Halachic letter regarding the separation of terumah and maasrot in the current era, from the Steipler to the Grish Elyashiv, with mention of Bat Sheva and Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.
The letter-writer blesses his in-law before Pesach, “I hereby bless the Rav gaon shlita and all those with him individually and together a celebratory Chag HaMatzot and may you all be blessed with success, rest, etc.”
Later he adds a long tshuva on the separation of terumah and maasrot on shabbat for those who follow the Chazon Ish’s minhag to separate from all food items, even that which possesses a high-level kashrut. “I was asked a number of times by sick people in the hospitals…and by sons going home for yom tov to parents who are not so medakdek in separating terumot and maasrot and who, on weekdays, do so, but what are they to do on Shabbat”
He establishes a halachic definition for fruit purchases in our time: “In our time it is not categorized as demai but rather a safek mamash”(!!!)
On the side of the letter, he sends regards from Rabbanit Batsheva and Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.
Maran the Steipler’s admiration for his in-law Maran Rabbi Elyashiv is well known, and this is how he once said to a close friend: “In Jerusalem there is Rabbi Eliashiv who has Daat Torah because he did not rule out a Pomia from a Girsa”. On the other hand, Rabbi Elyashiv was once asked why he did not travel to be a sandak while the Steipler would go to every brit to which he was invited: "The Steipler does not need the Gemara to be open before his eyes, he does not care if the Gemara is open to him or not, in all situations he studies with the same depth and study”.
