"For Instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the L-rd from Jerusalem." -- Isaiah 2:3

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LEVITICUS — 25:17 wrong

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Leviticus, Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2), Source Book Keys, PGYT
Page(s): 18
LEV1003 "You shall not wrong one another" This verse forbids us to say anything that will insult or anger another person (Bava Metzia 58b). Some examples of this would be: (1) reminding someone about his previous misdeeds; (2) embarrassing someone for his family background; (3) ridiculing someone for his lack of Torah knowledge; (4) insulting someone for his lowly status; (5) asking someone how he would answer a certain question when you know that he is not competent to reply. If you relate loshon hora to others in the presence of the victim, besides being guilty of speaking loshon hora, you also violate this prohibition.

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LEVITICUS — 25:35 uphold

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Leviticus, Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2), Source Book Keys, PGYT
Page(s): 22-3
LEV1045 "If your brother be waxen poor and his means fail him when he is with you, then you shall uphold him" The Torah obligates us to give financial aid to a fellow Jew in order to prevent his becoming poor. This could be in the form of a grant, a loan, or a source of income (Rambam Matnos Aniyim 10:7). If you relate loshon hora and as a consequence the subject loses his job or income, you have violated this commandment.

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NUMBERS — 35:33 pollute

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Numbers, Massei (Numbers 33:1–36:13), Source Book Keys, PGYT
Page(s): 19-20
NUM428 "You shall not pollute the land wherein you are". This verse forbids us to flatter a wrongdoer (The Gaonim RAM Baal Hatofos and RSH Ben Gabriol). If you know that Reuven dislikes someone, the correct thing to do is to admonish Reuven for his hatred. By speaking loshon hora to Reuven about his enemy in order to find favor in his eyes, you violate this prohibition. A listener to loshon hora can also be guilty of this prohibition. It is very common for people to nod their heads or vocally show approval when someone tells them loshon hora. This flattery is terms chanifas and is a very serious offence (see Shaarey Tshuvah 3:187-199).

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DEUTERONOMY — 6:7 diligently

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Deuteronomy, Va'etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11), Source Book Keys, PGYT
Page(s): 25
DEUT253 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lay down, and when you rise up." Every single word of the Torah that you study is a fulfillment of a mitzvah (see Shnos Eliyohu-Paiah). Conversely, for every single word of loshon hora that you speak, you are guilty of bitul Torah, not having spent your time fruitfully in studying Torah.

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DEUTERONOMY — 8:11 forget

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Deuteronomy, Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25), Source Book Keys, PGYT
Page(s): 14-5
DEUT376 "Beware lest you forget the Lord, your God". This is the prohibition against being conceited (Sotah 5a). One who ridicules others is generally motivated by a feeling of superiority. If he were aware of his own faults, he surely would not deprecate others. The Talmud (ibid.) equates arrogance with idolatry and states that whoever has this trait will not be privileged to be resurrected by tchiyas hamaisim. The gravity of the transgression is increased if the speaker elevates his own esteem through the medium of degrading someone else. Our Sages (Yerushalmi Chagigah 2:1) I have declared that such a person will lose his share in olam haboh.

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DEUTERONOMY — 19:15 witness

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Deuteronomy, Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9), Source Book Keys, PGYT
Page(s): 17
DEUT956 "One witness shall not rise up against a man for any inquiry or for any sin" If a solitary witness testifies against someone before a Bais Din in a non-financial matter, he violates this prohibition besides being guilty of speaking loshon hora. In financial matters the testimony of a single witness has practical effects. (It can obligate someone to make an oath.) In non-financial matters, however, the Bais Din cannot accept the testimony of only one witness. Therefore his coming to testify merely blackens the reputation of the person he speaks against without any beneficial results.

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