A Blessing for Children: Rabbi Kanievsky’s Remarkable Condition

Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Stern, a close associate of the late Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky zt"l, shared a touching story that was published in the book Bitzilo.

"My son had been married for several years without children," Rabbi Stern recounted. "When a family wedding took place in Bnei Brak, I suggested that my son join me so we could go to receive a blessing from Rabbi Kanievsky."

"Naturally, when the news spread at the wedding, all my brothers and nephews wanted to come along. Before long, we were all on our way to the rabbi’s home."

An Unexpected Meeting

"When we arrived, the house was full of people," Rabbi Stern continued. "I had come without arranging anything in advance, and I quickly sensed that it was not really the right time. It seemed the rabbi wanted to return to his learning."

"I told my son that we should go back to the wedding and wait for a more suitable moment. But it was already too late. Suddenly the rabbi’s grandson approached me and asked, 'What do you want? Grandpa is looking at you.'"

"It seemed the rabbi wanted to know why I was standing there."

Three Minutes of Silence

"The rabbi looked at me, and I said, 'This is my son. I have been praying so much for him. He still has no children.'"

"The rabbi took my son’s hand and held it warmly."

"Then something unexpected happened. The rabbi lifted his holy eyes and looked directly into my son’s eyes."

"It was not a quick glance. For three full minutes the rabbi gazed deeply into his eyes. It felt like an eternity. My son was trembling and did not understand what was happening."

A Surprising Condition

"Suddenly the rabbi lowered his eyes, and a gentle smile appeared on his face."

"He turned to my son and said, 'But you will have to pay for this. You will need to finish the Shas in return.'"

"My son looked at me and indicated that he agreed."

"The rabbi had already returned to learning his Gemara, still holding my son’s hands. I asked him, 'If my son accepts, will he have children?'"

"The rabbi replied, 'But he must finish the Shas within a year.'"

A Tremendous Commitment

"When we stepped outside, my son told me he felt dizzy. When we calculated what this meant, we realized that he would need to learn about thirteen pages every day."

"I asked him, 'Are you ready for this? We have to finish it within a year.'"

"My son immediately answered, 'I agree.' He felt that this was a rare opportunity that could not be missed."

"I returned to the rabbi and said, 'My son agrees. But will the rabbi promise him children?'"

"The rabbi replied, 'If he commits within nine months, I promise.' Then the rabbi blessed him with all his heart.""

The Blessing Fulfilled

"From that moment on, my son began learning day and night," Rabbi Stern said. "People told me they saw him in the synagogue studying until the early hours of the night."

"A month and a half later, while I was abroad, my son called me with exciting news."

"'I have good news,' he said. 'We are expecting a child.'"

A Humble Response

"When I returned to Israel, I immediately went to the rabbi’s home to tell him that his blessing had already come true."

"The rabbi simply replied, 'You see, one should never take the blessing of a simple person lightly.'"

"That was how the rabbi related to his blessings," Rabbi Stern concluded. "He saw them as heartfelt prayers from a fellow Jew, not as decrees from a saint that Hashem must fulfill."