Rabbi Yaacov Ades‘ numerous huge black-cover volumes of “דברי יעקב” are donated to a great many study halls, but these are hardly cracked open. They are distributed for free, not for Chessed, because there is no demand. They are placed by the beadle on the highest or lowest shelves possible and are the first to go when something else comes along, ישן מפני חדש תוציאו.
Why are they not studied? (The font is a bit large; so what?)
I’ll tell you why: Although people don’t always have good sense in choosing wise seforim to study, these ones really aren’t worth the time (I’m referring specifically to the Halacha\Gemara ones), although he occasionally makes some good points.
I’ll give one example, from Chazon Ish Y.D. 119:2:
ונראה דענין גירות אינו אלא להאמין ביסודו שצוה ד’ את ישראל חקים ומשפטים ע”י משה נביאו… אבל אם אינו מאמין בכל זאת אלא שמקבל עליו להתנהג ע”פ חקי התורה מפני שההנהגה הזאת מטיבה אותו או מצלת אותו מן ההיזק אין זה קבלת גירות, וכדאמרינן יבמות [מ”ז א’] והוי יודע עד שלא באת למידה זו אכלת חלב אי אתה ענוש כרת כו’…
The “Divrei Yaacov” on Gerus quoting the C.I. wonders what’s wrong with a convert thinking the Torah was given to, say, Avraham Avinu, instead of Moshe Rabbenu, etc.
But he misunderstands the simple meaning of the text. All the Chazon Ish is saying is the Ger must know and understand well his radical change in status from non-Jew to Jew. (Even “Lishmah” is only needed for the technical reason that otherwise, the decision to become Jewish forever is lacking, ודוק). So he adds the well-known background. This is very clear from the whole Se’if Katan, from the Gemara Yevamos being quoted, and from the fact the C.I., unlike others, doesn’t ever make things up.
(Again, I’m not referring to any of his juicy Kabbalah\Segulos\Mussar stuff.)