Extracting the sweetness of Torah, Life, and Hashem's will using a means of "edutainment"
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The Chofetz Chaim - Rabbi Yisroel Meir HaKohen 1838 – 1933
![[The Chofetz Chaim]](chofetz.jpg)
Rabbi Yisroel Meir HaKohen was one of the greatest figures in modern Jewish history. He was recognized as both an outstanding scholar and an extraordinarily righteous man. His impact on Judaism was phenomenal. It is interesting to note that, despite his great stature, he refused to accept any rabbinical position and supported himself from a small grocery run by his saintly wife in the town of Radin where they lived. Rabbi Yisroel Meir devoted himself to the study and teaching of Torah.
Rabbi Yisroel Meir is perhaps best known for his campaign to teach his fellow Jews about the laws of Lashon Hara (forbidden speech). When he was 35 (1873) he published his first book, Chofetz Chaim, which was devoted to this topic. (The name comes from Tehillim (Psalms) 34, "Who is the man that desires life (chofetz chaim)… keep your tongue from evil…") He later published two more books on this subject. As has often happened to Judaism's great leaders, Rabbi Yisroel Meir became known by the name of his book and is known worldwide as the Chofetz Chaim.
The Chofetz Chaim wrote on many subjects and ultimately published over 20 books. Some important ones are Ahavas Chesed (Love of Kindness) on the mitzvah of lending money, Machaneh Yisroel (The Jewish Camp) for Jews serving in non-Jewish armies, and Nidchei Yisroel (The Scattered of Israel) for Jews who moved to places where there were few religious Jews, particularly America. He wrote books about the importance of Torah study and many other important issues.
Probably the most important book he wrote was the Mishna Berurah, a six-volume commentary on Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim (which deals with the laws of daily life and holidays). This book may be the most important halachic (Jewish law) work of our time.
Rabbi Israel Meir HaCohen Kagan is commonly known as the "Chafetz Chaim," the name of his famous work on guarding one's tongue. Born in Zhetel, Poland on February 6, 1838, he was taught untill age 10 by his parents and then moved to Vilna to further his Jewish studies. Refusing the pulpit rabbinate, the Chafetz Chaim settled in Radin (Poland) and subsisted on a small grocery store which his wife managed and he did the "bookkeeping"-watching every penny to make sure that no one was cheated. He spent his days learning Torah and disseminating his knowledge to the common people.
As his reputation grew, students from all over Europe flocked to him and by 1869 his house became known as the Radin Yeshiva. In addition to his Yeshiva, the Chafetz Chaim was very active in Jewish causes. He traveled extensively (even in his 90s!) to encourage the observance of Mitzvos amongst Jews. One of the founders of Agudas Yisrael, the religious Jewish organizaion of Europe and later the world, the Chafetz Chaim was very involved in Jewish affairs and helped many yeshivos survive the financial problems of the interwar period. Exemplifying the verses in Psalms 34:13-14, "Who is the man who desires life...? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit," the Chafetz Chaim passed away in 1933 at the ripe age of 95.The Chafetz Chaim's greatest legacy is the 21 sefarim (holy books) which he published. His first work, Sefer Chafetz Chaim (1873), is the first attempt to to organize and clarify the laws regrding evil talk and gossip. He later wrote other works, including Shmirat HaLashon, which emphasized the importance of guarding one's tongue by quoting our Sages. The Mishnah Brurah (1894-1907), his commentary on the Daily Laws of a Jew (his first series in the Shulchan Aruch), is found in many Jewish homes and is accepted universally to decide Halacha.
Firmly believing that he was living right before the time of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, the Chafetz Chaim wrote a work that stressed the learning of laws concerning sacrifices, the Holy Temple, and related topics. He also published seforim to strengthen certain aspects of Jewish life including kashrus, family purity, and Torah study.
Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan, The Chofetz Chaim (1838-1933)
For almost one hundred years he lit up our world. His was a soul from on high whose only desire in life was to fulfill the wish of his Creator through lifting the worth of individual lives as well as the life of the Jewish people as a whole. This was the substance of the marvelous life of this giant of justice and kindness.
He could find no peace when contemplating the state of the nation regarding the grave sin of slander, until he composed his first work which carried the name with which he has been identified ever since: Chofetz Chaim... He also was inspired to produce a work, Ahavas Chesed (Love of Kindness) detailing the laws between man and man.
The emigration to America made him fearful for the well-being of Judaism in places where Jewish settlements were not well organized. He recognized the trials of the new immigrants and to fill their needs he wrote Nidchei Yisrael, (Dispersed of Israel), replete with detailed laws specifically related to the new life of the émigrés and heartfelt words of inspiration and encouragement to strengthen them in overcoming obstacles and preserving their Judaism. And his caring eye observed the young conscripts forced to live far from any semblance of Jewish life and desperately in need of special guidance. For them he composed Machne Yisrael, (The Camp of Israel).
In spite of all the writings of his predecessors he found that he must clarify many laws of the first portion of the Shulchan Aruch, and composed his famous Mishna Brura, which is firmly established as an authoritative source.
And within his heart there burned a holy fire: the hope for the full salvation. The final redemption of Israel was his constant concern. For the arrival of that event the laws of Kodshim must be clear. But he saw that such learning was much neglected and so composed a monumental work on the order Kodshim, Likkutei Halachos.
In spite of all these undertakings he was totally involved in all matters of Torah support with youthful enthusiasm even when he was well into his nineties, traveling to anywhere he might help to strengthen activities on behalf of Torah.
This is but a too-brief overview of the life of an extraordinary man whose saintly presence we were fortunate to encounter and from whose saintly life and pure character we were privileged to feel the impact.
(Excerpts from an article by Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchak Kook which appeared in the journal HaHaid. Translated by Matis Greenblatt for Fall 1983 issue of Jewish Action Magazine).
