Chaim Kanievsky

Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky (born January 8, 1928) is an Israeli rabbi and posek.[2] He is considered a leading authority in Haredi Jewish society.[3][4][5]

Rabbi

Chaim Kanievsky
Personal
Born
Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky
שמריהו יוסף חיים קַניֶבסקִי‎

(1928-01-08) January 8, 1928
Pinsk, Second Polish Republic
ReligionJudaism
SpouseBatsheva Esther Kanievsky
ChildrenChana Steinman,
Leah Koledetski,
Rabbi Avraham Yeshayah Kanievsky,
Rutie Tzivion,
Rabbi Shlomo Kanievsky,
Brachah Braverman,
Deena Epstein,
Rabbi Yitzchak Shaul (Shuki) Kanievsky[1]:24
ParentsRabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky
(Pesaha) Miriam Karelitz
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, 2007

Biography
A visitor seeking Kanievsky's advice

HaRav Chaim Kanievsky was born January 8, 1928, in Pinsk, Second Polish Republic, to Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, known as the "Steipler Gaon", and Rebbitzen Miriam Karelitz (Pesha Miriam: Pesha was added[6]), sister of Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz, known as the "Chazon Ish". He married Batsheva Elyashiv, daughter of Rabbi Yosef Sholom Eliashiv.[2]

In his youth he was known as a brilliant child prodigy who could remember Torah with a photographic memory and could elucidate complicated rabbinic teachings despite his young age. During the Israeli War of Independence, Rabbi Kanievsky, then a student at the Lomza Yeshiva, was mobilized into the Israel Defense Forces. He was assigned to stand guard on a large hill near Jaffa.[1]:376

Rabbi Kanievsky's wife died in 2011. Currently, he lives in Bnei Brak, and receives thousands of visits every year from Jews seeking religious and Halachik advice.[7] He is the official rabbi and spiritual guide for the non-profit organization Belev Echad, which was founded in Israel on 2011 and is dedicated to assist sick and disabled children and adults.[8]

Since the passing of Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman in December 2017, HaRav Kanievsky, along with Ponevezh Yeshiva head Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, is widely considered to be one of the leaders of the Israeli Haredi community.[9][10][11]

Statements and rulings

In 2012, Rabbi Kanievsky ruled that it is forbidden to possess or use a smartphone without individual permission from a halakhic authority, and that owners are not allowed to sell their phones, but should instead burn them.[12][13][14][15][16] In 2015, he instructed United Hatzalah paramedics that in the event of a terrorist attack, they should not treat the terrorists before the victims, even if the terrorist is more seriously injured, and they may even leave the terrorist to die.[17][18]

In 2016, Rabbi Kanievsky declared that medicinal cannabis was kosher for Passover as long as the possession of the cannabis is not in violation of the law of the land.[19]

In 2017, Rabbi Kanievsky ruled that reporting instances of sexual child abuse to the police is consistent with Jewish law.[20][21]

Rabbi Kanievsky has made several statements that indicate he feels the coming of the Messiah is possibly imminent. In 2011, he interpreted Arab Spring uprisings as evidence that the Messiah might be near.[22] In 2015, following the 2014 Jerusalem synagogue attack, he repeatedly referred to the imminent arrival of the Messiah and urged diaspora Jews to make aliyah (immigrate to Israel), reportedly resulting in the arrival of a substantial number of French Jews.[23][24] In February 2020, shortly before the Israeli legislative elections, it was reported by one rabbi that Rabbi Kanievsky had stated that the coming of the messiah was possibly imminent.[25]

Covid-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, Rabbi Kanievsky originally ordered his hundreds of thousands of followers to defy the Israeli Health Ministry's order to close all schools by keeping ultra-Orthodox schools open and claiming that the best ways to defeat the virus are to avoid lashon hara (gossiping about one's peers), strengthen humility and place the needs of others before their own.[26] As a result of the ruling, he was visited on March 15 by senior police officials in an unsuccessful bid to convince him of the importance of following the orders of medical professionals with regards to the outbreak.[26]

On March 29, after the ultra-Orthodox community was hit hardest by the virus[27] with Bnei Brak having the highest percentage of coronavirus cases in Israel relative to its population,[28] Rabbi Kanievsky ruled that one who does not follow the Israeli Health Ministry's guidelines on COVID-19 is in the position of one who pursues another with intent to murder.[29] He also ruled that telephones may be answered on Shabbat to get COVID-19 test results, and that minyanim must not meet at all during the pandemic, a stricter requirement than the Health Ministry's rules which allow congregations to meet outdoors as long as participants are at least two meters (6 feet) distant from each other.[30]

In October, however, when the schools were again ordered to close to control the pandemic, Rabbi Kanievsky told his followers to defy the order and keep their schools open; many did so and continued to send their children to haredi schools, contributing to a spike in COVID-19 cases.[31]

On October 2, 2020 Rav Kanievsky was diagnosed with COVID-19.[32] On October 28, 2020 Rav Kanievsky's physician said the Rav had recovered from the virus[33]

Published works

Rabbi Kanievsky is the author of many works of Jewish law, such as Derech Emunoh ("The Path of Faith"), on agricultural laws, Derech Chochmoh ("The Path of Wisdom"), on the laws of the Jewish temple rites, and Shoneh Halachos (a systematic presentation of the popular work Mishnah Berurah). His halakhic rulings on prayer are recorded in Ishei Yisroel, and rulings pertaining to Shiluach haken are recorded in Shaleiach T'Shalach.

