Torah Discovery: Kuntress of Rare Rulings from the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky in the Name of the Chazon Ish

Torah Discovery: Kuntress of Rare Rulings from the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky in the Name of the Chazon Ish

"One for whom it is dangerous to be in the Land of Israel may go abroad, and also an endangered community ... Maran (the Chazon Ish) was asked about this during the war in the Land of Israel in 1948 - whether it is proper to flee to America ..." (From the gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky's manuscript)

Kuntress of [5] leaves with dozens of unfamiliar piskei din and unknown conduct by the Chazon I"sh. The kuntress is typewritten [apparently in preparation for print]. After the typewritten content, Maran Sar HaTorah, the gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, noted additional conduct and glosses [over 100 words] in his hand. Autograph script with glosses and revisions. [Bnei Brak, undated.] This kuntress was not located in an electronic search of all the familiar databases.

The kuntress is divided by topic, including indices, and it contains,  inter alia, sensational unfamiliar piskei din that have apparently never been published, alongside the facts and conduct from Reb Chaim's uncle, rabbi and teacher, the Chazon I"sh. Some of the interesting and unfamiliar rulings here include:

• "I asked how one may bathe in the sea, if the sea is a boundary of the Land of Israel, and this effectively means he is leaving the Land? He responded that the places where one can bathe is still considered land." (Hilchot Eretz Yisrael U'Peah, V'Orlah V'Kilayim V'Shatnez section 1).
• "One for whom it is dangerous to be in the Land of Israel may go abroad, and also an endangered community ... Maran (the Chazon Ish) was asked about this during the war in the Land of Israel in 1948 - whether it is proper to flee to America ..." (ibid, section 12)
• "It was attested that [the Chazon Ish] said that Eilat is certainly not within the Land of Israel." (ibid section 14)
• "He [apparently] bathed in the ocean with a head covering." (ibid section 15)
• "Ground fish with a bit of flour - whether it should be included in the blessing boreh minei mezonot" (Hilchot Birchot HaNehenin section 4)
• "One may remove [food] from a pot on the fire with a spoon, but he should not mix it" (Hilchot Melachot Shabbat section 16).

It is important to emphasize that Reb Chaim's manuscripts which occasionally appear at auction generally contain only a few words - short and to the point. They sometimes don't even include the questions, so that one cannot even guess the question the answer is referring to. However, here are halachic responsa rare in their unusual length and clarity for Reb Chaim. He clearly details the rulings and the conduct.

Specifications of the leaves and the glosses:

• Hilchot Eretz Yisrael U'Peah, V'Orlah V'Kilayim V'Shatnez section 1-15. Close to one hundred words handwritten by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.
• Hilchot Melachot Shabbat, sections 1-21 Several words handwritten by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.
• (Hilchot Birchot HaNehenin sections 1-8)
• (Hilchot Tefillah sections 19-35). Several words handwritten by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.
• Indices

[5] leaf, approximately 31x20 cm.Typewritten with the addition of over one hundred words handwritten by the gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, and additional glosses from family members.

Fine condition. Aging stains. Artistic restoration to the margins of the pages with damage to individual words.