Category: Family Lesson a Day

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Positive Commandments

As the saying goes, truth is stranger than fiction. That certainly was true in “The Case of the Disappearing Cookies.”

Some 20 years ago, an eighth-grade yeshivah student returned to class after recess and discovered that a bag of cookies was missing from his desk. Only one boy had remained in the classroom during recess, and he denied any knowledge of what had happened to the cookies. The cookies’ owner found this impos­sible to believe. “They were in my desk when I left the room at the beginning of recess, and you admit that no one was in the room during recess other than yourself. And yet, you claim that you have no idea where my cookies are. I’ll tell you where they are — you ate them!”

As soon as the rebbi entered the classroom, the student rushed over to him, pointed a finger at the other boy, and shouted, “He stole my cookies!”

The mystery was solved a few minutes later when another rebbi walked into the room and said, “You are not going to believe what I saw. I was walking by this classroom a few minutes ago when I noticed a squirrel scampering along the window ledge. Suddenly, it began to jump from desk to desk until it came to that desk” — and he pointed — “and took out a bag of cookies! I was amazed by the squirrel’s sense of smell; it knew exactly in which desk there was food.

“I watched it disappear out the window as it dragged the bag with its teeth.”

The owner of the cookies meekly apologized to the other boy.

The Torah states, ”Judge your fellow favorably.” From here, we learn the obligation to give others the benefit of the doubt. If we see an average Jew do something that has an even chance of being either good or bad, we must assume that he has not done anything bad. If he is known as a yarei Shamayim (G-d-fearing person), then even if it seems more likely that he has done wrong, we are obligated to give him the benefit of the doubt.

In our story, the owner of the cookies had no proof that the other boy had done anything wrong. By telling the rebbi, “He stole my cookies!” he was guilty of speaking lashon hara and of not giving the boy the benefit of the doubt.

What he could have done was to report to the rebbi that his cookies were missing and that the rebbi might want to speak to the boy who had remained in the room. The boy probably would have told the rebbi that he was absorbed in a book and would not have noticed if anyone had quietly stepped into the room during recess. (He certainly would not have noticed a squirrel scampering along the desks.)

There are more serious situations where lashon hara involves multiple sins:

Mr. and Mrs. Smolner hired Yanky and his crew to rip out the old floor in their dining room and replace it with a new wood floor. The Smolners were not fully pleased with the finished product and they asked for a reduction in price. Yanky insisted that the finished product was fine and demanded the full price that had been agreed upon. Mr. Smolner paid the full price, but at every opportunity, he told others that Yanky did mediocre work. Yanky’s business suffered because of this.

The Torah states, “… You shall hold on to him-a ger and resident-so that he can live with you… and let your brother live with you.” From these verses we learn that we are commanded to help our fellow Jew to earn a livelihood. We should offer him a loan or a gift of money so that his business will be successful; we should offer him work or become partners in a business venture with him. We should do whatever possible to save him from falling into a situation where he cannot support his family and would sink into poverty.

In our example, Mr. Smolner is doing the opposite. He is ruining Yanky’s reputation and causing others to decide not to hire him. If Mr. Smolner truly feels that he was cheated, he can go to beis din and ask them to summon Yanky to a din Torah (court case). Ruining another person’s good name is not the Torah way and is a transgression of the mitzvos mentioned above.

IN A NUTSHELL
Speaking lashon hara can result from not judging others favorably, and can damage another person’s livelihood, a most serious sin.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Positive Commandments

Among the 613 mitzvos is the command,“Remember what Hashem, your G-d, did to Miriam on the way when you left Egypt.” Miriam was stricken with tzara’as after she criticized her brother, Moshe Rabbeinu, in a private conversation with her brother Aharon HaKohen. She criticized Moshe because she misjudged him; she did not realize that because Moshe’s level of prophecy was greater than that of any prophet who ever lived, he needed to live a dif­ferent kind of life. By misjudging him, she was guilty of speaking lashon hara.

When discussing the mitzvah to remember this incident, Ramban writes:

The Torah commands that we remember the great punishment that Hashem brought upon the righteous prophetess [Miriam], who spoke only against her brother, with whom she did kindness and whom she loved like her own self; and she did not speak in his presence, which would have embarrassed him, nor she did she speak about him in public. She spoke only between herself and her holy brother [Aharon] in private, yet all her good deeds did not help her [to escape punishment for speaking lashon hara]. So too, you will not escape punishment if you speak to your brother against your fellow Jew.

