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SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
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Day 19 – Embarrassing Remarks
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One who conveys information to others has no control over who will hear it and in what setting it will be repeated.? Whatever one says concerning another person may very well be repeated in the presence of that person.
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It is therefore forbidden to say anything about a person that might embarrass him if it were to be repeated in his presence, even if the information is not derogatory.
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It is forbidden to relate that an individual is a baal teshuvah if the person is sensitive about this fact.? This is true even in a community where baalei teshuvah are highly respected.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Words of Defeat
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Sifre states:
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With ten trials did our ancestors test [God in the Wilderness], but their judgment was sealed only on account of the sin of loshon hora, as it is written, “They have tested Me these ten times and did not heed My voice” (Bamidbar?14:22),1 and it is written, “You have made Hashem weary [i.e. unrelenting] with your words” (Malachi 2:17).
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The generation of the wicked King Achav was plagued by idol worship; yet they were victorious in war in merit of their not informing on one another (Yerushalmi Pe’ah 1:1). This is evident from the fact that no one revealed to Achav that Ovadiah, aided by others, was sustaining one hundred prophets of Hashem against the king’s wishes. However, in the days of the righteous Shaul, when informers such as Doeg and the Ziphites5 were found among the Jews, their armies fell in battle. The fact that there were children in Shaul’s generation who were knowledgeable in forty-nine facets of Torah was not enough to gain them victory. Such is the power of loshon hora.
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1. God uttered these words after the Spies had spoken their slanderous report of the land. The Talmud (Arachin 15a) enumerates the ten tests.
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Day 21 – Ruining Opportunities
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Any information that, although not derogatory, could harm an individual’s opportunity for a job or a shidduch should it become known, may not be related.? This form of loshon hora is common when people are approached for information regarding a shidduch or a job interview.
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It is forbidden to talk of an individual’s physical weakness or lack of intelligence even if neither the speaker nor the listener views these shortcomings as negative.? Sharing such information could prove harmful.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Seeming Denial
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Our Sages state:
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R’ Yehoshua ben Levi said: The term “Torah” appears five times in the chapters which discuss the metzora [whose affliction is punishment for having spoken loshon hora].1 This teaches that one who speaks loshon hora is considered as if he had transgressed the Five Books of the Torah (Vayikra Rabbah 16:6).
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R’ Yochanan said in the name of R’ Yose ben Zimra: Whoever speaks loshon hora is considered as if he had denied the existence of God, as it is written, (Tehillim 12:5), “Those who have said, ‘With our tongues we shall prevail, our lips are with us, who is master over us?’ ” (Arachin 15b).
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Sefer Yereim explains that when someone wants to speak loshon hora, he first casts a glance in all directions to make sure that the subject of his evil words is not present. His seeming lack of concern that his words will be noted Above conveys an impression that, to his mind, Heaven is not cognizant of what he is about to say. This is why speaking loshon hora is akin to denial of belief in God.
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What more must be said concerning the severity of speaking loshon hora? There is no recourse but to engage the evil inclination in battle, so that one will not become caught in the net of this bitter sin. Those who will emerge victorious will reap the inestimable fruits of their efforts, both in this world and the next.
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1. Vayikra?13:59; 14:2;?14:32;?14:54;?14:59.
Sefer HaAkeidah (cited by Maharzu to Vayikra Rabbah) notes that the subject of loshon hora is prominently mentioned in all Five Books. The Book of Bereishis (ch. 3) relates how the Serpent, through cunning and deception, caused Adam and Eve to sin; the Book of Shemos (2:15) relates how Moshe was forced to flee Egypt because of the treachery of Dasan and Aviram; the Book of Vayikra (chs.13-14) details the laws of tzaraas which is a Divinely inflicted retribution for speaking loshon hora, and it also contains the primary prohibition against speaking loshon hora (19:16); the Book of Bamidbar relates the episodes of Miriam’s tzaraas (ch. 12), the Spies’ slander (chs. 13- 14), and Korach’s rebellion (ch. 16); and the Book of Devarim, in its opening verse, alludes to episodes in which the Jews in the Wilderness were guilty of sinful talk (see Rashi ad loc.).
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The lesson for the second day of Yom Tov

