Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
Once as Rav Avraham Yishayahu Stern and his family were traveling to Bnei Brak for a wedding, they decided to visit Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Z”TL. When there, he asked Rav Chaim for a bracha for his son who has been struggling to have a child. Suddenly, in Rav Chaim’s classic manner, he picked up his holy eyes and gazed deeply into his son’s eyes for three minutes straight as if he was glancing into his soul. When Rav Chaim exited his trance-like state, he asked, “Are you willing to pay?”
Rav Avraham said, “Of course.” Rav Chaim then asked, “Are you willing to pay by learning the entire Talmud?” He responded, “Yes.” Rav Chaim then took his two hands into his hands, returned learning for a minute, raised his eyes, and asked, “Are you willing to learn the entire Talmud in nine months to have a child?” The father asked, “If he does that does the Rav promise that he’ll have a child?” Rav Chaim said, “Yes.” Courageously, the father said, “I’ll do it.”
Rav Avraham began intensively learning as he had to complete over twelve pages a day for nine months. About a month later, Rav Avraham went to America when his son called to inform him that, at long last, he was having a baby.
Reprinted from the Rosh Hashanah 5785 email of Torah Sweets.
