אִישׁ֩ כִּֽי־יִדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה אֽוֹ־הִשָּׁ֤בַע שְׁבֻעָה֙ לֶאְסֹ֤ר אִסָּר֙ עַל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ לֹ֥א יַחֵ֖ל דְּבָר֑וֹ כְּכׇל־הַיֹּצֵ֥א מִפִּ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
If a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath imposing an obligation on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips.
נדר. הָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵי עָלַי קוֹנָם שֶׁלֹּא אֹכַל אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא אֶעֱשֶׂה דָבָר פְּלוֹנִי; יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ נִשְׁבַּע שֶׁיֹּאכַל נְבֵלוֹת אֲנִי קוֹרֵא עָלָיו כְּכָל הַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיו יַעֲשֶׂה? תַּ"ל לאסר אסר — לֶאֱסֹר אֶת הַמֻּתָּר וְלֹא לְהַתִּיר אֶת הָאָסוּר (ספרי):
נדר A VOW — This is when one says, Behold, I take upon myself an obligation which is as sacred to me as an offering, that I will not eat, or that I will not do such-and-such a thing. — One might think that if he swears that he will eat the flesh of an animal which has not been slaughtered properly according to the rite that I may apply to him the text, “He shall do according to all that goeth forth from his mouth”! It, however, says, “[If he takes an oath] to forbid something to himself”, i.e., to forbid for himself something which is permissible to him — and not to make permissible that which is forbidden to him (Sifrei Bamidbar 153:4).
לא יחל דברו. כְּמוֹ לֹא יְחַלֵּל דְּבָרוֹ — לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה דְּבָרוֹ חֻלִּין (שם):
לא יחל דברו This is the same as לא יחלל דברו (the root of יחל being חלל): He shall not make his own word to bear a secular character (חולין) (Sifrei Bamidbar 153:4; see also Rashi on Leviticus 21:4).
Words have power - they can make something muttar into something assur, and promises are binding; there are complex halachos that govern undoing a promise. What are some ways you can use to make sure you always keep your word?
וְאֶת־מַלְכֵ֨י מִדְיָ֜ן הָרְג֣וּ עַל־חַלְלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־אֱוִ֤י וְאֶת־רֶ֙קֶם֙ וְאֶת־צ֤וּר וְאֶת־חוּר֙ וְאֶת־רֶ֔בַע חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֑ן וְאֵת֙ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֔וֹר הָרְג֖וּ בֶּחָֽרֶב׃
Along with their other victims, they slew the kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also put Balaam son of Beor to the sword.
בחרב. הוּא בָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֶחֱלִיף אֻמָּנוּתוֹ בְּאֻמָּנוּתָם, שֶׁאֵין נוֹצְחִים אֶלָּא בְּפִיהֶם וְעַל יְדֵי תְפִלָּה וּבַקָּשָׁה, וּבָא הוּא וְתָפַשׂ אֻמָּנוּתָם לְקַלְּלָם בְּפִיו, אַף הֵם בָּאוּ עָלָיו וְהֶחֱלִיפוּ אֻמָּנוּתָם בְּאֻמָּנוּת הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁבָּאִין בַּחֶרֶב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה" (בראשית כ"ז):
בחרב [BALAAM ALSO … THEY SLEW] WITH THE SWORD — He came against Israel exchanging his metier (the sword) for their metier (the mouth), for they conquer only through their mouth — through prayer and petition, and he came and availed himself of their craft to curse them with his mouth. They, therefore, also came against him and exchanged their craft for the craft of the heathen peoples who come with the sword, as it is said, (Genesis 27:40) “And by thy sword shalt thou live” (cf. Rashi on Numbers 22:23).
Chafetz Chaim on Parshas Matos (paraphrase):
Jewish people's main weapon is their speech. Even the wisest warrior can't fight them without utilizing this power. It is something "given to them as a gift, capable of creating heaven and earth." When people speak words of holiness, they create worlds and they create angels, and people must be extremely careful not to damage this gift through forbidden speech, lashon harah, and rechilus.
Jewish people's main weapon is their speech. Even the wisest warrior can't fight them without utilizing this power. It is something "given to them as a gift, capable of creating heaven and earth." When people speak words of holiness, they create worlds and they create angels, and people must be extremely careful not to damage this gift through forbidden speech, lashon harah, and rechilus.
How can you use your power of speech for good? How might someone use it for bad? How can you avoid using it for bad things?
