What I Saw in Rabbi Steinman’s Home Changed My Life

One year has passed since the world lost Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman zt"l (may his memory be a blessing), one of the greatest Torah leaders of our generation. He passed away on the 24th of Kislev, 5778 (Chanukah eve), and hundreds of thousands came to honor him at his funeral. He left behind not only Torah teachings but a legacy of humility, truth, and a deeply meaningful life.

At the memorial gathering held that year, Rabbi Zamir Cohen delivered an emotional eulogy, sharing how the loss of a great Jewish leader leaves a hole in the heart of the nation. “The Jewish people are like one body,” he said. “And the Torah sages of each generation are like the heart or brain of that body. When one passes away, the rest of us must each take on a bit more—to help fill the gap.”

He went on to explain how Rabbi Steinman lived by a powerful teaching from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers): “This world is like a hallway before the World to Come—prepare yourself in the hallway so you may enter the palace.” Rabbi Steinman truly saw this world as a corridor—a temporary place on the way to something eternal. And that shaped everything about how he lived.

“A person who sees this world as the main goal,” Rabbi Zamir said, “becomes full of expectations. But the more a person expects from this world—wealth, comfort, honor—the more they end up disappointed. But someone who sees this life as a temporary hallway becomes the happiest person in the world.”

Rabbi Zamir then shared what he saw when he first entered Rabbi Steinman’s home. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” he said. “Here was one of the greatest Torah scholars in the world—respected even by wealthy and powerful people—and his house was so simple. Not just simple, but unbelievably bare.”

There was no couch, no executive chair, not even a backrest. He would sit on his bed and place a small square wooden board behind him to lean on. That was it. “This was how he received visitors, how he helped people, how he led the generation,” Rabbi Zamir recalled. “His home hadn’t been painted in years. The kitchen was from another era. Why? Because in his eyes, it was a waste of time and money. This world passes. What matters is what you take with you to the next.”

And yet, despite—or because of—that simplicity, Rabbi Steinman radiated joy. He was always calm, filled with a deep inner happiness. His wisdom was pure. He had no personal agenda. Everything he did was for the good of the individual in front of him, and for the Jewish people as a whole.

This is why all the Torah leaders of the generation turned to him for guidance. Even in controversial or difficult matters, his voice carried truth. For example, not everyone knows that Rabbi Steinman strongly opposed public demonstrations against army conscription. The media may show protests and claim all religious Jews support them—but that’s not true. Rabbi Steinman believed deeply in peaceful, respectful conduct and guided others the same way.

Rabbi Zamir also shared how Rabbi Steinman played a key role in the founding of the Hidabroot television channel, which today reaches thousands of Jews around the world. In the early years, Rabbi Zamir asked leading rabbis whether a Torah channel on TV should even be started. Rabbi Steinman said: “Not yet.” But the next year, he changed his mind: “Now the time has come.”

Later, when a concerned rabbi expressed worries that such a channel might lead people to bring TVs into their homes, Rabbi Zamir asked him, “Who is your rabbi?” The man answered, “Rabbi Steinman.” Rabbi Zamir suggested they speak to him together.

They visited Rabbi Steinman privately and shared all the concerns. Rabbi Steinman listened carefully, asked questions, and thought deeply. Finally, he lifted his head and quietly said a verse: “I dwell with them amidst their impurity.” Hashem is with His people, even in their struggles. “Open,” he said, “and you will succeed.” After that, Torah leaders from across the spectrum supported the channel—and countless lives were changed.

So many people have been saved through the channel. Jews in Israel and across the world found meaning again, turned back from the edge of despair, restored broken marriages, and came home to Torah—all thanks to the vision of Rabbi Steinman, who was nearly 100 years old at the time but understood the soul of the new generation.

In his will, Rabbi Steinman gave instructions that reflect his entire life: no fancy titles, no eulogies, no large funeral. Just ten simple people would be enough, he wrote. He asked that his tombstone say nothing grand—just a simple note of who he was. He didn’t want honor. He didn’t want money. He wanted to live—and die—according to the truth.

Rabbi Zamir ended his eulogy with a message for all of us: When a great light goes out, it’s up to us to light new ones. Rabbi Steinman showed us how to live with purpose, joy, and simplicity. May we each take on something small in his memory—to help bring more light into the world.