Chofetz Chaim
Encyclopedia
"The Chofetz Chaim" (trans.
Desirer of Life) is a book on the Jewish laws of speech written by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan
.
The book is about the mitzvot
relating to correct speech and the prohibitions of slander
. The title of the work is taken from Psalms
34:12–15:
The subject of the book is Lashon Hara
(evil speech, or loosely: gossip
and slander and prohibitions of defamation.) Rabbi Kagan provides copious sources from the Torah
, Talmud
and Rishonim
(early commentators) about the severity of Jewish law on tale-mongering and gossip.
The book is divided into three parts:
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
Desirer of Life) is a book on the Jewish laws of speech written by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan
Yisrael Meir Kagan
Yisrael Meir Poupko , known popularly as The Chofetz Chaim, was an influential Eastern European rabbi, Halakhist, posek, and ethicist whose works continue to be widely influential in Jewish life...
.
The book is about the mitzvot
Mitzvah
The primary meaning of the Hebrew word refers to precepts and commandments as commanded by God...
relating to correct speech and the prohibitions of slander
Lashon hara
The Hebrew term lashon hara is a term for gossip. It also refers to the prohibition in Jewish Law of telling gossip....
. The title of the work is taken from Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
34:12–15:
- "Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of God. Who is the man that desires life; who loves days, that he may see goodness [during them]? Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit; turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it." http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2634.htm#12
The subject of the book is Lashon Hara
Lashon hara
The Hebrew term lashon hara is a term for gossip. It also refers to the prohibition in Jewish Law of telling gossip....
(evil speech, or loosely: gossip
Gossip
Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
and slander and prohibitions of defamation.) Rabbi Kagan provides copious sources from the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
and Rishonim
Rishonim
"Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...
(early commentators) about the severity of Jewish law on tale-mongering and gossip.
The book is divided into three parts:
- Mekor chayim ("Source of Life"), the legal text.
- Be'er mayim chayim ("Well of living water"), the footnotes and legal argument.
- It is commonly printed together with the text Shemirath ha-Lashon ("Guarding of the tongue"), an ethicalEthicsEthics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
treatise on the proper use of the faculty of speech.