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Dr Maurice M. Mizrahi B"H D’var Torah on Metzora
Lashon Hara -- The Evil Tongue
This week’s Torah portion is Metzora, from the book of Leviticus [Lev. 14:1-15:33]. These
passages talk about what the priests (the kohanim) must do in cases of leprosy. Now,
leprosy is universally understood by commentators to be the punishment for Lashon Hara’, the
Evil Tongue, because, in the Torah, Miriam was punished with leprosy for badmouthing
her brother Moses. [Num. 12:1–15]
The Torah says that the *** must take two live and clean birds, slaughter one, dip the
other in the blood of the first, then sprinkle that blood seven times upon himself to be
cleansed. Then he shall let the live bird go free. [Lev. 14:1-7] Rashi says that because
the affliction comes in punishment for the chatter of gossip and slander, the purification
is effected by means of chirping twittering birds.
For centuries, the rabbis have been thundering against lashon hara’ -- evil speech, malicious
gossip -- with little success: It seems so natural that we all do it.
There is a Hassidic tale about a man who went about spreading malicious gossip about the
rabbi. Later, he realized the wrong he had done and went to the rabbi to beg his forgiveness,
asking what he could do to make amends. The rabbi told the man, "Take a feather pillow,
cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds." After he had done it, the rabbi said,
"Now, go and gather up all the feathers." The man said: "Impossible! They are scattered
to the four winds!". The rabbi said: "Yes, indeed. And just as
it is impossible to gather all the feathers, so it is impossible to repair the damage your
words have caused."
Here is what our traditional texts have to say about lashon hara’.
The Torah says simply:
You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people. [Leviticus 19:16]
The Book of Psalms says: ...Lord, who shall abide in your tent? Who
shall dwell in your holy mountain? He who walks uprightly, and does what is right,
and speaks the truth in his heart. He who does not slander with his tongue, nor
does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor. [Psalms 15:1-3]
Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and
do good. Seek peace, and pursue it. [Psalms 34:13-15]
The Talmud says: Anyone who shames another in public it is
as if he sheds blood. [Bava Metzia 58b]
The upright may be insulted but never insult, hear themselves maligned by do not respond.
[Yoma 23a]
Slander destroys three persons: Him who speaks evil, him who listens to it, and him who is
being slandered [Ar. 15b]
Rabbi Abraham ben Shmuel ibn Hasdai Halevi, a 13th-century commentator, wrote:
Man was given two ears and one tongue, so that he may listen more than speak. [Hasdai,
Ben haMelekh ve-haNazir, Ch. 26]
The Chafetz Hayyim, the famous 19th century sage, devoted his life to deciding what speech
is permissible and what is not. Here are some examples inspired from his work. The question
is: Are the following statements Jewishly acceptable or not?
First statement: -Joe Cohen doesn't give any money to charity.
Answer: This is not allowed, even if it’s true. It’s damaging. If it’s false, all
the more reason it is not allowed, as being a false witness is forbidden by the Ten Commandments.
Second statement: -Joe Cohen doesn't give any money to charity.
He openly tells everybody that he doesn't believe in charity.
Answer: This is not allowed either. Joe’s opinion does not change the fact that it puts
him in a negative light.
Third statement: -Amy Levy has a bad temper. I don't mean that
negatively: Sometimes that temper served her well.
Answer: This is not allowed. It’s still damaging and negative, in spite of the denial.
Fourth statement: -I have a bad temper.
Answer: This is not allowed either. You are not allowed to put yourself down!
Fifth statement: -"Dear Sir: You asked me for a letter of recommendation
for Barry Katz. He is a very affable young man, easy to get along with, and competent
in your area of concern. I fear, however, that he does not possess the kind of endurance
and creative powers you are looking for, and he tends to work short hours and give up easily
when confronted with difficulties." Answer: This is allowed. A candid letter of
recommendation, requested and sent in confidence, is OK, as the prospective employer needs to
know.
Sixth statement: -Joe is in jail. He has been convicted on
five counts of theft, breaking and entering. Answer: It’s allowed. It’s a matter of
public record and can be used as an example of what happens to those who break the law.
Seventh statement: -Joe is in jail. He has been convicted on
five counts of theft, breaking and entering. But did you know he also beat his wife regularly?
Answer: This is not allowed. One cannot “dump” beyond what the justice system established.
Eighth statement: -Joe spent spent time in jail for theft a
few years ago. Answer: This is not allowed. Joe is entitled
to a clean slate.
Ninth statement: -Hitler was the very incarnation of evil.
Answer: It’s allowed. History must be told.
Tenth statement: -Joe, who died last week, was an adulterer
and a scoundrel. Answer: This is not allowed. The rules against
slander apply to the dead as well as to the living.
Eleventh statement: -Don't mention Jeremy to me, because I don't
want to get into the things he did! Answer: This is not allowed. It implies he
did terrible things and allows people to imagine even more damaging things than what you thought
he did. One does not even have to SAY slanderous things to cause damage.
Twelfth statement: -Joe was not drunk last night.
Answer: This is not allowed. It implies that he usually is.
Thirteenth statement: -Jennifer's two-year-old is ugly, cranky,
and always slobbering. Answer: This is not allowed. While you cannot
slander a two-year-old, the statement does reflect poorly on her parents.
Fourteenth statement: -Yes, Your Honor, I did see the defendant
shoplift that shirt at Macy's and leave without paying for it.
Answer: It’s allowed. One must tell the truth under oath in court.
Fifteenth statement: -No! Stop! Don't kill him! I'll tell you what
you want to know. Yes, Sam did steal those documents and try to frame you for it.
Answer: It’s allowed. The saving of a life overrides the prohibition against lashon hara’.
It’s called pikuach nefesh.
Sixteenth statement: -Don't buy from this merchant. Last week he
overcharged me, sold me low quality merchandise that was not as advertised, and his scales
are rigged. Answer: It’s allowed, but only if it reflects
your own personal experience, not if relays somebody else's. Buyers must be warned.
Let us give the last word to Rabbi Israel Salanter, the 19th-century Lithuanian rabbi
who founded the Mussar movement, a Jewish spiritual and ethical movement. He said:
Normally we worry about our own material well-being and our neighbors' souls. Let us rather worry
about our neighbors' material well-being and our own souls.
Shabbat shalom.