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Sefer

Geder Olam

(The Fence of the World)

by the Chafetz Chayim ZTL

English translation entitled

Mazal Elul

Translators note:
The Chafetz Chayim teaches that galut is a kapparah for the
arrogance of Lashon Hara and that Lashon Hara is a result of the
baseless hatred that exists in society. Today it is obvious that the
galut has gone on too long and is much too bitter. Learning the
words of the Chafetz Chayim and practicing what we learn will
demonstrate to HaKadosh Baruch Hu our intense desire to end
the galut and bring the geulah now.

Chafetz Chayim
Sefer Geder Olam
English translation entitled Mazal Elul

copyright 2012
Mazal Elul
Yedidya Levy
2017 East 17th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11229
718-627-3795
mazalelul@chafetzchayim.org
All rights reserved

Page layout by
EFI A.B. Productions, Bnei Brak
Cover art: David Benoliel Creative Design
db@davidbenoliel.com
718-207-2125

ISBN 978-1-4675-1479-8

Printed in Eretz Yisrael

Distributed by the
Mazal Elul Congregation
www.chafetzchayim.org

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A letter of blessing
20th of Adar 5772
In honor of the dear, precious and exalted Rav, a person of many deeds and
great missions for Torah, Rabbi Yedidya Levy,
I come to encourage they who encourage others, to strengthen they who
strengthen others, to support they who support others, who have by dint of
their joint efforts have published the seforim of the Chofetz Chaim, may the
memory of the holy Tzadik be a blessing, in a clear and pleasant style of
English, in order to spread throughout the world the light of the fear of heaven
of the great luminary, who lit up the eyes of the entire world both with his
seforim and lofty deeds.
The person standing at the helm of this endeavor is Rabbi Yedidya Levy,
who has sacrificed his life, his time and his money, to bring merit to the public
and to rouse those who wish to be awakened, with these sefarim which have
been published.
At present he is about to publish the Sefer Geder Olam, together with the
pamphlet Lekutei Amorim, which are filled to the brim with the Fear of Heaven
and the ways of life for this world.
May He who is the Master of reward come and repay those who do good,
and the Blessing He who does good kindnesses to His people Yisrael should
be fulfilled concerning them.
With feelings of love, friendship, recognition and respect
Eliezer Ginsburg

IX

Regarding the title MAZAL ELUL

In his Shabbat derasha at the start of chodesh Elul 5762,
Chacham Asher Hatchuel (the Av Beit Din of the Brooklyn
Syrian community) began by saying it was no accident Chazal
chose the Betulah as that months mazal. That choice of
mazal is a paradigm for the approaching month of Selichot, for
preparation towards the Yamin Noraim and for life in general.
The symbolism is a Chatan yearning to be with his bride, as he
approaches life with gladness and optimism, responsibility and
trepidation. That concept of the mazal of Elul is an approach to
life in all of mans endeavors. It concisely depicts the framework
of this translation.

Passport photo of the Chafetz Chayim ZL.

Regarding the cover photo

We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Rabbi
Yisroel Meir Zaks, a grandson of the Chafetz Chayim ZTL for
giving us a rare (passport) photo of his grandfather for use on the
cover of this sefer.

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This sefer is dedicated
LeIluy Nishmat our daughter
Mazal Bat Frieda A"H

A Remembrance of Mazal
A womans role in life is to actively partner with HaKadosh
Baruch Hu in sustaining His world by building a family in great
modesty, joyfully nurturing all of its members and implanting
within them lasting values of Torah and Chessed. That constant
effort spans an entire lifetime; nothing comes without her
investment of time and total involvement. Her fulfillment comes
from encouraging her husband to grow and from the pleasure
at watching her children mature with a sense of happiness and
stability that will give them the ability to deal with all of lifes
challenges.
Mazal fulfilled this role and more during her 34 years. She had
a joy for life that anchored her family and touched everyone
because she sincerely loved and cared for them, and in turn they
all loved her. She was the ultimate giver, always pleasant and
helpful, always accepting Hashems will without any expression
of personal need or hardship, with charm and grace, with
humor and a fierce dedication for the well being of her young
children. With absolute faith in Hashem she never worried
about tomorrow; she was focused on today and on the good that
could be done today. She knew better than most of us that life
is precious and she would strive not to waste a moment of it.
She was a living Kiddush Hashem and an example of how we all
should lead our lives.
Mazal was born on the 27th of Nissan 5732
Mazals neshamah returned home on the 27th of Elul 5766.

XI

Introduction to Sefer Geder Olam

(the Fence of the World)

As one reads through the words of this sefer, one cant help but
think that they were written with Ruach HaKodesh \ Divine
Inspiration, as the social issues addressed by the Chafetz Chayim
in his time are the same as ours today. There was a period in
history when Jewish society in exile could live within the
boundaries of morality irrespective of the surrounding gentile
world. But as Western culture grew more powerful in its influence,
and its values penetrated and continue to penetrate into our
communities, many of the mitzvot of the Torah increasing came
under attack. Geder Olam (literally, the Fence of the World)
was written in this framework, to publicize and remedy serious
problems emergent in Jewish society which were threatening
our adherence to mitzvot, to the study of Torah and to the very
essence of our belief in Hashem.
The Chafetz Chayim composed the following overview on the
cover page to his sefer the Fence of the World: Sefer Geder
Olam, in which is explained the Torahs obligation for married
Jewish women to cover their hair. Nowadays there are women
who have routinely trivialized this specific obligation, and more
generally have broken down the barriers of modesty. All of these
things are the cause of many major disasters which all originate
from a lack of knowledge, that our people simply dont know
that this is a profound sin. Therefore we have come today to
demonstrate to everyone the serious sin inherent in this lifestyle,
and its punishment and by contrast the enormous reward
given to those women who are careful in this regard. Perhaps
by publicizing this topic, and its remedy, the breakdown in this
fence of modesty will be somewhat repaired, and in so doing we
will be worthy to repair the breach of Yerushalayim, quickly in
our days.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam

Sefer Geder Olam addresses modesty (meaning, the

Torahs protection) as embodied in three mitzvot which are
continually challenged by the gentile world:
The obligation of married women to cover their hair
when appearing in public, and the great reward earned
by women who retain their modesty;
the extreme sin of men and women dancing together
especially in weddings; and
the immodesty in the styling of womens apparel.
The Chafetz Chayim first proves from Shas and poskim citing the
Rif, the Rosh and the Rambam, and codified as law in Shulchan
Aruch Ehven HaEzer, that a womans hair is called Ervah (a
sexual excitement) and when appearing in public with her hair
uncovered she is violating a Law of the Jews () . The
woman who exposes her hair in public in order to enhance her
beauty can cause poverty in her family. The sin is so serious that
it could be grounds for divorce without payment of her Ketubah.
More than that, the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim relates that it
is forbidden for a man to read words of Kedushah while facing
Ervah even if she is his wife. The Torah commands us to live
our lives in sanctity, as the pasuk states (Devarim 23:15) Your
encampment shall be holy, and you shall not see among you
anything immodestly provocative, as I will then turn away from
you, which excludes anything of sanctity that was said when
facing Ervah. Even if only a few words of Beracha were spoken
while facing Ervah, the radiance of holiness will be missing from
the spiritual crowns a man creates which correspond to those
words. In contrast to this, a woman who is modest in the way
she lives her life will merit giving birth to Tzadikim, sons who
are Torah scholars who light up the world with their Torah. More
than this, her husband will be blessed with blessings from On
High and blessings from Below, with wealth, with children and
grandchildren, as David HaMelech writes in Tehilim (128:4)
in this way will a G-d fearing man be blessed.

XIII



Regarding the esur of men dancing with women, the Chafetz
Chayim writes here and also in Sefer Ahavat Chessed that one
must work to gently demonstrate the profound seriousness of
this sin. Even though making a groom and bride happy at their
wedding is an act of kindness which is a great mitzvah, one must
be careful that the damage not exceed the gain of the mitzvah.
Chazal have said (Gemara Berachot 61a) One who gazes at a
women to take pleasure from her, even if only at her pinky finger
will not be saved from Gehinnom, even if he has acquired Torah
and good deeds. This man tramples what is written in the Torah
(Bamidbar 15:39) Do not follow after the lusts of your heart and
the lusts of your eyes, and (Devarim 23:10) Be careful to avoid
anything that is bad, and (Vayikrah 18:6) Do not come close
to reveal her nakedness. The Chafetz Chayim further writes that
on occasion during the wedding celebration a man will kiss his
partner while dancing, as the Yetzer Hara is inflaming passion
within him quoting the Rambam, this is an extreme sin. When
a wedding celebration is conducted in modesty the Torah relates
(Shemot 20:21) In every place where I permit My Name to be
mentioned I will come to you and bless you. Whoever truly
wants good for their children, and that all of the Berachot said
under the Chupah will result in the blessings of Hashem being
invoked on the bridal couple, should conduct their wedding in
a way that follows the laws of the Torah, and bring a sense of
pleasure and satisfaction to Hashem.
Sefer Geder Olam concludes with an appeal in an open letter
to the rabbis and Chassidic leaders in every town and city to
remedy the problem of immodesty in womens apparel. The
Torah commands us (Vayikrah 20:7) to Sanctify yourselves and
you will be holy. The Chafetz Chayim writes that the Satan
cleverly strips away the Force of Holiness from the Jewish
people, and in the guise of fashion the Yetzer Hara persuades
women to appear in public with their arms exposed, as their
apparel is sleeveless, and even more so a substantial part of their
dress is exposed, particularly next to their heart and other parts
of their body, so that no matter where a man looks he will see

XIV

Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Ervah which will bring him to a state of evil thoughts, and then
necessarily all of his words of Kedusha have no attached holiness
and will not ascend to Heaven. If one pronounces a Beracha
while facing Ervah he invokes poverty onto himself as related
in Gemara Nedarim (7b) In every place where the Name is
spoken inappropriately there will be found poverty in that place.
Moreover, the Chafetz Chayim writes that the Torah defines our
level of sanctity as being directly related to our observance of
modesty, as the Torah commands us (Devarim 23:15) Your
society shall be holy. Therefore we are obligated to remedy our
lifestyle so that womens fashion will be styled modestly; in this
merit Hashem will bless us with children who will be righteous
and society will be protected by Hashems Presence.
Sefer Geder Olam is a lifeline that is as timely today as it was a
century ago when the Chafetz Chayim wrote it. May it be the
Will of the Creator that this publication will be an inspiration
to the public and an Iluy Neshamah for our father, Yaakov ben
Leah ZL, our daughter Mazal bat Frieda and our grandson Yosef
ben Sarah. May the One who is All Good protect and bless His
people who uphold His Torah and mitzvot and repay them with
the Beracha of all good at all times; Amen.
Yedidya Levy
, Nissan 5772
Mazal Elul Congregation
Brooklyn, NY

XV

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam

Contents

XVII

Preface

Introduction

11

1st Chapter

An explanation from the perspective of

law of the enormous sin of a woman
who appears publicly with her hair uncovered.

17

2nd Chapter

An explanation of the law that the

hair of a woman is an Ervah, and
that it is forbidden to say any words of
sanctity when facing her (i.e., words of
Torah, Berachot, etc.)

21

3rd Chapter

An explanation of the many additional

esurim this woman commits by virtue
of this evil custom, and how so very
much will she inevitably have to endure punishment for this.

29

4th Chapter

An explanation of the seduction of the

Yetzer Hara in this matter.

35

5th Chapter

More in this regard on the subject of

the seduction of the Yetzer Hara.

41

6th Chapter

An explanation of the enormity of the

obligation of a husband to reprimand
his wife in this regard.

59

7th Chapter

An explanation of the greatness of the

character trait of modesty, the reward

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
for being modest in this world and in
Olam Haba, and in an opposite sense,
G-d forbid, her reward if she follows a lifestyle of immodesty.

XIX

67

8th Chapter

An explanation of the mitzvah for a father to educate his children in several

important matters that relate to the
faith of the Torah.

