The Man Who Brought the Steipler and Rav Chaim to Eretz Yisroel

Rav Matityahu Ze’ev Chaim Stiegel (1866 -1960) zatzal was the founder and head of the Beis Yosef Yeshiva in Bnei Brak.  He was the one who was zoche to arrange for the Steipler and Rav Chaim to come to Eretz Yisroel.

The picture above is that of the Steipler, when he was a Rosh Yeshiva in Pinsk.

Rav Mates was born in the town of Ostrow in the Lomza district of Tsarist Russia. At the age of 11, his parents emigrated from Poland, and, left alone, he entered to study at the Novhardik Yeshiva.  He was one of Rav Yosef Yozel Horowitz’s closest students. It was in Novardik that he first met the Steipler, and was most impressed by him. Rav Mateslater married Miriam, daughter of Rabbi Moshe Eliezer HaCohen Bayer of Mottla, an associate of Chafetz Chaim.

Since his youth, Reb Matis has been involved in the establishment of the Novharduk Yeshiva. He helped found and direct the Beis Yosef Yeshivos in Kharkov, Zvihel and Mezrich.

As early as the 1920s, even before he immigrated to Israel, he came up with the idea of ​​establishing a yeshiva in the Bnei Brak colony that was just established at that time. He discussed this with Rav Shimon Kalish, the Rebbe of Skarenwitz, who was the rabbi of Bnei Brak founder Yitzhak Gerstenkorn. However, the implementation of the plan did not materialize at the time and was postponed until his immigration to Eretz Israel.

In the meantime, the Steipler became a Rosh Yeshiva in the Novardik Yeshiva in Pinsk. 

In the summer of 1931, Rabbi Schiegel immigrated to Eretz Israel, together with his colleague Rabbi David Bliacher. The two rabbis established the yeshiva in Bnei Brak near their arrival in Eretz Yisrael. In the beginning, the yeshiva was housed in the Great Synagogue in the center of Bnei Brak. Shortly afterwards, Rabbi Bliacher returned to Poland and Rabbi Stiegel continued to run the yeshiva alone. Rabbi Shtigel held the position of Rosh Yeshiva, but at the suggestion of the Chazon Ish, gladly assigned it to Rabbi Yaakov Israel Kanievsky, whom he knew from the Novhardik Yeshiva.

At first, however, there was no answer from the Steipler.  Apparently, the letter was sent to the Yeshiva in Pinsk, and the Talmidim – not wanting to lose their Rosh Yeshiva, hid the letter from the Steipler!

In Av of 1933, the Chazon Ish settled in Bnei Brak, after his arrival he offered to give lessons at the yeshiva, until the arrival of his brother-in-law Rabbi Yaakov Israel Kanievsky.

Rabbi Shtigel organized immigration visas for, the Steipler and his entire family, including the young Rav Chaim.  He also obtained visa for another hundred yeshiva students The Kanievsky’s left on Purim 1934.  During the boat ride, the Steipler learned all of sefer Shmos with the six year old Rav Chaim.

At the beginning of the month of Nisan 1934, Rabbi Kanievsky immigrated and settled near the yeshiva.

Rav Mates’ youngest son is Rabbi Meir Shtigel, author of the “Shomer Emes” series of Seforim and the Rav of Yeshivas Hemed for young people today in Bnei Brak. His sons-in-law are: Rav Rosenthal – Head of the Rama Kollel and author of a series of seforim “Mateh Aharon” on various Shas tractates.