Lesson #22: Counterproductive
We normally think of the prohibition of Lashon Ha’ra as forbidding derogatory speech about people, making a person look bad in the eyes of others. The question arises as to whether this prohibition includes also speaking negatively about another person’s belongings, about his property, or, in the case of a businessman, about a product he sells. Does this, too, constitute Lashon Ha’ra?
The Hafetz Haim states in no uncertain terms that it does. If a businessman speaks disdainfully about his competitor’s product, he is in violation of the prohibition of Lashon Ha’ra.
It should be noted that when two people speak Lashon Ha’ra about somebody or his product, then the sin is far graver. When people hear information from two people, as opposed to from just a lone individual, they are more convinced about the veracity of the report, such that the damage is considerably greater. Therefore, if somebody speaks Lashon Ha’ra to a group of people, and then somebody else comes along and repeats the precise same information, the second person has committed a grave violation, even though he has only repeated what the first speaker had related, because his repetition confirms the information in the listeners’ minds.
Unfortunately, Lashon Ha’ra is rampant in the business world. Competitors routinely seek to disparage their competitors’ products or services. This is not only a grave prohibition, as discussed, but also counterproductive. People go into business in order to earn money and support their families, but speaking Lashon Ha’ra brings financial hardship, thereby directly undermining the businessman’s primary objective.
The Sefer Ha’kaneh was asked by a disciple why very few Jews today suffer from Sara’at (leprosy). After all, if, as the Rabbis teach, Sara’at is the punishment for Lashon Ha’ra, then why do we not see more of it, given the unfortunate prevalence of this misdeed? The Sefer Ha’kaneh answered that in our times, poverty has taken the place of Sara’at as the punishment for Lashon Ha’ra. Instead of Sara’at, we are afflicted by financial struggles because of the sin of speaking negatively about other people.
People fly across the world to receive blessings and Segulot for wealth. They fail to realize that the most effective and most dependable Segula is right in front of their eyes, and on the top of their tongues: exercising care when speaking about other people, and ensuring never to speaking disparagingly about a fellow Jew or his possessions.