A Compassionate Ruling: Rabbi Nissim Karelitz's Tearful Decision

A Painful Case, A Precise Verdict

This week marks five years since the passing of Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, one of the leading halachic (Jewish legal) authorities of the generation. On the anniversary of his passing, a poignant episode from his Beit Din (rabbinical court) has resurfaced that illustrates both his unwavering adherence to halacha (Jewish law) and the deep humanity that shaped his decisions.

The story tells of two neighbors who had lived in peace for decades. Sadly, one of them became physically disabled, and his family sought to construct a ramp to accommodate his wheelchair. But the neighbor objected, claiming it would “ruin the appearance of the building.” The matter was brought before Rabbi Karelitz’s Beit Din, which ruled that the objection was legally valid.

But when the session ended and the two men left, Rabbi Karelitz burst into tears. “Yes, it’s a legitimate claim,” he said, “but he saw that his neighbor was physically limited, and he couldn't find a way to make things easier for him."

Legal Truth vs. the Human Heart

When Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman heard the story, he responded with characteristic clarity: the halachic ruling may have been correct, but in his view, the neighbor should have been told, “You are correct by the letter of the law, but your approach is entirely mistaken." He suggested that Rabbi Karelitz likely sensed that such moral reasoning would fall on deaf ears in this case. Then he sighed and said, “What kind of argument is ‘The building will be ugly’? Does Jewish law encourage us to reinforce the architectural beauty of an apartment building?"

In the world of halacha (Jewish law), truth reigns supreme. But as these Torah giants showed, truth is incomplete without the compassion of a human heart.