SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
? Day 34 ¨C Harmful Praise
? Praise which has absolutely no negative connotations can, at times, fall under the category of avak loshon hora.? It is forbidden to publicize a person¡¯s hospitality or generosity if this will cause the insincere and undeserving
to take advantage of the person, causing him monetary loss and emotional discomfort.
?
? SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON ? Don¡¯t Despair ?
Sefer Ma¡¯alos Hamiddos continues:
?
David said, ¡°Seek peace and pursue it¡± (Tehillim 34:15), meaning: Seek peace for your friends and pursue it among your enemies; seek peace where you dwell and pursue it in other places; seek peace with your body and pursue it with your resources;1 seek peace
for yourself and pursue it for others; seek peace today and pursue it tomorrow.
?
Never despair and say, ¡°It is impossible to make peace!¡± Rather, pursue peace until you attain it. How should you ¡°pursue peace¡±? Speak words of peace when a feud has erupted, and put aside personal pride for the sake of the community. This was the way of Moshe,
our Teacher, as it is written, ¡°So Moshe stood up and went to Dasan and Aviram¡± (Bamidbar 16:25).2
?
To pursue peace is to put aside one¡¯s personal affairs in order to make peace between husband and wife, man and his neighbor, teacher and student. Even to arrange a meal between feuding parties as a way of reconciling them is to pursue peace.
?
? 1. I.e. there are times when one must be willing to suffer monetary loss in order to maintain peace. In his conclusion of Sefer Shmiras HaLoshon (Part I), the Chofetz Chaim writes that a person can avoid minor monetary disputes
by deciding in his mind to set aside a certain sum each year as ¡°peace money.¡± This will allow him to relent easily when such disagreements arise. The Chofetz Chaim reasons that just as the average Jew is willing to extend himself in order to fulfill mitzvos
such as arba minim on Succos or matzah on Pesach ¡ªwhich can involve considerable expense ¡ª so too should he be willing to spend money so that he can reap the priceless benefits of avoiding strife and loshon hora, overlooking the hurt caused him, and pursuing
peace.
?
2. Dasan and Aviram had joined with Korach in a rebellion against Moshe¡¯s leadership.
Dedications and Sponsorships
Do you know someone who needs a refuah shleima? A shidduch? Or perhaps a meaningful yahrtzeit is approaching? As a merit
for a recovery from illness or for a departed family member you can sponsor a daily email and have over 8,000 people, every day, learn and be inspired as a z¡¯chus for your loved one. Please call 845-352-3505 #113 or email
lozeri@... to sponsor or for more information on other sponsorship opportunities
