The Chofetz Chaim – Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (1838–1933), universally known as the Chofetz Chaim — named after his landmark work on the laws of speech — is one of the most beloved and universally revered rabbis of the past two centuries. Born in Zhetel, Belarus, he settled in Radin, Poland, where he opened a small grocery store and yeshiva and lived a life of extraordinary piety and simplicity.

The Chofetz Chaim's most famous works are his two foundational books on the prohibition of lashon hara (forbidden speech): Chofetz Chaim (1873) and Shmirat HaLashon. These works — the first systematic treatment of speech ethics in Jewish law — transformed how Jews worldwide think about words, gossip, and interpersonal relationships. His Mishnah Berurah, a monumental commentary on the laws of daily Jewish life, is studied and relied upon by Ashkenazic Jews to this day.

He lived to age 95, witnessing the rise of secular nationalism, two world wars, the destruction of Eastern European Jewry, and never wavering in his faith or his message of Torah, kindness, and guarded speech. He was a man who truly lived what he taught.

A portrait of the Chofetz Chaim in your home is a daily reminder of the power of words — and the beauty of a life dedicated to truth and kindness.

• ✦ Museum-quality UV printing on premium materials
• ✦ Available in Canvas, Aluminum, and Glass finishes
• ✦ Multiple sizes — from intimate to statement-making
• ✦ Ready to hang upon arrival
• ✦ Custom sizes available — DM us