אַךְ לִבְסוֹף יְמֵי בַּיִת שֵׁנִי גָּבְרָה שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם וְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע בֵּינִינוּ, בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, וּבַעֲבוּר זֶה נְחֱרַב הַבַּיִת וְגָלִינוּ מֵאַרְצֵּנוּ כִּדְאִיתָא בְּיוֹמָא (דף ט') וּבִירוּשַׁלְמִי (פרק א' הלכה ה' דיומא) (הֲגַם שֶׁהַגְּמָרָא נָקטָה שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם, הַכַּוָּנָה הוּא עַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע גַּם כֵּן, שֶׁיּוֹצֵּאת מִצַּד הַשִּׂנְאָה, דְּאִי לָאו הָכִי לֹא הָיוּ נְענָשִׁים כָּל כָּךְ, וְהַיְנוּ דְּסִיֵּם שָׁם לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁקָּשָׁה שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם כְּנְגֶד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, וְזֶה מָצִּינוּ בַּעֲרָכִין (דף ט"ו) גַּבֵּי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע. וְעוֹד מִגּוּפָא דִּשְׁמַעְתָּא דְּיוֹמָא מוּכָח כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, מִדְּפָרִיךְ שָׁם וּבְמִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן וְכוּ' וְדוֹקְרִים אֶת חַבְרֵיהֶן וְכוּ' עַיֵּן שָׁם). וּמֵאָז וְעַד עַתָּה בְּכָל יוֹם אָנוּ מְצַפִּים וּמִתְפַּלְלִים לִפְנִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיְּקָרֵב אוֹתָנּוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁד הִבְטִיחָנּוּ בְּתוֹרָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְעַל יְדֵי נְבִיאָיו כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים, וְאֵין מִתְקָּבֶּלֶת תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ לְפָנָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בִּבְרָכוֹת (דף ל"ב): מִיּוֹם שֶׁנְּחֱרַב בֵּית הַמִּקָּדָּשׁ, חוֹמָה שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל מַפְסֶקת בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם.
But in the end of the days of the Second Temple, sinath chinam [vain hatred] and lashon hara [slander] increased among us (in our many sins), for which reason the Temple was destroyed and we were exiled from our land (viz. Yoma 9b and Yerushalmi 1:5). [Though the Gemara calls it "sinath chinam," lashon hara is included, proceeding, as it does, from sinah. If this were not the case, they would not have been punished so severely; as the Gemara there concludes: "This is to teach you that sinath chinam is equivalent to idolatry, illicit relations, and the spilling of blood." And we find the same in Arachin 15b in respect to lashan hara, and, likewise, in the discussion in Yoma itself (viz. 9b and 23a).] And from then until now, every day, we hope and pray before the Holy One Blessed be He that He draw us near [to Him], as He assured us in His holy Torah and through His prophets many times. But our prayer is not accepted by Him, as Chazal [our sages of blessed memory] have said (Berachoth 32b): "From the day of the destruction of the Temple, a wall of iron separates Israel from their Father in heaven."
וּבֶאֱמֶת לֹא עָלָיו, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הוּא תְּלוּנָתֵנוּ, כִּי אִם עַל עַצְּמֵנוּ, כִּי מִצִּדּוֹ לֹא יִבָּצֵר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּישַׁעְיָה (ישעיה נט, א): "הֵן לֹא קָצְרָה יַד ה' מֵהוֹשִׁיעַ וְלֹא כָּבְדָה אָזְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹעַ כִּי אִם עֲוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם, וְגוֹ'. וּבִימֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי נִמְצָּא בִּגְמָרָא סַנְהֶדְרִין בְּפֶרֶק חֵלֶק (סנהדרין דף צ"ח) שֶׁהֵשִׁיבוּ לוֹ שֶׁהַיּוֹם אִם בְּקּוֹלוֹ תִּשְׁמָעוּן יָבוֹא מָשִׁיחַ, אַף שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁלַם אָז עֲדַיִן זְמַן הַגָּלוּת שֶׁנִּגְזַר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֶלֶף שָׁנִים בַּגָּלוּת כְּמִנְיַן יוֹמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִּינוּ בְּדִבְרֵי חֲזַ"ל, עִם כָּל זֶה הָיָה כֹּחַ הַתְּשׁוּבָה מְבַטֵּל אֶת הַגְּזֵרָה. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בִּזְמַנֵּנוּ שֶׁזֶּה יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁמוֹנְה מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה שֶׁכָּלָה הַיּוֹם הַנַּ"ל, וְאֵין הַסִבָּה כִּי אִם מִצִּדֵּנוּ, שֶׁבַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים אֵין אָנוּ מַּנִּיחִים לוֹ שֶׁיַּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּתוֹכֵנוּ.
