Lesson 56
To sponsor a lesson send a message to the following
address
segulah4singles-owner@yahoogroups.com
Lesson #56
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
Believing loshon
horah when told by 2 people
#1
- If 2 people told me the same loshon horah, may I believe
them?
- No. Since by saying loshon horah they are sinning and are
themselves considered evil doers, you certainly can’t believe them to
lower the status of a Jew who until now was considered upstanding. One who
speaks loshon horah is also likely to alter the story, exaggerate, or even
outright lie. Even if 100 people or more told you the same loshon horah,
you may not believe them.
#2
- What if 2 people are telling me the same loshon horah but
are not sinning because it’s for a valid purpose? Am I allowed to believe
them? Don’t we say that 2 witnesses are believed on all matters?
- Two witnesses are believed on all matters only when they
testify in Bais Din (a court that judges solely according to the laws of
the Torah). Outside of Bais Din, their words do not carry that same weight.
Therefore, you may only suspect but not believe.
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: The Sifrei states that the posuk in Mishlei
compares Torah to water.
Menaseh: In what way are they similar?
Oded: Just as water is the basis for life, so too,
Torah is the basis for life. Just as water purifies a person, so too, Torah
purifies a person.
Menaseh: How does water purify?
Oded: If a person becomes impure, he goes into the
mikvah. By doing so, he becomes purified.
Menaseh: Does the mikvah purify the entire body of a
person?
Oded: Yes; and Torah has the same effect as well.
Menaseh: What do you mean by that?
Oded: If a person has defiled all the limbs of his
body with sins, by immersing himself in Torah learning, he can purify his
entire body.
Menaseh: That’s pretty powerful!
Oded: However, just as with a mikvah, in order for
it to purify the person it must reach his entire body and there cannot be
anything separating between the water and his body; so too, when one immerse
himself in Torah, he must truly subjugate his entire body to the Torah.
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. 7 Par. 3
2) Sefer Chofetz Chaim Sec. 1 Chap. 7 Par. 3
Agaddah
Sefer Shmiras Haloshon Sha’ar Hatorah Chap 1