Good evening, everybody. Tonight we're at the Lashon Broadcast. The following is the Halacha (Jewish law). Dedications will be mentioned at the end of the broadcast.
A group of men were enjoying each other's company, and suddenly the police broke through. They grabbed one guy, accused him of robbery, and arrested him. The suspect was then brought to the authorities, and he denied the crime. So how did the police proceed? They ordered all those guys who were in the company of the suspect. They arrested them as well, held them in custody, and questioned them. The police hoped that maybe one of them would give some sort of information that would give them a better lead on the accused robber. Although the group of men knew that they really were innocent, they regretted having any association with this guy. Had they kept their distance from him, they wouldn't have had to suffer needless shame and anxiety and all different types of difficulties that they were put through just because they were associated with the wrong person.
This is the Halacha. This is what the Chafetz Chaim teaches us: how careful we have to be and how to avoid associating with Ba'alei Lashon Hara (evil speech), people that speak Lashon Hara. The Chafetz Chaim says that when a person feels like an outcast and doesn't join in the Lashon Hara conversation, he should tell himself, “Isn't it enough that I have to stand judgment for my own Averot (sins)? Do I really need to suffer for the Averot of other people?” Be very careful what circles and surroundings you place yourself in. Make sure to surround yourself with good people. Successful people know the secret in life: they surround themselves with good and successful people.
So here's tonight's Halacha. What do you do in the following case? A group is talking Lashon Hara. Before you even enter the conversation, you come in. So, in the last Halacha we were learning, what do you do if you're sitting in a group and someone starts talking Lashon Hara? However, here the Chafetz Chaim makes it really clear that the Halacha mentioned before was meant only for the event that you're sitting in a group and, while you're sitting there, someone starts talking Lashon Hara. However, if a group is already talking Lashon Hara, and one comes over purposely in order to listen in, or one finds company with people who are typical, habitual Lashon Hara speakers, then that person is called a Poshea, a person who sins willingly. Yes, he's already considered a Poshea, simply for placing himself in a bad group, in bad surroundings where people are already speaking Lashon Hara or where people enjoy speaking Lashon Hara.
In the will and the Tzava'ah (testament) of Rabbi Eliezer HaGadol, he writes to his son: “Keep away from the groups of people who tend to talk Lashon Hara. For when Hashem writes down the conversations and the Sefer HaZichronot, all the participants in that group—even those who didn't say a word, who didn't even open their mouths, but even those who were there and present—will be given a terrible name. They'll be named the Chabura of Resha'im, God forbid, a group of evil Ba'alei Lashon Hara speakers.” The Chafetz Chaim says, and adds, that it's actually forbidden to live in a place where people habitually talk Lashon Hara, let alone to go out and put yourself in those circles.
Tonight's Shemirat Halashon broadcast is Le'ilui Nishmat (for the elevation of the soul): Louisa, Elizabeth, Henriette, and our children who passed in the fire, along with the Chatan and Kallah (groom and bride) of the Levine family. Ruach Hashem T'nichenam (May Hashem's spirit comfort them), B'Gan Eden. Amen (so be it).
It is also sponsored anonymously, Lichvod (in honor of) Moshe Rabbeinu, Matan Torah (giving of the Torah), and Klal Yisrael. There is also an anonymous sponsorship for Berachah v'hatzlacha (blessing and success), and an anonymous sponsorship for Great Yeshuot (deliverances), Shemira Gedola (great protection), Siyata Dishmaya (heavenly assistance), and Hashamayim (the heavens).
Have a good night.