Lashon hara
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Lashon hara (or loshon horo, or loshon hora) (Template:Langx; "evil tongue") is the halakhic term for speech about a person or persons that is negative or harmful to them, even though it is true.<ref name="Deot-7">Template:Cite web</ref> It is speech that damages the person(s) who is talked about either emotionally or financially, or lowers them in the estimation of others.<ref name="Telushkin">Telushkin, Joseph. A Code of Jewish Ethics: Volume 1 - You Shall Be Holy. New York: Bell Tower, 2006. p. 332.</ref> Shmiras Halashon (guarding the tongue) is the positive practice to promote the quality of life and help combat and reduce Lashon Hara.
Lashon hara differs from the more severe prohibition of hotzaat shem ra, "making a bad name," in that hotzaat shem ra consists of untrue statements.
Lashon hara is considered to be a very serious sin in the Jewish tradition. The communicator of lashon hara (which is included in rechilut) violates the Torah prohibition of lo telech rachil b'ameicha,<ref name="Deot-7"/><ref>Template:Lang – Template:Bibleverse</ref><ref name=torah.org-lashonhara-prohibition>Template:Cite web</ref> translating to "thou shalt not go up and down as a Template:Linktext among thy people" (Leviticus 19:16 KJV).
Definition
Speech is considered to be lashon hara (detraction) if it says something negative about a person or party, is not seriously intended to correct or improve a negative situation, and is true. Statements that fit this description are considered to be lashon hara, regardless of the method of communication that is used, whether it is through face-to-face conversation, a letter, telephone, or email, or even body language.
By contrast, hotzaat shem ra ("spreading a bad name") – also called hotzaat diba or motzi shem ra (lit. "putting out a bad name") – consists of lies, and is best translated as "slander" or "defamation" (calumny). Hotzaat shem ra is an even graver sin than lashon hara.<ref name="Telushkin" />
The act of gossiping is called rechilut, and is also forbidden by halakha.<ref name="OU">Template:Cite web</ref>
Etymology
The phrase consists of the noun Template:Transliteration ("tongue"), the definite article Template:Transliteration, and the adjective Template:Transliteration ("evil"). The Hebrew noun Template:Transliteration means "tongue" and – as in many languages – "speech" or "language". The phrase is generally translated as "evil speech". The term corresponds to the idea of an "evil tongue" in other cultures, such as the Latin Template:Lang,<ref>A Commentary on Catullus - page 19. Robinson Ellis - 2010. re the Virgilian motto: "Template:Lang [...] would seem to show that the notion of witchcraft was originally that of the evil tongue (Template:Lang) rather than the evil eye."</ref> the French Template:Lang,<ref>John A. Lent -Third World mass media and their search for modernity Page 179 1977 "Lewis, writing about the features of West Indian society that make it more traditional than modern, delineated a number of interpersonal communications traits: Passion for intrigue; malicious gossip, the famous Trinidad Template:Lang</ref><ref>Caroline Sweetman. Men and Masculinity - Page 50. 1997 "... to less acceptable but more aggressive methods of power enforcement such as spreading malicious rumours or Template:Lang".</ref> and the Spanish Template:Lang.<ref>Cuban-American literature and art: negotiating identities - Page 24. Isabel Álvarez-Borland, Lynette M. F. Bosch - 2009 "The difference between the two organs is that whereas the diseased body is put in the care of medical specialists, responsibility for the ailing tongue, for la mala lengua, rests with the speaker alone. The only treatment available to ..."</ref><ref>Cassell's Spanish dictionary: Spanish-English, English-Spanish Edgar Allison Peers - 1968</ref><ref>Speaking for themselves: Neomexicano cultural identity Doris Meyer - 1996 "An article entitled "La lengua" [The tongue], appearing about the same time in El Nuevo Mundo [May 18, 1899], begins with the traditional equation between moral character and probity of speech. The image of a "mala lengua" [evil tongue]"</ref>
Sources
The term lashon hara is not mentioned in the Tanakh, but "keep thy tongue from evil" (Template:Script/Hebrew) occurs in Psalm 34:14.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Torah contains a general injunction against rekhilut (gossip): "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Template:LORD."<ref>Template:Bibleverse</ref> The Biblical curse on one who "strikes his fellow in secret"<ref>Template:Bibleverse</ref> is understood by the rabbis to refer to lashon hara, as it is a form of harming a person without their knowledge.<ref>Rashi to Deuteronomy 27:24</ref>
The Talmud lists lashon hara as one of the causes of the Biblical malady of tzaraath.<ref>Arakhin 15b</ref> Elsewhere, it declares that habitual speakers of lashon hara are not tolerated in God's presence.<ref>Sotah 42a</ref> Similar strong denouncements can be found in various places in Jewish literature.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In Numbers chapter 12, Miriam gossips with her brother Aaron, questioning why Moses is more qualified to lead the Jewish people than anyone else. God hears and strikes her down with tzaraath. Miriam had to stay outside of the camp for a week due to the tzaraath. During this time, all of Israel waited for her.