77

9th Chapter

An explanation of the profound sin of

boys and girls dancing together, and
the enormous responsibility \ obligation to rebuke them for doing this.

93

10th Chapter

An explanation of the obligation parents have to be proactive and marry off

their daughters while they are young.

99

Final Chapter - An open letter

Regarding the enormous obligation

to fix this breach in the modesty of
womens clothes.

We will explain here that besides the

great many serious sins associated
with immodest dress Heaven forbid
immodest dress causes harsh sufferings
both to the general public and to the
individual.

The Chafetz Chayim is seated at the entranceway.

XX

Sefer

Geder Olam
by the Chafetz Chayim ZTL

English translation entitled

Mazal Elul

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Preface

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

Preface
It is brought down in the teachings of our Rabbis how profoundly
prohibited it is for a (married) woman to appear in public with
her head uncovered, to the point where they have said that it is
prohibited by the Torah [Meaning, her hair is exposed without anything
covering it - something that the women of our community are also careful not to
do as a normal part of modesty, as this is common knowledge.] even if (only)

some of her hair is covered but not in the way allowed by the
halacha (for example, her hair is covered with only a Kaltah,1
as will be discussed further on), this too is forbidden, and on
this basis a man can divorce his wife without having to pay her
Ketubah.
But because of our many sins, this law has been completely
trivialized as being irrelevant by many women and men. Also,
these women are not careful to cover the exposed parts of their
arms. Because of this mindset I have said that I will demonstrate
to everyone from citations in the Gemara and from our halachic
Authorities just how serious is the sin inherent in this, as well
as other ruinous things that will necessarily follow from this
lifestyle; perhaps in so doing people will understand and take
mussar.

1. Kaltah \ basket: A head covering worn by the women of Bavel with a

hollow compartment used to store their sewing needles.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Introduction

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

Introduction
When we think carefully about the words of our Chachamim ZL
we will find that the quality of modesty is a very great character
trait, to the point where because of it this modest woman will
be worthy of having children who will become Torah Scholars.
The Gemara expresses this concept as follows (Yoma 47a):
Our rabbis taught Seven sons were born to her [to Kimchit]
and all of them served as the Kohein Gadol. The rabbis asked
her: What good thing did you do to merit this? She answered
them Throughout my life the beams of my house never saw
the braids of my hair. But in an opposite sense, the trait of
brazenness (appearing publicly with parts of her body or hair
exposed) causes the children who are born to this woman to be
brazen \ contemptuous of Torah, G-d forbid.
Because of our many sins this character trait of modesty has been
seriously breached, and in particular the issue of married women
appearing in public as they walk with their hair uncovered has
become trivialized by many women, and also they are not in the
least careful to cover their exposed arms.
From this womans appearance evolves other serious damage to
hundreds and thousands of Berachot and other words of holiness
which are spoken in the houses of Israel each day, as it is not
possible for them to be careful not to stand next to one of these
women. Chazal have said (Gemara Berachot 24a): A part of
a woman that is exposed (lit. A Tefach about three to four
inches) in a place that is normally covered is called Ervah (i.e.,
a sexual incitement); so too is a womans hair Ervah and it is

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Yeshiva Chacham Yosef Harari-Raful Shlitah - that these killers had
incredible SiyaTah DishMaya \ Heavenly assistance in carrying out
their plan. The Rosh Yeshiva replied that it was not SiyaTah DishMaya,
it was a time of Hester Panim. With this answer of the Rosh Yeshiva we
can now begin to understand the enormous loss we experience and the
destruction that follows when Hashem withdraws some of His active
Providence and allows the forces of evil to destroy, G-d forbid.

Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Introduction

forbidden to speak any words of holiness while facing it (the

Ervah).
Now it is well known that all of our Berachot or any other words
of Torah when said properly will invoke Heavens blessings and
holiness onto Israel as the pasuk states (Shemot 20:21) In every
place where I permit My Name to be mentioned I will come to
you and bless you (Rashi). [This pasuk at its plain meaning is
addressing any and all words of Torah in all of the places where
Hashems Name is spoken, and not only specifically during the
epoch of the Beit HaMikdash, as this concept is brought down in
Gemara Berachot on page 6a; please study that reference]. These
words of Kedushah are also a protection for Israel (Jews) from
all sorrows \ troubles and bad happenings, as the pasuk states
(Devarim 23:15) because Hashem your G-d walks in the midst
of your society to save youand your society shall be holy.
However, at the time when these words of sanctity are spoken
in the presence of an Ervah (for example, next to a woman
[married / divorced / widowed] whose hair is not covered, or a
part of her body that should be covered is exposed) G-d forbid,
the text states (Devarim 23:15) there should not be seen among
you anything that is Ervah, or I will turn away and leave you.
We find that all situations like this cause G-ds active Providence
to be withdrawn (lit., Hester Panim)2 from the Jewish people,
G-d forbid. Regarding these situations (where words of sanctity
are spoken facing an Ervah) the holy Zohar states in perashat
Naso that this will cause the Spirit of Defilement to dwell in this
house and will invoke poverty on that family.
Therefore, I have committed myself with G-ds help to
2. Regarding Hester Panim, a masking of face \ a withdrawal of
Hashems active Providence What does it mean when our Chachamim
say that there was a Hester Panim? Just prior to the start of Shacharit
on the Shabbat immediately following the 911 Arab attack on America
resulting in the death of more than 3,000 people and the destruction of the
World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York, the Rosh Kollel of Ateret
Torah Chacham Eliezer Harary Shlitah- commented to Aterets Rosh

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Introduction

assemble all of the statements of our Rabbis that relate to

this topic and demonstrate to everyone the enormous sin and
punishment inherent in this lifestyle, and in contrast, the exalted
status of a woman who conducts her life modestly, that in so
doing she will merit sons who are G-d fearing and who will be
among the important people of the generation. Perhaps in doing
this, people will take these words to heart and will somewhat
repair this great breach in the law. In this merit we will see the
building of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash, quickly in our
lifetime; Amen.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
1st Chapter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

1st Chapter
An explanation from the perspective of law of the
enormous sin of a woman who appears publicly
with her hair uncovered.
First before anything else, this law that the hair of a married
woman must be covered is an explicit Mishnah (in Gemara
Ketubot, 72a): These are the categories of women who are
divorced without any payment of their Ketubah; One who violates
the Law of Moshe Rabbeinu and the Law of the Jews. The
Mishnah there then considers those things by which she violates
the Law of Moshe (meaning, the laws of the Torah) for example,
a woman who feeds her husband something that is forbidden,
or she is intimate with her husband while she is Niddah, and
other comparable things. What does it mean to violate the Law
of the Jews? (Meaning that she is in violation of a custom that
has always been practiced throughout Jewish society, which
Jewish society has adopted to be careful in its observance for
reasons of modesty. This and other things like it are included in
the statement written in Mishle (1:1) do not tamper-violate
your mothers Torah) meaning for example, that she walks in a
public marketplace with her hair uncovered. The Gemara there
concludes that the Mishnah is addressing an instance even when
she is wearing a Kaltah on her head (a Kaltah is an article
of clothing worn on the head of the women of Bavel which has
a hollow compartment that allows them to carry their sewing
utensils in it), and even so it is forbidden for them to appear with
only a Kaltah covering their hair since they are not wearing

11

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3. Ishut The laws of personal relations between men and women.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
1st Chapter

a veil over it, as is the custom of women, and if their hair is

actually exposed they are violating the Law of Moshe (which
is forbidden by the Torah) as this esur is written in the Torah
in the context of a woman who is a Sotah (Vayikrah 5:18) and
(the Kohein) will uncover the head of this woman. It has been
taught in the Yeshiva of Rebbe Yishmael From here we see
a warning of the Torah to the women of Israel not to appear in
public with their head uncovered, since it is written in the Torah
that the Kohein removes the kerchief covering the hair of her
head in order to publicly degrade her; the implication being that
other Jewish women were careful to appear in public in this way,
meaning, with their hair covered, as the Rif Alfasi and the Rosh
both established this in their ruling of the law.
So too did the Rambam write this as being the law (in the Yad
HaChazakah in the 24th perek of the Laws of Ishut,3) quoted as
follows: A married woman who commits adultery (i.e., selfadmitted, without witnesses) is divorced without payment of
her Ketubah; neither the obligatory amount nor the extra added
amount. This law applies not only to the adulteress but also to
any other woman who violates the Law of Moshe Rabbeinu (i.e.,
a law of the Torah) or the Law of the Jews. The following
are the things that if she does any one of them she violates the
Law of Moshe: She appears in public and the hair of her head
is uncovered, or she pledges something or takes an oath to do
something and does not fulfill her words, or she is intimate with
her husband while in a state of Niddah, or she does not separate
Challah or if she fed her husband foods that are forbidden;
please see that reference for more examples. And these are the
things that if she does any one of them she violates the Law
of the Jews: She appears in the marketplace (in public) or in
an open thoroughfare with her head uncovered and she has no
veil which is customarily worn by women on their heads, even
though her hair is covered with a kerchief, or she is casual with
young men; please further see that reference for yet other things
that would make her culpable. (I compiled all of this in a very
brief way from the actual language of the Rambam). So too is

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
1st Chapter

this the language of the Rambam as quoted (written) in the Tur

Ehven HaEzer, in section #115; and so too in Shulchan Aruch
Ehven HaEzer, in section #115, paragraph #4. So too have all
of our Early halachic Authorities and Later halachic Authorities
unanimously codified this as the law, that if a woman appears
publicly (lit., in a marketplace) and her hair is revealed, in so
doing she is violating a Torah law.

15

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
2nd Chapter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

2nd Chapter
An explanation of the law that the hair of a
woman is an Ervah, and that it is forbidden to
say any words of sanctity when facing her (i.e.,
words of Torah, Berachot, etc.)
Something else you must know, that apart from the esur of her
hair being uncovered in a public place, there is yet another reason
that requires her hair to be covered even in her own house with
any kind of head-covering or with a wig, as without that head
covering her husband is forbidden to say any words of Kedushah
when he is facing her since her hair is inclusive of an Ervah.
Chazal have expressed this in Gemara Berachot (24a) saying A
womans hair is Ervah; please see that reference. So too is this
the law as ruled by the Rif Alfasi, the Rambam, the Rosh, the Tur
and the Shulchan Aruch, and all of our Early and Later halachic
Authorities. This is the language of the Shulchan Aruch Orach
Chayim, section #75, paragraph #2: (Regarding) a womans
exposed hair which she would normally cover, it is forbidden to
read (words of Kedushah) while facing it even (if she is) his wife,
and even if only some of her hair is exposed. [This is the ruling of
the Shulchan Shelomo, and this is obvious! And regarding what
is written in the Shulchan Aruch (section #75) that it is permitted
to read words of Kedusha while facing a woman with some
strands of her hair routinely coming out from under the edges
of her head-covering, the Chatam Sofer writes in his Responsa,
in section #36, that apart from the hat she normally wears on her
head (in public) she is also wearing a head covering (kerchief,

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
2nd Chapter

scarf, etc.) under which all of her hair is tucked so that it does
not protrude from underneath her hat, and the Shulchan Aruch is
lenient regarding that small amount of hair which nevertheless
is exposed from underneath her head covering. Please study
carefully what we wrote further on in the 8th chapter regarding
this subject, quoting the holy Zohar (in perashat Naso).
Even if it is the normal lifestyle of this woman and her friends
in their social environment to appear publicly with their hair
exposed as is the lifestyle of those women who are immodest,
it is forbidden to read while facing her, just as it is forbidden to
read while facing them if their arms or thighs (above their knees)
are exposed, as this is written in sefer Tiferet Shemuel, and
Eliyahu Rabbah, and Chayeh Adam [the reason being that
since the halacha requires them to cover their hair, and in not
doing so (i.e., in appearing in public with their hair uncovered)
they are committing an esur of the Torah, as described above
in the 1st chapter. Moreover, all Jewish women who keep the
Law of Moshe, dating back throughout our history from the
time of our fathers (Abraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov), are careful
in this regard until today, therefore it is still included within
the category of Ervah, and the esur of reading (i.e., saying)
anything of Kedushah while facing them applies; And the only
thing the Shulchan Aruch comes to exempt is young (never
married) women who routinely walk with their hair uncovered].