The mitzvah of “Love your fellow as yourself,” is “the great rule of the Torah,” as the Tanna R’ Akiva said. Sefer HaChinuch calls this “the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael.”

In the Chofetz Chaim’s words:

We are commanded to be concerned for someone else’s money as we would be for our own; to be concerned for his honor and to speak his praises the same way that we are concerned for our own honor.
When someone speaks lashon hara or rechilus about his fellow Jew, or accepts lashon hara or rechilus — even if the information is true — he shows clearly that he does not love him at all. Surely, he has not fulfilled the requirement of this verse [meaning, to love the person like one’s own self].

The Chofetz Chaim makes a powerful point. No one is perfect; we all have faults. Yet no one wants others to know about his faults in the slightest way. If someone were to discover one of my faults and tell someone else about it, I would be thinking, “Oh, how I hope that he won’t believe what was said about me!”

Yet, this fault that I want so badly to keep a secret is only a fraction of all the faults I possess. It is only because I care about myself so much that I don’t want anyone to think of me in a bad light.

This is the way we have to think when it comes to another person’s honor. We must protect his dignity and make no mention of his faults.

 

IN A NUTSHELL
We must learn a lesson from Miriam’s mistake.
When we speak lashon hara, we transgress the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Negative Commandments

Flattery will get you nowhere” is how the saying goes. In this segment, the Chofetz Chaim teaches us that flattery can, in fact, accomplish a lot — in the negative column.

Mr. Degelman has applied for a job in a thriving company owned by Mr. Stern. It is a prominent,high-paying job, and Mr. Degelman wants it very badly.
One day as he is walking out of shul, he overhears Mr. Stern mention that he is not on speaking terms with Mr. Rothberg because of a financial disagreement. “Ah,” Mr. Degelman says to himself, “this is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.” He approaches Mr. Stern and says, “You know, not many people are aware of this, but I happen to know that a couple of weeks ago, Rothberg made a major blunder in the investment market and is still trying to recoup his losses.”
“Is that so?” Mr. Stern responds. “Serves him right, that good-for-nothing. And I wonder if his losses have anything to do with his cheating me.Thanks for the information.”

The Torah states,”and you shall not flatter the land.” According to some Rishonim (Early Commentators), this verse forbids false flattery. In our example, Mr. Degelman has engaged in flattery to win favor with Mr. Stern.

If Mr. Degelman had acted according to the Torah, he would have tried to find a way to make peace between the two men. Or, says the Chofetz Chaim, he might have gently attempted to explain the tragedy of machlokes (strife) to Mr. Stern. Instead, he spoke lashon hara and possibly added fuel to the fire by giving Mr. Stern new reason to think he was cheated.

Mr. Degelman’s real problem is a lack of emunah (faith in Hashem). If he truly believed that how much he earns and what job he holds is decreed in Heaven, he would not have engaged in such shameful behavior as a way of getting the position that he wanted so badly.

Sometimes, says the Chofetz Chaim, it is the listener of lashon hara who is guilty of flattery.

Stanley’s boss, Ben Walder, has just ended a business meeting with Chaim Bern, a member of Stanley’s shul. The meeting did not go well and Walder did not get the deal he had been hoping for. He is angry. Mr. Walder approaches Stanley and says, “I understand you know this Bern fellow — he’s been president of your shul for three straight years. How was he ever elected? He is the most miserable, stubborn, haughty person I’ve ever met! You know what I mean — right?”
Stanley smiles, meekly nods his head, and says, “Yes, yes, I know what you mean.” In his heart he is thinking, “The truth is that Chaim Bern is a very nice person; it’s for good reason that he’s been our shul president for the past three years. But I don’t want to get on my boss’s bad side. I have no choice but to agree with whatever he says.”

Of course, Stanley is absolutely wrong. He should have responded to his boss’s tirade by saying, “Sir, I don’t mean to be disrespectful and I certainly don’t want to anger you, but Chaim Bern really is a wonderful person.” It is possible that his boss would have sharply rebuked him— but that would have been a small price to pay for upholding the Torah. As our Sages teach, “Better to be called a fool all your life and not be considered wicked before Hashem even for an hour.”

