The Secret of Preventing Lashon Hara

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas Hatorah (www.bircas.org)

In the parshios of Tazria and Metzora, the Torah discusses various laws pertaining to tzara’as (poorly translated as leprosy). Chazal teach us that tzara’as is not merely a physical disease of the flesh, rather it stems from spiritual illness. The Gemara (Eiruchin 15b) says that the word “metzora,” the Hebrew term for one who has contracted tzara’as, is actually an acronym for “motzi shem ra,” a slanderer.

Chazal were outspoken against those who engage in lashon hara (literally, negative speech, but halachically it refers to speech that harms others). In Nedarim (64b), it says that a metzora is considered dead. Additionally, it says in Sotah (42a) that people who speak lashon hara will not merit to see the Divine presence in the next world, despite any good deeds or qualities they may have. In Eiruchin (15a), the Sages call one who speaks lashon hara a heretic, and testify that even Hashem is disgusted with such a person. Why is the Torah so harsh and unforgiving about evil speech? Why does an act that causes no physical damage incur more punishment than so many other sins, even those that clearly wreak damage in the world?

The Ramban and Onkelos comment (Bereishis 2:7) that man’s uniqueness is in his ability to speak. Speech gives man the potential for spiritual greatness. It is critical for both Torah study and prayer. Speech also associates man with his Creator, Who created the world through speech. Hashem created speech for holy purposes. If one profanes his speech by speaking lashon hara, he is essentially rebelling against the One Who gave it, and his sin is beyond measure.

The Rebbe of Slonim teaches that because a person derives no pleasure from lashon hara, his sin is greater (see Ta’anis 8a). Most sins can be attributed to the frailty of man and the inability of his intellect to prevail over his animalistic desires. In contrast, the motivation to speak lashon hara comes from negative character traits such as arrogance and jealousy, from which the body gains nothing.

How can we eliminate our desire for lashon hara? Rav Meir Chadash tells us that Chazal encourage us to have an ayin tovah, a good eye. This means that we are content with what we have, and we aren’t jealous of those who are more privileged. To have an ayin tovah, Rav Chadash says that we must train ourselves to look positively at life. The more we learn to enjoy life and find happiness in what Hashem puts before us, the more we will be relieved of the unpleasant feelings and ideas that may lead to lashon hara.

Once we properly train ourselves, seeing things in a positive light will be our natural state. As Rav Shimon Green puts it: “A Jew should always be in a good mood! In fact, we should be ecstatic!”

The Alter of Slobodka always aspired to find the good in others. Even though he was the mashgiach of a large yeshivah, and he had to assess the bachurim to determine if his yeshivah was right for them, he always found a way to make the process a positive one. He would ask only about a boy’s good qualities. Noting which qualities were not mentioned, the Alter would infer that those areas were not the student’s strong points.

Rav Elchanan Wasserman was also adept at finding the good in bleak situations. After returning to Europe from America, he was asked about his perspective on the current state of American Jewry. The low level of Yiddishkeit in America at the time was well known. Still, the crowd was taken aback by Rav Elchanan’s optimistic answer.

“I found that the youth in America have tremendous potential,” he said. “Deep down, they are searching for truth! Their souls yearn for Torah, but they need someone to teach them. If those who have the ability to spread Torah in America succeed, there is a lot to look forward to. The Jews in America have real potential to become bnei Torah.”

Time has proved his optimism to be correct, and there are many thriving centers of Torah in the United States today.

May we be zocheh to see only the good in life, and be saved from lashon hara!

Exciting news! Rabbi Krieger’s second volume of “Gedolei Yisrael on the Parsha” is coming soon! If you would like us to inform you as soon as it is published please email office@bircas.org.