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Day 22 – Disparagement and Ridicule
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Making a statement about a product that would discourage people from buying it constitutes speaking loshon hora as it could harm the livelihood of either the manufacturer or the storekeeper who sells it.? (In certain situations, however, this would be permissible, as will be discussed later.)
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Similarly, it is forbidden to make a cynical comment about a speaker that could either discourage people from attending his lectures, or weaken the impact of his message.
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As with any mitzvah, a child should be trained to avoid speaking loshon hora as soon as he reaches the age of understanding in this regard.? It is common for children to denigrate the food they are served, causing hurt to the cook.? Children should be trained to avoid making such comments.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Tools Without Flaw
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Through shmiras haloshon a Jew perfects the primary tool of his service of Hashem — his power of speech. By not using his tongue for forbidden talk, he ensures that his words of Torah study and prayer will ascend before Hashem and achieve their desired results.
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The Sages refer to speech as the Jew’s craft. When a king wants an item made for his personal use, he will choose only the finest craftsman to accomplish this task. He will seek someone who can create products of rare beauty, fit to be placed upon the royal table.
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Yet even the world’s greatest craftsman will not be able to satisfy the king if he lacks the necessary tools. If he is forced to use tools that are damaged and of poor quality, the finished product will quite likely be rejected by a commoner, and surely by a king. If, however, the master craftsman is provided with the very best tools, then the final product will be a thing of beauty and bring the king much satisfaction.
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There is no greater satisfaction to the King of kings, as it were, than when his “craftsmen” — the Children of Israel — go about their Divine service with “tools” that are free of spiritual imperfection. And it is only through shmiras haloshon that this can be achieved.
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Day 23 – When the Subject Approves
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Unlike statements that are derogatory, a non-derogatory but potentially harmful statement can be made about a person if it is clear that he does not object.
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If someone regularly talks about his inability to remember even his own phone number, it would not be forbidden for others to repeat that statement, provided that neither the speaker not the listener thinks any less of the person on account of his poor memory.
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Certainly, if a person explicitly grants permission for others to disclose potentially harmful information about himself, they are permitted to do so, provided that the information is not derogatory.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Powerful Words
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The power of speech is the great tool with which man can build heaven and earth, as it is written, “And I have placed My words in your mouth ... to implant the heavens and to set a base for the earth ...” (Yeshayahu 51:16). The prophet speaks in a most literal sense, for through the sacred words of Torah study and prayer that a Jew utters on this earth, exalted worlds and angels are created Above. With regard to the latter, the Mishnah states: “He who fulfills even a single mitzvah gains for himself a single advocate” (Avos?4:13). By “advocate,” the Mishnah means that these angels will intercede on the person’s behalf before the Heavenly Throne.
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The level of sanctity of these worlds and angels is contingent upon two factors: the spiritual readiness of the person at the time he performed the mitzvah, and the quality of the medium through which the mitzvah was performed. A person who avoids loshon hora and utilizes his power of speech in a positive way is forever enhancing the spiritual power of his words. Thus, the Torah study and prayer which emanate from his lips are endowed with an exalted spiritual light. Conversely, if a person defiles his mouth with words of gossip, mockery, falsehood and the like, with what sort of sanctity can his words of study and prayer be endowed? He is a craftsman who has severely damaged his indispensable tool. His only recourse is to mend his ways and refine his power of speech.

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Day 24 – Public Knowledge But Harmful
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We have seen that it is forbidden to speak in a derogatory manner even if the information being conveyed was already known to the listener.? This is because the act of speaking negatively is inherently wrong.
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Conversely, it stands to reason that a non-derogatory but potentially harmful statement can be made in the presence of anyone who is already aware of the information, unless the speaker emphasizes some point that the listener may not have realized previously.? This is because the statement will not be cause for any harm which otherwise would not have come about.
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Rambam takes this a step further, stating that if a potentially harmful statement was made in the presence of three people, the three are permitted to relate the information in conversation with others.? This is because each of the three can assume that the other two will probably make the information public anyway.? However, this would not be permissible if either:
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One of the three is known to be discreet or especially careful regarding the laws of forbidden speech, or
The person’s intent in relating the information is to publicize the matter yet further.
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According to the Chofetz Chaim, Rambam permits any of the three to repeat the information even if it is derogatory.
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The Chofetz Chaim fails to find justification for such leniency; furthermore, he discourages reliance on Rambam’s opinion with regard to loshon hora spoken in the presence of three, as most other commentators seem to disagree with his ruling.? Thus, one should never relate derogatory information, even when it was related to three or more listeners.
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SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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The Metzora’s Cry
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Zohar (Parashas Metzora) states:
The prayer of one who speaks loshon hora will not come before the Holy One, Blessed is He, for a ruach tamei (impure spirit) hovers over it. When he repents, and [sincerely] accepts upon himself the [various aspects of] repentance, then what is written of him? “On the day of his purification, he shall be brought before the Kohen” (Vayikra 14:2).1
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The above lends added clarity to the Torah’s instruction that the metzora (one who is afflicted with tzaraas for having spoken loshon hara2) call out to those who pass by, “[I am] contaminated, contaminated!” (ibid.13:45) so that they will pray for him. Since his own prayers will not be accepted Above, the Torah therefore advises him to request that others pray on his behalf.
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Scripture declares: “Take note of God’s work! For who can straighten what he has twisted?” (Koheles?7:13). We can interpret this as follows: Take note of God’s work! Ponder well the Heavenly fruits of a Jew’s prayer on this earth: prayer can radiate spiritual light and create exalted edifices in the Upper Worlds. Ensure, then, that your prayers be uttered with proper readiness, and by a mouth that is pure and unsullied by sin. For who can straighten what he has twisted? If one’s prayer will be lacking, then its spiritual products in the Upper Worlds will be lacking as well. This will bring eternal distress to one’s soul, for these are not earthly structures, which can be repaired or improved by a second craftsman.
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As Hillel declared: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” (Avos?1:14). Only the person himself has the power to correct his past mistakes — through proper repentance and a firm resolve to live by the laws of proper speech.
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1. Homiletically, this means that having repented and achieved purification, the metzora is? assured that his prayers will, once again, gain acceptance Above.
2. Contrary to its common translation, tzaraas is not leprosy or some other bodily disease, but the physical manifestation of spiritual malady. As R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch demonstrates, if tzaraas were some biological disorder and the metzora’s confinement were to prevent contagion, then some of its related laws are inexplicable. For example, if the symptoms of tzaraas are found on a newlywed during the festive week following marriage, the Kohen does not pronounce the person tamei (impure) so as not to interfere with the festivities. Also, the Torah states that if one’s entire body is covered with tzaraas, he is tahor (pure), but if one spot on his body heals, then he is tamei

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