The last public event attended by the Gadol HaDor, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, z’tl, was the Dirshu siyum of the second cycle of the Day Yomi in Halacha which was held at the Arena in Jerusalem on February 24, 2022.

HaRav Chaim, z’tl was extremely weak toward the end of his life but he made a great effort to attend the siyum since he had participated in the Dirshu siyumim for many years likvodo shel Torah.

The hundreds of attendants stood up and sang enthusiastically in the Gadol HaDor’s honor when HaRav Chaim, z’tl, was wheeled into the hall by his son and grandson, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Shaul and Reb Yanky.

HaRav Chaim, z’tl, appears extremely weak and seems unaffected by the hundreds of Bnei Torah singing for him but in line with his incredible thirst for Torah, he is seen later in the video perusing the Torah pamphlet distributed at the event.

Later, HaRav Chaim’s son, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Shaul, delivered a speech written by his father. HaRav Chaim, z’tl, had quoted the words of the Chofetz Chaim that the “the ikar of limud should be limud that leads to action. And the chelek of Orach Chaim comes before all four chelkei of the Shulchan Orach because knowledge of it is necessary for man’s life for the observance of the Torah…and through learning the halachos, a person is guaranteed Olam Haba, but he should be careful to learn every day.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)