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Chofetz Chaim, Introduction to the Laws of the Prohibition of Lashon Hara and Rechilut, Opening Comments

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Introduction to the Laws of the Prohibition of Lashon Hara and Rechilut, Opening Comments

1

בְּאַהֲבַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְחָפֵץ מְאֹד בְּטוֹבָתָם עַד שֶׁקְּרָאָם בְּשֵׁם בָּנִים, וְחֵלֶק ה' וְנַחֲלָה, וְכַמָּה שֵׁמוֹת חֲבִיבִים הַמּוֹרִים עַל גֹּדֶל אַהֲבָתוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלאכי א, ב): "אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר ה'", וְגוֹ', לְפִיכָךְ הִרְחִיקָּם מִּכָּל הַמִּדּוֹת רָעוֹת וּבִפְרָט מִלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת, כִּי הוּא מֵּבִיא אֶת בְּנִי אָדָם לִידֵי רִיב וּמַצָּה, וְכַמָּה פְּעָמִים יוּכַל לָבוֹא מִזֶּה לִידֵי שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ם זַ"ל בְּהִלְכוֹת דֵּעוֹת (פרק ז' הלכה א'): אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לוֹקִין עַל לָאו זֶה, עָוֹן גָּדוֹל הוּא וְגוֹרֵם לַהֲרֹג נְפָשׁוֹת רַבּוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, לְכָךְ נִסְמַךְ לוֹ (ויקרא יט, טז): "לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ", צֵּא וּלְמַד מָה אֵרַע לְדוֹאֵג הָאְדוֹמִי וּלְנוֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים.

In the Blessed One's love for His people Israel and His great desire for their good — to the point of calling them "sons," and "the portion of the Lrd," and "inheritance," along with many other terms of affection which show His great love for Israel, viz. (Malachi 1:2): "I have loved You, said the Lrd, etc.," He distanced them from all forms of evil, especially from lashon hara and rechiluth. For it is these which bring men to quarrels and contention and which very often can lead to the spilling of blood, as the Rambam wrote (Hilchoth Deoth 4:1): "Even though there are no malkoth [stripes] for transgression of this negative commandment, it is a great sin, which leads to the killing of many souls in Israel, for which reason it [i.e., 'Do not go tale bearing among your people' (Vayikra 19:16) is followed by: 'Do not stand (idly) by the blood of your brother' — as evidenced by [the episode of] Doeg Ha'adomi and Nov, the city of priests (viz. I Samuel 22:9)."

2

וְעוֹד כַּמָּה רָעוֹת עֲצּוּמּוֹת, שֶׁנָּסַבּוּ עַל יְדֵי הַמִּדָּה הַמְגֻנָּה הַזֹּאת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּדוּע שֶׁחֵטְא הנָּחָשׁ הָיָה הָעִקָּר עַל יְדֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁדִּבֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמַר: מִּן הָאִילָן הַזֶּה אָכַל וּבָרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה פִּתָּה אֶת חַוָּה, כְּמּוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (שבת קמו, א): בָּא נָחָשׁ עַל חַוָּה וְהִטִּיל בָּה זֻהֲמָּא, הֲרֵי שֶׁגָּרַם גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, וְגַם מִּיתָה לְכָל הָעוֹלָם, הֲרֵי שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה גָּרַם לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְחַוָּה לַעֲבֹר עַל רְצּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וּמִמֵּילָא זֶה הַמְדַבֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, אוֹחֵז בְּמִדָּתוֹ הַמַּשְׁחֶתֶת לִבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם.

Some additional great evils brought about by this despicable trait: It is well known that the sin of the [primal] serpent was brought about by the lashon hara that it spoke against the Holy One Blessed be He, saying [to Eve]: "He [Gd] ate from this tree [the Tree of Knowledge] and created the world," by which Eve was enticed to do likewise (viz. Shabbath 146a): "The serpent was 'intimate' with Eve and injected zuhamah ['pollution'] into her" — hence, [(the sin of) illicit relations], and also death to all mankind — hence, the spilling of blood. And through this [i.e., lashon hara] it induced Adam and Eve to transgress the will of the Holy One Blessed be He. It follows that one who speaks lashon hara adopts its [the serpent's] trait, which undermines the creation.