At worst, Stanley would have been fired. A Jew is required to surrender all his money rather than transgress a single lo sa’seh (negative commandment). Yes, getting fired would have been difficult. But one must believe b’emunah shleimah (with perfect faith) that in the long run, one does not lose from fulfilling the will of Hashem

The Torah states, “Do not curse a deaf person. As Rashi teaches the Torah in fact forbids us to curse any Jew. If someone loses his temper at someone and in the process not only speaks lashon hara about him but also curses him, he has transgressed this sin as well.

IN A NUTSHELL
We must be on guard not to speak or listen to lashon hara as a means of gaining approval.
Speaking lashon hara can sometimes involve the lowly act of cursing another Jew.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Negative Commandments

Better that one throw himself into a fiery furnace rather than embarrass someone else in public.” To embarrass someone else is a most serious sin. In fact, Tosafos is of the opinion that a Jew is obligated to sacrifice his life, to die al kiddush Hashem, rather than embarrass another Jew in public (as the Gemara quoted above seems to indicate).

Unfortunately, there are times when we see one Jew embarrassing another. How can this be? How is it possible for an otherwise Torah-observant Jew to be guilty of one of the most serious sins in the Torah?

Rabbi Yisroel Chaim Kaplan was a revered tzaddik and the Mashgiach Ruchani of Beis Medrash Elyon in Monsey. One day, R’ Yisroel Chaim ran into the beis midrash and, with tears streaming down his cheeks, shouted, “I just saw a murder!” The students were momentarily frightened, until R’ Yisrael Chaim explained. “I just witnessed one student embarrassing another — that’s murder!”

The Manchester Rosh Yeshivah, Rabbi Yehudah Zev Segal, maintained that if children would be taught from their early youth that there are few things as terrible as embarrassing someone, they would be on guard against committing this sin.

If Reuven speaks lashon hara about Shimon in Shimon’s presence and this causes Shimon embarrassment, then Reuven has also transgressed the
Sin of, “… and do not bear a sin because of him”, which we learn that it is forbidden to embarrass someone even when correcting him for the wrong that he has done. If he has embarrassed him in public then he is in danger of forfeiting his share in the World to Come; teshuvah, which includes seeking forgiveness, is his only hope.

Another very severe sin is to cause pain to an orphan or widow, “You shall not cause pain to any widow or orphan.”This pasuk is followed by a frightening warning concerning those who are guilty of this sin. Rambam writes:

One must be careful regarding orphans and widows … as it is written, “You shall not cause pain to a widow or orphan.” And how should one act towards them? One should only speak gently to them, and treat them only with respect. One should not hurt their bodies through hard work, nor their hearts through [hurtful] words …

When someone speaks lashon hara about an orphan or widow in his or her presence, causing the person to feel hurt or embarrassed, he has transgressed this sin. Here, too, his only hope is to engage in sincere teshuvah and seek forgiveness.

IN A NUTSHELL
Speaking lashon hara can involve the very serious sin of embarrassing someone or causing pain to a widow or orphan.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Negative Commandments

There is no greater source of blessing than shalom, peace, and there is no greater source of destruction than machlokes, strife.

When Jews are at peace with one another, we cre­ate a special aura of protection around ourselves. We are protected from our enemies, we are protected from the indictments of the Satan, and even more incredibly, we are protected from Divine punishment for our sins.

This, said Rabbi Aharon Kotler, was the difference between the Generation of the Flood and Generation of the Dispersion. The fact that the Generation of the Flood was mired in robbery proved that the people were not united at all. Therefore, their fate was sealed and they were destroyed. However, the Generation of the Dispersion, though it was rebellious towards Hashem, maintained unity towards one another. Therefore the people dispersed but not destroyed.

When lashon hara causes or strengthens machlokes, the speaker has transgressed, “And do not be like Korach and his congregation.”
Korach led a shameful rebellion against the leadership of Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen. The story of his rebellion and the bitter end that he and his followers met remains a symbol for all time of a dispute that was not l’shem Shamayim (for the sake of Heaven) and therefore had tragic consequences.

The Torah states, “And you shall not aggrieve one another.” Rashi states: “Here the Torah cautions us regarding causing pain through hurtful words.”

The Torah forbids us to say [or do] anything that will hurt someone’s feelings. This is very different from the common case of lashon hara. Common lashon hara is where Reuven tells Shimon, “You know, Levi is a terrible person,” or something else derogatory about Levi. Ona’as devarim is where Reuven tells Levi, “You know, you really are a terrible person.” Though these words were said privately, the speaker has been guilty of the very serious sin of ona’as devarim because he has hurt Levi’s feelings.

