Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan – The Chofetz Chaim

Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan (1838-1933), known as the Chofetz Chaim (the title of one of his books, which had an enormous influence on the life of the Jewish community), was one of the most significant and revered Torah scholars of the 20th century. Chofetz Chaim (one who desires life) — a name Rabbi Yisrael took from Tehillim (34:13): "Mi ha'ish hechafetz chaim ohev yamim lir'ot tov" — (who is the man who desires life, who loves days, to see good). He is the author of the "Mishnah Berurah" (a concise, widely known and studied code of Jewish law) and "Shmirat HaLashon," a book devoted to how one should and should not speak with and about people.   Sipurei Tzadikim One Shabbat — the holy day — a student was caught smoking at the Chofetz Chaim's yeshiva. The yeshiva administration, as well as the smoker's fellow students, were shocked by what had happened. The offender was to be expelled from the institution. But when the Chofetz Chaim himself learned of the incident, he invited the student to his home. At this point the rabbi paused his account and remarked: "I don't know what the Chofetz Chaim said to the student. All I know is that their conversation lasted only a few minutes. I would very much like to know what the rabbi said to the student, because after that conversation he never violated Shabbat again. It would be wonderful if he would share the content of that conversation, whatever it was, with the rest of us, to strengthen our commitment to keeping Shabbat." After these words, the rabbi continued his lecture. When the gathering ended, the hall emptied out. Only one elderly Jew remained, sitting deep in thought. He seemed to be trembling — whether from crying or from a chill, it was hard to tell. The rabbi approached him and asked if everything was all right. Without raising his eyes, the elderly man answered with a question: — "How do you know the story about smoking on Shabbat?" — "I don't remember," the rabbi replied. "I heard it a long time ago, and I no longer remember who told it to me." Then the Jew looked at the rabbi and said: — "I was that student." He then suggested that the rabbi take a walk with him. During the walk, he told the following: "It happened in the 1920s, when the Chofetz Chaim was already over 80 years old. I remember being very frightened at the prospect of coming to his home for a personal conversation. Once inside the tzadik's home, I was struck by how poor his surroundings were. I could never have imagined that a person of such stature could live so modestly. Then the Chofetz Chaim himself entered the room. He was very short in stature. I was a teenager at the time, but he barely reached my shoulder. The Chofetz Chaim took my hand and gently squeezed it. He raised his hands, still holding mine, up to his face, and when I tried to look at the tzadik, I saw that his eyes were closed. Then the Chofetz Chaim opened his eyes. They were filled with tears. In a quiet voice, full of pain and astonishment, he said: 'Shabbat!' Then he began to cry, still holding my hand. From time to time the Chofetz Chaim repeated: 'Shabbat, the holy Shabbat!' My heart nearly leapt out of my chest from fear. Tears streamed down the Chofetz Chaim's face, and one of them fell onto my hand. It felt as though that tear would burn through my skin. Even today, when I remember it, I feel as though it is still burning my hand. I cannot describe how terrible I felt, realizing that my wrongdoing had brought such a great man to tears. But after that meeting, during which he said only a few words to me, I felt that he was not angry with me — only that my action had upset and deeply saddened him. It seemed as though he was afraid of what might result from what I had done." After these words, the rabbi's companion stroked his hand, which still bore the invisible mark of the great tzadik's tear. That tear reminded him, for the rest of his life, of the importance of keeping Shabbat.   Dobrusha The Chofetz Chaim's mother — Dobrusha (an affectionate form of the name Devorah — Dovrusha) — was a very G-d-fearing woman. She avoided idle chatter and gathering with the neighbors, often repeating: "Alein — iz di nishome rein" (alone — the soul is pure). She spent many hours each day reading the Chumash and collections of midrashim and Tehillim, and with tears she pleaded with Ha-Shem that her son grow up to be "a good Jew, faithful to the laws of the Torah." (R. Dov Katz, Tenuat HaMussar 4, p.21) Once, when the Chofetz Chaim was a small child, he became gravely ill — so seriously that nothing helped, neither prayers nor visits to tzadikim. Then the Chofetz Chaim's mother, Dobrusha, decided to bake 18 challot (corresponding to the gematria of "chai" — living) and distribute them to those in need and to the students of the yeshiva. And the very next day, the Chofetz Chaim recovered and began to get better. After this story, the segula became widely known as a remedy for healing. Years later, as an adult, the Chofetz Chaim himself would use his mother's segula, distributing 18 challot on behalf of the sick. P.S. In the summer of 2024, a trip of gratitude was organized to Radun, to the resting place of the Chofetz Chaim, for a miraculous healing brought about through his mother Dobrusha's segula. We were told that his mother is buried next to her son, in the same cemetery, but unfortunately, we were unable to find her grave.   The Chofetz Chaim's Prayer for Purity of Speech תפילה לשמירת הלשון רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנוּן, שֶׁתְּזַכֵּנִי הַיּוֹם וּבְכָל יוֹם לִשְׁמוֹר פִּי וּלְשׁוֹנִי מִלָּשׁוֹן-הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת וּמִקַּבָּלָתָם. וְאֶזָּהֵר מִלְדַבֵּר אֲפִלוּ עַל אִישׁ יְחִידִי, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן מִלְדַבֵּר עַל כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹ עַל חֵלֶק מֵהֶם. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן מִלְּהִתְרַעֵם עַל מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ-בָּרוּךְ-הוּא. וְאֶזָּהֵר מִלְּדַבֵּר דִּבְרֵי שֶׁקֶר, חֲנֻפָּה, לֵצָנוּת, מַחֲלֹקֶת, כַּעַס, גַּאֲוָה, אוֹנָאַת-דְּבָרִים, הַלְבָּנַת-פָּנִים, וְכָל דְּבָרִים אֲסוּרִים. וְזַכֵּנִי שֶׁלֹּא לְדַבֵּר כִּי-אִם דָּבָר הַצָּרִיךְ לְעִנְיָנֵי גוּפִי אוֹ נַפְשִׁי. וְשֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל מַעֲשַׂי לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם.   Transliteration "Ribono shel olam, yehi ratzon milfanecha, Kel rachum vechanun, shetezakeini hayom uvechol yom lishmor pi ulshoni milashon hara urechilut umikabalatam. Ve'ezaher midaber afilu al ish yechidi, vechol shekein midaber al klal Yisrael o al cheilek meihem, vechol shekein mile'hitraem al midotav shel HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Ve'ezaher midaber divrei sheker, chanufa, leitzanut, machloket, ka'as, ga'avah, ona'at devarim, halbanat panim, vechol devarim ha'asurim. Vezakeini shelo ledaber ki im davar hatzarich le'inyanei gufi o nafshi, ushe'yihyu kol ma'asai vedibrotai leshem shamayim." Translation Master of the universe, may it be Your will, Merciful and Gracious G-d, that You grant me the merit today and every day to guard my mouth and my tongue from lashon hara and rechilut, and from accepting them from others. May I be careful not to speak ill even of a single person, and certainly not of the whole of Am Yisrael or any part of it. And certainly, may I never complain about the ways of the Holy One, Blessed be He. May I be careful not to speak falsehood, flattery, mockery, strife, anger, arrogance, hurtful words, or humiliation, and no other forbidden speech. Grant me the merit to speak only what is necessary for my physical or spiritual wellbeing, and may all my deeds and words be for the sake of Heaven. (Transliteration from the book "I Call to You"; Translation by Rabbi Yehuda-Zev Segal) May the merit of the tzadik protect Am Yisrael!       (https://dailyzohar.com/tzadikim/76-Yisrael-Meir-HaKohen-Kagan)