3

וְגם שֶׁעִקַּר סִבַּת יְרִידַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְּרַיִם הָיְתָה לְכתְּחִלָּה עַל יְדֵי זֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית לז, ב): "וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל אֲבִיהֶם" וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִגְזַר עָלָיו מִן השָּׁמַיִם מִדָּה בְּמִדָּה שֶׁנִּמְכַּר לְעֶבֶד, כְּמּוֹ שֶׁאָמַר עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁקּוֹרְאִין לַאֲחֵיהֶם עֲבָדִים, כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (ב"ר ד, ז) וּבִירוּשַׁלְמִי דְּפֵאָה (פרק א' הלכה א'), הֲגַם שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ טַעַם לְהֶתֵּרָא עַל הַדִּבָּה שֶׁהֵבִיא כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ המְּפָרְשִׁים, עִם כָּל זֶה, רְאֵה, שֶׁלֹּא הוֹעִיל לוֹ שׁוּם הֶתֵּר.

And the descent of Israel into Egypt, too, stemmed initially from this [i.e., from lashon hara], viz. (Bereshith 37:2): "And Joseph brought evil report of them [the sons of Leah] to their father," whence it was decreed by Heaven, measure for measure, that he be sold into slavery, his having accused them of calling their brothers [from the maidservants] "slaves" (viz. Bereshith Rabbah 84:7 and Yerushalmi Peah 1:1). Though Joseph had a heter [halachic license] for bringing this "evil report," as the exegetes explain, it is to be noted that this heter did not avail him [and he was sold into slavery].

4

וְעוֹד כָּל סִבַּת גָּלוּתֵנוּ עַתָּה הוּא הָעִקָּר רַק בִּשְׁבִיל מַעֲשֵׂה הַמְרַגְּלִים, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב {בתהלים קו כו כז}: "וַיִּשָּׂא יָדוֹ לָהֶם לְהַפִּיל וְגוֹ' וּלְזָרוֹתָם בָּאֲרָצּוֹת" וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רשִּׁ"י שָׁם, וְכֵן כָּתַב הָרַמְּבַּ"ן בַּחֻמָּשׁ בְּפָרָשׁת מְּרַגְּלִים (במדבר יד, א). וְאָמְרוּ בַּעְרָכִין (דף ט"ו), שֶׁעִקַּר חֵטְא מְרַגְּלִים הָיָה לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁהוֹצִּיאוּ דִּבָּה עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁבָּכוּ אָז בְּכִיָּה שֶׁל חִנָּם, נִגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם בִּכִיָּה לְדוֹרוֹת. וְעוֹד כַּמָּה רָעוֹת עד אֵין מִסְפָּר הִשִּׂיגוּנוּ על יְדֵי חֵטְא הֶחָמוּר הַזֶּה, כִּי גַּם כָּל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּהֶרְגוּ בִּימֵי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטַח, גִּיסוֹ שֶׁל יַנַּאי הַמֶּלֶךְ, עַל יְדֵי יַנַּאי, הָיָה גַּם כֵּן עַל יְדֵי רְכִילוּת כִּדְאִיתָא בְּקִדּוּשִׁין {דף ס"ו} עַיֵּן שָׁם. וַהֲרִיגַת הַתַּנָּא ר' אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַמּוֹדָעִי, שֶׁהָיָה גַּם כֵּן סִבָּה לְחֻרְבַּן בֵּיתָר, הָיָה גַּם כֵּן עַל יְדֵי רְכִילוּת, שֶׁהִרְכִילוּ עָלָיו לִפְנֵי בֶּן כּוֹזִיבָא כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמִדְרַשׁ אֵיכָה (איכה רבה ב, ד).

