DEUT950 One who speaks or listens to lashon hara is also subject to the curse of אָר֕וּר מַשְׁגֶּ֥ה עִוֵּ֖ר בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ, “Cursed is one who misleads a blind man on the way” (Devarim 27:18). It is well known that the intent of this pasuk is to curse someone who places a stumbling block before another person, causing him to transgress. This course is similar to the prohibition of וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל, “Before a blind person do not place a stumbling block” (Vayikra 19:14), regarding which we explained, in negative commandment 4, that one who speaks or listens to the lashon hara violates this prohibition.

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DEUT953 See [[LEV618]] Leviticus 19:17 sin SEFER 108-110

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DEUT958 If a single individual testifies before a beis din regarding a sin that someone committed, then he violates the prohibition of לֹֽא־יָקוּם֩ עֵ֨ד אֶחָ֜ד בְּאִ֗ישׁ לְכָל־עָוֹן֙, “A single witness shall not testify about a person regarding any sin or wrongdoing" (Devarim 19:15). Since the testimony of this single witness cannot obligate anyone to pay money or take an oath, nor can it negate another person's good standing, he is considered to have disgraced the other person for no reason, and based in his obligated to punish him with lashes (malkos) for what he did.

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DEUT1344 One who speaks lashon hara also transgresses the prohibition of הִשָּׁ֧מֶר בְּנֶגַע־הַצָּרַ֛עַת לִשְׁמֹ֥ר מְאֹ֖ד וְלַעֲשֹׂ֑ות, “Be mindful of the tzaraas affliction, to be very careful and to act [accordingly]." (Devarim 24:8). Chazal explain in Sifra (Bechukosai 1:3) that when the Torah writes “to be very careful,” it means that one should not forget to remain on guard against lashon hara, so that he will not be afflicted with tzaraas because he spoke lashon hara.

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DEUT1496 See [[EXOD427]] Exodus 20:12 honor SEFER 59-60

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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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DEUT1513 If one completely disregards the prohibition of lashon hara, Heaven forbid, and does not resolve to guard against transgressing it, then he incurs a third curse, that of אָר֗וּר אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־יָקִ֛ים אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתֹּורָֽה־הַזֹּ֖את לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות אֹותָ֑ם, “Cursed is one who does not uphold the words of this Torah, to do them” (Devarim 27:26). This curse refers to one who does not resolve to keep the entire Torah. One who completely disregards the prohibition of lashon hara is referred to as a mumar l’davar ehad, since he flagrantly violates this severe prohibition and views this aspect of Hashem's Torah as inconsequential, similar to a mumar who disregards the entire Torah. His sin is therefore unbearably severe.

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DEUT1532 One who speaks or listens to lashon hara also transgresses the commandment of וְהָלַכְתָּ֖ בִּדְרָכָֽיו׃, “And you shall follow in His ways” (Deuteronomy 28:9). This mitzvah obligates us to emulate the ways of Hashem, all of which are purely good, as Chazal say (Shabbos 133b), “Just as He is compassionate, so should you be compassionate; just as He is gracious, so should you be gracious.” The same applies to all other good qualities as well, as the Rambam explains (Hilchos Dei’os 1:5-6). We find among the holy and pure traits of Hashem that He detests derogatory speech under any circumstances, even if it is about a very lowly person. We see this from the Gemara in Sanhedrin (11a) that says, with regard to the sin of Achan, that Hashem replied to Yehoshua, “Am I an informer to you?”

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