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Brooklyn, NY
Mazal Elul congregation
Eyyar 5769
Yedidya Levy
cover of this sefer.
giving us a rare (passport) photo of his grandfather for use on the
Yisroel Meir Zaks, a grandson of the Chafetz Chayim ZT”L for
We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Rabbi
Regarding the cover photo:
of this translation.
life in all of man’s endeavors. It concisely depicts the framework
trepidation. That concept of the mazal of Elul is an approach to
approaches life with gladness and optimism, responsibility and
The symbolism is a chatan yearning to be with his bride as he
preparation towards the Yamim No’raim and for life in general.
3
mazal is a paradigm for the approaching month of selichot, for
chose the Betulah as that month’s mazal. That choice of
Syrian community) began by saying it was no accident Chazal
Chacham Asher Hatchuel (the Av Beit Din of the Brooklyn
In His Shabbat derasha at the start of chodesh Elul 5762,
Regarding the title – MAZAL ELUL:
to raise wonderful generations of Bnei Torah.
good health and happiness, and that all of her children will grow
Mazal bat Frieda, that He will grant her husband and children
will consider this limud as an Iluy Neshamah for our daughter,
happiness and a long and fulfilling life. We pray that Hashem
these works. May Hashem bless them with good health, great
their patience and support in allowing me the time to focus on
appreciation to my family and my dear wife in particular for
on-line. Lastly I would like to express my indebtedness and
their broad dissemination both in the United States, in Israel and
for making these sefarim available to the general public through
like to further acknowledge our friends at Feldheim Publications
continuing good for all of the Chessed that they do. We would
םייח ץפח Introduction Olam Haba. Chafetz Chayim Introduction Kuntres Chovat HaShemirah guard against all kinds of forbidden and inappropriate speech. how that will serve him well in this world and in
הרימשה תבוח סרטנוק
החיתפ
Forward and Introduction שׁוֹדָקַּה לֶשׁ וֹתָיִּשֲׂע הרָוֹתַּה וּנָל הָבְתָכֶּשׁ הֶז ,יִתְּעַדְלוּ
to Kuntres Chovat HaShemirah ,לָכֲאַמְל בוֹטְו הֶארְַמְל דָמְחֶנ ץֵע לָכּ הָיָהֶשׁ ,אוּה ךְוּרָבּ
and Kuntres Kevod Shamayim
םָדָי לַעֶשׁ ,תוְֹצִמַּה םוּיּקְִבּ וּניֵשֲׂעַמְבּ וּנְחַנֲאֶשׁ ,וּנָל זֹמרְִל
With great joy and happiness we thank our Creator for guiding us .הֶז ןיֵעְכּ ןֵכּ םַגּ הֶיְהִי ,תוֹפָיַּה תוֹעיִטְנַּה ןֵכּ םַגּ וּחְמְצִי
to study the words of the holy Chafetz Chayim ZT”L, to translate
them into English and to publish them in this sefer that is before ,"וּהֵוְנַאְו יִלֵא הֶז" :)'ב ו"ט תוֹמְשׁ( בוּתָכַּה רַמָאֶשׁ ַעוּדָיַּכְו
you. הֵשֲׂע :תוְֹצִמְבּ ויָנָפְל הֶאָנְתִה :):ג"לק תָבַּשׁ( ל"ַזֲח וּרְמָאְו
ץראו םימש ארוב ל-אל חבש תוֹכירְִצ - תוְֹצִמַּה לָכּ ןֵכְו .הֶאָנ בָלוּל ,הָאָנ הָכֻּס ויָנָפְל
םיִנְפִבִּמ תוֹאָנ תוֹיְהִל תוֹכירְִצ םַגְו ,ץוּחַבִּמ תוֹאָנ תוֹיְהִל
Praise is to Hashem, the Creator of Heaven and Earth
םירִָדְנ( ל"ַזֲח וּרְמָאֶשׁ וֹמְכוּ ,םָלֳעָפּ םֵשְׁל הָנָוַּכַּה וּנְיַהְדּ ,ןֶגֹהַכּ
With the advent of this sefer we have completed the translation תוֹעיִטְנַּה וּיְהִי הֶז ידְֵי לַעְו .םָלֳעָפּ םֵשְׁל םירִָבְדּ הֵשֲׂע :).ב"ס
and publication of the five sefarim written by the holy Chafetz
Chayim ZT”L specifically on the subject of Shemirat HaLashon: הרָוֹתַּה הָזְמרֶָשּׁ הַמ וּהֶזְו .אוּה ךְוּרָבּ שׁוֹדָקַּה לֶשׁ ןיֵעְכּ וּנָלֶּשׁ
(1) Sefer Shemirat HaLashon – Book 1, (2) Sefer Chafetz Chayim, ,'וֹגְו בקֲֹעַי ךָיֶלָהֹא וּב ֹּט הַמ" :)'ו-'ה ד"כ רָבּדְִמַּבּ( הֶז ןיֵעְכּ
(3) Sefer Shemirat HaLashon – Book 2, (4) Kuntres Chovat
HaShemirah with the commentary of the Kevod Shamayim and .]םָשׁ י"ִשּׁרַ שׁוּרֵפְכוּ ,ןדֵֶע ןַגְבּ - "'ה עַטָנ םיִלָהֲאַכּ
(5) Kuntres Zachor LeMiryam. Each of these sefarim has a תַבוֹח ויָלָע לֵבּקְַל הֶארְִי ,בָבֵל רַבּ אוּהֶשׁ יִמ לָכּ ,ןֵכּ לַעְו
דיקפת, a specific purpose in instructing society with the Torah of
Shemirat HaLashon. The Chafetz Chayim ZT”L was the mother םירִוּבּדְִבּ ויָתָפְשׂ אֵמַּטְי אלֶֹּשׁ ,וֹנוֹשְׁלוּ ויִפּ רֹמְשִׁל הרָיִמְשַּׁה
of Kellal Yisrael and he wrote these sefarim as a mother would
1
patiently educate her child: םִא ןֵנוֹבְּתִהְל םוֹי לָכְבּ ויָתוֹתִּעֵמ טַעְמ שׁירְִפַהְלוּ ,םירִוּסֲאָה
.יוּארָָכּ םרְָמוֹשׁ
By first teaching him to look through the eyes of Chazal in Shas
and Poskim and understand why this subject is so basic to life; אָתְלִּמ אָהְל אָנֲא :לֵאוּמְשׁ רַמָא :).ה"ק ףַדּ( ןיִלֻּחְבּ הֶזָל זֶמרְֶו
Passport photo of the Chafetz Chayim Z”L. Sefer Shemirat HaLashon – Book 1 contains an ירְֵתּ יֵסְכִנ רָיַּס יֵוֲה אָבַּא וּלִּאְדּ .אָבַּא יֵבַּגְל ארְָמַח רַבּ אָלֲח
overview of Shas and Poskim which opens our heart רָבָדְל יִנֲא( יֵנְמִז אָדֲח אָלֶּא אָנרְַיַּס אָל אָנֲאַו ,אָמוֹיְבּ אָנְמִז
to the imperative of Shemirat HaLashon; it is the
“why” of Shemirat HaLashon. ויָסָכְנ קדֵוֹבּ הָיָה יִבָא וּלִּאֶשׁ ,יִבָא דֶגֶנְכּ ןִיַי ןֶבּ ץֶמֹח הֶז
By instructing him in the precise laws of Shemirat HaLashon and .)]םוֹיַּבּ[ תַחַא םַעַפּ אָלֶּא קדֵוֹבּ יִנֶּניֵא יִנֲאַו ,םוֹיַּבּ םִיַמֲעַפּ
םוּשִּׁמ ,ןִיַי ןֶבּ ץֶמֹחְכּ וֹבְשָׁחְל הֵּטָשְׁפִכּ שׁרֵָפְל דֹאְמ קוּחָדְו
1 Quoting a conversation that I had on more than one occasion with the
grandson of the Chafetz Chayim ZT”L, Rabbi Yisroel Meir Zaks, Shlitah.

