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Lashon Hara: Difference between revisions
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Lashon Harah is any form of speech or communication that may harm someone else emotionally, financially, physically or damage their general reputation.<ref>Rambam, Hilchot De’ot 7:5. Regarding reputation damage, cf. Chofetz Chaim, Hilchot Lashon Harah 1:1.</ref> The severity of Lashon Harah is so awesome that according to the Chafetz Chaim, violating the prohibition of Loshan Harah entails transgressing at least six negative Biblical commandments and at least two positive commandments.<ref>Chofetz Chaim, Hilchot Lashon Harah, Peticha.</ref> | Lashon Harah is any form of speech or communication that may harm someone else emotionally, financially, physically or damage their general reputation.<ref>Rambam, Hilchot De’ot 7:5. Regarding reputation damage, cf. Chofetz Chaim, Hilchot Lashon Harah 1:1.</ref> The severity of Lashon Harah is so awesome that according to the Chafetz Chaim, violating the prohibition of Loshan Harah entails transgressing at least six negative Biblical commandments and at least two positive commandments.<ref>Chofetz Chaim, Hilchot Lashon Harah, Peticha.</ref> | ||
==General guidelines== | ==General guidelines== | ||
# It’s forbidden to speak about anything negative about a fellow Jew even if it’s true. This prohibition is called Lashon Hara. | # It’s forbidden to speak about anything negative about a fellow Jew even if it’s true. This prohibition is called Lashon Hara. When communicating something false about another person, an even more severe sin is committed, that of Motzei Shem Ra (lit. producing a bad name for someone else). <Ref>Rambam Deot 7:2, Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:1) </ref> | ||
# It’s equally forbidden whether one volunteered or if one was asked for information where one will come to say Lashon Hara or Avak Lashon Hara. One should not listen to one’s father or Rabbi to say Lashon Hara or Avak Lashon Hara. (See circumstances where it is permitted in section Toelet). <Ref>Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:5) </ref> | # It’s equally forbidden whether one volunteered or if one was asked for information where one will come to say Lashon Hara or Avak Lashon Hara. One should not listen to one’s father or Rabbi to say Lashon Hara or Avak Lashon Hara. (See circumstances where it is permitted in section Toelet). <Ref>Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:5) </ref> | ||
# Even if taking upon oneself not to speak Lashon Hara will cause one to | # Even if taking upon oneself not to speak Lashon Hara will cause one to sustain financial loss such as the loss of one’s job (such as where the employer is very immoral and irreligious and considers one who is careful about this prohibition to be a fool and he’ll fire that person), nonetheless, it is forbidden to speak Lashon Hara. <Ref>Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:6) based on Rama YD 157:1 </ref> | ||
# Even if it will cause one embarrassment not to say Lashon Hara one may not say Lashon Hara. <Ref>Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:7) </ref>Needless to say, such a heroic moral stance is rewarded exponentially, in line with the rabbinic dictum "Reward is in proportion to the effort."<ref>Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 5</ref> | # Even if it will cause one embarrassment not to say Lashon Hara one may not say Lashon Hara. <Ref>Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:7) </ref>Needless to say, such a heroic moral stance is rewarded exponentially, in line with the rabbinic dictum "Reward is in proportion to the effort."<ref>Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 5</ref> | ||
# | # This prohibition includes any communication that is verbalized, written, or simply implied even in a silent manner.<Ref>Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:8) </ref> | ||
# Even if while saying Lashon Hara one also degrades oneself it’s still forbidden. <Ref>Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:9) </ref> | # Even if while saying Lashon Hara one also degrades oneself it’s still forbidden. <Ref>Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 1:9) </ref> | ||
==Types of negative information== | ==Types of negative information== | ||
# Information is considered negative and damaging even if what is said is true. The discussion may be of criminal or general misconduct or of lackadaisical Jewish observance – relating either to interpersonal or general spiritual matters. One should not share, for example, that someone else does not give charity or keep kosher. | # Information is considered negative and damaging even if what is said is true and accurate. The discussion may be of criminal or general misconduct or of lackadaisical Jewish observance – relating either to interpersonal or general spiritual matters. One should not share, for example, that someone else does not give charity or keep kosher. | ||
# Defining what is considered negative can be very subjective. It is often relative or subject to judgment of the specific events in question. For example, saying one gives $500 a year to charity may be very positive or very negative, depending on the person being discussed.<ref> Chofetz Chaim, Hilchot Lashon Harah 4:3</ref> | # Defining what is considered negative can be very subjective. It is often relative or subject to judgment of the specific events in question. For example, saying one gives $500 a year to charity may be very positive or very negative, depending on the person being discussed.<ref> Chofetz Chaim, Hilchot Lashon Harah 4:3</ref> | ||
==Listening to Lashon Harah== | ==Listening to Lashon Harah== | ||
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## One's purpose is to protect the employer and not because of personal hatred with the employee. | ## One's purpose is to protect the employer and not because of personal hatred with the employee. | ||
## If it is possible to accomplish this task without speaking Lashon Hara, do that and don’t speak Lashon Hara. | ## If it is possible to accomplish this task without speaking Lashon Hara, do that and don’t speak Lashon Hara. | ||
## It is okay if one’s speech will cause the employee to | ## It is okay if one’s speech will cause the employee to lose a good opportunity, but if one's speech will cause a negative outcome (taking away something he already has) for the employee it is forbidden.<ref>Sefer Chafetz Chaim Hilchot Rechilut 9:2</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
