We, our family, our nation, were so blessed, for so long, because we, too, had our Rav Chaim
The Steipler answered with two words.
“Mein Chaim’l.”
He was wealthy, because he had his Chaim’l.
And we, our family, our nation, were so blessed, for so long, because we too had our Rav Chaim.

The Steipler knew his gifted young son was cut out for greatness. When offers for positions were presented, the Steipler was strict about his instructions: “You sit and learn”
On the 15th of Teves 5688, Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky was born in the Polish town of Pinsk. He was named for both of his grandfathers, Rav Shmaryahu Yosef Karelitz and Rav Chaim Peretz Kanievsky. Within a few years, the family emigrated to Eretz Yisrael. Their home was a hut at the edge of the fields of Bnei Brak, unimpressive in appearance, but immense in relevance to the Torah world. His mother, Rebbetzin Miriam, was the sister of the Chazon Ish, and they shared a home: The Chazon Ish had no children of his own, and this boy would be raised under his careful, loving watch.
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