The Chofetz Chaim informs us that if Reuven tells Shimon, “Levi is a terrible person,” and Levi is present, then aside from transgressing the sin of lashon hara, Shimon has also been guilty of ona’as devarim.

The classic example in Tanach of ona’as devarim is the episode of Chanah and Peninah, the two wives of Elkanah. Chanah was childless, while Peninah had a number of children. Peninah, recognizing that Chanah was a tzadekes, firmly believed that if Chanah would pray more intensely, she would be granted a child. So she taunted Chanah in the hope that this would spur her on to greater tefillah. Though her intentions were honorable and, as Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz writes, it surely pained Peninah to hurt Chanah’s feelings, she did not escape severe punishment.

R’ Chaim compares this to someone who puts his hand in a fire. The best intentions in the world will not save him from getting burned. To hurt a person’s feelings is to play with fire.

IN A NUTSHELL
Lashon hara can sometimes lead to machlokes, which is highly destructive, and can involve the terrible sin of hurting someone’s feelings.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Negative Commandments

In the Midbar, the tribes of Yehudah, Yissachar, and Zevulun camped on the eastern side of the Mishkan, near Moshe Rabbeinu, Aharon and his sons. That is why those three tribes produced many outstanding talmidei chachamim.

On the other hand, the tribe of Reuven camped on the southern side of the Mishkan, near Korach (who was from the family of Kehas). That is why scores of leading judges from Shevet Reuven joined Korach in his shameful challenge to Moshe and Aharon’s leadership.

It is very, very important to associate with good people who are involved with good things. It is important to avoid associating with those who unfortunately have loose tongues and pay little or no attention to the laws of shemiras halashon. As the Chofetz Chaim makes quite clear, when a person is a baal lashon hara and speaks badly about others on a regular basis, he is sinning countless times, and in a way that makes it very difficult to ever achieve complete teshuvah.

In a famous incident, the Chofetz Chaim was once traveling by wagon with some horse traders who had no idea that their companion was the famed author of Sefer Chofetz Chaim. For a while the Chofetz Chaim said little — until the conversation turned to a particular trader whom these men obviously disliked.

The Chofetz Chaim respectfully told the men that such talk was absolutely forbidden. They responded by telling him to stay out of their affairs. The Chofetz Chaim replied, “If you persist in speaking lashon hara, I will have no choice but to ask the driver to stop so that I can get off this wagon.”

The men did not take him seriously and resumed their sinful conversation. The Chofetz Chaim asked the wagon driver to stop, and he disembarked.

If someone associates with a group of people who regularly speak lashon hara, he transgresses, “Do not be a follower of the majority for evil.” This can prove to be a great test. No one wants to be considered an outcast. And no one wants to become the object of ridicule: “What’s the matter? Are you some sort of goody-goody that you can’t join our conversation?” “Look wh became a tsaddik it’s ‘Mister Speak-No-Evil!’”

Yes, it can be difficult, but the rewards — in this world as well as in the next — are indescribable

In this segment, the Chofetz Chaim also informs us that if someone comes before a beis din (rabbinical court) and as a lone witness offers negative information about someone, he has transgressed, “A single witness shall not stand up against any man for any inquity or for any sin.”

According to Torah law, the testimony of a lone witness is invalid; we need a minimum of two witness to offer testimony in court. Therefore, when one witness alone stands up in court and speaks disparagingly about someone, all he has accomplished is to give that person a bad name.

IN A NUTSHELL
Do not associate with baalei lashon hara.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Negative Commandments

Want to hear what Yosef did? You’ve got to hear this! — But don’t tell him that I told you! He thinks I’m his friend.”

When someone speaks lashon hara and at the same time is careful that the other person should not know of his dislike towards him, he has transgressed, “Do not hate your brother in your heart.” The key word here is “in your heart, “It is wrong to show open hatred for a fellow Jew. But it is even worse to act as if you like him while harboring hatred in your heart. This is the kind of hatred of which this verse speaks.

If we think that we have a valid reason for being upset or even angry with someone, then we should speak to the person about it, in a respectful manner. If we keep the anger bottled up inside it will grow, and over the course of time will most certainly develop into sinas chinam, baseless hatred. This is the hatred that destroyed the Second Beis HaMikdash.

