Lesson 36c Loshon horah about a city – About someone who spoke about you
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Lesson #36c
Please verbalize or
have in mind that you are studying this material as a merit for a specific
single and/or Jewish singles throughout the world.
Halachah
Speaking loshon
horah about a city
#1
- I was a guest in a certain city and suffice it to say, I
was not treated as would be proper to treat a guest. I’m wondering if I
would be permitted to share this information with other people.
- Absolutely not! It is forbidden to speak loshon horah
about individuals and even more so about an entire city. The exception is,
if you’re speaking to someone who has an influence over the people of that
particular city and your intention is solely for their benefit. Care however
must be taken to adhere to the 7 conditions (See appendix below).
Speaking loshon
horah about someone who spoke loshon horah about you
#2
- I occasionally try to stop my friends from speaking loshon
horah and the response I often get is “Well, I was told that she spoke
loshon horah about me”. Is there any legitimacy to this justification?
- No; for 2 reasons:
- She has no right to believe that her friend spoke loshon
horah about her, as will be discuss in future lessons. - Even if it’s true that her friend spoke loshon horah
about her, that doesn’t give her the justification to speak about her
friend. Since she herself was the victim, her intention will certainly
not be altruistic, i.e. to distance others from such behavior, but rather
to get back at her friend for speaking about her.
Aggadah
This section is
formatted as a conversation between Oded and Menaseh. Oded is encouraging his
friend Menaseh to be more careful in guarding his tongue from evil speech. The
thoughts in this section are primarily based on the sefer, Shmiras Haloshon.
Oded: There is a posuk in Mishlei which States:
“There are those who become wealthy but have nothing…”
Menaseh: What does that mean?
Oded: In monetary matters it is common that a person
seems to be climbing higher and higher up the ladder of financial success but
in reality he is getting absolutely no where.
Menaseh: How is that?
Oded: Upon making a true calculation, he will notice,
that just as he is making large profits in his business, he is also incurring
great losses in other areas. At the end of the day he actually has nothing.
Menaseh: Okay; but why is Shlomo Hamelech telling
this to us in Mishlei; it must be a parable to something more meaningful?
Oded: It certainly is! A person may do many mitzvos
and good deeds; however, if he has an evil nature to constantly degrade others,
when he comes to the upper world he will see that he has nothing. All the grapevines
and plants that he planted in Gan Eden for himself will be covered with thorns
and thistles; to the extent that his grapevines of good deeds will no longer be
recognizable.
Menaseh: Is there a reason why you suddenly started
waxing poetically about grapevines and thorns?
Oded: Absolutely! I will elaborate tomorrow.
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questions regarding these lessons, feel free to contact Rabbi Faivel Adelman clicking here.
If you know others
who would appreciate this program, please encourage them to join. The more
people participating, the greater the zechus! In addition, you will have a
share in the merit of anyone who improves their speech as a result of you
signing them onto this program!!
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If you have any
questions regarding these lessons, feel free to contact Rabbi Faivel Adelman by
hitting the reply button.
If you know others
who would appreciate this program, please encourage them to join. The more
people participating, the greater the zechus! In addition, you will have a
share in the merit of anyone who improves their speech as a result of you
signing them onto this program!!
Sources
Halachah
1) Sefer Chofetz Chaim Sec. 1 Chap. 10
Par. 12
2) Sefer Chofetz Chaim Sec. 1 Chap. 10 Par. 16
Agaddah
Sefer Shmiras Haloshon Section 2 Chap. 1
Appendix
The 7 Conditions
1. You either saw it yourself or heard about it and subsequently verified
its veracity.
2. You must not rush to judgment, but rather weigh carefully whether what
he did is indeed halachicly considered a sin.
3. Before you go public, you must first attempt to gently rebuke him.
4. You must be careful not to exaggerate the transgression.
5. You intentions must be for the right reasons and not out of hatred for
the individual or for personal gain.
6. If you can bring about the same benefit some other way with out
publicizing this fellow’s transgression, then you may not go public.
7. Publicizing his transgression mustn’t cause him more damage than would
be due to him in Beis Din.