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
3rd Chapter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

3rd Chapter
An explanation of the many additional esurim
this woman commits by virtue of this evil custom,
and how so very much will she inevitably have to
endure punishment for this.
The statements of Chazal are known to all, that there is a great
difference between one who commits a sin once because of the
Yetzer Hara that overcame him, and someone who has thoroughly
repudiated this esur, as Rabbeinu Yonah very much elaborated
on this concept in his sefer Shaare Teshuvah (1st shaar, section
#4; and 3rd shaar, section #143). He writes there that this man
who has completely repudiated a sin (which is commonly known
throughout Jewish society as being a sin, and yet he repeatedly
commits it) is counted among the intentional sinners, and his
sin is unbearably great.4 Because of this, Chazal characterize
4. Translators note: In order for this man to be alive today, all of the
generations of his ancestors about 165 generations going back to the
Exodus had to choose the path of Hashems Torah in order to have
survived, for if one link and another link were broken there could never
have been any Jewish continuity in his ancestry; this mans family would
have utterly perished and he never would have been born. His whole
being exists only because his ancestors were faithful to the Torah and lived
their lives upholding the Law of the Torah. And now this man with utter
contempt and disregard for the sacrifices and faithfulness of his family to
the Torah for the past 3,300 years and for all of the unreciprocated good
they did for him to bring him to this point in his life - he is repudiating it
all! There is nothing more evil than that, and his sin is very great.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
3rd Chapter

him as being an apostate \ in rebellion against one of the Laws

of the Torah, since he completely repudiated his obligation to
one of Hashems mitzvot, and in this context and in comparable
situations the pasuk states (Devarim 27:26) Cursed is the one
who will not uphold all of the words of the Torah, to perform
them \ to do them, meaning, one who does not accept upon
himself the obligation to fulfill the entire Torah from beginning
to end; for if a slave tells his master I will do anything you
tell me except for one thing, he has completely repudiated his
servitude to his master, and he will do whatever he wants to do.
From all of this one will automatically understand the enormity of
the sin of a woman who accustoms herself to repeatedly commit
this sin, namely, to appear in public with her hair uncovered, since
she has committed herself to this sin. Regarding this Chazal have
written (Midrash Shocher Tov) Whoever intentionally decides
to commit himself to perform a sin will never be forgiven.
The text [Yeshayah (5:18)] is common knowledge Woe to those
who pull sin onto themselves with ropes of lies, and sin like
the ropes of a wagon, meaning, at the moment a man initially
begins to do a sin (he rationalizes it and) it seems to him that it is
only a very small esur and he allows himself to do it. But when
he repeats it and goes back and repeats it again, in the end the sin
becomes intractable (lit., as thick and unbreakable as the ropes of
a wagon). Even a thread of silk, if it is doubled over onto itself
over and over again many times can be made into a thick rope,
and even more so if a thick rope is re-doubled onto itself like this,
how so very strong and awesome is this rope.
So too in our subject, since even if the esur was tiny, it will be
counted as a profound sin by virtue of it being repeated many
times. And all the more so in this regard, where the esur itself
is a great sin (it is an esur of the Torah and yet it is publicly
flaunted in front of many people. How so very much is this evil
re-doubled by the continual repetition of this sin thousands of
times over the course of her life.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
3rd Chapter

Additionally, the following statement of Chazal is common

knowledge, that from every sin a person commits in this world an
annihilating angel is created that is designated to exact revenge
at a later date against this person for having committed the
sin. All of these designated angels of annihilation will escort
this person at the time he dies and goes to the place where he
will live for all of eternity. That being so, how so very much
must this woman who has accustomed herself to committing this
sin need to constantly wail over of this awesome matter as she
recalls that for each and every step she took while in a public
place with her hair uncovered, in plain sight of everyone, and
instead of beautifying herself she was in fact creating angels of
destruction who would take revenge against her. Given that, how
many thousands of these angels of destruction are getting ready
and are now waiting for the moment of her death to escort her,
and to take their revenge against her. There she will cry and
wail Woe unto me because of the evil things she did, and there
is no one there who can help her. This concept is expressed in
Mishle (5:11) You will moan at the end of your life when your
flesh and your body perish. In the end she herself will confess
all of the sins she committed during her lifetime, as Chazal have
said (Gemara Eruvin 19a) in commentary on the pasuk (Tehilim
84:7) Those who cross the Valley of Tears (i.e., Gehinnom)
turn it into a spring (with the flood of their tears), they also will
give blessings to those who taught them5 instructing us that
the Rasha will confess, just as the Mehtzorah confesses, and
will say I so-and-so, the son of so-and-so committed this sin in
this place on this day in the presence of so-and-so. At that time
they (the sinners) also validate the justice of the law meted out
to them, and they say before Him: Lord of the Universe, You
judged correctly \ fairly, You vindicated correctly, You imposed \
executed the law correctly, You correctly established Gehinnom
5. Rashi They will bless Hashem who judged them correctly, and they will
also bless those people who tried to teach them mussar, and they did not
listen to them.

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Chafetz Chayim
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3rd Chapter

for those who are evil and Gan Eden for those who are righteous.
(The underlying meaning is that at that point the man himself
will see the enormity of the ruination he caused On High in the
celestial universes because of his evil deeds, and in so doing he
very much strengthened the power of the Forces of Defilement
\ evil demons, therefore he affirms the validity of the judgment
imposed on him).
So too states the Gemara in Masechet Sotah (8b) In the same
way man expresses himself, so too does Heaven express itself
towards him (Heaven reacts towards this person as a mirror
image of the way man conducted his life for as long as he was
alive). Avshalom sinned with his hair (in an arrogance stemming
from the ego of his handsome appearance and long hair which
eventually led him to foment civil war against his father David
HaMelech and claim the monarchy for himself) and ultimately he
was hung by his hair;6 please see that reference. Based on this
as it applies to our subject, since the sin is in the framework of her
hair which was exposed for everyone to see, then with absolute
certainty every single one of the angels of annihilation that were
created by the sin of her revealing her hair will punish her in
Gehinnom specifically with her hair. Therefore, one should give
careful thought to all of this while he is still alive, and conduct
his life in the pathway of Hashem Yitbarach and in so doing he
will be saved from all sufferings.

6. Avshaloms hair became entangled in the branches of a tree as he was

riding and pulled him off his horse leaving him dangling in air. One of
Davids soldiers saw him hanging in the air by his hair and killed him on
the spot thus ending Avshaloms rebellion and the associated civil war.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
4th Chapter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

4th Chapter
An explanation of the seduction of the Yetzer Hara
in this matter.
The Yetzer Hara should not mislead her that she will be saved
from the punishment of Strict \ Unmerciful law in thinking that
she had to make herself pretty for the sake of her husband so that
he wouldnt dislike her, because truthfully this rationalization
is a big mistake, since this excuse (beautifying herself to please
her husband) is relevant only to the confines of her house but not
to a public environment. Moreover, even in her own house she
had another option to cover her hair with something attractive, or
with a wig on her head, and not expose her hair.
When one thinks carefully about this matter he will conclude
that there are two reasons for the cause of this sin: The first
reason is because of laziness, that she is too lazy to bother herself
every day to wear some kind of covering over her hair, and the
second reason is because of the persuasion of the Yetzer Hara
that seduces her to beautify herself to the world and adorn her
hair. For both of these reasons she will inevitably have to give an
accounting and a reckoning in the future (in Olam Haba).
Truthfully \ In reality [emphatically] how so very much must
a person be frightened and tremble when he reflects on his
lifes actions, that inevitably when his soul ascends to On High
before G-ds Throne of Glory he will have to give an accounting
and reckoning of his actions. There, he will see the splendor \
grandeur of the honor of our G-d, how He has an infinite number

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Geder Olam
4th Chapter

of ministering angels constantly standing in service before His

exalted majesty, as the text states (Sefer Daniel 7:10) thousands
and thousands serve Him, and untold numbers stand before
Him, and all of them tremble and shake, and do \ implement the
Will of their Creator. And when the soul of man sees all of this,
at that time how could he not be ashamed of himself, that because
of a minor laziness, or because of some insignificant pleasure in
this world that drove him to beautify himself in front of other
people, and to adorn himself publicly and these people too are
nothing more than earth, the same as he is - and many times over
he violated the Will of the King, Hashem Yitbarach, who is the
G-d of all of these legions of angels.
And in particular when they (the Heavenly Court) question him
and ask: You A putrid drop of semen, how could you not be in
dread of rebelling against (i.e., violating the Will of) your Creator
stand up in judgment and acknowledge what you have done!
[Meaning, every single action he did during his life will all come
and stand before him while he is standing trial, and those actions
will testify on him, as Chazal have said] and if you cannot answer
on your own behalf, then who else can answer for you (i.e., who
else can defend you if you cannot even defend yourself). At that
time how so very much will his face be covered in shame.
Now, the Tanna has already said (Avot 3:1) Gaze at three things
and you will not commit sinand to where you are going to a
place of earth and worms and bugsand before whom will you
have to give an accounting and a reckoning: Before the King of
kings, HaKadosh Baruch Hu. This entire teaching is directed
specifically at the personal level of an individual, and was not
expressed generally as Man should gaze at three things: Where
he came from, where he is going to, and before whom will he give
an accounting and reckoning, because truthfully we literally see
that every person knows with absolute certainty - at the time he
is walking to escort the dead to their burial or going to a house
of mourning - he himself will eventually die. Nevertheless, the
thought of that inevitability makes no great impression on him,
and on occasion makes no impression on him at all. All this

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is so because he imagines that only so and so died however

(in the precise language of Avot) the Tanna is teaching us - the
fundamental thought that must constantly be kept in mind is his
future status at his eventual end, that he himself will eventually
decay into worms and bugs, and that he himself will have to give
an accounting and a reckoning before the King of the Universes,
Who will not show favoritism, and will not take bribery. It is
for this reason the Tanna said where you are goingand in
the future you will have to stand before When one thinks
carefully about all of this while he is still alive, with absolute
certainty Hashem Yitbarach will give him goodness both here
in this world and there in Olam Haba.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
5th Chapter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

5th Chapter
More in this regard on the subject of the seduction
of the Yetzer Hara.
Moreover, the Yetzer Hara should not persuade her in saying
Im not the only one in the city who is doing this. Whatever will
happen in the future to those other Jewish women the women
in this city who appear in public with their hair exposed - will
also happen to me. I will tell you a parable as an example of
what this is comparable to: There was a man who was seized
and jailed in prison because of a libel. He was very embittered
there and remained there for a year. His brothers and fathers
family came to him to comfort him, and one of his relatives told
him that recently in another country the same thing happened to
so and so, and that he was also harshly imprisoned in exactly the
same way as you. The prisoner answered back and said to them:
Do you think that consoles me?! It is depressing \ disheartening
me! If you told me that in the end this other fellow was saved
from this punishment it is possible that in so doing you would
have reduced my worries. Or at least if you would have said
to me that in the end this other fellow was imprisoned for the
same reason (libel) as mine and that tomorrow or the next day
he would also be jailed in this same room with me, its possible
that it would have been some consolation for me when I would
see that I am not the only one in this situation. But now that he is
imprisoned in some other country what kind of happiness can
I benefit from that story if the prison authorities are beating and
imprisoning another man?!

