Days 42,43: Preconditions
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12 Cheshvan
SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
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Day 42 – Parameters
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The most common constructive purposes which justify speaking negatively about a person fall under four categories:
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1) To help the person about whom one is speaking (e.g. to discuss a person’s faults with someone else in order to help the person improve).
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2) To help those who are being adversely affected by the person’s behavior:
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a) Providing help for people physically, psychologically or financially victimized by him;
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b) Protecting people from falling victim to his behavior in the future—including warning the unsuspecting who are seriously considering entering into an unhealthy social or business relationship with him.
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3) To help put an end to a dispute in which the person is involved and which threatens to divide the community.
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4) To help others learn from the person’s mistakes.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Affliction of the Soul
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The fact that tzaraas is a spiritual malady which afflicts the soul [aside from afflicting the body] is stated in the Midrash:
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“One who guards his mouth and tongue, guards his soul from tribulations. (Mishlei 21:23)” ?“His soul from tribulations” can be read homiletically, “One who guards his mouth and tongue guards his soul from tzaraas” (Yalkut Shimoni, Parashas Metzora).
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Thus, one who is in the habit of speaking loshon hora should bemoan the state of his soul. Though Hashem has mercy on him and does not reveal his disgrace in this world, such will not be the case in the World to Come. There, the shame of his malady will be
revealed to all. Alone will he sit Above, outside the camp of Israel — unless he repented properly before departing this world.
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Keep reading for Day 43, the learning for Shabbos
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13 Cheshvan
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SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
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Day 43: Preconditions
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The fact that a situation falls under one of the previously listed categories does not necessarily mean that discussing it constitutes constructive speech.? No less than 7 conditions must be met before a critical statement about
an individual may be said.
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Condition #1: The first set of conditions deals with verification of facts. It is absolutely forbidden to make any critical statement about a person on the basis of information obtained through hearsay.? Only through first-hand information may one assume that
a Jew’s character or behavior is wanting.? An exception would be where one seeks to protect someone from potential harm; such instances would permit one to pass on second-hand information.? This will be discussed later.
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Condition #2: Even if one has witnessed seemingly unacceptable behavior, he must not hastily pass judgement on what has occurred.? An incident taken out of context can be terribly misleading, both as a reflection on an individual’s character as well as in determining
who is right in a dispute between parties.? Circumstances must be carefully investigated before one can be sure that he understands a situation correctly.? Above all, before concluding that a person has, in fact, transgressed Jewish law, one must be knowledgeable
of the relevant halachos.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Poverty
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Above, we discussed the question of how it is that in our day those who habitually speak loshon hora are not afflicted with tzaraas. Another answer to this is found in Sefer Davar Kedushah, who cites Sefer HaKaneh:
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The sufferings of poverty take the place of tzaraas, for by being dependent upon others for survival, the poor man becomes rid of any arrogance — a prime cause of loshon hora.1 Moreover, the poor man is actually afraid to speak disparagingly of others, lest
they learn of his remarks and cease to assist him.
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Tikkunei Zohar, as well, states that this sin can lead to poverty. Therefore, one who seeks to avoid material strain should be zealous in shmiras haloshon.
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