Reading the comments here makes me wonder just how childish most people’s views on yiddishkeit are and how uninformed they are about what happens in the world of gedolei torah.
• There is no such thing as THE Godol Hador who gets appointed and overnight becomes the supreme authority.
• No one has authority to pass on a mantle of leadership just because they say so, whether in their will or while alive.
• Those suggesting that Rav Shmuel Auerbach shlita would be stepping into Rav Ahron Leib zt”l’s shoes clearly have no clue about the Peleg issue.
• It is pretty obvious, however, that Rav Gershon Edelstein shlita will to a great extent take over Rav Ahron Leib’s position in klal yisroel.
• Rav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi shlita is a godol batorah, but he is not going to have Rav Shteinman’s authority or take over his role. Similarly, Rav Dovid Cohen shlita (who is relatively very young, not even being 70).
• Gadolhadorah suggested that one of the roles of a gadol was “administering mosdos”. Where did she get that idea from?
• Zahavasdad thinks that “Gadol Hador” requires being the final posek of the time. I don’t think either Rav Shteinman nor Rav Shach zt”l were considered that.
• 147 suggests Gadol Hador is a “5 way consortium”!
• Gaon – Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank zt”l was niftar in 1960 and the Tepliker Rov zt”l in 1948, well before the 1962 date that iac referred to. Among leading poskim in EY at the time were the Tchebiner Rov zt”l, , Rav Unterman zt”l, the Tzitz Eliezer zt”l, Rav Zolty zt”l. I’m not sure that Rav Shlomo Zalman zt”l and Rav Elyashiv zt”l were recognized at the time as the undisputed final arbiters of halacha.