Questions tagged [loshon-hara]

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13 votes
1 answer
479 views

Loshon Hara against public Jewish and non-Jewish figures

Both American and Israeli politics, and of course those of other democracies, can include a lot of personal attacks, both true and untrue, including innuendo about possible adultery, gay or straight, ...
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11 votes
4 answers
1k views

Loshon hara to a therapist

Is saying things that would otherwise be considered loshon hara permitted in the context of mental health therapy? I am not familiar with the details of therapeutic schools, but I understand that ...
  • 19.5k
10 votes
2 answers
545 views

Is there an easy way to say you do not want to hear Loshon Hara?

A question for those out there who try and guard their tongues, but more apropos here, their ears! When I hear loshon hara, I think to myself “I don’t want to hear this, but how do I say it?” It’s not ...
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8 votes
2 answers
969 views

Saying loshon hara to a spouse or close relative

Are there any relationships within which loshon hara is permitted? I guess I mean loshon hara that is said for a purpose--but perhaps not purposes which would meet the strict halachic criteria for ...
  • 19.5k
6 votes
3 answers
183 views

Ya'akov's brief amnesia

In Parashas Vayechi, Ya'akov calls for his sons to gather so that he can tell them about what shall befall them at the end of days. Gen. 49:1. He never gets to that, however, because, according to ...
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6 votes
2 answers
3k views

Loshon hara against non-Jews?

It would seem to be ethically(1) and Jewishly(2) inadvisable--but is there actually a halacha against speaking loshon hara about non-Jews? Related: Loshon Hara against public Jewish and non-Jewish ...
  • 19.5k
6 votes
1 answer
235 views

Loshon hara vs. Honor code

Note: This question is in fact hypothetical--but any suggestions for edits that could make it a less ostensibly CYLOR-type question would be welcome. Let's say I attend a university which requires ...
  • 19.5k
6 votes
1 answer
219 views

Any Halachic problems with app publishing?

I'm currently in the process of developing a mobile app, that, be'h will have various Israel related feeds. I was wondering if there could be any Halachic issues with respect to including news feeds ...
  • 121
5 votes
2 answers
696 views

Can a yeshiva principal force students to tattle on other students

In a certain yeshiva the menahel was threatening bochurim to tell on other bochurim about who damaged something in the yeshiva. Is it against the laws of Loshon hora to tell? What about in other ...
5 votes
2 answers
274 views

Speaking lashon hara about someone who does not mind

Is it permitted to say negative things about someone when the person spoken about says that he does not mind and does not care if people speak negatively about him?
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4 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is it possible we didn’t speak Egyptian while in Egypt?

Our sages say that we didn’t change our language, clothes, and names and in that merit we were redeemed. However didn’t we have to communicate with the Egyptians in their language?
3 votes
2 answers
223 views

Is the Torah Lashon HaRah

Is it possible that the Torah could be considered Lashon HaRah? It describes personal information about both individuals and groups of people and documents their good, bad, and indifferent behaviours. ...
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3 votes
2 answers
195 views

Asking a shaila with Loshon Hara

Can you say loshon hara for the purposes of asking a shaila (i.e., of a rav)? Must you meet the Chofetz Chaim's seven prerequisites for saying constructive loshon hara in order to do so in this case? ...
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3 votes
1 answer
172 views

Is there a halacha for writing a biography of a gadol? If so, what is it?

I was thinking of writing a magazine article on a rabbi I knew well before his death some years back. I wrote to his son to see if he could help me with stories, history, photographs, etc. He ...
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3 votes
0 answers
84 views

Believing loshon hara from before conversion

There is a negative commandment forbidding believing negative things about Jews (whether it is permissible to believe about non Jews is a point of contention, and for the purposes of this question let'...
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3 votes
1 answer
96 views

Does mesirah apply to organizations other than the government?

Inspired by a good question asked here that did not receive any serious answers. Are there prohibitions (under mesirah or elsewhere) on turning over a fellow Jew to authorities other than the ...
  • 19.5k
2 votes
1 answer
99 views

What does “tranquil women” mean here?

In the amazing letter written by the Vilna Gaon, he writes: ⁦But the main way to merit Olam Haba is by guarding one's tongue. That is worth more than all the Torah and good deeds. This is the meaning ...
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2 votes
0 answers
108 views

If a Jewish neighbor becomes the subject of a scandal, is it loshon hara to follow it in the press?

It has happened a few times -- Jewish neighbors or acquaintances, some of them communal leaders and/or public figures -- have been arrested and charged with a crime or crimes of such a nature they are ...
  • 15.8k
1 vote
1 answer
53 views

Location of Rambam on machlokes and loshon hora. Only one in three chance of ill intent

I seem to remember that the Rambam speaks about avoiding machlokes (quarrels) and loshon hora (bad speech). He says something like this: there are three possibilities in any statement about the ...
1 vote
1 answer
82 views

Hearing Loshon Hara from a Gentile

Can a Gentile tell me Loshon Hara about another Jew?
  • 1,883
1 vote
1 answer
74 views

Loshon hora and Torah lectures

Where in hilchos loshon hora, does the chofetz chaim say that ridiculing Torah lectures is a form of loshon hora?
0 votes
3 answers
379 views

Is it loshon hara if its to yourself?

If one were to speak loshon hara to themsleves about someone, is it allowed? Of course it is not ideal, but if someone needed to talk to blow off steam, would it be something that is permissible?
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0 votes
1 answer
66 views

Speaking Loshon Hara about another Jew to a Gentile

Can I say Loshon Hara about another Jew to a Gentile? For example: If Reuven tells Roy that Yehudah is a stupid person. Is Reuven doing an Aveira?
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0 votes
0 answers
28 views

Is it really against the Torah to speak Loshon Hora about yourself? [duplicate]

Is it true that it is an aveirah to speak badly about yourself to someone else?
0 votes
2 answers
127 views

Does רבינו יונה hold that the source of the prohibition for Loshon Hora is אונאת דברים?

In the 3rd Shaar of Shaarei Teshuvah he gives a passuk in the Torah for each עבירה (sin). If so, why in #214 does he begin explaining Loshon Hora (LH) with the issur of אונאת דברים and an example ...
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0 votes
0 answers
25 views

Loshon ho'rah with a spouse [duplicate]

Can one speak loshon ho'rah with his wife if it is for the purpose of making small talk and showing interest in his wife in order to improve (or maintain ) shalom bayis?
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0 votes
3 answers
190 views

Is describing someone’s appearance loshon hara?

Is describing how someone looks loshon hara if the attributes are commonly perceived as negative?
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