HaRav Gershon Edelstein speaking at the central gathering of the kollel network Yissochor Be'oholecha
Various events to mark the first yahrtzeit of HaRav Shteinman were held just before Chanukah. These are some of the remarks made be gedolei Yisroel on those occasions.
Maran Rosh Hayeshiva HaRav Gershon Edelstein:
We benefited from the tremendous influence of Maran zichro livrochoh. When he lived he influenced each and every one, and on all of Klal Yisroel. Now that we lack his influence, we must all take it upon ourselves to do what we must.
The main thing and the most important thing is to learn Torah, and of course that means with the greatest effort, to achieve the deepest understanding, straight reasoning — this is certainly the main part of greatness in Torah. There are some who spend all their time on this, and they do not seek to be familiar with all of Shas. They should know that it is not enough to understand, but it is also necessary to have knowledge, knowledge of Shas and of all of the Torah. Many do not realize this.
Maran also discussed the need and importance of keeping the schedule and not becoming distracted by other things.
He concluded: This is the main thing: using one's time in learning Torah, and learning mussar, and be'ezras Hashem we will all merit, each one and including me, need to be mischasek and we will have hatzlochoh with siyata deShmaya.
HaRav Dov Lando shlita:
In memory of Rabbeinu who was our leader, our guide, the guide of the entire generation, the light of the generation, now that we are at a gathering on his first yahrtzeit, we will say a few things. Aside from his great geonus, and his great tzidkus, and all the other wonderful and great deeds of his, that are well known to all. There is all the support of Torah, since he set up many kollelim, and one of them is the special kollel Keter Torah of HaRav Yechezkel Abramov shlita, that he set up and supported with mesiras nefesh, with all his heart, and all his spirit, like the other great deeds that he accomplished. May his merit help us to do more good things and may we all greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu, omen.
HaRav Chaim Kanievsky at the dedication of the new beis medrash of Geon Yaakov Yeshiva in memory of HaRav Shteinman
Maran HaMashgiach HaRav Don Segal:
It may be said that if we go up and accomplish something it is in honor of Rabbeinu zt"l, because that was his entire desire. One time he told me, Know that the biggest thing in life is zikui horabim.
One year on erev Rosh Hashanah that he trembles from thinking about the words of Chazal that one is called to task and can be punished if he should have been mochiach the people of his generation and he did not do so.
When Rabbenu was in New York he was hospitalized in the middle of his journey of chizuk. Everyone was certain that everything further would be canceled and we would go back to Eretz Yisroel. But Rabbenu just recovered a little, and in a literal minute, everything just continued as planned. This was because all Rabbenu saw was the need for zikui horabim and knod Shomayim.
Rabbenu zt"l was an ish Elokim: for himself he was G-dly, abstaining from everything, no sleep, no eating, but for everyone else he was "ish" willing to give all for everyone, he find the way to satisfy everyone, he could suffer criticism and bizyonos, always concerned for Klal Yisroel. To establish the truth he gave all of his essence.
Once before Rosh Hashonoh I went in to ask for a brochoh, Rabbenu in his great modesty asked me to bless him. I asked what the Rosh Yeshiva wanted in a blessing. He said that he wanted a blessing that he would not leave the world without doing teshuvoh, and he burst out crying. You see what he was like?
