Category Archives: Hafetz Hayim

From Principles to Rules and from Musar to Halakhah: The Hafetz Hayim’s Rulings on Libel and Gossip by Benjamin Brown

LINK: Story from Professor Israel Ta-Shma: In the year 1873, when the Hafetz Hayim finished writing his book Hafetz Hayim on libel and gossip, he wished to publish it with rabbinical endorsements, as was customary. Since he also wanted to … Continue reading

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Rabbis Thirsting For Honor

I grew up a Seventh-Day Adventist. I was a preacher’s kid. I knew dozens of clergy. Almost all of them said they felt a divine call to become a pastor. By contrast, I don’t know any rabbis who felt a … Continue reading

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The Great Controversies Of The Chofetz Chaim

The Chofetz Chaim was a European Orthodox rabbi who lived at the turn of the last century. According to Wikipedia: “Yisrael Meir (Kagan) Poupko (Dziatłava, 1838 – Radun’, 1933), known popularly as The Chofetz Chaim, was an influential Lithuanian Jewish … Continue reading

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Did The Chofetz Chaim Go Too Far?

A secular Jew calls up and says he reads the Chofetz Chaim every night and that the central point of Judaism is that you don’t be a shmuck. Dennis Prager: “I agree. The Chofetz Chaim is a great saintly rabbi. … Continue reading

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When The Chofetz Chaim Wore Rabbenu Tam Tefillin

In a lecture Dec. 21, 2009 for Torah in Motion, Professor Marc B. Shapiro says: One of you asked me to talk about the Chofetz Chaim and the forged Talmud Yerushalmi. You can find the information in here, The Writings … Continue reading

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