Rav Kanievsky Instructs A Kollel Guy Looking To Buy An Apt. To Purchase A Sefer Torah

The following story, released by BeChadrei Chareidim, has gained notoriety and is the subject of discussion in Kollelim throughout Bnei Brak.

I don't know if the story is true .....

A Kollel Yungerman entered the Hod V’Hadar Institute in Bnei Brak a few weeks ago, an institute that teaches STaM, explaining he wishes to buy a ‘mehudar’ Sefer Torah. The head of the institute was taken by surprise by the Kollel Yungerman's request, explaining that such a Sefer Torah can cost as much as NIS 200,000.

It was explained to the Kollel Yungerman that such a purchase is not made spontaneously, but after careful thought and consideration. The Kollel Yungerman then explained that he came to the institute directly from the home of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, where he asked the rav what to do, explaining he wishes to buy an apartment in Bnei Brak immediately, but he only has NIS 500,000.

When Rav Kanievsky heard this, he instructed the Kollel Yungerman to “buy a Sefer Torah”. The Kollel Yungerman once again told Rav Chaim, “I am interested in buying an apartment”, and the rav responded for a second time, “buy a Sefer Torah”.

The Kollel Yungerman explained that it is a mitzvah to listen to the instructions of chachamim, and therefore, he wishes to purchase a Sefer Torah. They set a date for the end of that same week, at which time the arrangements would be made regarding the payment and other matters that require discussion before ordering the Sefer Torah.

The Kollel Yungerman in the story is close to the rosh yeshivah of Ateres Shlomo, HaGaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, and he explained the situation to the rosh yeshiva. He was told to probe the Gemara, Perek Hadar, and see exactly what the Gemara tells us. Meseches Eruvin, daf 64, where it is written   מה יעשה אדם וממונו יתקיים בידו, ייקח בהן ספר תורה

Two days from the time to make his first payment on the Sefer Torah, the Kollel Yungerman received a phone call from his father, who said, “listen my dear son, I have two things to tell you. The first is not good news and the second is good news”.

“The not good news is that your uncle from the United States died. The second is better news; that in his will, he left you NIS 1.5 million טבין ותקלין.”