Interesting Psak: saying the bracha upon seeing someone exceptionally smart

There are a number of experiential blessings we are instructed to say at different times, such as when seeing an exceptionally beautiful person, or an exceptionally smart person or an exceptionally powerful person or upon seeing wonders of nature, and many more. One of those blessings, as mentioned, is said upon seeing an exceptionally smart or wise person, and the blessing said is blessing God for giving from His wisdom to those who fear Him.

During a shiur this week, Rav Yitzchak Zilbershtein, rav of the Ramat Elchonon neighborhood of Bnei Braq, was asked if today there is anyone who qualifies to have this bracha said for him. 

Rav Zilbershtein responded, with a psak, that this bracha is only said for someone exceptionally smart in the wisdom of Torah. Rav Zilbershtein said that the only person alive today upon whom this can be said, without entering any questionable area of the possibility of the bracha being in vain, would be Rav Chaim Kanievsky. 

Rav Zilbershtein added an anecdote that Rav Elyashiv, his father in law, told him years ago that back in his time the bracha could only be said upon seeing Rav Moshe Feinstein, the Steipler, and Rav Ahron Kotler. He later added Rav Shach to the list. Nobody else. And when someone wanted to say the bracha upon seeing Rv Elyashiv himself, Rav Elyashiv refused to allow it insisting it would be a bracha levatala.

source: Hamechadesh

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