Community Magazine July 2016

38 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE DAVE GORDON The Storied Works of the Chafetz Chayim O ver the last fifteen years, Danny Levy has produced more than twenty volumes of the esteemed rabbi’s writings in Hebrew-English translation. The Chafetz Chayim’s works have not been published in any analogous series, in full translation before. “The goal is to bring the Chafetz Chayim to the general public, to learn and internalize his Torah,” says Levy, who relies on the backing of community members to help offset the cost of the series. The pseudonym Chafetz Chayim is the popularized name of Yisrael Meir Kagan, the influential rabbi, posek and ethicist born in Poland in the 19th century. The Chafetz Chayim’s first set of books, entitled Sefer Chafetz Chayim , deals with the laws of kosher speech. His companion sefer titled Shemirat HaLashon deals with mussar , or our ethical imperative as Jews. The book systematically presents the laws of hurtful speech and gossip so that any layman can understand them. Another of the Chafetz Chayim’s groundbreaking sefarim is the Mishnah Berurah, a widely used six-volume commentary of Yosef Karo’s Shulchan Aruch. It deals with laws encountered by the average man in his everyday life and is recognized as one of the authoritative works on halacha . According to Levy, the Chafetz Chayim frequently represented himself as the author of Sefer Chafetz Chayim and the Mishnah Berurah , giving the books equal value in his estimation. How the Translation Project Began “It originally began with wanting to say something at the family’s Shabbat table which was novel and informative. A week or two after we began, this project took on an entirely different angle,” recalls Levy. In fact, it became an act of fervent prayer to spare the life of his daughter, Mazal bat Yedidya v’Frieda, a”h . Though the project began for personal reasons, Levy recognizes its universal appeal. “We are bringing the holy words of the Chafetz Chayim to English-speaking communities that might not otherwise ever learn his words, he says. “In learning his words, [the hope is] to become better people, as Hashemasks of us, and expedite the Geulah . The first book of the series entitled Mazal Elul , was printed in 2006. Six thousand copies were distributed for free to communities throughout the United States. Highly successful, it was endorsed by many of our community’s rabbis. Rabbi David Ozeri, Rabbi Chaim Benoliel, Rabbi Eliezer Harary, Rabbi Shlomo Diamond, Rabbi Eliezer Ginsburg, Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen in Lakewood, and Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Zaks in Jerusalem, who is a grandson of the Chafetz Chayim, all have given their approbation to these and subsequent sefarim . The followup to Mazal Elul , called Sefer Shemirat HaLashon , is two volumes and contains about 900 pages of text. The next publication, Sefer Chafetz Chayim , contains 1,700 pages divided into four volumes, with English translation facing the original re-set Hebrew text. Subsequent sefarim include the two volume Sefer Nidchei Yisrael , which is a guide to every day halacha. There’s also Kuntres Sfat Tamim , addressing the issue of people living beyond their means, Tzipitah LeYeshuah , an essay relating to the End of Times, and Kuntres Ahavat Yisrael , the Chafetz Chayim’s appeal for love and unity among Jews. “The words of the Chafetz Chayim extend very much beyond the laws of speaking,” says Levy. “They focus on the way Hashem expects His children to act in caring for each other, and in protecting one’s own soul.” A lifelong member of our community, Yedidya Danny Levy has been helping to translate into English the life work of the Chafetz Chayim, making them more accessible than ever before. Rare photo of the Chafetz Chayim (Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan) taken on August 15, 1923.