Shmirat Haloshon

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Day 11 – Common Knowledge
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A derogatory statement is considered loshon hora even when the information is common knowledge for, as stated above, to speak negatively of one’s fellow Jew is shameful in itself.
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Negative information about Jews appearing in newspapers may not be repeated.? Newspapers often publish articles based on hearsay and thus, one is not even permitted to believe such information if the newspaper is its only source.? Even after one has verified the information, he may nevertheless not repeat it.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Equal to All
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Talmud Yerushalmi (Pe’ah 1:1) states that the reward for studying Torah is equivalent to that of all other mitzvos combined, and the punishment for speaking loshon hora is equivalent to that of all other sins combined. Thus, the antithesis of Torah study, the greatest of all mitzvos, is loshon hora. Their respective primacy can be explained as follows:
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Of the four basic elements of nature —fire, wind, water and earth —the intangible (fire and wind) are far more powerful than the tangible (water and earth). Fire can engulf material objects and totally destroy them, and the power of wind is awesome, as it is written, “A great and mighty wind which breaks apart mountains and shatters stones” (I Melachim?19:11).
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The same is true in the spiritual realm. Torah study impacts in the Upper Worlds in a way that no other mitzvah can. This is because all other mitzvos are related to the physical — for example, to fulfill the mitzvah of tzitzis, one dons a garment, a material object; a lulav is held, a physical act; a shofar must be blown, etc. Torah study, however, is performed through the power of speech, which, essentially, is a function of the soul.1 This is why the reward of Torah study is equivalent to that of all other mitzvos combined.
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The converse is true of sin. The spiritual damage caused by loshon hora is infinitely greater than that caused by other transgressions, because it is committed through the power of speech. Its effect in the Upper Spheres is awesome. Therefore, its punishment is equivalent to that of all other sins combined.
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1. As mentioned above, Targum Onkelos translates “and man became a living being”
(Bereishis 2:7), as “and man became a speaking spirit.”

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Day 12 – Ambiguous Statements?
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A Jew is responsible for exercising caution in speech and not making statements which can be misinterpreted as being derogatory.
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An example of an ambiguous statement that should not be said is: “He’s a well-meaning fellow,” which can mean, “He’s well-meaning but not very intelligent, or, “He’s well-meaning but his actions are wrong.” If one simply means, “He’s well-meaning and sincere,” then this should be made clear.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Measure for Measure
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The way in which one acts towards others determines the way in which Heaven will act towards him. For example, if one strives to overlook the hurt caused him, and if he acts towards others with kindness and compassion, then he awakens the Attribute of Compassion in Heaven. Hashem will judge him with mercy and he will be shown kindness from Above. As our Sages state: “Whoever has compassion towards others will be shown compassion from Above” (Shabbos 151b); and “Whoever refrains from exacting his measure [of retribution from others for the wrong they caused him] will have all his sins forgiven” (Rosh Hashanah 17a). Moreover, in his merit, Divine compassion will manifest itself upon the Jewish nation as a whole.
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However, if it is one’s way to be absolutely unrelenting towards others and to treat them without compassion, then he lends strength to the Attribute of Justice —toward himself specifically, and to the entire Jewish nation as well. Heaven will be unrelenting regarding that person’s sins, for “With the measure that a person measures do they [i.e. Heaven] measure him” (Megillah 12b).
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Our Sages state: “Jerusalem was destroyed only because its inhabitants limited their decisions to the [letter of the] law of Torah” (Bava Metzia 30b). This seems difficult, for Scripture records many sins of which that generation was guilty. Our discussion sheds light on the matter. Had the people overlooked the wrong caused them, then Hashem would have forgiven them as well. However, they were absolutely unrelenting toward each other, demanding from one another whatever they could possibly extract according to the law —and Heaven judged them accordingly.

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