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So too literally in our discussion. What kind of happiness can a

person have if someone else committed a sin and is also harshly
imprisoned like this somewhere else?! People know very well
that Gehinnom is very, very big, that the entire world is not
even one one-thousandth the size of Gehinnom, as Chazal have
said (Gemara Pesachim 94a) please see that reference), and it is
possible to house within it hundreds of thousands of people, with
every person there separated from the next closest person by a
distance of many hundreds of miles (lit., parsahs a parsah
is about 4 miles), and he will neither see nor hear his neighbor
at all. In particular, the fire of Gehinnom is completely unlike
our fire which illuminates. Rather, the fire of Gehinnom is a
fire of darkness (meaning, it has only the power given to it at its
creation, and has no power at all to illuminate) as brought down
in the Midrash, that the darkness that existed at the beginning of
the Creation of the world remained in Gehinnom. That being so,
no one will see his neighbor, and will not hear him at all, instead,
everyone will remain in his place and cry and scream Woe unto
me!
(Emphatically) How great is the punishment of Gehinnom;
Chazal have said (Otzar HaMidrashim - / Gan Eden-Gehinnom
/ amud 91 / 1st perek) there are many different types of fire in
Gehinnom. There are burning coals there that are the size of
mountains, and burning coals the size of hills, and there are
burning coals the size of the Dead Sea (the Salt Sea), and some
the size of large boulders. There in Gehinnom are flowing rivers
of tar and sulfur that are roiling and boiling, and when judgment
is pronounced, G-d forbid, on this Rasha to enter into Gehinnom,
he will cry so many tears until they become a flowing spring, as
Chazal have said (Gemara Eruvin 19a) in commentary on the
pasuk (Tehilim 84:7) Those who cross the Valley of Tears turn
it into a spring that Gehinnom is called The Valley of Tears.

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See \ Understand that even our master David HaMelech AH,

when he recalled the subject of Gehinnom he would tremble
greatly, as stated in the text (Tehilim 119:120) My flesh trembles
from Your fear, and I am afraid of Your judgments, and it is
commonly known that fear is a reference to Gehinnom. The
text can be explained based on what the Gra ZTL wrote in his
commentary on Mishle, that for as long as this soul has still not
been purified by the punishment of Gehinnom, the physical flesh
of that man will also endure suffering in the grave. That is the
underlying meaning of the text My flesh trembles from Your
fear meaning, by virtue of fear which refers to Gehinnom,
and also his body (lit., his flesh) will also receive sufferings just
as if someone was piercing his body with nails;7 and I was afraid
of Your judgments, meaning, the soul is afraid of judgment since
it is judged before the Throne of Glory of Hashem, Yitbarach.
G-d should merit us to be among those who sincerely return back
to him (in Teshuvah), and He will be among us to help us, and we
will not see anything bad, as related by the text (Tehilim 23:4)
Even if I walk in the Valley of Darkness I will not fear any bad,
for You are with me.

7. The word sammar \ trembles is related to the word

masmerim \ nails. (YB)

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
6th Chapter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

6th Chapter
An explanation of the enormity of the obligation
of a husband to reprimand his wife in this regard.
It is common knowledge that the act of rebuking is a proactive
mitzvah of the Torah, as it is written (Vayikrah 19:17) Reprimand
your fellow Jew but dont come to sin because of him. Regarding
this, Chazal have said (Gemara Shabbat 54b) Whoever has the
ability to rebuke the members of his family, and doesnt, will
be included in the sin of his household. Based on this, how so
very great is the obligation of this husband to rebuke his wife in
regard to this sin, and to demonstrate to her in detail the enormity
of the esur of appearing in a public place in front of people with
her head uncovered or with her arms exposed. Moreover, in so
doing, because she is not living a life of modesty she ruins the
children who are born to him (from her), as we will write about
this in the coming 7th chapter.
And even if she walks only within her own house with her hair
uncovered and not in the street, at the very least in so doing
she ruins anything of holiness that her husband says during his
lifetime, meaning, to the extent of the habit of each and every
man who prays in his house and says the Beracha of HaMotzie
and Birkat HaMazon, and all of the Berachot, and whatever
Torah he reads it is very difficult to be careful as his wife walks
through the house with her head uncovered not to say anything
of sanctity while facing her.

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Man should not think to say to himself I already spoke to

her about this two or three times and she did not listen to me,
what is the use of speaking to her again about this. Man should
think carefully to himself Would he behave the same way (and
remain quiet) when he sees his wife ruining everything that he
did in his business?! With absolute certainty he would holler at
her and say: What are you doing?! Apart from not helping me
you are ruining my entire livelihood! How will we be able to live
me and our entire family?! Should we all die because of your
foolishness?! He would use all kinds of intelligent strategies to
demonstrate to her the great extent of her foolishness; sometimes
in a soft tone of voice and sometimes in a harsh tone, until she
herself understands \ realizes to stop her foolish behavior.
So too in our subject, one must continually reprimand her in
this regard, and advise her of the enormous ruination that is an
outcome of this, that in so doing (i.e., in her immodesty) the end
will be bitter, both for her and for him, when he finds that many
hundreds of thousands of his Tefilot and Berachot were said
improperly, until she herself will want to walk (appear) with her
hair covered (with any article of clothing or with a wig)
I will give you an example of what this is comparable to. It
is comparable to a very successful merchant who lived in the
capital city. His business was dealing in precious gems and
pearls, and his wife also participated in that business. It was the
routine of the husband to constantly travel to far distant countries
to buy precious gems and send them back to his business. One
day some officials of the king came to the house of this merchant
and said to his wife: We heard that your husband is a very
successful businessman and that he is an expert in precious gems
and pearls. Now the time has come to coronate our king with the
crown of monarchy, and we have need for gems that are beautiful
and precious do you have these kinds of precious gems in your
place of business? She answered them and said I dont have
the kinds of gems that are very precious \ expensive which would
be fitting only to be placed in the crown of the king, but I will
write to my husband and he will try to acquire them for the sake

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of the glory \ honor of our king. They answered and responded

back to her Please understand something very clearly you
will receive a very substantial sum of money from the king for
this, but we are warning you to be very, very careful that G-d
forbid the precious gems should not be fake \ imitation, because
at the time of the kings coronation there will be gathered many,
many kings who are expert in precious gems such as these, and
G-d forbid if they should find that any of these gems are fake it
would be a terrible embarrassment to the king and to those of
us who are involved in this matter - and you also, G-d forbid,
will be swallowed up because of it. Therefore (I am warning
you to) be very careful in this matter. She answered them and
said It has never been my way or my husbands way to deal in
counterfeit gems, especially when it involves the kings crown.
Immediately she wrote a letter to her husband, to make an intense
effort to buy very precious gems that were fitting to be placed in
the kings crown and he should be sure to authenticate the gems
so that none of them are fake. The husband answered I have
these kinds of very precious gems and I am sending them to you.
However, to place them in the crown of the king is something
that is very awesome, and so even though I carefully investigated
their authenticity with experts in this field who told me they were
not imitations, when you receive them you too must be careful
from the very outset to authenticate them by showing them to
people who are experts and who will understand if they are
fraudulent and only then sell them to the officials of the king.

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When she received the letter with the gems, and she read (lit. saw)
that her husband believed the gems were not imitations, because
of her great love for money and passion for public prestige, and to
be adorned by the honor bestowed on her by the king for this, she
ignored the command of her husband to investigate any further
their authenticity. Instead she immediately informed the kings
staff that she received the precious gems that were sent to her, and
that they should come to her house and take the jewels, and then
pay her the full price of the gems and give her many gifts. When
the time came for the kings coronation and many kings gathered
there, they praised him for the very precious jewels in his crown
which were sent to him from a distant country. However, when
they saw the jewels they recognized them as being fake, and as a
result the king was humiliated.
They immediately sent for the woman and shouted at her in a
loud voice, saying: Your punishment is death! We warned you
to be careful that nothing fraudulent should be in the jewels since
this matter directly involves the kings crown and you have
humiliated the honor of the king. She answered them and said
Im not so guilty, as I wrote my husband and warned him not
to allow anything fraudulent in the gems. What crime have I
committed?!
They also put the husband on trial, and asked him: Are you
the one who sent these fake jewels which were the cause for the
kings humiliation? He answered Yes, but my intent, G-d
forbid, was not to disgrace the king; the merchants who sold
those jewels to me tricked me. Apart from that, I wrote my wife
that she should first have shown the jewels to the great experts to
validate their authenticity, and not immediately give them to you
to have them placed in the kings crown.

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They shouted at him, saying In this matter that relates to the

kings crown you yourself should have had the jewels carefully
examined, and not have depended on your wife whose thinking
cold be easily swayed. Therefore, instead of the honor that you
would have received from us if you conducted your business
honestly, now you will inherit double disgrace, and both of them
were lowered into a dungeon, and there they were beaten with
intense sufferings.
The woman answered in a loud weeping voice said to her
husband: You are the cause of my ruination, and you are the
one who is hitting me with murderous blows and not this
policeman. Didnt you know that these jewels were being bought
to be placed in the kings crown, and that you should have been
especially careful not to allow any of them to be fake, and if you
had done that, then things would have been good forever for me
and for you because of this business. But now see what youve
done with your business. Youve brought onto me all of these
blows and great sufferings. Woe unto me, woe unto my soul.
What will be the end of this, and what will be the end because of
these sufferings!
The husband answered back bitterly and said Woe unto you
and woe unto your soul, that you yourself caused all of these
troubles onto yourself and onto me as well. Didnt I write to you
and warn you from the very beginning that buying diamonds for
the kings crown is a very awesome responsibility, and so you
must see to it from the outset before you do anything else to have
these diamonds carefully examined in order to assure that none
of them are fake, and only then give them to the kings agents.
You were responsible to follow my instructions, but instead your
passion to become rich by selling these diamonds for a huge
fortune, and to dress in expensive clothes, and to be publicly
acclaimed, caused the eyes of your intelligence to be blinded,
and now you have fallen into an abysmal pit, and you dragged
me into falling too because of your actions. Woe unto us and to
our souls. What will our end be?!

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My brothers, so too in our discussion. When a man assembles

a treasure of Torah and good deeds (acts of kindness) during his
life, in so doing he causes great accomplishments (lit., remedies)
Above in the Supernal Worlds, because as a result of those deeds
crowns are created by which Hashem Yitbarach is crowned. In
the end, when man comes to Olam Haba, in exchange for the
honor which he gave to Hashem Yitbarach that from his actions
crowns were created by which He was crowned, those very same
crowns are given back to him by HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and they
adorn him with those crowns on his head, as related by the text
(Shemuel I 2:30) I will honor those who honor me. This is
the intent of Chazal: In the future Tzadikim will sit with their
crowns on their heads and will take pleasure from the radiance
of the Shehchinah; the language used - their crowns is precise,
and they did not say crowns will be on their heads, and it has
always been like this, as it is written (Shir HaShirim 3:11) Go
out and see, daughters of Zion, the King Shelomo (meaning, the
King who is Shalom a reference to HaKadosh Baruch Hu), with
the crown that his mother crowned upon him on his wedding day,
on the day of the joy of his heart. However, all of this is so if
the mitzvah was done as proscribed by the halacha in all of its
details, that it was done with sanctity and in a place of sanctity,
as is written (Devarim 23:15) your encampment (i.e., your
society) shall be holy, and you shall not see among you anything
immodestly provocative, and I will then turn away from you,
which excludes anything of sanctity that was said when facing an
Ervah. For example, if at the time he was reading words of Torah
or saying any Beracha he was facing a woman whose hair was
uncovered, or whose arms or chest was exposed, and he ignored
the words of Chazal who forbade this, with absolute certainty no
holiness whatsoever will attach to those words. Instead of light
(i.e., the radiance of Torah) it will have turned into darkness,
G-d forbid, even if only a few of the words of the Beracha were
spoken while he was facing any of the things described above.
The radiance of holiness will be missing from the part of his
crown that is the counterpart of those words, as it states (Devarim

