Good evening. The following is tonight's Shmirat HaLashon broadcast. Bad enough to talk Lashon Hara (evil speech), Rechilut (tale-bearing).
Someone who talks or instigates others to talk Lashon Hara, Rechilut, that person's even worse. They're actually compared to a poisonous snake. So says Rashi in Shemot: Why is he compared to a snake as opposed to any other harmful animal? Most animals attack their prey for the purpose of consuming them to eat, for food. However, the snake bites and he causes tremendous harm, tremendous pain rather, to the prey that he bites into. While the snake himself has no gain. We all know that when the snake bites, he doesn't taste the taste of his prey. Everything tastes like the sand of the earth. That's what he was cursed. So too, when someone talks Lashon Hara, Rechilut, and causes people to suffer needlessly, yet he himself doesn't really benefit in any which way, he literally takes on the form of the snake. Says the Chafetz Chaim: The fact that people have a childish nature of always being curious about others and what's going on by them. There's no physical, material, or spiritual advantage that is gained when you stick your nose into other people's business or you give your opinion to other people, making negative. These negative comments are bringing up very negative topics. So tonight's halacha (Jewish law) is really preventing Lashon Hara or Rechilut from being spoken by other people. How does a person refrain from Lashon Hara and Rechilut being spoken through them? Well, for starters, refrain from asking people questions that will trip them and cause them to say what they shouldn't be saying. For instance, if you walk up to someone and say, Hey, what did he say about me? Or what did she say about me? You're asking for trouble. Both about what's going to be said now and what you're going to cause the person to fall into and say. And therefore it's forbidden, it's asur (forbidden), to ask your friend, What did he or she say about me? If there's a strong chance that the response might contain negative information, you're not allowed to ask in the first place. Some people are always asking their friends what other people think or say about them. And if they don't get a response, they actually force their friend to answer them in one way or another. Says Chafetz Chaim as he warns: If we would start listing the averot (transgressions) of such a person, the page would be too short to enumerate all of them. And therefore, it's not just about stopping yourself from speaking Lashon Hara and Rechilut. But don't ask or say anything to anyone that would cause them to fall into the same trap. These halachot were sponsored by L'ilui Nishmat (for the elevation of the soul), Luz Elizabeth Henriette, and her children that passed with her in the fire, along with the Chatan (groom) and Kallah (bride) of the Levine family. It's also sponsored anonymously for Beracha v'Hatzlacha (blessing and success). It's also sponsored anonymously Lichvod (in honor of) Moshe Rabbeinu and Lichvod Klal Yisrael on the great day of Matan Torah that is coming. It is also sponsored anonymously for Shmira (protection), Nisim v'Nifla'ot (miracles and wonders), Yeshuot v'Nechamot (salvations and consolations). Amen b'karov (Amen, soon). Have a good night.