Questions tagged [lashon-hara-slander]
Slander and gossip, including their laws
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The case of the lone witness
The Talmud says:
The Holy One, Blessed be He, hates... one who observes a licentious matter performed by another person and testifies against him alone.
[There was an] incident where Tuveya sinned......
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Proverbs 17:9 confusion on the alienation of friends
"He who seeks love overlooks faults, But he who harps on a matter
alienates his friend" - Proverbs 17:9
What does this verse mean exactly? I take it as those who love one tend over look ...
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Would complimenting someone's physical appearance be considered a problem since it causes the person to become overly conscious of themselves?
Let me clarify that I don't mean compliments in an inappropriate sense such has calling someone attractive or specifying a rude area of one's body.
I'm speaking to examples like:
You have a great ...
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Chofetz Chaim and Eretz Israel
Does the Chofetz Chaim writes about the prohibition of speaking Lashon Hara about Eretz Israel?
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In Jewish law, can you sue for defamation?
Suppose someone falsely publishes false information about you, for example, writing on a public forum that you are not a trustworthy businessman because you once stole money from Reuven Israeli (no ...
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Is it really bad to gossip about a gentile?
Obviously it is forbidden to speak Loshon Hora about a Jew unless it is L'Toeles or perhaps about an apikores. But is there anything bad about gossiping about a gentile?
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Yaakov Avinu Talking About Eretz Yisroel
Since it is forbidden to speak badly about Eretz Yisroel, was it considered lashon hara for Yaakov Avinu to tell Pharaoh that he had to leave the Holy Land because it was negatively impacted by famine ...
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The limits of shaming someone in public
We are told in strong terms:
He who humiliates another in public, it is as though he were spilling blood. [Bava Metzia 58b]
Now, if, while asking a question, someone mispronounces a word, do you, in ...
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Speaking negatively about someone - not about an Aveirah or Middah
When speaking negatively about someone, whether about an Aveirah that person did, or a bad middah he has, one transgresses the aveirah of Lashon Hara. The same is true if a negative remark can cause ...
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What was Miriam's Lashon Hara?
I heard that the problem with Miriam's Lashon Hara about Moshe was that she compared him with other prophets. With this comparation, she downgraded him, as he was a much bigger prophet and even ...
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Lashon HaRa and friend [closed]
My friend wants to work at this place that I worked at. It was a highly toxic place. Every other employee there also felt the same about its toxicity.
As far as lashon hara goes, can I tell him in one ...
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Lashon Harah between two separate parties
Is it Lashon Harah if I am speaking true, non-condemning facts about a person to someone who has no idea who I'm talking about? (i.e I don't say their name and they wouldn't know who it was anyway, or ...
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Journalists and Lashon HaRa [closed]
I was troubled by an article of an Israeli journalist (who sees herself as frum) that included a gratuitous derogatory quote about the subject of the article. (She pointed out that a long-running feud ...
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Kli Yakar about Lashon Hara
I heard that the Kli Yakar states that the source of the sin of Lashon Hara is the human tendency to focus on the negative side of life. So, naturally, when you focus on the bad side of things, you ...
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Is it wrong to have bad thoughts if you feel bad about them?
What is the sentiment on having bad unholy thoughts though I know they are wrong and feeling bad about them. For example if I interact with say a street sweeper and think 'I am superior to you' though ...
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Lashon Hara in Shulchan Aruch?
Why aren't the laws of lashon hara in the shulchan aruch? The Rambam talks about them in Hilchos De'os, but as far as I'm aware the shulchan aruch does not.
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Yitzchak Avinu telling Esav what happened
My son-in-law asked me an interesting question: Yaakov left with the blessings, and Esav came in. Yitzchak tells his son that he can't bless him because (https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.27.35?lang=bi&...
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Not Your Business, Not Lashon Hara
If you overhear someone talking about you, “he just got into a car accident, or “his wife just got into a car accident,” and it’s not technically lashon hara since it’s not technically negative. Yet, ...
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Did the Jews speak Lashon Hara while in Egypt
In Vayikra Rabbah 32:5 the Midrash Rabbah is explicit that one of the reasons the Jews were redeemed from exile is because the did not speak Lashon Harah (slander) about each other while they were in ...
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Imitating Rabbanim
Is it Lashon Hara (or any other aveirah) to imitate a rav. It’s a common thing in yeshivos (at least the ones I’ve been involved in) that some bachrim imitate the rebbes mannerisms and way of speaking ...
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What is considered Kabbalas Lashon Hara?
If one listens and feels uncomfortable to protest, is that accepting lashon hara?
Must one verbally accept it?
Is it accepting if one merely accepts it in their heart but verbally says they do not ...
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The history of Hilchos Lashon Hora
I am having a hard time finding sources for Hilchos Lashon Hora from the Rishonim and Achronim (or further back).
Does anyone know of good sources for Hilchos Lashon Hora from before the Chofetz Chaim?...
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Don't disparage the entirety of another person
Me'am Loez on Pirkei Avos 4:3 quotes a Sefer called Divrei Yechezkel to explain the words
אל תהי בז לכל אדם
as meaning "Don't disparage the entirety of a human being." Even if you see ...
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Would talking to a friend about someone who is annoying to you be considered lashon hara? [duplicate]
I’ll expand the question in the title.
Suppose someone is being annoyed by somebody else or has certain doubts about how to proceed regarding somebody else’s behavior and is looking for advice. Not ...
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Lashon Hara in the Gemara
The Gemara sometimes relates anecdotes of Amoraim and presents them in a negative light by including details which would seemingly classify as Lashon Hara in any other context. For instance,
"רַב ...
