"Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it — you could all get your wands out and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed." — Alastor Moody, HP GoF
The Three Unforgivable Curses:
- The Imperius Curse (Imperio)
Description: Causes the victim to perform unquestioned bidding of the caster -
The Cruciatus Curse (Crucio)
Description: Inflicts excruciating pain on recipient of the curse (tortures them)
-
The Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra)
Description: Causes instant and painless death
Prof. Moody: "And they are so named? "
Hermione: "Because they are unforgivable. The use of any one of them will...."
Prof. Moody: "Earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban."
אמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (ויקרא יד, ב) זאת תהיה תורת המצורע זאת תהיה תורתו של מוציא שם רע ואמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (קהלת י, יא) אם ישוך הנחש בלא לחש ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון . . . (משלי יח, כא) מות וחיים ביד לשון וכי יש יד ללשון
Reish Lakish quotes, "This is the ritual (lit. Torah) for a leper..." this is in reference to the law (lit. Torah) for one who speaks Lashon Harah And Reish Lakish asks, "Where do we learn this?" "If the serpent bites before it is charmed, the charmer has no advantage." . . . Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that indulge it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)
The Gemara relates that the tanna who recited mishnayot and baraitot in the study hall taught a baraita before Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak: Anyone who humiliates another in public, it is as though he were spilling blood. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to him: You have spoken well, as we see that after the humiliated person blushes, the red leaves his face and pallor comes in its place, which is tantamount to spilling his blood. Abaye said to Rav Dimi: In the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, with regard to what mitzva are they particularly vigilant? Rav Dimi said to him: They are vigilant in refraining from humiliating others, as Rabbi Ḥanina says: Everyone descends to Gehenna except for three.