And again, the entire reason for our present exile is the sin of the spies (viz. Tehillim 6:25-27): "And they murmured in their tents [against the land]. They hearkened not to the word of the Lrd. And He lifted up His hand [in oath] against them… to scatter them in the lands," as Rashi explains there and as the Ramban wrote (on Bamidbar 14:1). And it is stated in Arachin (15a) that the sin of the spies was essentially lashon hara, their giving out an evil report of the land. And because they then (on the eve of the ninth of Av) cried a "vain" cry, it (the ninth of Av) was decreed for them as a "crying" for the generations [e.g., the destruction of both Temples, etc.]. And countless other evils befell us because of this grave sin. For all the sages of Israel who were killed by King Yannai in the days of Shimon ben Shetach, the brother-in-law of King Yannai, were also killed because of the sin of rechiluth (viz. Kiddushin 66a). And the murder of the tanna, R. Elazar Hamodai, (which also contributed to the destruction of Betar) was likewise caused by rechiluth which was spoken against him before Ben Koziva (viz. Eichah Rabbah 2:4).

5

וּמִפְּנֵי גֹּדֶל הָרָעוֹת שֶׁנִּמְצְּאוּ בַּמִּדָּה הַמְגֻנָּה הַזֹּאת, הִזְהִירָה הַתּוֹרָה אוֹתָנוּ בִּפְרָטוּת עַל זֶה בְּלָאו {ויקרא י"ט ט"ז} דְּ"לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל" וְגוּ' וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנְּבָאֵר לְקַמָּן. (וְלֹא כְּמוֹ כַּעַס וְאַכְזָרִיּוּת וְלֵיצָּנוּת וּשְׁאָר מִדּוֹת הַנִּשְׁחָתוֹת, אַף שֶׁגַּם הֵמָּה מַשְׁחִיתִים אֶת תֹּאר הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְצּוּרָתָהּ, וְגַם עֲלֵיהֶם רָמְזָה הַתּוֹרָה בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת כַּמְבֹאָר בְּדִבְרֵי חֲזַ"ל, עִם כָּל זֶה אֵין עֲלֵיהֶם לָאו בְּפֵרוּשׁ בְּמִנְיַן תַּרְיָ"ג).

And because of the gravity of the evils found in this evil trait, the Torah exhorted us specifically against it by negative commandment, viz. (Vayikra 19:16): "Do not go talebearing among your people," as shall be explained below (as opposed to anger, cruelty, and levity and the other corrupt traits, which even though they undermine the majesty of the soul and its form, and they were alluded to in many places in the Torah, as explained in the words of Chazal — with all this, there is no explicit negative commandment against them [as there is against rechiluth] in the count of taryag [the 613 commandments] of the Torah.

6

וְעוֹד נִרְאֶה פָּשׁוּט טַעַם אַחֵר, מַה שֶּׁהִזְהִירָה הַתּוֹרָה בִּפְרָט עַל זֶה, מִפְּנִי שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר נְדַיֵּק בֶּאֱמֶת בַּפְּרָט הַזֶּה דְּהַיְנוּ לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת, נִמְצָא שֶׁכִּמְעַט הֵם כּוֹלְלִין כָּל הלָּאוִין וְהָעֲשִׂין שֶׁיִּמָּצֵּא בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וְהַרְבֵּה מִבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, כַּאֲשֶׁר נְבָאֵר אִם יִרְצֶּה הַשֵּׁם, לְכָךְ הִזְהִירָה הַתּוֹרָה אוֹתָנוּ בְּפֵרוּשׁ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא נִלָּכֵד בַּמְּצּוּדָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת. וְעָתִיד אֲנִי לְבָאֵר דָּבָר זֶה בְּעֶזְרַת ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּמִזֶּה יֵצֵּא דֶּרֶךְ אַגַּב תּוֹעֶלֶת רַבָּה לְכַמָּה הֲלָכוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת, וְגַם אוּלַי עַל יְדֵי זֶה יִנָּגֵף הַיֵּצֶר בִּרְאוֹתוֹ גֹּדֶל הַמְּהוּמָה וְהַמַּכְשֵׁלָה, שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי דִּבּוּרוֹ, וְזֶה הֵחֵלִי בְּעֶזְרַת הַחוֹנֵן לְאָדָם דַּעַת.