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Chafetz Chayim
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23:15) your encampment (i.e., your society) shall be holy, and

there shall not be seen among you anything that is Ervah, or I will
turn away and leave you, and in exchange for it (i.e., in place of
the holiness) darkness will enter.
It is common knowledge that HaKadosh Baruch Hu glorifies
Himself with His people, Israel, before the Heavenly Court with
crowns with which they continually crown Him as a consequence
of their Torah and mitzvot, as the pasuk states (Yeshaya 49:3)
Israel, through you I am glorified. And if blemishes of
darkness are found on some of those crowns it would be a very
great disgrace to the G-d of Honor and Awesomeness, that these
kinds of blemishes are found on His crown. And later, when the
souls of each man and woman ascends On High to give a strict
accounting and reckoning before the King of kings, HaKadosh
Baruch Hu, the attending angels will shout at her in a loud voice
saying The judgment pronounced against you is the awesome
fire of Gehinnom (addressing this woman) because apart from
your not having given honor to the King of kings in return for the
life and sustenance and health that He constantly gave you, you
also ruined the crown of the King and darkened its radiance, and
you disgraced His honor \ glory by your (exposed) hair or your
(exposed) arms or chest that were constantly uncovered even
when your husband said a blessing or learned some words of
Torah. She responded in a bitter voice I committed no crime
\ no sin, my husband was the reason for these holy crowns being
ruined since he said all of those Berachot while facing me.
They also brought him (her husband) to judgment and showed
them the darkness of the crowns On High that was a consequence
of both of their actions. They (the attending angels) grabbed
them shivering and trembling and they said to him Are you
the one who said these Berachot which were the reason for the
cause of the disgrace to the honor of Hashem Yitbarach and His
crown?! He answered Yes, but I am not the main reason
for it, she is the only one since she sat opposite me with her
hair and arms uncovered and her chest was exposed while I was
saying a Beracha. I also told her that it was improper to dress

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like that (lit., to do that) and she did not listen to me. All of
them (the judges of the Heavenly Court) responded and said: If
you were truly concerned about the honor of Hashem Yitbarach,
you should have moved to some other place, or at the very least
you should have turned your face away from her,8 and only then
complete your Beracha. Therefore both of you will bear the
punishment for this sin, and instead of the honor that you would
have inherited \ earned if your service to Hashem was proper,
instead, now you will inherit a double portion of shame. Angels
of cruelty grabbed them and dragged them down into Gehinnom,
and punished them with severe sufferings, as cited in Masechet
Gehinnom, that there are women whose punishment is to be hung
by their breasts, as this is measure for measure, and so too by
their hair, and so too by each limb that man uses to commit sin,
he will be hung by that limb; please see that reference.
The woman (defended herself) in a crying voice and said to her
husband: You are the one who is beating me cruelly, and not
this policeman! Didnt you know while you were alive in the
world Below that crowns are created for the exalted King by your
Berachot and your Torah learning; you should have been very
careful not to allow any flaw in any of them, and you should
have informed me about the severe punishment for this sin, and
constantly warn me to be very careful in this regard; in so doing
it would have been good both for me and for you. But now
look what youve caused me because of your behavior you have
brought upon me all of these severe beatings and sufferings; Woe
unto me, what will be my end?!

8. This is the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch. However, the Mishnah Berurah
quotes the Derech HaChayim, the Chayeh Adam, the Graz, the Gra and
the Taz who all rule that merely turning ones head aside does not help; one
has to turn ones entire body around until he is not facing the Ervah. (DH)

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The husband answered back his wife Woe unto you and woe
unto your soul, that you caused yourself all of this misery, and to
me as well, and you still think you are right (lit., that truth and
righteousness is on your side)! Didnt I tell you repeatedly that
the law forbids this! You yourself should have been continually
careful in all circumstances not to appear with your hair
uncovered and your arms exposed. It was only because of your
vanity, to make yourself appear beautiful in public, and follow in
the lifestyle of your immodest friends (who will also be brought
here where they will be punished with harsh sufferings) which
caused you to fall into this abysmal pit, and your behavior also
caused me to fall.
This concept is true, that at the time of ones fearful judgment
every person will want to divert the punishment away from
himself. Even ones own body and ones own soul which were
absolutely inseparable in life, still, because of the severity of
the awesome judgment each wants to place the sin on the other,
as brought down in Gemara Sanhedrin (91a); please see that
reference.
Therefore, the wise person who has foresight while he is still
alive will constantly reprimand his wife in this matter, and make
known to her the enormity of this ruination she causes, and that
in the end she will cry out Woe unto me in this matter. With
absolute certainty these words will help somewhat, and they will
be saved from their future Day of Judgment.

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Chafetz Chayim
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7th Chapter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

7th Chapter
An explanation of the greatness of the character
trait of modesty, the reward for being modest in
this world and in Olam Haba, and in an opposite
sense, G-d forbid, her reward if she follows a
lifestyle of immodesty.
The woman also must constantly think carefully, as is commonly
known, that if she is modest in the way she lives her life, then she
will merit to give birth to sons who are Tzadikim \ righteous, sons
who are Torah Scholars who light up the word with their Torah
and righteousness. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Yoma, 1st perek, 1st
halacha) expresses this concept as follows: (Tehilim 45:14) The
honor (regality) of the kings daughter is inside (her regality
revolves around her modesty), her clothing are settings of gold.
In rewarding a modest woman it is appropriate that Kohanim
Gedolim will descend from her, Kohanim who are dressed in
gold settings. Regarding this Chazal have said (Gemara Megillah
13b) In reward for Rachels modesty she merited to have Shaul
descend from her, and in reward for Shauls modesty he merited
that Esther would descend from him; please see that reference.
In so doing this woman will have goodness in this world, and
also after she has died she will merit to sit in the Upper Heaven,
in the Heichal \ Chamber of Hashem, in great glory and honor.
The holy Zohar describes this concept in perashat Bchukotai
as follows in commentary on the pasuk (Shemot 20:12) Honor
your father and your mother, which applies even after their

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because of this, since even if one small limb hurts his son, and he groans
because of this great pain, it is human nature that the father feels great
anguish because of this; especially so if he sees they are punishing his son
with terribly bitter punishments. This one will pull off his arm from his
body and this one will pull off his leg. (It is commonly known that each
of these annihilators is created from the essence of the sin which was
committed with that particular limb. For example, if he committed a sin
with his hand, in so doing he created an annihilator with the power to
destroy his hand, and so on with his leg and so on with all of the limbs of
his body). In the end they will throw him into the fire and this man will
scream and moan with a bitter voice Woe unto me. (Emphatically) How
embittered will this persons father be at that time, and he will cry from the
depths of his heart, and he will not have the ability to save his son at all.

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death that if the son follows in the straight path in life (i.e.,
he learns Torah and fulfills mitzvot) and remedies his deeds
properly, in so doing he certainly honors his father; he honors
him in the presence of society and he honors him in Olam Haba
in the presence of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and HaKadosh Baruch
Hu will extend Chessed to him and seat him on a Throne of
Honor. These righteous parents merit holy children and holy
descendants. Regarding this the pasuk states (Yeshaya 61:19)
Whoever sees them will recognize them as being children who
are blessed by Hashem.
But in an opposite sense, G-d forbid if she conducts her life
immodestly, then she will give birth to children who are not
good. Because of those children, in the end she will be disgraced
and shamed in this world, as the pasuk relates (Mishle 10:1) A
foolish son is his mothers misery. Moreover, in Olam Haba this
child will be a big disgrace to his father and mother, since this
was their child who angered HaKadosh Baruch Hu, as the Gra
addresses this circumstance in his holy letter Aleem LeTerufah,
that even if parents educated their child to be religious (lit., in a
framework of mussar) and he did not accept their teachings, woe
unto those parents for the shame, and pain, and humiliation they
will endure in Olam Haba because of this child.9 Therefore, a
9. Quoting from the Mazal Elul English translation of the Chafetz Chayims
ZTL Sefer Nidchei Yisrael, volume 1, 17th chapter, page 403 (produced by
the Mazal Elul Congregation, published by the Mazal Press and distributed
by Feldheim Publishers, 5770): Furthermore, punish, that even if this
person was a Tzadik, if he has a son who is evil they will remove him from
Gan Eden and place him in Gehinnom in order to witness the sufferings
being inflicted on his son. That is the intent of the words punish your son
and he will give you peace in your place (in Gan Eden) and he will
also give you, etc. (Quoted up until this point). All this is measure for
measure, since this father allowed his son to follow a wicked path in order
to earn the material pleasures of this world for his enjoyment, which was
the cause of this son embracing a wild lifestyle and falling into profound
sin, therefore it was decreed against this father that when his son receives
the punishment he deserves the father will stand and witness it for himself.
Who can imagine the enormous suffering and pain that will befall a man

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woman must accustom herself to the character trait of modesty,

and in so doing it will be good for her here in this world and there
in Olam Haba.
Now, from all this we can think deeply about how much a wife
must be careful in this matter of her hair, or her arms or her chest,
that they should not be seen outside.
Also, the Zohar in perashat Naso was very strict in this regard,
that the hair of a (married) woman should not be visible at all,
quoted here as follows: Rebbe Chizkiyah said: Insanity should
be invoked on any man who allows his wife to let her hair be
seen in public, as this is one of the pillars of modesty which is the
responsibility of the woman. The woman who exposes her hair
in public to enhance \ beautify her appearance causes poverty
in her family and is the cause for her children to be simple and
devoid of any importance, and will cause bad things to happen
to her family. What was the cause of all this; her hair, which
was apparent from under her head covering. And if this is so
in her own house, how much even more so is it an enormous
arrogance to appear like that in public. That is what the pasuk
states (Tehilim 128:3) Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine
inside your home; therefore a woman must be careful that
even a single strand of her hair should not be visible even to
the walls (lit., beams) of her house. Look at (understand) and
be careful of all the ruinations that are caused by the exposure
of the hair on a womans head. It causes ruinations On High
(in the Supernal Heavens) and Below (in this world). It causes
curses on her husband and poverty in her family, and other things
that are bad. It also implants in her children the character trait
of brazenness, and as a result their importance is lessened; G-d
should protect us from this brazenness. Therefore, a woman
must also be modest even in the privacy of her house. If she does
this, the text addresses her as (Tehilim 128:3) Your children will
be like olive shoots around your table; Just as this olive tree
does not shed its leaves, neither in the winter nor in the summer,
and because of this it is the most prestigious of all of the trees,
so too will her sons be prestigious \ important in society. This

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and more Her husband will be blessed with blessings from On

High, and blessing from Below, with wealth, with children and
grandchildren. Regarding this the pasuk states (Tehilim 128:4)
Behold, in this way will a G-d fearing man be blessed.

