SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM ?
Day 92 ¨C The Speakers Accomplice
? In addition to violating the prohibition against listening to loshon hora, every listener of loshon hora is, in effect, making it possible for the speaker to relate his forbidden words, and therefore is an accomplice in his sin.
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In the case of a lone listener, the prohibition before a blind person do not place a stumbling block (Vayikra 19:14) would surely apply, for included in this verse is a prohibition against causing another Jew to sin. We will see that in certain instances listening
to Loshon Hora is forbidden not because of the primary prohibition but because of the prohibition against causing another Jew to sin.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON ?
Non-Kosher Conversation ?
If one begins speaking with Reuven concerning Shimon and in the course of conversation becomes aware that Reuven bears Shimon ill will, he should either bring the conversation to an end or divert it to some other subject. Similarly, if one begins to speak and
suddenly realizes that his own words are leading toward loshon hora, he should muster his spiritual strength and abruptly change the subject ¡ª in the same way that he would spit out the food he was chewing were he to become aware that it was non-kosher. If
this will cause him discomfort or embarrassment, he should bear in mind the Sages¡¯ words: ¡±Better to be considered a fool all one¡¯s days [in this world], and not be considered wicked even for a moment before the Omnipresent¡± (Mishnah Ediyos 5:6).
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As already mentioned, the restriction against discussing an individual with that person¡¯s adversary applies only when one feels himself unqualified to make peace between the two. However, when one can play the role of peacemaker, it is a mitzvah to listen to
each party¡¯s grievances in order to settle their feud.
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