And we shall note yet another reason for the Torah's exhorting us explicitly against these — lashon hara and rechiluth. For when we analyze them in truth, we find them to include almost all the negative and positive commandments which obtain between a man and his neighbor and many between a man and his Maker, as we shall explain, Gd willing. It is for this reason that the Torah exhorted us against these explicitly, so that we not become enmeshed in this evil snare. I shall explain this with the help of the Blessed One. And from this there shall follow, incidentally, great benefit vis-à-vis many other halachoth. And also, perhaps, because of this, the yetzer will be smitten when he [the transgressor] perceives the great havoc and harm wrought by his speech. And here I begin, with the help of Him who grants a man knowledge.

7

וּמִתְּחִלָּה צָּרִיךָ לֵידַע הַכְּלָלִים בַּהֲלָכוֹת אֵלּוּ דְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת (לָשׁוֹן הָרָע הוּא, הַיְנוּ, הַמְּסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּת חֲבֵרוֹ, וּרְכִילוּת הַיְנוּ שֶׁמְסַפֵּר לְאֶחָד מַה שֶּׁחֲבֵרוֹ דִּבֵּר עָלָיו רָעָה אוֹ עָשָׂה לוֹ רָעָה), אָסוּר אֲפִלּוּ עַל דְּבַר אֱמֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנְּבָאֵר לְקַּמָּן, אִם יִרְצֶּה הַשֵּׁם, בְּשֵׁם כָּל הַפּוֹסְקִים. גַּם דְּאִסוּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת הוּא בֵּין בְּפָנָיו וּבֵין שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו. גַּם דְּאֵין חִלּוּק בֵּין מְסַפֵּר לִמְקַבֵּל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנְּבָאֵר הַכֹּל לְקַמָּן. וּמְקַבֵּל מִקְרֵי בְּמַה שֶּׁמַּאֲמִין בְּלִבּוֹ לְהסִפּוּר שֶׁמְסַפֵּר לוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ אֵין מְסַיֵּעַ לוֹ בְּהַסִפּוּר, רַק שֶׁמַּאֲמִין בְּלִבּוֹ לְהַסִפּוּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת שֶׁשָּׁמַע, בָּזֶה מִּקְרֵי נוֹשֵׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא וְעוֹבֵר עַל יְדֵי זֶה הַלָּאו (שמות כג, א) דְּ"לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא", כָּל אֶחָד מֵאֵלּוּ הַכְּלָלִים יֵשׁ בּוֹ שָׁרָשִׁים וַעֲנָפִים כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁאָר חֶלְקֵי הַתּוֹרָה, ה' יְזַכֵּנוּ לֵידַע אוֹתָם עַל בֻּרְיָם.

First we must know the principles of these halachoth of lashon hara and rechiluth. ("Lashon hara" is speaking disparagingly against one's friend, and "rechiluth," telling one the evil thing that his friend has spoken against him or done against him.) [The principles]: It [lashon hara and rechiluth] is forbidden even if true, as will be explained below, please Gd, in the name of all the poskim. Also, the prohibition of lashon hara and rechiluth applies both in his [the object's] presence and not in his presence. Also, there is no difference between speaking and receiving [lashon hara and rechiluth], all of which we shall explain further. A "receiver" of lashon hara is one who believes in his heart what is told him by his friend even if he does not abet him in the telling but only believes in his heart the lashon hara and rechiluth that he has heard. If he does believe it, he is called "the bearer of a false report" and transgresses (Shemoth 23:1): "Do not bear a false report." All of these principles have roots and branches, as in the other parts of the Torah. May the Lrd grant that we know them comprehensively.