And, in truth, not against Him (G–d forbid) is our plaint, but against ourselves; for it [the redemption] is not beyond His powers, viz. (Isaiah 59:1-2): "Behold, the L–rd's hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too heavy to hear. But your sins have made a separation between you and your G–d, and your transgressions have hid [His] face from you, from hearing." And we find (viz. Sanhedrin 98a) that in the days of R. Yehoshua ben Levi he was told (viz. Tehillim 95:6) that the Messiah would come "today, if you hearkened to His voice" — even though the time of the exile decreed for Israel (one thousand years, corresponding to the one thousand year "day" of the Holy One Blessed be He, had not yet passed [viz. Chida, Petach Eiynayim, Sanhedrin, Ibid.]) In spite of this, the power of repentance would have annulled the decree. How much more so, more than eight hundred years after the end of that [one-thousand-year] "day", [should the Messiah come if we repented]! The fault is ours alone — that with our many sins we do not allow Him to repose His Shechinah in our midst.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר נַחְפְּשָׂה דְּרָכֵינוּ וְנַחְקֹרָה, אֵיזֶה עֲוֹנוֹת הֵם מֵהָעִקָּרִים הַגּוֹרְמִים לַאֲרִיכַת גָּלוּתֵנוּ, נִמְצָּאֵם הַרְבֵּה. אַךְ חֵטְא הַלָּשׁוֹן הוּא עַל כִֻּלּוֹ מִפְּנִי כַּמָּה טְעָמִים. אֶחָד, כֵּיוָן שֶׁזֶּה הָיָה הָעִקָּר לְסִבַּת גָּלוּתֵנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵבֵאנוּ מִגְמָרָא יוֹמָא וּמִירוּשַׁלְמִי הַנַּ"ל. אִם כֵּן כָּל כַּמָּה שֶׁלֹּא נִרְאֶה לְתַקֵּן זֶה הַחֵטְא, אֵיךְ תּוּכַל לִהְיוֹת גְּאֻלָּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁזֶּה הַחֵטְא פָּגַם כָּל כָּךְ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה גָּלִינוּ מֵאַרְצֵּנוּ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַנִּיחֵנוּ לָבוֹא לְאַרְצֵּנוּ.
And if we carefully searched our ways — which of the sins have primarily caused the length of our exile? — we would find them to be many; but the sin of lashon hara above all, for several reasons. First, for it was the major cause of our exile (as related in the aforementioned Gemaroth). This being so, as long as we do not undertake to correct this sin, how can there be a redemption, the sin being so severe as to have caused us to be exiled from our land! How much more so will it not allow us to return to our land!
וְעוֹד הֲלֹא יָדוּעַ הוּא שֶׁנִּגְזַר עָלֵינוּ גָּלוּת מִכְּבָר מֵעֵת מַעֲשֵׂה הַמְרַגְּלִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּתְהִלִּים {פרק ק"ו, כ"ו-כ"ז}: "וַיִּשָּׂא יָדוֹ לָהֶם לְהַפִּיל אוֹתָם וְגוֹ' בַּגּוֹיִם וּלְזָרוֹתָם בָּאֲרָצוֹת", וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִּׁ"י שָׁם וְהָרַמְבַּ"ן בְּחֻמָּשׁ פָּרָשַׁת שְׁלַח, (במדבר יד, א) וְחֵטְא הַמְרַגְּלִים הֲלֹא הָיָה עֲוֹן לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וּכְמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בַּעֲרָכִין {דף ט"ו} אִם כֵּן אָנוּ מֻכְרָחִין לְתַקִּן זֶה הַחֵטְא קֹדֶם הַגְּאֻלָּה.
Furthermore, is it not well known that exile had already been decreed upon us because of the act of the spies (viz. Tehillim 106:25-27): "And they murmured in their tents [against the land]. They hearkened not to the voice of the L–rd. And He lifted up His hand [in oath] against them… to scatter them in the lands," as Rashi and the Ramban explain there (Bamidbar 14). And the sin of the spies — was it not that of lashon hara! (viz. Arachin 15a). Therefore, it is imperative that we correct this sin before the redemption can take place.
