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EXODUS — 22:24 lend

EXOD701 ... if one sees a person ask his friend to lend him money (which is a positive Torah commandment, derived from the pasuk: אִם־כֶּ֣סֶף תַּלְוֶ֣ה, “When you lend money” (Shemos 22:24), as the Rambam explains in Sefer Hamitzvos) or to do a different favor for him, and the friend declined to help him; or if one sees someone violate a negative commandment in the area of bein adam l’chaveiro, such as taking revenge or bearing a grudge (according to the Gemara's explanation in Yoma [23a] of what is included in the prohibitions of taking revenge and bearing a grudge) and disparages that person before others by telling them what he witnessed, then his words are considered lashon hara. Since the speaker was not harmed by this person (and informing others of the incident will not accomplish anything constructive on behalf of the affected party), it is considered lashon hara ro reveal this negative information to others. All this applies even if one witnessed the incident himself, and it was clear to him that the other person could have done the favor for his friend but declined to do so because of his mean-spiritedness.... even if someone else was denied the favor, and the speaker's sole intent in speaking about the other person is in order to uphold the truth, it is still forbidden. If the speaker himself was the one who was denied the favor, then it is forbidden all the more for him to disparage his fellow over this. If he violates this halakhah, not only does he transgress the prohibition of lashon hara, but he also transgresses the negative commandment of לֹֽא־תִטֹּר֙, “Do not bear a grudge” (Vayikra 19:18). If his intention in disparaging the other person is to take revenge by publicizing his mean-spiritedness, then he violates the negative commandment of לֹֽא־תִקֹּ֤ם, “Do not take revenge” (ibid), aside from violating the prohibition of lashon hara.

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EXODUS — 23:1 false

EXOD750 It is forbidden by the Torah to believe lashon hara, whether it relates to bein adam l’Makom matters or bein adam l’chaveiro matters. This means that it is forbidden for us to believe in our hearts that the lashon hara we heard is true, because this will cause the subject of the lashon hara to be disgraced in our eyes. It is forbidden to believe the lashon hara even if one does not express his agreement with what was said. If one does indicate his agreement to the speaker’s negative remarks, his transgression is twofold, because then he is considered to have spoken and believed lashon hara. One who believes the lashon hara violates the negative commandment of לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֖א שֵׁ֣מַע שָׁ֑וְא, “Do not bear a false report” (Shemos 23:1), for Chazal explained in Mechilta that this pasuk is an admonition against believing lashon hara, besides the other negative and positive commandments associated with believing lashon hora, as delineated in the opening sections. Furthermore, Chazal said that anyone who believes the lashon hara deserves to be thrown to the dogs, for the words: “Do not accept false tidings” (Shemos 23:1) immediately follow the words: לַכֶּ֖לֶב תַּשְׁלִכ֥וּן אֹתֹֽו, “To the dog you should throw it” (Shemos 22:30). Chazal also say that the punishment for one who believes the lashon hara is more severe than the punishment for one who speaks it.

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EXODUS — 23:1 report

EXOD758 First, one should be familiar with the basic halachic principles regarding lashon hara and rechilus. (“Lashon hara” means speaking disparagingly of another person, and “rechilus” means informing another person of the negative things that someone else said about him or did to him.) Both lashon hara and rechilus are forbidden even if what the speaker says is true, as we will explain later, with Hashem's help, based on the consensus of all the poskim. Second, the prohibition of lashon hara and rechilus applies whether the person who is being spoken about is present or absent. Third, there is no distinction made between one who speaks lashon hara and who accepts the lashon hara, as we will explain later. One is considered to have “accepted lashon hara if he believes, in his heart, the speaker’s negative comments. Even if one does not add any of his own words to the speaker's comments, but merely believes the lashon hara or rechilus that he heard, he is still considered “one who bears a false report,” and has violated the prohibition of לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֖א שֵׁ֣מַע שָׁ֑וְא, “Do not bear a false report" (Shemos 23:1). Every one of these principles has many offshoots and facets, as is the case with all other aspects of the Torah.

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EXODUS — 23:1 report

EXOD759 One who speaks or believes lashon hara also violates the prohibition of לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֖א שֵׁ֣מַע שָׁ֑וְא. “Do not bear a false report" (Shemos 23:1). Even though the pasuk uses the word תִשָּׂ֖א, bear, referring to the listener, the word can also be read תשיא, caused to bear, referring to the speaker. Consequently, this prohibition includes both the listener and the speaker.

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EXODUS — 23:2 follow

EXOD774 All that we have written applies even if there is a single speaker or listener. However, if one joins a group of wicked people who are habitual lashon hara speakers in order to relate or listen to lashon hara, then he also violates the prohibition of לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּ֖ים לְרָעֹ֑ת, “Do not follow the majority for evil" (Shemos 23:2). According to Rabbeinu Yonah (Shaarei Teshuvah 3:50), this prohibition cautions a person not to concur or associate with wrongdoers, even if they are numerous.

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EXODUS — 23:7 falsehood

EXOD832 All that we have discussed until now applies even if the information one relates about another person is true. However, if one says lashon hara or rechilus that includes some false information, he also transgresses the Torah’s commandment of מִדְּבַר־שֶׁ֖קֶר תִּרְחָ֑ק, “You shall distance yourself from falsehood” (Shemos 23:7). In addition, his name becomes tarnished because of what he said, for now he will be labeled a motzi shem ra (slanderer), for which the punishment is far more severe than the punishment for speaking ordinary lashon hara and rechilus.

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LEVITICUS — 19:14 curse

LEV381 At times, an additional prohibition is violated, that of cursing with Hashem's Name. Unfortunately, people often speak lashon hara out of anger, and in the heat of the moment, they curse the other person, even with Hashem's name. If he curses with Hashem's Name, in any language, then he transgresses the full-fledged prohibition of לֹא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ, “Do not curse a deaf person” (Vayikra 19:14). (When the pasuk says not to curse a deaf person, it means even a deaf person; it is certainly forbidden to curse someone who is not deaf, as explained in Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 27:1.)

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LEVITICUS — 19:14 stumbling block

LEV413 Furthermore, the heter (i.e., rabbinic allowance--AJL] to repeat lashon hara spoken before three listeners relates only to the speaker, not to the listener. However, if the speaker knows that the listener’s nature is such that he will immediately accept the negative information he hears about Shimon as the truth--and it is also possible that he will add other derogatory comments about Shimon-- then to such a person it is forbidden under any circumstances to utter even the slightest hint of negative information about another person. One who does tell such a person something negative about another person transgresses the negative commandment of וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל, “Before a blind person do not place a stumbling block” (Vayikra 19:14) … All that we have written in this section applies even if the speaker does not mention the name of the original speaker who related negative information before three listeners, but rather simply says that such-and-such was said about this person; this is still forbidden. And now, my brother, after all that we have explained, take note of how greatly one should distance himself from this leniency [of repeating negative information said in the presence of three people], for there is virtually no scenario in which it can apply.... according too many poskim there is absolutely no source for this leniency in the Gemara. Therefore, one who is concerned with his spiritual welfare should stay far away from this leniency.

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