Lesson #53: Danger Zone
During Hol Ha’mo’ed, many people look for different forms of entertainment for their families in order to enjoy the vacation time. Let us imagine that somebody knows that his friend ordered tickets for a concert where a certain popular religious singer will be performing – despite the fact that the local Rabbis had published a letter warning people not to attend. The Rabbis had determined that this singer is not the kind of religious figure that people think he is, and that the aura at the event will be one which is inappropriate for G-d-fearing Jews. They are concerned, based on past experiences, that improper, forbidden conduct will occur at the event, and so they published a letter urging people not to attend. This friend is aware of the Rabbis’ firm stance, and yet he still plans on attending the concert.
Is the person allowed to approach his friend to share with him information about this singer, and to warn him about what will likely happen at the concert?
The Halacha in such a case is that as long as all the conditions for speaking constructive Lashon Ha’ra are met, the man may approach his friend and share with him the information. He is permitted to explain why the Rabbis condemned the event, and if the friend needs more convincing, then the person may share negative information that he knows about the performer. However, he must limit himself to only that information which is needed for the constructive purpose of persuading the friend not to attend the concert, and this must be his only intention in relaying this information. Additionally, he is not allowed to exaggerate in sharing the negative information, and he may share only that which he saw with his eyes, and not what he has heard from others. Just as Halacha permits speaking Lashon Ha’ra about somebody to prevent others from physical or financial harm – if all the aforementioned conditions are met – likewise, and all the more so, Halacha permits speaking Lashon Ha’ra to protect people from spiritual harm.
We all know people who were devoted to Torah and followed the Torah’s path, until one event, one vacation, one evening, or one experience knocked them off course and sent them in the wrong direction, after which they were never the same. If we know of somebody prepared to enter a spiritual “danger zone,” we need to realize that his Olam Ha’ba – share in the next world – is at stake. It therefore behooves us to intervene to protect him from this danger if we can, even if this requires speaking negatively about somebody – but only if we ensure to meet all the conditions that apply to the permissibility of speaking constructive Lashon Ha’ra.