ignoring their husbands wishes and taking it anyway because of pikuach nefesh. That makes this psak special.

Wishing good health to all and hopefully the vaccine will help the world put the pandemic into the history books.

They also say not to get close to any place where such protests are happening, and one should control his sense of curiosity - seeing such events is damaging to the soul.

After expressing my hope that community and police leadership try to find ways to lower the flames, I think it is important to note this call by Bnei Braq leadership. it might not help with the troublemakers, but if the crowds are smaller because the curious bystanders are staying away because of this call, the tensions will not get as high either. I hope the police also put forth similar efforts to calm the situation