Early Responsa letter by Maran the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky. Bnei Brak, 1973. To the Gaon Rabbi Ephraim Greenblatt.

Early Responsa letter by Maran the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky. Bnei Brak, 1973. To the Gaon Rabbi Ephraim Greenblatt.

Response to 5 questions sent to him. In those years he still answered relative longer responses.

Aerogram, Bnei Brak, 1973.

Maran the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky was born in 1928, son of Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky – who was known as ‘the Steipler’ [being a native of Hornosteipel in Ukraine] and son-in-law of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. Settled in Eretz Yisrael in 1934, studied with his father and at Yeshivas Tifferes Tzion and Yeshivas Beis Yosef in Bnei Brak and the Lomzhe Yeshiva in Petach Tikva. During this period, he also studied with his uncle Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz – the Chazon Ish, and completed the study of the entire Talmud Bavli at the age of 17. After his marriage he continued his Torah studies at Kollel Chazon Ish, of which he took over leadership after the the passing of his father. Rabbi Kanievsky was renowned for his outstanding diligence in Torah studies and for his vast knowledge of all Torah literature. He was consulted from all over the world on Torah questions, as well as for his advice and blessings.

Jerusalem-born Gaon Rabbi Ephraim Greenblatt (1932-2014), was the leading disciple (Talmid Muvhak) of Rebbe Moshe Feinstein.

Searching for a capable candidate to lead the struggling Orthodox community in Memphis, Rebbe Moshe selected the 20-year-old Rabbi Greenblatt, who would remain in Tennessee for the next six decades. Rabbi Greenblatt is mentioned countless times in his teacher's Igroth Moshe, while his own responsa, Rivevoth Efraim (10 volumes), have become a staple of the American rabbinic bookshelf.