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8th Chapter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

8th Chapter
An explanation of the mitzvah for a father to
educate his children in several important matters
that relate to the faith of the Torah.
(1) Based on what has been said, that this topic could bring
a family to a state of poverty, G-d save us, and many great
ruinations, how so very careful must every man and woman be
to guard themselves to live their lives modestly, and to encourage
\ inculcate their daughters to become accustomed from their
childhood not to go in immodest ways, G-d forbid. For example,
because of our many sins, there are many places that conduct
themselves as though it (immodesty) was permitted, that they
manufacture blouses without any sleeves at all; Woe unto this!
(Emphatically) How so very profound is the sin inherent in this,
that it is the cause for many men to have lewd thoughts because of
this, and also many hundreds of Berachot are said in vain because
of this at the time the Beracha is said while facing her. Now, it
is commonly known that the ruling of the halacha in the Gemara
and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim, section #75, that (even) a
Tefach of a womans body that is exposed in a place which is
normally covered is characterized as Ervah \ as nakedness,
and it is forbidden to say anything of holiness while facing it
(egs., Kiddush or Havdalah, or words of Torah), and it makes no
difference if she was never married or is presently married. And
the only leniency regarding a woman who was never married
is that she can appear in public with her hair exposed, but in
regard to other parts of her body that are normally covered, her

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marital status makes no difference at all. And in a place where

all married women and never-married women appear like that
in public, nevertheless, all of our Authorities have written that
there is no leniency at all to copy this evil, immodest custom
(these halachic Authorities are the Eliyahu Rabbah quoting the
Rokeach, the sefer Tiferet Shemuel and the sefer Chaye
Adam).
Moreover, regarding the esur of saying anything holy when
facing a woman whose hair is uncovered or whose arms or chest
are exposed, it makes no difference if the man who is saying
those words is not the womans relative, or if he is her father,
or her bother it is all one and the same law, meaning, even
her father must be careful not to say anything that is holy when
facing a Tefach of his daughters body which is exposed in a
place that must be covered, once she reaches age eleven (and
regarding someone else even at an age less than that; please study
carefully the sefer Shulchan Shelomo).
And when he accustoms his daughters from the time they are
young to conduct their lives in all ways of modesty, then even
when they grow up they will not stray from this good path (i.e.,
they will remain modest), and he will merit to see from her
children who are proper and prestigious, as we wrote above
many statements of Chazal on this subject.
Nowadays, this subject of modesty \ Tzniut has been very
seriously eroded, because of our many sins, and in many places
the societal norm is that young men and young women go for
walks together. (Emphatically) who can even begin to estimate
the enormity of the esurim and ruinations that result from this
behavior?! In earlier generations who ever saw anything like
this or heard anything like this immodesty! Even if no actual
physical sin is committed, thoughts of lewd relations are much
more serious than the sin itself, and he transgresses what Chazal
have said in commentary on the pasuk (Devarim 23:10) and you
should be on guard against anything that is bad: From here
Rebbe Pinchas ben Yair said this pasuk is a warning to man not

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to have lewd thought during the day and come to be defiled at

night. This sin is extremely serious as is commonly known from
the statements of Chazal. Apart from all this, it is commonplace
that this boy and girl will come to violate the laws of Yichud by
virtue of their strolling together, that the esur of being alone in
a secluded place with a woman who is forbidden to him is an
especially profound sin from the Torah. In our times unmarried
women (i.e., never married, widowed, divorced) are forbidden,
as halachically they have the presumption of being a Niddah.
Something else you must know, that even if this woman is going
to be his future wife, for example Tenaim were already written
between the two families (meaning each family has pledged to
provide financial support to this couple after they marry) even
if this engaged man (improperly) assumes a leniency for himself
to walk with his future wife (please see the following Hagahah)
nevertheless, he must be very careful not to be alone with her
when no one else is present since she is no different than any
other woman in this regard of Yichud, and there is no halachic
leniency at all as a consequence of the Tenaim, even if she was
in a state of ritual purity, and all the more so where she is in a
definite state of Niddah for as long as she has not immersed in a
Mikveh as proscribed by the halacha.
Hagahah:
Even traveling together with the woman to whom he is engaged
is degrading to a man who is righteous; please study Gemara
Berachot 43b.

Therefore, the esur of Yichud remains in place (meaning, it is

forbidden to remain alone with this woman who is going to be
his future wife even if Tenaim were signed between the two
families); please see the following Hagahah.

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Hagahah
And dont challenge this ruling using as an argument the Gemara
Ketubot (12a): Rebbe Yehudah said - because there the
Gemara is referring to a case after their Erusin (meaning, the
couple is in fact completely married she is his wife - although
they may not yet live together until the completion of the second
stage of marriage which is called Nisuin) and she is his wife
in all respects. But that is not at all true if they only wrote Tenaim
(which is only a non-binding statement of intent to marry).
How much even more so is it forbidden for him to hug or kiss
her as this is an esur of the Torah. Regarding this the pasuk
states (Vayikrah 18:6) Do not come close to her to reveal
her nakedness, as the Rambam addresses this in the Laws of
Forbidden Relations, in the 21st chapter: One who hugs or kisses
any one of the women who are forbidden to him violates the Lav
of Do not come close to reveal her nakedness. Those who are
lenient in this regard will give an accounting for this in Olam
Haba, and also will not see good during their lives.
(Emphatically) How great is the obligation for every man to
internalize strategies, and in this regard to pay close attention to
his sons and daughters that they do not follow this evil lifestyle,
and to continually make them aware of the enormity of the sin
inherent in this behavior and the great merit they will acquire if
they are careful to avoid this sin. Moreover, this father should
constantly pray to Hashem Yitbarach for mercy for them, that
they should not come to commit sin or do anything abhorrent,
and with absolute certainty Hashem will help him and He will
accept his prayers. Regarding this, the Tanna DeVei Eliyahu
(Eliyahu Rabbah, 18th parasha) relates an incident involving a
Kohein who was a secret hidden G-d fearing person, who had
ten children from one wife; six boys and four girls. Every day
he would pray and supplicate himself and lick dust with his
tongue (meaning, to entreat Hashem) in order that not a single
one of them would come to the point of committing sin or doing

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something abhorrent. They said he continued to do this not for

one year or two years, or three years, but for all of the years until
Ezra came and HaKadosh Baruch Hu redeemed the Jewish nation
from Bavel, and this Kohein was among them. This Kohein (lived
a long life) and did not pass away until after he saw Kohanim
Gedolim and young apprentice Kohanim among his children and
descendants for fifty years, and after that this Kohein entered
his eternal home. Regarding him the text states (Tehilim 37:3)
Trust in Hashem and do good, and it is written (Yeshaya 26:4)
Trust in Hashem forever since both worlds (this world and the
World to Come) are His, as the pasuk concludes since our G-d,
Hashem, is the eternal Rock; please see that reference. The
underlying intent is One who supplicates himself to Hashem
and places his trust in Him, and asks for mercy that his children
should live a life of Torah and fear of G-d (i.e., and do mitzvot),
HaKadosh Baruch Hu will help him, that from his children he
will derive honor and prestige in this world, apart from the great
reward that is hidden away for him in Olam Haba.

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Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

9th Chapter
An explanation of the profound sin of boys and girls
dancing together, and the enormous responsibility
\ obligation to rebuke them for doing this.
Something else you must know, that nowadays the breach in
Torah that has spread to many places as boys (who reject mussar
and who are wild in nature) dance with young girls at weddings
it is an extreme sin, and in so doing they violate many, many
esurim. Chazal have since said (Gemara Berachot 61a) One
who gazes at a woman, even if only at the pinky finger of a
woman, since he looked at her in order to take pleasure even if
he has acquired Torah and good deeds he will not be exonerated
from the judgment of Gehinnom. All this even if he merely looks
at her, and how much even more so here where he dances with
her and violates what is written in the Torah (Bamidbar 15:39)
Do not follow after the lusts of your heart or after the lusts of
your eyes (as this is explained in Sefer Chinuch; please see that
reference). This person also violates what is written (Devarim
23:10) and be careful to avoid anything bad. Regarding this
Chazal have said (Gemara Avodah Zara, 20b) This pasuk is a
warning to man not to have lewd thoughts in the daytime and
come to defile himself at night. Even a casual improper thought
of intimacy is forbidden by the Torah, in order that he should not
come to a state of defilement, and all the more so this man who
is publicly doing something intentional to bring himself to a state
of lewd thoughts and to gaze at her, and without any doubt this
will ultimately bring him to a state of defilement at night. And

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above all else It is common that in dancing with a woman this

man violates the Lav of (Vayikrah 18:6) Do not come close to
reveal her nakedness, since the ruling of our Authorities is well
known that our young women are in the category of Niddah from
the time they reach the age of having their period, and at that
time they enter into the category of women with whom any form
of intimacy is forbidden. On occasion these men will hug and
kiss their partner while they are dancing, as the Yetzer Hara is
inflaming the passion within him, and in so doing he violates this
Lav as we wrote above in the 8th perek quoting the Rambam. This
is a very extreme sin and is one of the companions to Arayot
\ intimacy for which one is required to forfeit his life and not
violate it even if he is being forcibly compelled to do so. Woe,
woe unto those who do this with utter contempt!
Even if this woman is going to be his future wife, for example, that
Tenaim were written, nevertheless these things are all forbidden
and there is absolutely no leniency in this regard because they
signed Tenaim. Moreover, this evil behavior of coming close
to each other can lead them to violate many profound sins whose
punishment is Karet, G-d save us. Regarding this Chazal have
already said: Tell the Nazir (Gemara Shabbat, 13a) Go around
it, circle around it, and dont even come close to the grape
vineyard.
The Sefer Chasidim in section #168 is quoted as follows: Do not
intermingle boys and girls lest they come to commit sin, as it
states (Yirmiyah 31:12) Then the young woman will be joyous
with her cymbal meaning, alone, by herself. The text further
states (Yirmiyah 31:12) Young men and old men together. And
so too at the end of Tehilim (148:12) it states Young men and
also young women, and it does not state Young men together
with young women, as it did state young men together with
old men.
There was an incident involving a man who was riding by himself
at night in the desert under the light of a shining moon. He saw
a long line of big wagons with men sitting in the wagons as they

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in My treasuries is because there are two varieties of annihilators, and

one of them is more horrible than the other. For one of them sequestering
alone helps, that it will not see the person whose actions created it and
harm him. The second one is so enormously cruel that it must literally
be restrained and locked up in a storehouse specifically prepared for it,
in order to prevent it from doing evil to this man. This is all expressed
precisely in the language of the text (Devarim 32:33) Serpents venom
is their wine, like the poison of cruel vipers corresponding to these two
varieties of annihilators. Thus the text concludes with the words But this
is all concealed with Me for the future, retained in My treasuries, each of
these annihilators based on their nature).

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were being pulled by other men. The rider was astonished by

what he saw. When he came closer to them he recognized some
of the men as already having died. He said to them What
is this, that all night you are pulling these wagons while some
of you are riding in the wagons? They said to him This is
because of our sins. When we were alive in the world we would
play with women and young girls, now we pull these wagons
until we are exhausted and so weary that we can no longer pull
them. Then the men who are riding come off of the wagon and
we go up into the wagons to rest, and they pull us until they are
exhausted, and then they go up and rest (and we go back down and
pull the wagons again). This is the meaning of the text (Amos
2:13) Now, I will load you down in your place with a heavy load
just as a wagon is loaded down with a heavy load of sheaves of
straw, as it states (Yeshaya 5:18) Woe unto those who pull sin
onto themselves with ropes of falsehood, as thick as the ropes of
a wagon of (loaded down with) sin, (meaning, from every sin
there is created an annihilator,10 and it is created as being very
heavy, as heavy as a loaded wagon which must be pulled with
very thick ropes, and against his will man (these men) must pull
them because of their fright. This is all included in the framework
of everything is measure for measure. Just as in this world
each one was dancing with his partner to the point of exhaustion
and then he had to rest, and the next one would then step in and
10. Quoting from the Mazal Elul English translation of the Chafetz Chayims
ZTL Sefer Nidchei Yisrael, in the 28th chapter (translated and produced by
the Mazal Elul Congregation, printed by the Mazal Press, and distributed
by Feldheim publishers, 5770): All of this alludes to the creation of
annihilators whose being is completed with the completion of the sin.
These annihilators are ready and are on standby to immediately attack
this person with all of their power and destroy him. Now, if one were to
ask: Where are they? Dont we see people committing sins every day and
there is no Satan or bad mishap befalling them? To this question the text
responds But this is all concealed with Me for the future, retained in My
treasuries. I have sequestered them and sealed them in My storehouse and
I will not let them out to destroy this person because he might do Teshuvah.
(The reason the text repeated this is all concealed with Meretained

