Good morning, gentlemen. Today is the third segment of Think Before You Speak, the Laws of Shemirat HaLashon (Guarding the Tongue). Today's halacha (Jewish law) is called Under Pressure. This is L'ilui Nishmat (For the elevation of the soul), the Chafetz Chaim, zecher tzadik livracha (May his memory be blessed). And this is for the yeshuah (salvation) of our entire Chabura (study group), and for Klal Yisrael (the Jewish people), and also for Chaim David Dov and Chaim Sarah. Hashem shall watch over them and protect them and send you yeshuot gedolot (great deliverances).
How many times have you heard someone say, “Come on, you can tell me. I'm your best friend”? How many times have you heard people say, “We're so close, we're transparent, we don't hold anything between each other. Between me and you, come on, everything goes”? You know, sometimes people use their relationships, they use their friendships, or even their authority sometimes, to squeeze out and pressure others to say Lashon Hara (evil speech) that they know they should not say. Even a teacher, a Rebbe (rabbi), or a principal who has power or authority over a person and can actually get you in trouble if you don't give it over, or a good friend who wants to use their influence to pressure you.
At the end of the day, Lashon Hara is forbidden to be spoken, even when pressured by others. It doesn't matter if it's a parent, a Rebbe, or even a best friend. And sometimes the toughest person to hold out against when you're being pressured not to say Lashon Hara is your wife, because she takes it so to heart. “What do you mean? I'm your wife. We're like one person; we don't hold back anything from each other.” And she pressurizes you sometimes to reveal things that you know you're not allowed to say. Nonetheless, Borei Olam told us that, pressure or not, you're not allowed to say Lashon Hara, period.
Now, this is amazing: this halacha applies even to someone who is being pressured to speak Lashon Hara at the expense of losing their job, when their boss comes along and says, “I want to know right now what happened. I want you to tell me exactly every detail,” and you know it's absolute Lashon Hara. It is still forbidden to give it over or break under pressure and speak Lashon Hara, even if it means that he's going to lose his job or his livelihood.
This is unbelievable. You know, a person's relationship can be affected, as can his friendship. He could even lose his job or his livelihood, which he needs to support his family. But Hashem says, “Don't succumb to the pressure. Don't speak Lashon Hara, period.” Borei Olam says, “Through this—because you held out and sacrificed at a tough moment of pressure, and you did not give up the Lashon Hara in spite of the friendship that was at stake—I'm going to bless that friendship. You did not give up the Lashon Hara in spite of the job that was on the line; I'm going to bless you and your livelihood.” You're not going to lose out from doing the right thing and not speaking Lashon Hara. Thank you for listening.