The Holy Tefillin of Maran the Steipler: A Gift of Love and Responsibility

Rabbi Zilberstein, the Chief Rabbi of Ramat Elchanan, once shared a heartwarming story during his weekly lecture about the holy tefillin of Maran the Steipler, an admired Jewish sage, and how they were given as a gift to someone who never expected it. Rabbi Zilberstein explained how for an entire year, these sacred tefillin were in his home. Every day, after returning from kollel (a Jewish study hall), he would rush to check if they were still there, fearing they might be lost or stolen. After all, these were the tefillin of Maran the Steipler, one of the greatest Torah scholars of the 20th century.

So, how did Rabbi Zilberstein come to possess these tefillin? It all started when his grandson lost his tefillin. The grandson had boarded a bus, but due to a sudden change in plans, all the passengers were forced to transfer to a different bus. In the chaos of the situation, the grandson's tefillin went missing.

That week, as he did every week, Rabbi Zilberstein arrived for his joint lecture with his brother-in-law, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, to discuss various Torah matters. During the lecture, he mentioned the distress they were feeling over the loss of his grandson's tefillin.

When Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky heard this, he immediately went to a cabinet in his home, took out a pair of tefillin that had been passed down from his father, Maran the Steipler, and said, "Here, give these to him." Rabbi Zilberstein was taken aback by this unexpected gesture. He hesitated, saying, "That's not what I meant. We can't take these holy tefillin. We are deeply concerned about being responsible for their safety."

But Rabbi Chaim would not accept Rabbi Zilberstein's concerns. He quoted the Rambam (Maimonides), who teaches that a mitzvah (commandment) should be performed with the finest items, and since he had the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of providing tefillin, he wanted to do so with the most beautiful tefillin available—those of his father, Maran the Steipler.

Rabbi Zilberstein continued: "We took these holy tefillin, and for a time, my grandson used them until he was able to purchase a new pair for himself. However, the weight of responsibility that I felt troubled me deeply. Every day, I would check to ensure that the tefillin were still there."

This beautiful story teaches us so much about the importance of chesed (kindness) and the deep honor for holy objects in Judaism. Rabbi Chaim’s dedication to performing a mitzvah with the best possible items, combined with Rabbi Zilberstein’s deep sense of responsibility in protecting these precious tefillin, show a heartfelt respect for tradition and the holiness of Jewish life.