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dance before him until he became exhausted, and then the first
one would repeat it and so it is repeated again back and forth
therefore, so too was their punishment the same). The ones
who are upright \ Yesharim would beat the ones who were
walking [the ones called upright are the agents of the Heavenly
Court to mete our strict punishment, and they closely accompany
them; this is because the word used by the text (Yesharim)
is a hint to this punishment, as it states there (Tehilim 42:15)
upright ones] who lead the animal that is pulling the wagon, as
it states (Tehilim 49:13) they are compared to animals who are
silent, and after that it states the upright ones will rule them in
the morning (a reference to the time of Geulah) [meaning, it is
evident that the upright ones lead the ones who are walking just
as they would lead an animal]. One who does act of an animal
while he is alive must work in that (future) world like an animal.
The Sefer Chasidim is quoted up until this point. Therefore man
must be very, very careful in this regard.
It is common knowledge that the mitzvah of reprimanding a
fellow Jew is an obligation from the Torah that applies to every
Jew when a fellow Jew violates an esur, as it states (Vayikrah
19:17) You shall certainly rebuke your brother and by virtue of
rebuking him he saves himself from being punished for that same
sin. Just as HaKadosh Baruch Hu will exact punishment from
the person who commits the sin, so too He will exact punishment
from those who had the ability to rebuke and yet did not rebuke
he is punished for that same sin, as Chazal have said (Gemara
Shabbat 55a) One who has the ability to rebuke the residents of
his city, and does not rebuke them will be punished because of
them. And one who has the ability to rebuke his household and
does not rebuke them will be punished for the same sins of his
household. It is also common knowledge that every sin which is
committed in public is more serious than that same sin committed
in private and is categorized as a public desecration of Hashems
Name. In this situation the obligation to reprimand is very much
greater, so that no one will say the mitzvot of HaKadosh Baruch
Hu (i.e., the esurim) are permitted. Therefore, regarding this

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evil lifestyle where people publicly violate this profound sin of

coming close to illicit relations and lewd thoughts of intimacy as
mentioned above, every person whose heart has been touched
by a fear of Heaven, G-d forbid that he should remain silent and
not protest this. And whoever has the ability to rebuke, and did
not rebuke, he too will be punished for having committed this
profound sin, as mentioned above.
A similar concept is also brought down in the Midrash Vayikrah
Rabbah (4th parasha, 6th notation) in commentary on the pasuk
(Yirmiyah 50:17) Israel is like a sheep separated from its flock;
- Israel, who is compared to a sheep. It is the nature of sheep
that if one of its limbs is hit, all of them feel it (meaning, all of
the sheep in the flock follow one after the other, and when one of
them is struck in one of its limbs and can no longer walk, all of
them stand still in place). So too Israel, one sins and all of them
are punished. Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai taught the following
parable This is comparable to men who were traveling in a
boat. One of them took a drill and began to drill a hole under
him. His fellow passengers said to him Why are you doing
this?! He said to them: Why should you care, Im only drilling
under myself! They said to him Because you will sink the ship
on top of us; please see that reference.
He (the one who is rebuking) must work to gently demonstrate to
them the profound seriousness of this sin, and how shameful it is,
since apart from the seriousness of the sin itself, it is a disgrace
to the Jewish people who were always praised for their modesty,
and this great breach in the law is very degrading. It is only
because of the seduction of the Yetzer Hara that young people
see this behavior as being permissible, and they give no serious
thought to this profound sin and its disgrace. Even if they dont
listen to him (to their father husband), still, he has fulfilled the
mitzvah of rebuking, and in so doing he saves his own soul. Yet
it is true that even if they all dont listen to him, there certainly
are many observant young men who have fallen into this sin
because they give no thought to the seriousness of the esur, and

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when he demonstrates to them the seriousness of the sin and its

consequences they will certainly separate themselves from it.
How so very great is the merit of the one who rebukes others
and stops them from doing this sin, that when a profound sin
is committed publicly and there is no one to be found who will
protest that matter, there is G-d forbid a great angering of
Hashem against all of them, since they are publicly rejecting the
Will of the King, and there is no man there who has concern
for the honor of the King and who is zealous for Him; and the
one who does have concern for His honor and zealously stands
in His defense his merit is great since his actions calm down
the anger of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, as we find in regard to the
zealousness of Pinchas in defense of Hashems honor, as the
text states (Bamidbar 25:12) I now give him My covenant of
peace because he reversed Hashems anger against Israel by his
zealousness for Hashem. The Midrash relates a parable in this
regard: This is comparable to a king who was passing by a group
of young men and one of them cursed the king thereby arousing
the kings fury against the group. One of the men in the group
immediately slapped the face of the one who cursed the king, and
immediately the kings anger subsided. (End quote)
On top of all of this, I find incredible the behavior of the two
families, the parents of the groom and bride, whose entire essence
and desire is to see good done for their children, to bring them
into their wedding, and to live together in peace, and that their
descendants will be righteous, and merit from Hashem wealth
and blessings and so too did Chazal institute seven blessing
for this couple, that Hashems blessings should be invoked on
them by virtue of His Yitbarach (Blessed) presence among them,
in which case with absolute certainty the blessings of Hashem
will come true for them throughout their entire lives since people
bless them in the Name of Hashem [as the text states (Shemot
20:21) In every place where I permit My Name to be mentioned
I will come to you and bless you (Rashi)]. All this is so if the
wedding and celebration followed the Halacha and the Will of
Hashem Yitbarach. But if deep sadness is intermingled in the

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wedding celebration, that the celebrants are behaving in an

immoral way, which is something that is despised and disgusting
in the eyes of HaKadosh Baruch Hu (since HaKadosh Baruch Hu
despises decadence) (Rhetorically) Is it possible that Hashems
blessings will be invoked on that couple; will the blessings under
the Chupah that are said in His Name have any meaning if at
that same they violate His Will with utter contempt, as the text
states (Devarim 23:15) and there shall not be seen among you
anything that is Ervah, or I will turn away and leave you. And
in fact this is stated explicitly in Sefer Beit Shemuel, in Shulchan
Aruch volume Ehven HaEzer, in section #62, that one may not
say the Beracha of and the joy is in His abode at a time when
men and women are sitting together, and necessarily they will
come to have lewd thoughts. And how much even more so in this
situation where men and women are dancing together which is
something never even dreamed possible by our Early Sages, that
behavior such as this could be found in Jewish society. And since
this bridal couple will now remain without Hashems blessings,
what chance is there to hope for their eventual peace (harmony)
and good (blessing)!
Therefore every man and woman who truly wants good for their
children, that all of the Berachot being said for them under their
Chupah will result in the Blessings of Hashem being invoked on
them, these parents should work with all of their efforts that their
childrens wedding celebration will be truly joyous in following
the laws of the Torah, and in so doing it should bring a sense
of pleasure and satisfaction to Hashem, that there should not
be found in that wedding celebration any hints of immorality
such as these (i.e., immodest dress, mixed dancing and \ or the
music of the gentile environment) which are disgusting in the
eyes of Hashem Yitbarach. They should seek out strategies and
subterfuges in order not to come to this, and in the merit of their
efforts to uphold the Will of Hashem Yitbarach, Hashem will
give them the merit to see from their children generations that
are righteous, descendants who are blessed by Hashem, as the
pasuk relates (Tehilim 112:1-2) Praiseworthy is the man who

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is in fear of Hashem, strong in the land will be his children, a

blessed generation of upright people and others will see and do
likewise, and the publics merit will be ascribed to him.

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service was mandatory, and this was a real concern of parents who were
looking for a shidduch for their daughter; perhaps in todays society the
equivalent is parents looking for a shidduch with a boy who is financially
secure.

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Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

10th Chapter
An explanation of the obligation parents have to
be proactive and marry off their daughters while
they are young.
Now, the basic reason which leads to all of this immoral behavior
is putting off marriage (for whatever reason), which occurs
nowadays because of our many sins which is contrary to
human nature, and because of this the power of the Yetzer Hara
has increased greatly and leads to many, many sins. Regarding
this Chazal have already said (Gemara Yevamot 62b) One
who marries off a son or daughter close to the time they reach
marriageable age, regarding them the text states (Iyov 5:24)
"You will know your tent will be peaceful (there will be Shalom
Bayit in your family), you will be together (complete) in your
house and will not sin. In the country of Bavel (Iraq) and its
surroundings, the custom even today is for parents to marry off
their daughters while they are in their youth, and how pleasurable
that is for her father, because in so doing apart from his protecting
them not to come to sin, as that Gemara elaborates on this, he
automatically relieves himself of the burden of their support, and
he will not be forced to take care of their needs until they are old
and frail.
Now, in most instances the main reason for delaying marriage
is because the parents are searching for a man who has satisfied
his military service11 and who has all of the good attributes that
11. Noting the Chafetz Chayim ZTL wrote this Kuntres in 5684, when military

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parents want for their daughters (i.e., Torah observant, rich,

handsome, intelligent, good family, healthy, etc.). However, in
reality what they are doing is not right, because even if they dont
find a man with all of the desirable attributes they wanted, or he
has not fulfilled his military obligation, nevertheless, they should
still engage their daughter to him since their daughter has reached
the age of marriage. Chazal have expressed this as (Yeshayah
45:18) It is not for no reason He created it (the world), He
created it to populate it. Moreover, Chazal have said (Gemara
Pesachim,113a) Your daughter has reached marriageable age,
emancipate your servant and give her to him. Man should not
make a basic mistake and say Delaying marriage is a good
thing for my daughter because that is not so, since this delay
will accustom her to move her lifestyle towards immorality, and
G-d forbid she could come to the point of decadence and other
ruinous things, since women can be easily swayed, and the father
himself will later regret this and nothing will remove his great
shame. It is also common knowledge that delaying marriage for
an extensive time will bring this single person to a state of illness.
That which the father thought that by searching hard on behalf
of his daughter for a man with many of these fine qualities he
will gain for her wealth and happiness is not so, since everything
depends on a persons Mazal \ destiny. The Gra has written about
this concept in his holy letter (Aleem LeTerufah), that every single
person is born with his unique destiny and the Providence of the
Almighty G-d, Blessed is He. It is also common knowledge that
once they mature to a much older age they do not listen at all to
their parents and they will choose a husband on their own based
on whoever appeals to them, even if it contrary to the will of her
entire family.
Therefore, a father with foresight should not delay the marriage
of his daughter if a proper man is presented to them who follows
in the path of Hashem \ who lives a life of Torah and mitzvot
so that the matter wont become problematic in marrying her
off. Even if this man is not completely free of his military
service, nevertheless the father should not put off his daughters

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marriage.12 Please see the end of my Kuntres Davar Betau where

there I explain at length a refutation to all of the arguments and
reasoning that are made in this regard to delay marriage.
He should also understand clearly something else, that it is very
much better to engage ones daughter to a man who is proper
even if he has not completed his military service than to engage
her to a man who is not proper but has completed his military
service, because one relationship is for all of eternity while the
other relationship is temporary \ passing. Those parents who delay
and do not marry their daughters to these men who are proper,
even though they have reached marriageable age, by arguing that
the man is not at their level of social status, will have to give
a reckoning and accounting on their day of judgment because
they are bringing their daughters to the point of committing sin,
as mentioned above. Because of our many sins, this has been
tested by lifes experiences in other countries where the society
there behaves in this same way and routinely delays the marriage
of their daughters, and subsequently their daughters come to
much ruination and also develop illnesses, G-d should protect us.
Praiseworthy is the one who puts his trust in G-d and behaves
in the same way that our forefathers acted, and with absolute
certainty He will not withhold His good from those who walk \
who live their lives in pure wholehearted devotion.

12. During World War II, in 1943, my father AH, was on active duty based
in Alabama and came home to Brooklyn on a three-day furlough in order
to marry my mother, after which time he returned back to his base. My
mother subsequently joined him there for a short time, living in off-base
barracks built by the army for the wives of base soldiers.