References
  1. Weinberger, Naftali; Weinberger, Naomi; Indig, Nina (2012). Scherman, Nosson; Zlotowitz, Meir (eds.). Rebbetzin Kanievsky: A Legendary Mother to All (2nd ed.). Mesorah Publications. ISBN 9781422612064. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  2. "About Rabbi Chaim". Nerechad.org. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  3. "שקל הישועות של גדול הדור הרב חיים קנייבסקי שליטא". אחינו. May 22, 2018.
  4. "ArtScroll.com - A Gadol in Our Time: Stories about Rav Chaim Kanievsky". www.artscroll.com.
  5. "Recommendations by the Gadol Hador, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, To Merit Children – Aish Haolam".
  6. "Leader of Lithuanian Haredim Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky". The Jewish Press. October 2, 2020.
  7. "Biography of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky (born 1928) and his relationship to the Rabbi Meir Baal Haneis charity in Israel". Rabbimeirbaalhaneis.com. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  8. "Virtual Judaica - Letter by 8 important rabbis, Bnei Brak 2011". www.virtualjudaica.com.
  9. "Jerusalem - Analysis: After Rav Shteinman Passing Who Will Lead The Haredim". www.vosizneias.com. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
  10. "R. Hayim Kanievsky's 'Instant Responsa'". www.tabletmag.com. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
  11. "94-year-old Rabbi's Eulogy Signals He Is Heir Apparent to Shteinman, Late Leader of Israel's ultra-Orthodox". www.haaretz.com. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
  12. Ari, Judah (2012-09-23). "Burn your iPhones, top rabbi orders". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  13. "Apple's Jerusalem Problem". The Huffington Post. 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  14. Nathan JeffaySeptember 18, 2013 (2013-09-18). "Kosher Smart Phone Arrives as Ultra-Orthodox Tech Taboo Shifts - News –". Forward.com. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  15. Ravidyesterday, Barak (2014-04-07). "Haredi users of 'non-kosher' phones revealed through security loophole - News - Haaretz - Israel News". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  16. "Rabbi: Never Marry a Man With an iPhone - Israel Today | Israel News". Israel Today. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  17. Contact Editor Hezki Baruch, 31/12/15 15:54. "Rabbi Kanievsky instructs paramedics: Don't save terrorists". Israel National News. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  18. "Israeli medics are leaving wounded Palestinians to bleed to death – Mondoweiss". Mondoweiss.net. 2016-03-23. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  19. Elsa Vulliamy (2016-04-22). "Marijuana is kosher for Passover, leading rabbi rules". The Independent. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  20. "Leading haredi rabbi says sexual abuse should be reported to police". Jpost.com. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  21. ralph (2015-02-26). "Video: Rav Chaim Kanievsky on Molester: "Logically, He Should Be Reported to Police"". Matzav.com. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  22. "Ynetnews Jewish Scene - 'Arab unrest signals Messiah's coming'". Ynetnews.com. 2011-02-23. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  23. "Leading Israeli Rabbi Kanievsky Gives New Clue to Final Messianic Coming - Israel News". Breakingisraelnews.com. 2015-08-19. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  24. Berkowitz, Adam Eliyahu (2015-07-03). "Leading Israeli Rabbi Says the Arrival of the Messiah is Imminent". Breaking Israel News | Latest News. Biblical Perspective. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  25. Jones, Ryan (2020-02-20). "Israeli Rabbi Says He's Already Holding Meetings With Messiah". Israel Today. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  26. Magid, Jacob. "Police bid to convince rabbi to close yeshivas as his sect defies virus rules". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  27. Rabinowitz, Aaron (2020-04-01). "One Third of Coronavirus Tests in ultra-Orthodox City in Central Israel Return Positive". Haaretz. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  28. "Bnei Brak is turning into Italy, almost every Chareidi is infected". The Yeshiva World. 2020-03-29. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  29. Commons, Wikimedia. "הרבֿ חיים קניבסקי שליט״א גיט פּסקים וועגן קאָראָנאַ־ווירוס". The Forward.
  30. "Israel's prominent rabbi orders praying alone to stem coronavirus spread in Haredi community". Haaretz.com.
  31. "They're key allies of Benjamin Netanyahu. They're also fueling Israel's big COVID-19 spike". Los Angeles Times. October 25, 2020.
  32. https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-ultra-orthodox-rabbi-92-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/
  33. https://www.timesofisrael.com/prominent-ultra-orthodox-rabbi-kanievsky-free-from-coronavirus-says-doctor/
  34. קניבסקי, שמריהו יוסף חיים, 1928. "דרך חכמה - קניבסקי, שמריהו יוסף חיים, 1928- (page 1 of 123)". Hebrewbooks.org. Retrieved 2017-02-13.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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