14 15

not so meticulous in his deeds and reflect on them that perhaps
him (Shemuel) as “vinegar,” the son of “wine,” because he was
to explain this statement in its plain meaning and to categorize
review them only once daily. It would be very difficult \ strained
father. My father used to review his assets twice daily and I
“Shemuel said: I am like vinegar the son of wine relative to my
The Gemara Chulin (105a) alludes to this concept as follows:

disciplined.
day and reflect on whether or not his speech was appropriately
forbidden. They must set aside a small amount of time each
mouth and his tongue and not defile his lips with words that are
accept the responsibility of disciplining his speech, to guard his
Therefore, everyone who is conscientious should take care to
Ruth Jemal and family
Eden,” as Rashi explains in his commentary there).
are your tents, Yaakov, etc., like Aloe planted by Hashem in Gan
concept is alluded to in the Torah (Bamidbar 24:5) “How beautiful
long life and happiness
plantings will be similar to those of HaKadosh Baruch Hu. This
of the Creator. By virtue of this (of beautifying the mitzvot) our
Wishing him good health
Nedarim 62a), that things (mitzvot) should be done for the sake
them should be for the sake of our Creator, as Chazal say (Gemara
internally as is appropriate to them, meaning, the intent behind
י"נ הזילא ןב דוד יכדרמ
too all the mitzvot require that they be beautiful externally and
for yourselves a beautiful Sukkah and take a beautiful Lulav. So
David Tebele
have said (Gemara Shabbat 133b): Beautify your mitzvot, build
of Rashi). Regarding this statement, our sages of blessed memory
Honoring my dear brother
my Gd and I will extol His beauty.” (Please see the 2 explanation
nd
The statement of the pasuk is well known (Shemot 15:2) “this is
(of Hashem’s).
plantings will be planted and our actions will be just like those
to us that by virtue of our observance of mitzvot, beautiful
was beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, is in order to hint
doings of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, that every tree (in Gan Eden)
Based on my understanding, that which Torah writes about, the
explained this based on its source in the Sifri.
in the likeness of Elokim.” Please see that reference where we
ד"סב

Introduction
Kuntres Chovat HaShemirah
Chafetz Chayim