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About Me

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

The 48 ways to Acquire Torah: Minimizing pleasure

9:01 AM | Posted by Rabbi Chaim Coffman | | Edit Post
The next of the 48 ways to acquire Torah is minimizing pleasure. What is wrong with getting pleasure in this world, isn't that why G-d created it, so we could enjoy it? Even though we have a special soul that G-d has given us, we are still given a earthly body with which to house it, to keep it grounded so-to-speak in this world.

The Ramban at the beginning of Parshas Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:2) where the Torah tells us to be holy comments that there are plenty of things that we are allowed to enjoy in this world, eating, drinking...but one must be careful not to overindulge and do things that are forbidden like becoming a glutton or a drunk, for instance.

Therefore, although we are allowed to enjoy the benefits we must be careful and use the things that we have in a permitted way. This means to use this world for the good that G-d has given it to us but not to abuse it.

This goes against the Christian idea that everything in the world is bad and certain pleasures forbidden. Judaism holds just the opposite, enjoy this world but know how to benefit from it properly!



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