DEUT1502 The Torah curses those who take advantage of another's naïveté or lack of knowledge [this verse]. Since each of us has areas of "blindness"--as well as areas of expertise that enable us to take advantage of others--we may understand this curse as being directed against all those who mislead and deceive others, who engage in acts of g'neivat da'at, "stealing another's mind."

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DEUT1501 See [[LEV372]] Leviticus 19:14 blind TELVOL2 151

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DEUT1503 See [[LEV399]] Leviticus 19:14 obstacle PATH 70-1

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DEUT1504 Aside from all of the negative and positive commandments mentioned above, one who speaks lashon hara also incurs the curse of אָר֕וּר מַכֵּ֥ה רֵעֵ֖הוּ בַּסָּ֑תֶר, “Cursed is one who strikes his fellow in secret” (Devarim 27:24), which refers to someone who speaks lashon hara, as Sifri and Rashi on Chumash explain.

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DEUT1506 See [[EXOD50]] Exodus 2:14 known SEFER 14

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DEUT1507 The prohibition of lashon hara is so severe that the Torah forbids one from speaking lashon hara even if what one says is true, and in all circumstances. Not only does one violate the prohibition if he is careful to speak about this subject in private and make sure that the subject does not find out what was said about him--for in doing so he also incurs a curse, as it says: אָר֕וּר מַכֵּ֥ה רֵעֵ֖הוּ בַּסָּ֑תֶר “Cursed is one who strikes his fellow in secret” (Devarim 27:24)--but even if the speaker is certain that he would be willing to say that lashon hara in the presence of the subject, or if he actually does say it before him, that is also forbidden and considered lashon hara. In a certain sense, the sin of speaking lashon hara in the presence of the person he is speaking about is worse than speaking about him in his absence, because when one speaks lashon hara in the subject's presence, not only is he transgressing the provision of lashon hara, he is also conducting himself with brazenness and chutzpah. In addition, speaking with lashon hara in the subject's presence engenders greater strife, and can at times cause the other person's face to turn white from embarrassment, as we described at length in negative commitment 14 וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֥א עָלָ֖יו חֵֽטְא׃, “Do not bear a sin because of him” (Vayikra 19:17).

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DEUT1505 Bible commentators understand [this verse] as referring not only to someone who strikes his unsuspecting neighbor physically, but also to someone who injures another by speaking lashon hara, an activity that takes place behind the victim's back. The Psalmist promises God's vengeance on such gossips: "He who slanders his friends in secret, I will destroy" (Psalms 101:5).. One of the great evils of lashon hara is that because it does not happen in the victim's presence, he is unable to defend himself.

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DEUT1508 The Torah and Talmud both express the gravity of loshon hora. The Torah [this verse, Rashi] places a curse on those who speak evil of others, while the Talmud (Erchin 15b) equates speaking loshon hara with atheism. Besides the inherent severity of loshon hora, the gravity is compounded by repetition; a person who isn't careful with his speech will violate the prohibition thousands of times. Therefore, we definitely will not be worthy of God's blessings until we cease speaking loshon hora. After careful observation, I have come to the realization that the general public is not aware that even if a defamatory is true it constitutes loshon hora. Even those familiar with this fundamental principle have a tendency to excuse their loshon hora by misquoting and misapplying various sources. Conversely, lack of correct knowledge can mislead a person into thinking that scrupulously observing every detail of this mitzvah is only possible by becoming a secluded hermit. These and other errors have brought about a condition in which there are few indeed who refrain from speaking loshon hora.

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DEUT1509 Backbiting. If you maliciously speak loshon hora about someone behind his back and do not want him to find out that you maligned him, in addition to violating the prohibition against speaking loshon hora, you also incur upon yourself a curse: "Cursed be the one who secretly smites his friend" [this verse].

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DEUT1510 We are forbidden to speak against someone behind his back. If you maliciously speak loshon hora about someone behind his back and do not want him to find out that you maligned him, in addition to violating the prohibition against speaking loshon hora, you also incur upon yourself this curse. (Chofetz Chayim 3:1)

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