וְעוֹד נִמְצָא מְפֹרָשׁ, שֶׁעָוֹן זֶה גּוֹרֵם, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נִרְדִּים בְּפָרֶךְ, מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּפָרָשַׁת שְׁמוֹת (שמות ב, יד): "אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר" וְעַיֵּן בְּפֵרוּשׁ רַשִּׁ"י שָׁם. וְעוֹד נִמְצָּא מְפֹרָשׁ בְּמִדְרָשׁ רַבָּה פָּרָשַׁת תֵצֵּא {דברים רבה ו' י"ד}: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיָה לָשׁוֹן הָרָע בֵּינֵיכֶם סִלַּקְּתִּי שְׁכִינָה מִבֵּינֵיכֶם אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא וְכוּ'. וְעוֹד מִקְרָא מְפֹרָשׁ בְּפָרָשַׁת בְּרָכָה {דברים ל"ג ה'}: "וַיְהִי בִישׁוּרוּן מֶלֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵף רָאשֵׁי עָם יַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִּׁ"י שָׁם, (וְהוּא מַאֲמַר הַסִפְרִי), שֶׁאֵימָתַי הוּא מֶּלֶךְ בִּישׁוּרוּן? דַּוְקָא כְּשֶׁהֵם בְּיַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא אֲגֻדּוֹת אֲגֻדּוֹת, וְיָדוּעַ דְּדָבָר זֶה רָגִיל לָבוֹא עַל יְדֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע.
And we find it explicitly stated that it was this sin which caused the Jews to be worked [by the Egyptians] with back-breaking labor (viz. Shemoth 2:14 and Rashi there). And (Devarim Rabbah 6:14): "The Holy One Blessed be He said: 'In this world, because there was lashon hara among you, I removed My Shechinah from you, but in the next world, etc.'" And (Devarim 33:5): "And He became a King in Yeshurun when the heads of the people were gathered together as one, the tribes of Israel," which Rashi interprets (as per Sifrei): "When is He a King in Israel? Specifically, when the tribes of Israel are united and not divided into factions" — which (factions) are well known to be the result of lashon hara.
וּלְבַד זֶה, הַאֵיךְ יְכוֹלוֹת לָחוּל עָלֵינוּ בִּרְכוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁאָנוּ מְקַוִּים לָזֶה, כֵּיוָן דְּבַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, אָנוּ מֻרְגָּלִים בְּחֵטְא זֶה, הֲלֹא יֵשׁ עַל זֶה אָרוּר מְפֹרָשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה, (דברים כז, כד): "אָרוּר מַכֶּה רֵעֵהוּ בַּסָתֶר" שֶׁהוּא קָאֵי {עוֹלֶה} עַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִּׁ"י שָׁם, וּלְבַד שְׁאָר אֲרוּרִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם עוֹד עַל זֶה, כַּמְבֹאָר לְקַמָּן בְּסוֹף הַפְּתִיחָה, עַיֵּן שָׁם.
And, aside from this, how can the hoped-for blessings of the Holy One Blessed be He repose upon us when, in our many sins, we have become habituated to this sin? Is there not an explicit curse on this in the Torah, viz. (Devarim 27:24): "Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret," which refers to lashon hara, as Rashi explains there (aside from the other curses which are superadded to this, as will be shown at the end of this preface)?
וְעוֹד טַעַם אַחֵר לְגֹדֶל הַפְּגָם שֶׁבָּא עַל יְדֵי עָוֹן זֶה, כִּי עַל יְדֵי שֶׁאָדָם הוּא פּוֹגֵם אֶת לְשׁוֹנוֹ בְּדִבּוּרִים אֲסוּרִים, הוּא מוֹנֵעַ אַחַר כָּךְ כָּל דִּבּוּרִים שֶׁל קֹדֶשׁ שְׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר מִלַּעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה. וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן הַזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ פָּרָשַׁת פְּקוּדֵי: * וּבְהַאי רוּחָא בִּישָׁא תָּלְיָן כַּמָּה גַּרְדִינִין אָחֲרָנִין, דְּאִנּוּן מְמֻנִּין לַאֲחָדָא מִלָּה בִּישָׁא אוֹ מִלָּה טִנּוּפָא, דְּאַפִּיקּ בַּר נָשׁ מִפֻּמֵּיה, וּלְבָתַר אַפִּיק מִלִּין קַדִּישִׁין. וַי לוֹן, וַי לְחַיֵּיהוֹן, וְכוּ' וַי לוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וַי לוֹן בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין רוּחִין מְסָאֳבִין נָטְלִין הַהוּא מִלָּה מְסָאֲבָא, וְכַד אַפִּיק בַּר נָשׁ לְבָתַר מִלִּין קָּדִּישָׁא, אַקְדִימִי אִלֵּין רוּחֵי מְסָאֲבָא מִלֵּי הַהוּא מְסָאֲבָא, וּמְסָאֲבִי לְהַהוּא מִלָּה קַּדִּישָׁא, וְלָא זָכֵי לֵה בַּר נָשׁ, וְכִבְיָכוֹל תָּשְׁשָׁא חֵילָא קַדִּישָׁא. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ. הֲלֹא נִרְאֶה בַּעֲלִיל מִזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ, שֶׁכָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה שֶׁלָּנוּ הֵם עוֹמְדִים בַּאֲוִיר הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵינָם עוֹלִים לְמַעְלָה, וּמֵאַיִן תָּבוֹא עֶזְרָתֵנוּ לְבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיח, וְכַיּוֹצֵּא בָּזֶה.
