"Hi, Moishi! It is sure good to see that you have come home from the yeshiva.
Daddy isn't here right now, so maybe you can help me with my homework? I'm
having a real rough time," pleaded Shanny.
"But you are better than me in math. What do you need my help for?" countered
Moishi.
"No, it isn't math at all. The morah of my hashkofoh class told us
to summarize what the Sefer HaChinuch writes about a certain mitzvah,"
Shanny replied.
"So what's so hard about that?" insisted an amazed Moishi.
"Well, for you it's probably not so difficult, but look inside at what the
Chinuch writes on this mitzvah. First of all, the language isn't at all
what I am used to. The syntax of his sentences is surely not modern Hebrew. It
is like a riddle for me. Secondly, the text is interwoven with all sorts of
halochos. I just don't know where to start and where to end!" concluded a
desperate Shanny.
The Kitzur Sefer HaChinuch written by HaRav Osher Wasserman, the acclaimed
author of many well-accepted seforim, is not a cut-down version of the
Sefer HaChinuch, leaving out the halochos and any considerably
lengthy text. HaRav Osher Wasserman has presented us with a true state-of-the-
art work.
Although he has preserved the beauty of the Chinuch's original language whenever
possible, he has made this classic sefer of one of the Rishonim readable
even for those unacquainted with the intricate style of Talmudic and rabbinical
literature. Besides making the language much clearer for contemporary readers,
he has removed from the text material that confuses someone who is looking only
for an explanation of the mitzvah and its reasons. This, of course, necessitated
reviewing the entire text and then putting all the details together in a flowing
and logical order.
The posuk teaching us each mitzvah is presented before every entry of the
Chinuch, the text is in large and sharp fonts and the words are fully-
punctuated, with plenty of space around the text to make it even more enjoyable
to read.
Let us take one example out of many: In mitzvah 400, the mitzvah of
nachalos, of inheritance, the regular text is more than five long columns
of small print, but the Kitzur Sefer HaChinuch uses only two small
paragraphs for lucidly explaining the mitzvah and its reasons.
Gedolei Yisroel such as Maran HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, HaRav Nissim
Karelitz, the rosh kollel of Kollel Chazon Ish, HaRav Yitzchok Silberstein, the
rov of the Ramat Elchonon neighborhood of Bnei Brak and many other rabbonim,
highly praise this sefer and emphasize the great benefit one can derive
from it, since it helps one acquire a comprehensive understanding of all the
mitzvos of the Torah.
It is especially helpful for young students and promotes the understanding of
the inner reasons for our mitzvos. Reviewing the mitzvos taught to us in the
parsha of the week, at the Shabbos table, will undoubtedly bring an
enormous reinforcement of their observance.
Now Shanny doesn't need Moishi to come home from yeshiva to explain to her what
the Sefer HaChinuch is writing . . . and to be truthful, Moishi himself
will also greatly benefit from the Kitzur Sefer HaChinuch with which HaRav
Osher Wasserman is mezakeh us.