Chofetz Chaim
Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan wrote two major halakhic works on the evil tongue: Chofetz Chaim ("Desirer of Life", Template:Bibleverse) and Shmirat HaLashon ("Guarding the tongue"), both 1873. The Chafetz Chaim lists 31 speech-related commandments mentioned in the Torah. An English adaptation, Guard Your Tongue (2002), anthologizes the teachings of these two books.<ref>Zelig Pliskin, Guard Your Tongue. Bnay Yakov Publications (2002)</ref>
Baalei lashon hara
The expression baalei lashon hara literally means "masters of evil tongue", and it refers to habitual speakers of lashon hara. The serious prohibition of communicating lashon harah relates foremost to somebody who incidentally did so. Someone who makes it his habit to talk lashon harah about others ("did you hear ...", "do you already know ...", etc.) is called a ba'al lashon hara. By repeatedly communicating so, lashon hara became an integral part of this person, and his/her sins are far more severe, because this person regularly creates a chillul hashem, a "desecration of the name of HaShem" (Template:Bibleverse). Lashon hara, rechilut and motzi shem ra are not accepted social tools in Judaism, because such behavior cuts the person who does in this manner off from many good things in the world around them. It is often phrased that one should stay away from people who communicate lashon hara, because any day, one will almost certainly become an object of derogatory communication by the same people.<ref name=torah.org-lashonhara-prohibition />
Exceptions
Reporting abuse, especially if the abuse is illegal, is not Lashon hara, regardless of hashkafa.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
There are times when a person is permitted or even required to disclose information whether or not the information is disparaging. For instance, if a person's intent in sharing negative information is for a to'elet, a positive, constructive, and beneficial purpose that may serve as a warning to prevent harm or injustice, the prohibition against lashon hara does not apply. Hotzaat shem ra, spouting lies and spreading disinformation, is always prohibited. It is important to note that even with positive intentions, there are many important limitations regarding when it is permitted to speak lashon hara.Template:Citation needed
Shmiras halashon
Shmiras Halashon (guarding the tongue) is a practice in Judaism that is said to promote the quality of life and help combat and reduce Lashon Hara (evil tongue). It is a part of Jewish ethics known as mussar. King David once said, "He who loves life and would like to see good days, let him guard his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> King Solomon said, "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue guards himself from trouble."
The concepts and practice of Shmiras Halashon are found all through ancient Jewish writings, the modern practice was birthed and popularised by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim).
History
- The first sin according to Torah is the serpent speaking evil about God and not practicing Shmiras Halashon, which led Eve to be deceived, bringing death.
- Joseph spoke negatively to his father, Jacob, about his brothers, causing them to hate him. This led them to sell him into slavery, and ultimately caused the Egyptian exile.
- The difficult slavery in Egypt is attributed to talebearers amongst the people and not guarding their tongues.
- The slander of Doeg, King Saul’s chief shepherd and the head of the Sanhedrin, caused the massacre of nearly an entire city.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- The armies of King Saul lost their battles with the Philistines as a result of the slander that people spoke against (then future) King David.
- The armies of the notorious king Ahab were successful in their battles, despite the fact that they were idolatrous, because they guarded their tongue.
- The destruction of the Second Temple is attributed to lack of obeisance to Shmiras Halashon. The redemption and peace of the people is connected to being careful about Shmiras Halashon.
Torah Commandments
Shmiras Halashon is divided into 31 Torah commandments which need to be observed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 17 negative commandments
- 14 positive commandments
- 4 curses
Keeping these commandments increases happiness and quality of life while carelessness causes destruction.
Negative commandments
- You shall not go as a slanderer among your people; nor shall you stand against the blood of your neighbor; I am the Lord. (Vayikra 19:16)
- You shall not raise a false report (Shemot 23:1)
- Take heed concerning the plague of leprosy. Leprosy came as a punishment for Lashon Hara. (Devarim 24:8)
- You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your G-d; I am the Lord. This is when you cause another one to sin as when you engage in evil talk. (Vayikra 19:14)
Positive commandments
- Remember what the Lord your G-d did to Miriam by the way, after you came out of Egypt”. We are commanded to remember that Hashem punished Miriam for speaking against Moshe. (Devarim 24:9)
- And you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord”. When you love someone you don't talk evil about anyone. (Vayikra 19:18)
- You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment...but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. This verse exhorts us to give the benefit of the doubt when judging our fellowmen. (Vayikra 19:15)
- And if your brother has become poor, and his means fail with you; then you shall relieve him; though he may be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with you. If you say something and as a consequence someone is hurt financially you transgress this command. (Vayikra 25:35)
Curses
- Cursed be the one who hits his friend in secret. Anyone who does not watch his mouth does just this, he hits his friend behind his back, in secret. (Devarim 27:24)
- Cursed be the one who confounds the blind on the road. By making others [The innocent listeners] transgress the commandments of Shmiras Halashon you make them sin. (Devarim 27:18)
- Cursed be the one who will not establish the words of this Torah in order to do them. If a person habitually does not bother about God's commandments, he is the habit of repeating the transgression of constantly. (Devarim 27:26)
- Cursed be the one who hits his father or his mother. This forbids the speaking ill about one's father or mother. (Devarim 27:16)
Modern application
The concept of guarding one's tongue works in a family or corporate setting and increases peace and happiness.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
References
External links
- Benjamin Brown, 'From Principles to Rules and from Musar to Halakhah - The Hafetz Hayim's Rulings on Libel and Gossip'
- Translation of Sefer Shmiras HaLashon
- Let Them Talk: The Mitzvah to Speak Lashon Hara by Rabbi Mark Dratch, JSafe
- A primer on how to raise our children to look at the positive and speak well about others Template:Webarchive
- 31 mitzvot of speech
- Hilchot Lashon Hara (L"H)
- Negative Speech (Lashon Hora) | Chabad.org
- Finding Your Zivug or Mate Loshon Hora and Information-Seeking in Shidduchim