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Final Chapter - An open letter

Chafetz Chayim

Geder Olam

Final Chapter - An open letter

Regarding the enormous obligation to fix this
breach in the modesty of womens clothes.
We will explain here that besides the great many
serious sins associated with immodest dress
Heaven forbid immodest dress causes harsh
sufferings both to the general public and to the
individual.
(This letter is dated) With Hashems help, Rosh Chodesh
Tammuz, 5684 (1924), Radin.
A letter addressed to the honorable rabbis and Chassidic leaders
in every town and city; Perhaps it is within your power to repair
this problem to an extent and your reward from Hashem will
be great.
I am greatly pained both because of this matter itself and also
from the astonishment of the public even though they all believe
in G-d, that everything that happens Below (in this world) either
for good or for not good, everything is only from HaKadosh
Baruch Hu, nevertheless, everyone remains passive and silent,
and they see it as being something that is astonishing Why
have the times turned to be so bad?! Apart from the fact that
wherever Jews may be throughout the world, they are subjugated
to the society in which they live, the cost of living increases daily,

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Final Chapter - An open letter

and their taxes and the fees imposed on them are also greatly
increasing very much that innocent young school children are
idle in hundreds of cities (they must go out and work to earn
money, or their parents cannot afford to educate them). Also,
the level of livelihood everywhere is very bad. In summary, the
Jewish people are lamenting and everyone is complaining about
how bad their situation is.
In prior years even though there existed oppressions and
burdensome decrees, still, one who had an innocent perfect
devotion to Hashem could take a level of personal solace and
say Even though the materialistic issues in his life were not
proceeding as he wished, still, in matters of ones soul he trusted
that he is not distant from HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and assuredly
He will stand at his right hand side, as the pasuk states (Tehilim
109:31) For (Hashem) stands at the right of the pauper to save
him from the judgments of his soul. But nowadays, because
of our many sins, we are very embittered on all sides, because
when he himself looks into matters of this world there is no day
that goes by whose curses are not worse than those of the day
before. And when he thinks about his end in matters of Torah
and mitzvot also, he has no success. And even though every
Jew requests of HaKadosh Baruch Hu that He should listen to
his request and do good to him as he desired, he is not listened
to (i.e., his prayers are not answered). Isnt this something (to
wonder about)!
Ive said that the main reason for this is that we ourselves distance
HaKadosh Baruch Hu from us. He commands us (Vayikrah
20:7) Sanctify yourselves and you will be holy. Regarding
this, Chazal have said (Gemara Yoma 39a) Whoever sanctifies
himself Below they (Heaven) will sanctify him On High.
Whoever sanctifies himself a little, they sanctify him greatly.
Whoever sanctifies himself in this world, they sanctify him in
Olam Haba. One text states (Devarim 23:15) For Hashem your
G-d walks among your camp (i.e., in your society) to save you and
to give over your enemy before you (i.e., to you) and your camp
shall be holy, and there shall not be seen among you anything that

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Final Chapter - An open letter

is Ervah or I will turn away and leave you, (and the expression
to save you includes a great many subjects to save you from
the sword, from hunger, from captivity, from degradation). The
text openly explained this to us, that as we will become sanctified
He will walk among us to save us from everything that is evil.
But if He sees immorality in our society, He will then turn away
from us (i.e., Hester panim) and automatically all of these
issues will come upon us, G-d forbid.
Chazal have already said (Gemara Berachot 24a) One Tefach
exposed of a womens body in a place that is normally covered is
categorized as nakedness, and nowadays because of our many
sins this breach in modesty has spread very, very much, and the
Yetzer Hara seduces women to appear in public with their hair
exposed, without any head covering at all, and to also appear in
public with their arms exposed, as their dress apparel is sleeveless,
and even more so that a substantial part of their apparel (the
styling of their clothes) in particular next to their heart and next
other parts of their body all of it is exposed so that no matter
where man looks he will see nakedness, and necessarily all of
the blessings a man makes in his home or while he is praying at
home are said facing his wife or his grown daughter (i.e., more
than eleven years of age) all of them are said facing nakedness.
It is common knowledge that every Beracha contains the holy
Name, and that being so just as when one pronounces a Beracha
appropriately he draws onto himself that blessing, as it states
(Shemot 20:21) In every place where I permit My Name to be
spoken I will come to you and bless you (Rashi), so too in an
opposite sense, G-d forbid, if one pronounces a Beracha while
facing an Ervah \ while facing nakedness, G-d forbid, he invokes
poverty onto himself as related in Gemara Nedarim (7b) In all
places where the Name is spoken inappropriately, there in that
place will be found poverty (please see the commentary of the
Ran and the Rosh on that referenced Gemara).
Quoting the referenced Ran on (Gemara Nedarim, 7b):
As the text states In every place where I permit My Name to

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Final Chapter - An open letter

be spoken I will come to you and bless you, and in the same
way that speaking The Name of Hashem for a mitzvah brings
blessings and wealth, so too speaking The Name in vain causes
poverty. Alternatively, since it says in the context of swearing an
oath falsely (Zechariah 5:4) It will destroy his wood and stones
(i.e., his house) and in Masechet Temurah (3b) the utterance
of The Name in vain is equated to swearing falsely. The Ran is
quoted up until this point. So too did the Tosafot write there.
Quoting the referenced Rosh on (Gemara Nedarim, 7b):
As it is written: In every place where I permit My Name to be
spoken I will come to you and bless you, and bless means
with wealth, as it states (Devarim 24:19) and Hashem will bless
you with all of the efforts of you hand. Since the mention (of
Hashems Name) which is a mitzvah that enriches, the inference
is the mention of a sin (i.e., speaking words of Kedusha while
facing an Ervah) causes one to become impoverished. The Rosh
is quoted up until this point.
It is common knowledge that the destiny of man is that he will
pass away, even if he lives for a thousand years he must return
his soul back to Elokim and give an accounting and a reckoning
for all of his actions and for everything he spoke. Then at that
time they (Heaven) will find that thousands upon thousands of
Berachot and holy Names had no attached holiness and did not
ascend at all to Heaven, and he will be prosecuted for each one of
them at the time of his judgment. More than this, we find Chazal
have taught in commentary on the pasuk (Amos 4:3) and they
replay for man all of his conversations, that even the most casual
of conversations is told (replayed) to man at the time of his trial.
The emerging rule is that this abhorrent lifestyle brings a man to
a state of evil (i.e., lewd) thoughts, and on occasion to ejecting
semen in vain, G-d forbid, (and in so doing he is putting his
young children at risk of harm, as the Gaon Yaabetz writes

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Final Chapter - An open letter

in his siddur). Practically speaking this abhorrent lifestyle is

almost an intentional rejection of the Will of HaKadosh Baruch
Hu, who said to us (Devarim 23:15) and your society (lit., your
encampment) shall be holy, and there shall not be seen among you
anything that is Ervah (meaning, any aspect of immodesty).
It is common knowledge that if a fire is spreading in the kings
vineyard and the blaze is raging, an announcement is made by
the kings senior advisors to the general population Strengthen
yourselves, all of you organize yourselves to extinguish the fire
by whatever means you can, since the kings vineyard is being
burned by this fire. But if you are lazy in this regard, understand
clearly that it could cost you your lives, G-d forbid, and you will
be called rebels against the king, since you are uncaring about
the kings honor. But if you assemble and organize appropriately
to fight the fire and extinguish it, each one of you will receive
reward and distinguished honor proportional to your efforts.
So too in our discussion. It is known that the Jewish nation is called
Hashems vineyard, as the text states (Yeshaya 5:7) because
the House of Israel is Hashems vineyard. But because of our
many sins a raging fire has engulfed His vineyard in many places
because of this abhorrent lifestyle and the Force of Defilement is
greatly increasing. Chazal have described this (Gemara Avodah
Zara 20b) in commentary on the pasuk (Devarim 23:10) and
protect yourselves from everything that is evil as a warning not
to have lewd thoughts in the daytime and come to be defiled at
night and then necessarily it will cause Hashems Providence
and blessings to be withdrawn from each person in his business,
and as a consequence all of these troubles and sufferings will
befall society, as written in our Kabbalistic books (please see the
following Hagahah).
Hagahah
Even though we ask of Hashem in our prayers (Tehilim 51:13)
Dont discard us from before You and dont remove the spirit

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had relations with that Moabite woman (i.e., with Cosby Bat Tzur, the
daughter of the king of Moab). The fact that no king or judge emerged
from the tribe of Shimon demonstrates just how severe is the punishment
for being intimate with a gentile woman.. Moreover, anyone who lusts
for this sickness of forbidden intimate relations will eventually destroy his
soul and will cause it to be denied everlasting life in Olam Haba. Not
only does this person destroy himself by this sin, but as a result of his evil
even good people are punished. Chazal have expressed this concept as
(Midrash Rabbah Beresheet 2:5) Wherever there is sexual decadence,
an unrestrained punishing force \ Anderolomusya is unleashed on the
world and kills both good and bad alike.

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Geder Olam
Final Chapter - An open letter

of Your holiness from us, nevertheless, the Satan cleverly strips

away the Force of Holiness from the Jewish people. What has
he done? He incites their passions, that young women should
appear virtually undressed so that no matter where a man looks
he will inevitably see nakedness. This was in fact the strategy
used by Bilam the Rasha, that he persuaded the women of Moav
to walk around naked in order to cause the men of Israel to
sin.13 Regarding this Chazal have said (Gemara Bechorot 5b)
in commentary on the pasuk (Bamidbar 25:2) They called
the nation to the service of their gods; they were met by naked
ones who accosted them, yet the text loudly protest and states
(Devarim 23:15) your society shall be holy, and there should not
be seen among you anything that is Ervah \ sexually inciting.
Here we see the Torah defines our level of sanctity as being
directly related to our observance of modesty (lit., that holiness
and Hashems open Providence is contingent on this). And that
which the Yetzer Hara historically had to toil for many years to
accomplish is now achieved in a very short period of time.
Now, even though we are not on a high level, that our thoughts
should be refined and pure, still, at the very least man must
be very careful not to bring himself to a state of having lewd
thoughts. Regarding this Chazal have said (Gemara Niddah 13b)
Whoever brings himself to a state of having lewd thoughts will
not be allowed into the Chamber \ into a closeness with HaKadosh
Baruch Hu. Therefore, every man is obligated to remedy the
13. Quoting from the Mazal Elul English translation of the Chafetz Chayims
ZTL Sefer Nidchei Yisrael, volume 1, 20th chapter, page 447 (Produced by
the Mazal Elul Congregation, published by the Mazal Press and distributed
by Feldheim Publishers, 5770): I will therefore say (emphatically), how
great is the severity of this sin, that 24,000 Jews from the tribe of Shimon
died in a plague because they actively engaged in this sin of illicit relations
(with Moabite women). Throughout history there has not been one single
tribe that was not represented by a king or by a national judge that led the
entire nation except for the tribe of Shimon which did not raise up a king or
a judge because this tribe actively participated in the sin of relations with
gentile woman, as personified by the tribes leader, Zimri, who publicly

109

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Chafetz Chayim
Geder Olam
Final Chapter - An open letter

style of living of his family so that his wife and daughters (lit.,
the members of his household) will not appear with their arms
uncovered, and so too all of their clothing should be styled
modestly as the halacha requires, in order not to bring one to a
state of having lewd thoughts. And if he is ridiculed because of
this he should not pay any attention to their taunts. Regarding
this Chazal have said (Eduyot, 5th perek: 6th Mishnah) Better for
a man to be called a fool all of his life and not be a Rasha for even
one moment before Hashem. In this merit Hashem will grant
him sons who will be Talmidei Chachamim.
Therefore, the responsibility rests on every person to extinguish
this raging fire and make sure that within his own household
everything will be done as the halacha requires, and their behavior
\ lifestyle will not breach halacha, G-d forbid. In so doing he will
merit descendants who are righteous and will be counted among
the holy ones Above.
This responsibility is even more incumbent on the Rabbis of the
community and on everyone in every city who is zealous to guard
the honor of the Word of Hashem, to lecture publicly about this
basic, profound topic which affects our very existence and the
success of our material being and our spiritual being, both in this
world and in Olam Haba. In so doing they will fulfill the words
of the Torah and your society shall be holy. (Devarim 23:15)
These are the words of one who writes for the honor of Hashem
and His Torah, and who suffers with the sufferings of His nation,
Israel, who yearns for the final Redemption, quickly in our
lifetime; Amen!
Yisrael Meir, the son of Rabbi Ze'ev HaCohen

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