8

וְדַע דְּמַה שֶּׁנִּכְתֹּב דְּעוֹבֵר בֵּין בְּלָאוִין וּבֵין בַּעֲשִׂין וּבֵין בְּהַג' אֲרוּרִין שֶׁנִּכְתֹּב וּנְבָרֵר לְקַמָּן, דְּיֵשׁ עָלָיו, כַּוָּנָתֵנוּ בֵּין בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּבֵין בִּרְכִילוּת וּבֵין עַל שֶׁקֶר וּבֵין עַל אֱמֶת, וְזֶהוּ מַה שֶּׁנִּכְתֹּב בְּכָל מָקוֹם בִּבְאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים בְּד' אֳפָנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים (לְבַד אִם נְבָאֵר בְּהֶדְיָא (בפירוש), דְּלֹא קָאֵי (שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְיַחֵס), רַק עַל אֶחָד מֵאֵלּוּ). וְלֹא נִשְׁאר חוֹב עָלֵינוּ רַקּ לְבָאֵר בְּכָל אֶחָד מֵהלָּאוִין אוֹ הָעֲשִׂין אִם קָאֵי בְּפָנָיו אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו אוֹ עַל הַמְסַפֵּר אוֹ עַל הַמְקַבֵּל.

And know that whenever we write that he transgresses both the negative and the positive commandments and the three "curses" attaching to them, which we shall mention and elucidate below, our intent is both lashon hara and rechiluth, and both what is false and what is true. And this is what we shall refer to in the Be'er Mayim Chayim as "in the first four modes" (unless we explicitly state that it applies only in one of them). And it shall then remain necessary for us only to explain in respect to all of the negative or positive commandments whether they apply in his [the object's presence or not in his presence, or to the speaker or to the receiver.

9

וְהַלָּאוִין אוֹ הָעֲשִׂין שֶׁהֵם כּוֹלְלִים כָּל אֹפֶן אֶכְתֹּב בְּקִצּוּר בְּהַבְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים בְּ"כָל הַח' הָאֳפָנִים", וְכַוָּנָתֵנוּ בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת וּבְפָנָיו וְשֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו וּבֵין לַמְסַפֵּר וּבֵין לַמְקַבֵּל וּבֵין עַל אֱמֶת וּבֵין עַל שֶׁקֶר, וּזְכֹר אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים כִּי לֹא אֶכְפְּלֵם הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים בּפְּתִיחָה הַזּוֹ.

And those negative or positive commandments which include all of the modes, I shall refer to, in short, in the Be'er Mayim Chaim as "in all the eight modes" — that is: lashon hara and rechiluth, in his presence or not in his presence, both to the speaker and to the receiver, and both if false or if true. (Remember these things, for I will not reiterate them in the introduction.)

10

וּמִתְּחִלָּה נְבָאֵר כַּמָּה לָאוִין, שֶׁעוֹבֵר עַל יְדֵי סִפּוּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כַּמָּה עֲשִׂין, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כַּמָּה אֲרוּרִין, שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל עַל עַצְּמוֹ עַל יְדֵי זֶה, וְעוֹד כַּמָּה אִסוּרִין גְּדוֹלִים, שֶׁנִּסְבָּב עַל יְדֵי זֶה.

First we shall explain how many negative commandments one transgresses in the speaking of lashon hara and rechiluth, and then, how many positive commandments. Then, how many "curses" he brings upon himself, and, further, how many great issurim [prohibitions] result from this.

11

וַאֲחַלֵּק אֶת הַפְּתִיחָה הַזּוֹ לִשְׁנַיִם. הַפְּנִים יִקָּרֵא בְּשֵׁם מְקוֹר הַחַיִּים, וּבֵאוּר סָבִיב לוֹ בְּשֵׁם בְּאֵר מַיִם חיִּים. וְטעַם לַשֵּׁמוֹת הָאֵלּוּ כְּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי בַּהַקְדָּמָה. וּבִבְאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים יְבֹאַר עַל אֵיזֶה אֹפֶן נֶאֱמַר כָּל לָאו אוֹ עֲשֵׂה וְעוֹד אֵיזֶה הֲלָכוֹת אֲחֵרוֹתּ. וְזֶה הֵחֵלִי בְּעֶזְרַת הַחוֹנִן דַּעַת.

I shall divide this introduction into two parts; the first, to be called "Makor Chaim," and a supercommentary around it called "Be'er Mayim Chayim." The reason for these names I have given in the preface. In the Be'er Mayim Chayim it will be made clear to which mode each negative or positive commandment applies, along with some other halachoth. This I begin with the help of Him who grants a man knowledge.

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