Rav Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky, one of the generation’s leading Lithuanian Torah scholars, passed away at his home in Bnei Brak on Shushan Purim (March 18). He was 94 years old.
Rav Chaim Kanievsky was blessed with a photographic memory and a humble spirit. His influence extended far beyond his Lithuanian community, as the entire Orthodox population viewed him as a true scholar of unparalleled religious knowledge. Rabbi Kanievsky assisted many individuals from all walks of Jewish life.
Rav Chaim Kanievsky maintained a breathtaking schedule, waking at two a.m. for a rigorous 17-20-hour-a-day Torah study. He completed an incomprehensible amount of material each year, including the entire Tanach, the Babylonian Talmud, the Jerusalem Talmud, Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, the Code of Jewish Law, the Midrash, the Zohar, the Tosefta, and the writings of Rabbi Isaac Luria, known as the Arizal.
Even though Rav Chaim’s time was highly structured, and he kept to a rigorous schedule, his wife, Rebbetzin Kanievsky, fully supported him and motivated him to learn Torah. Someone once made Rav Chaim a generous offer, but it would involve him to spend a couple of minutes not dedicated to Torah study. Rav Chaim asked his wife for advice. She nixed the idea, saying that the few additional minutes of Torah learning were worth more to her than anything else in the world.
Rav Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky is survived by his children: Rabbi Avraham Yeshayah Kanievsky, Leah Koledetski, Rutie Tzivion, Rabbi Shlomo Kanievsky, Brachah Braverman, Deena Epstein, and Rabbi Yitzchak Shaul Kanievsky; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A daughter, Chana Streinman, predeceased him in 2014.
HaMakom y’nacheim osanu v’chol beis Yisrael.
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Yossi Azriel ben Chayah Michal
Aviel ben Ktziyah Batyah
Eliyahu ben Sophia
Mordechai ben Rachel Anba
Nissim ben Devorah
Ezra ben Farida
Yossi ben Vardit
Yaakov ben Mazal
Nissan ben Yael
Yehoshua ben Miriam
Eliyahu ben Miriam
Aharon Mordechai ben Sharon
Moshe ben Rachel
Gavriel ben Imo-Shalom
Marik ben Tamara
Yitzchak ben Chanom Chanah
Yosef ben Leah
Shlomo ben Miriam
Shalom Baruch ben Malkah Freida
Ilay Eliezer ben Rivah Rivkah
Misha Moshe ben Tamara
Meir Yaakov ben Esther
Shlomo Hartzel ben Eka
Chaim Zanvil ben Sarah Dinah
Reuven HaKohen ben Golda
Amram ben Perla
Arkady Avraham ben Mazal
Itai ben Ahuvah
Eliyahu ben Rachel
Pinchas Yitzchak ben Beila
Yosef Gideon Yaakov ben Peninah
Yaakov Reuven ben Brachah
Rachamim ben Rachel Leah
Tzvi ben Ratza
Refael ben Alizah
Chaim ben Shula
Tovah Yocheved bas Esther Bukas
Ruchamah Perel Malkah Leah bas Chanah Serel
Esther Hadasah bas Devorah
Alizah bas Miriam
Shoshanah Shurah bas Zina
Luna bas Rachel
Malkah bas Miriam
Malkah bas Reicha Shifrah
Adele bas Adi
Evon bas Sally
Karen bas Rachel
Chavah bas Sarah
Brachah Chanah bas Sarah
Tovah Chanah bas Sarah Devorah
Rachel bas Edith
Chanah Elianah bas Naomi
Gittel bas Malkah
Mira Gitta bas Beila Mariasha
Adele bas Sofia Sarah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.