The following comes from Dr. Nadav Shnerb (using a now-broken link to a Bechadrei forum upload):
Disgraced-rabbi Leib Tropper once asked Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky shlita [if any of this is to be believed!] whether or not to accept a Jewish convert who doesn’t believe in the literalist 5-thousand-year-old earth. Rabbi Kanievsky responded the convert should not be accepted lechat’chila, and the conversion may perhaps be invalid bediavad.
Screenshot:
First, let’s not skip over the words themselves:
- The reference should be to C.I. Yoreh Deah, the right place, not Even Ha’ezer (also see below).
- Also, R’ Chaim Kanievsky would not write “אבה”ע” but the more economical “אה”ע“, like his uncle, the Chazon Ish.
- And “Legayerah“, since it’s referring to a woman.
Do you get my drift??
Now, the Chazon Ish would be the best person to pin such views on, if you had to find someone, in light of his own maximalist position on Emunah, coupled with technical ignorance of the minimalist school’s hoary venerableness, not to mention the specific Achronim who try and reconcile the Torah text with the prevailing scientific view. (Rabbi Gedaliah Nadel’s interesting views on these sorts of questions, perhaps even this one, can also be mentioned).
Except the C.I. reference has nothing to do with anything as we explained in the past!
Of course, Rabbi Kanievsky is (and always was) the furthest thing in the world from a posek, and he himself would be the first to admit it, though his statements are forever mis-employed this way for political reasons. R’ Kanievsky admits to making mistakes, consistently insists people never rely on his rulings (and demands printed disclaimers on every responsa compilation), cutely doesn’t know unmediated reality outside what seems explicated in his beloved Torah books (not due to malicious Brisker “ideology”), and has chumros and strange opinions (such as on Yuchasin) no halachic authority would agree with (and there is far more to say, but irrelevant here).
This is especially evident in this case, as Rabbi Kanievsky starts talking “maybes” (?!) in Gerus, a practical question of ultimate significance for the whole Jewish people — though fine for an erudite freelance puzzler.
Once again, I strongly doubt any of this is genuine. I never saw the rest of the book. But the foregoing well suffices to posit this L. Tropper person faked the whole thing, both question and answer, from start to finish.
Obviously, I intend no disrespect for Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky shlita himself whatsoever, chalilah.