Another reason for the severity of this transgression: When a man taints his tongue with forbidden things, he prevents all expressions of sanctity which leave his mouth thereafter from rising on high. As stated by the holy Zohar in Pekudei: "And upon this malevolent spirit there are contingent other inciters of din [judgment, punishment], which are designated to seize upon expressions of evil or of foulness which issue from a man's mouth, which are followed by expressions of holiness. Woe unto them! Woe to their lives! These men cause those other arousers of din to prevail and to taint the Holy Place. Woe to them in this world and woe to them in the world to come. For these other spirits of uncleanliness take this evil expression that has issued from his mouth, and sully the expression of holiness which follows, so that it is not ascribed to him, and the power of holiness has been, as it were, attenuated." Is it not evident from the holy Zohar that [in such an instance] all our words of Torah and prayer stand suspended in the air and do not arise on high? Whence, then, will they come to our aid for the coming of the Messiah and the like?
וְכַאֲשֶׁר נַעֲמִיק בְּזֶה הָעִנְיָן נִמְצָּא עוֹד יוֹתֵר, שֶׁמִּלְּבַד שֶׁהוּא עָוֹן פְּלִילִי בְּעַצְמוֹ וְכַנַּ"ל, עוֹד הוּא מַגְדִּיל הַקִּלְקוּל בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת וּמַחְשִׁיךְ וּמְמַעֵט אוֹרָן, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁרְגִילוּת הוּא לְכַמָּה וְכַמָּה אֲנָשִׁים, שֶׁכּוֹפְלִים אֶת הַלָּאו הַזֶּה כַּמָּה מֵאוֹת וַאֲלָפִים פְּעָמִים בִּימֵי חַיֵּיהֶם, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ עָוֹן קָטָן, כְּשֶׁיַּכְפִּיל הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים הוּא נַעֲשָׂה לְבַסוֹף כַּעֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁצָּוַח יְשַׁעְיָה {ה' י"ח}: "הוֹי מוֹשְׁכֵי הֶעָוֹן בְּחַבְלֵי הַשָּׁוְא וְכַעֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה חֲטָאָה". וְהַמָּשָׁל מֵחוּט הַמֶּשִׁי, כְּשֶׁיִּכְפְּלֶנּוּ כַּמָּה מֵאוֹת פְּעָמִים, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בַּחֵטְא הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא חָמוּר מִצַּד עַצְּמוֹ עַד מְאֹד, וּרְגִילִין לַעֲבֹר עָלָיו הַרְבֵּה וְהרְבֵּה אֲנָשִׁים בְּכַמָּה אֲלָפִים פְּעָמִים בִּימֵי חַיֵּיהֶם, וְאֵין מְקַבְּלִין עַל עַצְּמָן כְּלָל לְהִשָּׁמֵּר מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי הקִּלְקוּל לְמַּעְלָה הוּא לְאֵין שִׁעוּר.
And when we delve more deeply into this matter, we find that in addition to its being a grave transgression in itself, it undermines all the [upper] worlds and darkens and lessens their light. For it is the habit of many men to redouble [violation of] this negative commandment many hundreds and thousands of times in the course of their lives. For even a small sin, when it is repeated many times, becomes like [thick] cart-ropes, as Isaiah exhorted (Isaiah 5:18): "Woe unto those who draw forth iniquity with cords of deceit and [who draw forth] sin as [thick as] cart-ropes." This is analogous to the instance of a silken strand which is redoubled hundreds of times. How much more so is this sin [of lashon hara], which is extremely grave in itself and which countless men tend to repeat many thousands of times in the course of their lives without taking it upon themselves to guard themselves against it — how much more so is the [corresponding] undermining [of the worlds] above without limit!
What can you do to avoid talking lashon harah and use your power of speech in the best way possible?