In honor of the Yahrtzeit of the Chafetz Chaim

I have often noticed the MB places a great amount of care in the manner in which he cites earlier posekim[1]. One must distinguish very carefully between a citation in Shaar Tziyon of חיי אדם alone and כן מוכח מחיי אדם or ע' חיי אדם. Further one must assume that if he writes כן מפרש הב"י אליבא דהטור that there are other ways to interpret the טור.




I would like to discuss one such example [2]:








to which Shaar Tziyon 30 ע' שערי תשובה


Shaarei Teshuva 4:








appears to be identical almost word for word with the MB so that one wonders why one must "look at the ST" if he adds no new information? I have a possible theory but I am not so happy with it so I would like to see what my readers can come up with before updating the post [3].

[1] I discussed in an earlier post an interesting rule from R' Yakov concerning the difference between a citation in Shaarei Tziyon and one inside the text. (ע"ש). Someone was kind enough to send me a manuscript of an article that focuses (and expands on that rule). I shall provide the exact reference as soon as it is published.


[2] I picked the first example that I found; I am sure there are better ones. There are various commentaries on the Mishna Berurah (the most well known being the new Oz V' Hadar edition) which I am sure contain much useful information. But I think that it would be very useful if someone would explore the method and meaning of the Mishna Berurah's citation of Peoskim in a systematic non-exegetical manner since, as R' Yaakov points out, the great genius of the Mishna Berurah lies in the careful manner of its writing.


[3] In a similar manner, the Aruch Ha-Shulkhan hides some fascinating chiddushim in his brackets for example [ ובזה מיושב דברי המג"א]. I once expanded on one of these brackets perhaps I will post it some other time. At the moment I know of only one commentary on the AS entitled by the son of R' N. E Rabinowitz (the Yad Peshuta) called 'צפה הצפית'.


Appendix - The famous historical photo of the Chafetz Chaim


I posted earlier on a doctored photograph of the Chafetz Chaim. It seems that this picture can't be allowed to rest in peace. This week the Hamodia published an interview concerning this same picture and in their copy of the picture the women are artificially blurred. See the following thread concerning this issue. (S. posted the following excellent link- I wonder what the new expanded Hebrew version (containing additional notes and sources - and probably Chumrot) of R' Falks sefer has to say about this.)


Somewhat related, see here for a photo of the Netziv's second wife (and the Arukh Ha-Shulchan's daughter) which contains a link to a very moving letter from Prof. Saul Lieberman.