SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON ? No Credibility ?
When one is told loshon hora and attempts to follow the Torah’s command to reject it as false, the evil inclination often counters with the following argument: “How can you not accept this report as fact? Dare you accuse the speaker of lying, of transgressing
the prohibition, ‘Distance yourself from falsehood’? ” (Shemos 23:7).
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The response to this is as follows: If you were to see a Jew [who is knowledgeable in the laws of Jewish observance] flagrantly violate Torah law, would you then accept as fact whatever information he has to offer about others? Certainly not! Surely one cannot
trust the word of one who openly flouts Hashem’s will.
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A Jew who speaks ill of his fellow has transgressed “You shall not be a gossipmonger among your people” (Vayikra?19:16),
a most severe prohibition. As the halachah makes clear, this prohibition is violated even when the report is true. Thus, the speaker is guilty of severe transgression and, as such, has no credibility.? ?
