SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Day 48 ¨C Intent
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Condition #6:
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Having ascertained that:
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1) The negative information is accurate,
2) The perpetrator was not justified,
3) Reproof has proven unsuccessful,
4) There are no other options,
5) The information will be related accurately:
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?Two more conditions must still be met before the information can be conveyed.
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The speaker must be certain that his sole intent is l¡¯toeles, for a constructive purpose.? If he knows that in his heart he is pleased to cast the perpetrator in a bad light, he is not permitted to speak ¨C even though the purpose cannot be accomplished any
other way.
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It is lowly to enjoy speaking negatively ¨C even for a constructive purpose.
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This is especially challenging when one is required to speak about a person whom he does not like.? It is necessary to first eradicate any negative feelings towards that person; only then can the negative information be related.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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The Best Medicine
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King Solomon taught:
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Let not your mouth bring guilt upon your flesh, and do not tell the emissary that it was an error. Why should God be angered by your speech and destroy the work of your hands? (Koheles 5:5).
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The Sages expound (Koheles Rabbah 5:3):
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Let not your mouth bring guilt upon your flesh: Do not let your mouth speak loshon hora, for this sin will bring affliction [i.e. tzaraas] upon your entire flesh.
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Let not your mouth bring guilt upon your flesh: This refers to Miriam, regarding whom it is written, ¡°... and behold! Miriam was afflicted with tzaraas like snow¡± (Bamidbar?12:10).
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... and do not tell the emissary: This refers to Moshe, as it is written, ¡°He [God] sent an emissary and took us out of Egypt¡± (ibid.?20:16).
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... that it was an error: as it is written, [Aharon said to Moshe:] ¡°[I beg you, my lord, do not cast a sin upon us,] for we have been foolish and we have sinned¡± (ibid.?12:11).
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Why should God be angered by your speech: by the loshon hora which you spoke of Moshe, as it is written, ¡°The wrath of HASHEM flared up against them, and He left¡± (ibid. v. 9).
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... and destroy the work of your hands: R¡¯ Yochanan said: She [Miriam] sinned with her mouth, yet all her limbs were afflicted, as it is written, ¡°The cloud had departed from atop the Tent, and behold! Miriam was afflicted with tzaraas like snow¡± (ibid. v.
10).
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R¡¯ Yehoshua taught: ¡°If a word is worth one coin, silence is worth two.¡±1 Rabbi [Yehudah the Prince] said: ¡°The best medicine of all is silence,¡¯¡¯ as stated (Avos?1:17)
in the name of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel: ¡°All my days I have been raised among the Sages and I have found nothing better for oneself than silence.¡±
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1. Speech that is proper and correct is of value. But the prevention of improper speech is worth twice as much (S¡¯fas Emes to Megillah 18a; see Maharsha).
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