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There are several websites that let you send an email to yourself in the future (example). It's also possible to accomplish something similar in a lower-tech way, like making a time capsule.

Are you allowed to tell lashon hara to yourself? In particular, if someone did something bad that you'll probably forget in 50 years, are you allowed to remind yourself of it using one of these websites?

I'm assuming a situation where לא תקם ולא תטר doesn't apply. You're reminding yourself for a valid reason, but not necessarily complying with all the conditions listed by the Chafetz Chaim.

An example would be a case where someone 50 years older than you did something that older people might be prone to. You're afraid that in 50 years, when you're that age, you might end up doing the same thing, so you send an email to remind yourself not to. Do you have to follow the 7 conditions? For instance, can you exaggerate a little if you think that will be more persuasive to your 50-years-older self?

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  • Isn't writing lashon hara equivalent to saying lashon hara? Even if you write it to yourself and toss it in the trash immediately? You said - " You're reminding yourself for a valid reason" - What is this valid reason? How would you know that the same person would be dangerous in 50 years?
    – DanF
    Jun 18, 2018 at 15:46
  • @DanF I assumed the problem was saying lashon hara to a person, meaning writing it and throwing it in the trash would be ok (assuming nobody reads it by accident - maybe shredding it would be a better idea). Do you have a source that saying lashon hara when nobody is around is a problem?
    – Heshy
    Jun 18, 2018 at 17:20
  • Interesting question, but I'm a bit unclear about what example could fit this case. It's almost mutually inclusive: if there's a reason that it's not Lo Tikom/Lo Titor, then that same reason should make it not Lashon Hara.
    – Salmononius2
    Jun 18, 2018 at 17:25
  • I don't, offhand. Something I understood. I'll see if I can research. That's why I asked. But, I'm still not seeing the "usefulness" aspect.
    – DanF
    Jun 18, 2018 at 17:26
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    @DanF no, you misunderstood. The person who's 50 years older than you did something wrong. You are afraid that you'll end up doing the same thing in 50 years, not of someone hurting you in 50 years.
    – Heshy
    Jun 18, 2018 at 17:42

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