Monday, the 16th of Tammuz, 5693 (1933). It was midsummer; dry, blazing winds blowing, draining every drop of moisture from the air. In spite of the weather, however, Agudath Israel trustees from Yerushalayim traveled to Jaffa to welcome the man whose ship was scheduled to dock that day. They were joined by askan Reb Dovid Potash and several others who, while not aware of the stature of this figure or not having heard about him either, were nevertheless greatly impressed by the letter of the prime leader of Torah Jewry at the time, HaRav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky, which testified, "My comrade and colleague, a veritable genius, is coming to you. It is a great loss to us, but for Eretz Yisroel, much benefit will be derived, and I trust that you will submit yourselves to the assessments of the Chazon Ish."
Why did he decide to immigrate?
What was the reason behind his decision? No one really knows. There are several opinions. HaRav Yaakov Edelstein zt"l told that he heard from HaRav Yehoshua Zelig Diskin that in the winter of 5693, the Chofetz Chaim visited Vilna and participated in a gathering which took place in the home of HaRav Chaim Ozer.
The Chofetz Chaim spoke: "If one undertakes to study a certain maseches, he has to complete it, otherwise that tractate is dejected."
HaRav Aharon Kotler said, "He is referring to me since I did begin studying a new maseches without having completed the previous one."
And he added that Nozir is also a maseches; is ir not a part of Shas?
HaRav Elchonon Wassermann spoke up, "He is referring to me since I have not reviewed Maseches Nozir."
And then he added that there are great Torah scholars who sit on the sidelines, not allowing Klal Yisroel to benefit from them. They are obligated to go out and dispense their Torah knowledge and be available to be consulted by the public."
At this point, HaRav Chaim Ozer interjected, "He is referring to HaRav Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz."
Some say that in the wake of this statement, the Chazon Ish prepared to emigrate to Eretz Yisroel and publish his writings.
Rabbenu HaRav Shteinman, author of Ayeles Hashachar, related that he heard HaRav Shmaryohu Greineman say that the sister of the Chazon Ish had a dream about a bell. The gemora states that this is a sign that the person will rise to greatness.
When the Chazon Ish heard about this dream, he inferred that it related to him and said, "This indicates to me that I must seek a new path," and thereupon, he decided to come to Eretz Yisroel, despite his brother-in-law's attempts to deter him.
A nephew and disciple once asked HaRav Chaim Kanievsky why the Chazon Ish came to Eretz Yisroel instead of remaining in Vilna, and he replied, "Settling in Eretz Yisroel is a clear mitzvah from the Torah. Actually, there was another reason as well. HaRav Chaim Ozer told him to go so that perhaps in its merit, he might by worthy of having children."
Either way, he carried out his decision. An issue was receiving a Certificate allowing him to immigrate to the British Protectorate of Palestine. He wrote to Rav Moshe Blau, head of Agudas Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel, asking him to arrange a certificate for him.
A few weeks later, he received a letter from Rav Moshe Blau that he was able to arrange a Certifikat or visa on the condition that the Chazon Ish agree to accept the position of Av Beis Din of the Eida HaChareidis in Yerushalayim. In the event that he refused, he would have to wait some months until he could receive the official government entry permit.
There were innumerable difficulties regarding immigration at that time. There was a strict and very limited quota established by the British Mandate, gained by the Zionists who sought to minimize the number of chareidi immigrants. Agudath Israel was granted a mere six percent of these certificates, a fact that stood in the way of many chareidi Jews from immigrating and escaping the horrors of the Holocaust.
And even this puny figure was only thanks to the Mandate government which threatened to abolish the authority of the Jewish Agency altogether to supply these certificates if they did not give some to the Aguda party.
Aware of all this, the Chazon Ish nevertheless opted to wait for a regular visa, also rejecting an offer through the Chief Rabbinate. He expressed his wish to receive the document only through Agudath Israel.
Rav Moshe Blau exerted prodigious effort through personal connections with the government offices to expedite the process and indeed, the certificate was issued after only ten days of waiting.
In a letter dated the 13th of Sivan, 5693, HaRav Chaim Ozer verified receipt of the documents, noting again how greatly distressed he was over having to part from the Chazon Ish, adding that out of great humility, he refuses to accept any religious post in Eretz Yisroel.
When he received the news of his entry visa, the Chazon Ish worked energetically to carry out the move.
In a letter from 28 Sivan HaRav Chaim Ozer asked Agudath Israel, "Because of his delicate health and his pure body I ask to try to relieve him of the need for a quarantine before entry. He is worried about that."
He also noted the exact date, "He plans to travel to the Holy Land on Sunday 8 Tammuz, Habo oleinu letovoh."
Rav Moshe Porush wrote that he received special permission to go aboard the ship and to greet him and to help the Chazon Ish to disembark. "It is our hope that the arrival of a great man such as he will be a blessing of chareidi Jewry in the Holy Land, that longs for the arrival of gedolei Torah in the Diaspora to come to the Holy Land and dwell here so that they will be a light for us and show us the path we should follow."
The Chazon Ish had not decided where he would live, whether he would join the Old Yishuv in Jerusalem or the new Yishuv which was generally considered barren with respect to ruchniyus.
He wrote a friend who lived in Petach Tikva, "I do not know where I will live but it seems likely that it will be in Tel Aviv."
The Chazon Ish was concerned not to arrive in the Three Weeks, and in fact he arrived in the Jaffa port on Monday, 16 Tammuz.
His companion said that the next day will be 17 Tammuz and they will have to fast. The Chazon Ish replied, "That tomorrow is 17 Tammuz is correct. But whether we will have to fast we do not yet know."
A letter the Chazon Ish wrote to HaRav Chaim Ozer from Eretz Yisroel thanking him for his efforts
