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Rabbi Chaim Coffman
Rabbi Coffman has helped people from all across the spectrum to prepare themselves properly for Orthodox Conversion to Judaism. His students admire his vast knowledge and appreciate his warm, personal attention and endearing sense of humor.
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Followers

Welcome to Rabbi Chaim Coffman's Blog!

I would like to thank you for visiting my blog, Beyond Orthodox Conversion to Judaism.

The conversion process can be a lengthy and daunting one to say the least and I want you to know that I am here to help you through it.

I have been teaching newcomers to Judaism for over a decade and over the last few years I have seen that conversion candidates really lack the support and knowledge they need to navigate the conversion process and successfully integrate into the Orthodox Jewish community.

I created my mentorship program in order to help make this whole experience as smooth and as painless as possible! (Can't do much about the growing pains, though ;)

Feel free to get to know me a little through the posts on my blog and visit the mentorship and syllabus page if you are interested in possible joining us.

I sincerely wish you all the best in your search for truth and spiritual growth.

Looking forward to meeting you,
Chaim Coffman

My Rebbe, Rav Moshe Sternbuch

In case you were wondering why I have all of these articles written by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, he is my Rebbe, and one of the gedolei hador (greatest Rabbis of our generation).

Rav Sternbuch fully endorses me and supports my mentorship program.

He is the address for all of my halachic or hashkafic (practical and philosophical) questions that I or my students may have.

The articles are based on his weekly talks on the Torah portion that the Rav gives in Jerusalem in his kollel. As a member of the kollel I get first dibbs on the photocopies and I type them up for my blog so you can all benefit from the Rav's erudition and insight.
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Parshas Thazria - Metzorah


"The Kohen shall look at the affliction on the skin of his flesh: If hair in the affliction has changed to white, and the affliction's appearance is deeper than the skin of the flesh - it is a tzaraas affliction; the Kohen shall look at it and declare him contaminated"

Rav Moshe Sternbuch, Raavad of the Eidah HaChareidis Beis Din, in his sefer Ta'am V'Da'as brings down in the name of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter that what is the connection from Parshas Shemini that deals with animals that one is not allowed to eat and Parshas Thazria that discusses the laws of tzaraas?

A person is careful in the foods that they eat to make sure that they have the highest kosher certification but they are not careful how they speak. The connection between the two parshas is to teach us that if one is careful and does not eat those animals that the Torah forbids and contaminates our souls, still a person has to be very careful what comes out of our mouths as well.

The reason for this is because that which comes out of our mouths can contaminate as well since the sin of Lashon Hara causes tzaraas and blemishes on a person. There are three classes of people that speak Lashon Harah. 1) Se'eis which a person speaks against someone else to make themselves look better by putting someone down. 2) Sapachas - the nature of these people is not to speak Lashon Hara but they hang out with scoffers and mockers of Torah and they are not able to stand up to them and they end up acting like them. 3) Baheres - every secret is known and clear to him and his hand and mouth are in everything, which makes them very dangerous.

Here we see, Rav Sternbuch tells us that there is great merit for someone who is able to close their mouths and not speak Lashon Hara. If we see the punishment for Lashon Hara is tzaraas and people will stay away from him because of these blemishes, all the more so the merit the receive if they are quiet and are careful with what they say.

We live in a world without limitations of how people don't care what they say or how they say it. Great is the person and the merit they receive for learning when to keep their mouth shut!

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