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Is one allowed to say that a girl is simpleminded when giving shidduch information? [closed]
If a person is trying to help another make a shidduch (assist in arranging a potential marriage), they may know that a particular boy would be looking for a smart girl. If the person has information ...
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What did Rabbi Yannai understand about 'Mi Ha-ish'?
The Midrash [Leviticus R. 16:2] says:
A peddler used to make the rounds of the towns near Sepphoris, crying out: "Who wishes to buy the potion for a long life?" and drawing large crowds ...
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Full translation of Chofetz Chaim into English?
Can anyone recommend (or does this even exist?) a full translation of the Chofetz Chaim into English? I'm aware of some of the 'lesson-a-day' things but am not sure whether these are full translations ...
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Does Hashem speak Lashon Hara about Sara?
In this week's Parasha, it seems to me that Hashem speaks L'H about Sarah, regarding her laughing about having a child (Genesis.18.13).
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ה' אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה זֶּה֩ צָחֲקָ֨ה שָׂרָ֜ה ...
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Are there any instances in Tanach of Lashon Hara said purely for non-constructive purposes?
I can think of several said with proper intentions - for instance, Miriam (Bamidbar ch. 12) wasn’t trying to harm Moshe with her speech; likewise those who told Gedaliah that he was to be killed by ...
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Understanding the sin of Lashon Hara
The problem is simply that I do not completely understand the principle of lashon hara.
One definition I often see is that lashon hara is spreading true (or also false in broader terms), ...
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Why 2.5 tribes' claim wasn't considered slander against Eretz Israel?
The 2.5 tribes claimed (Num 32,4):
הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֤ה ה' לִפְנֵי֙ עֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֥רֶץ מִקְנֶ֖ה הִ֑וא וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ מִקְנֶֽה׃
the land that the LORD has conquered for the community of ...
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Loshon Hora: Chafetz Chaim & Dissenting views
The sefer "Chofetz Chaim" is accepted worldwide as the leading authority in the Hilchos Shemiras Haloshon arena. However, as with every area in halacha, there are specific details which are subject to ...
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Loshon Hora: Believing that circumstances permit slander
When the Chofetz Chaim (Klal 2, §3) codifies the allowance to relate slander heard b'apei t'lasa (a statement made in front of three people, which is considered avidi l'geluei and therefore already ...
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Loshon Hora: The allowance of B'apei t'lasa (in front of 3)
Although they are governed by very strict limitations, there are numerous 'hetterim' for the prohibition of lashon hora, such as apei t'lasa, l'toieles, etc.
The Chofetz Chaim (Klal 2, §3 - see there ...
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Is the punishment for loshan hara death or tzaraas?
What is worse loshan hara about a thing or about a person?
We see that Miriam said Lashan Hara about a person and got Tzoraas
We see the meraglim said Lashan Hara about trees and stones and received ...
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Did Tziporah sin in what she said about Moshe?
In Bamidbar 12:1 the pasuk says
ותדבר מרים ואהרן במשה על־אדות האשה הכשית אשר לקח כי־אשה כשית לקח
Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married: “He married a ...
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Why is one not obligated to give up his life rather than violate Lashon Hara?
The Gemara in Erchin 15b compares Lashon Hara to the Big Three:
תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל כל המספר לשון הרע מגדיל עונות כנגד שלש עבירות עבודת כוכבים וגילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים כתיב הכא לשון מדברת גדולות ...
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When is anonymous negative speech lashon hara'?
When you speak negatively about someone, and your audience has no way of knowing what individual you are referring to, is it still considered lashon hara'? Source please.
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What is the meaning of "k'neged kullam"?
What is the meaning of "k'neged kullam"? The Talmud says:
"אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, וּגְמִילוּת ...
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Is speaking lashon hara ever justified?
My uncle has always encouraged me to avoid speaking lashon hara. "Will these words bring me closer to or further from this person?" is his usual response. However, is it ever justified to speak ill of ...
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Is telling unpleasant truth about a person Lashon Hora?
Is telling something unpleasant, something that would portray a person in a very negative light even though it is true, considered Lashon Hora?
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Does Jewish law have a clear position on freedom of speech?
Does Jewish law have a clear position on freedom of speech?
On the one hand, the Talmud itself testifies to such freedom (within broad bounds): Minority opinions are cited, followed by the majority ...
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When does speculation become evil gossip?
All we know about the death of Nadav and Avihu is this verse in Leviticus:
And Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and offered ...
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Lashon Hora to get something off one's chest'? [duplicate]
Is there an issue of Lashon Hora to tell someone about a difficult situation that one is experiencing with another person if your purpose is to vent and get 'something off one's chest'? Similarly, may ...
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Speaking Lashon Hara about a Teacher
Let’s say you have an awful teacher in school that doesn’t know how to teach properly. Are you allowed to tell your parents that that teacher is bad? Or is this Lashon hara? If it is Lashon Hara, how ...
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Lashon Hara And News articles?
Is it considered Lashon Hara to read a news article on someone that has derogatory facts about him/her? List sources. Thanks!
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Lashon Hara That 3 people have already heard
Is it true that a derogatory statement that was already heard by 3 people or more, is not considered Lashon Hara? Such as saying that a Jew was charged with a certain crime, that more then 3 people ...
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Reading Lashon Harah Online
Is it a sin to read Lashon harah online? For example, reading bad reviews about a business. Or even reading reviews about a person? Thanks!
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Lashon Hara about a business [duplicate]
Would it be Lashon Hara to say something bad about a business? For example, saying a certain school is bad or a restaurant serves bad food. Would this be considered speaking Lashon Hara?
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