If someone speaks lashon hara about someone out of a desire to “get even” with that person or because he bears a grudge against him, then he has transgressed, “Do not take revenge and do not bear a grudge.

Sometimes we are truly wronged by someone and we find it hard not to bear a grudge When this happens, there are a number of thoughts we can focus on to rid ourselves of bad feelings towards that person.

We can tell ourselves any or all of the following: “I don’t know what possessed him to do such a thing to me. Maybe he is having problems of which people are unaware, and this is causing him to behave this way.”

“I actually feel more sorry for him than for myself. Thank G-d, I do not resort to such behavior, even when I am upset with someone.”

“What will I gain by bearing a grudge or seeking revenge? This will only lead to more bitterness and ill feelings, and everyone will lose. On the other hand, if I rid myself of any ill feelings and forgive him, Hashem will judge me the same way and be forgiving of my misdeeds.

“And if I am good to him, there is a reasonable chance that he will want to respond in kind, and we will be on the way to real friendship and good will.”

Finally, we should bear in mind the following: In Heaven, all Jewish souls are one. Therefore, seeking revenge against another Jew is as ridiculous as hitting one’s own hand for “having the nerve” to get stuck in a door. What the person is actually doing is punishing himself.

IN A NUTSHELL
If we truly seek to avoid lashon hara, we must rid ourselves of hatred towards others, and we must not seek revenge or bear a grudge.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Negative Commandments

In his famous Iggeres (Ethical Letter) to his son, Ramban writes that anavah, humility, is the greatest of all good midos, and that it leads to yiras Hashem, awe of Hashem. Being humble does not mean to think of oneself as a “nobody,” a failure. To the contrary, a person can be successful in life only if he has self-esteem and feels good about himself.

What, then, is anavah?

To be humble is to realize that whatever we accomplish in life is only through siyata diShmaya, help from Hashem. Without Hashem’s help, we are helpless, literally.

To be humble also means to realize that although we have accomplished many good things in our lives, we really do not know if we are achieving our potential. It is possible that we can accomplish so much more.

To be humble also means not to feel haughty just because we have been blessed with talent in any given area. A talent is a blessing from Hashem to be used in His service, not to make one feel superior to others.

Finally, to be humble means to realize that we are not perfect. No one is. So rather than focus only on our good qualities and feel proud, we should give “equal time” to our faults, recognize them, and work to correct them.

The Torah states, “And your heart will become haughty and you will forget Hashem, your G-d. Another verse states, “Be careful, lest you forget Hashem, your G-d.” By way of the first verse, the Gemara derives that the second verse is a negative commandment not to be haughty. The Chofetz Chaim draws the following conclusion:

Since the speaker of lashon hara belittles others, most probably he considers himself a wise, important person — for if he recognized his own faults, then why would he make fun of others? Thus, one who speaks lashon hara is guilty of arrogance and has transgressed this sin.

The Chofetz Chaim adds that when a person builds his own stature in the eyes of others by belittling someone else, then he certainly is guilty of this sin. Furthermore, our Sages teach us that this person loses his portion in the World to Come.
The Torah states, “… You shall not desecrate My holy Name…” This verse cautions us not to cause a chillul Hashem, desecration of Hashem’s Name, through our words or actions. The Chofetz Chaim says that when someone speaks lashon hara, he is guilty of chillul Hashem. In the Chofetz Chaim’s words:
As this [lashon hara] does not involve taavah (craving) or physical pleasure which can allow a person to be overcome by his desires, therefore, committing this sin is considered a sort of rebellion against Hashem and a casting off of the yoke of Heaven — and this is a chillul Hashem.

What exactly does the Chofetz Chaim mean? True, there is no physical pleasure in speaking lashon hara, but there is pleasure.

Don’t people enjoy telling others how someone did something utterly ridiculous? Doesn’t the speaker feel pleasure when his listeners roar with laughter and slap him on the back for telling a great story? Why, then, is this a chillul Hashem?

The answer may be that there is a great difference between this pleasure and the pleasure of, for example, eating non-kosher food. The desire to enjoy good food is something inborn. If someone has a craving for nonkosher food, we do not tell him, “Well, program yourself to look at this food as disgusting, and then you won’t want to eat it.” This will not work and, in fact, our Sages state clearly that one should not say, “Non-kosher food is despicable to me.” Rather, he should say, “I would like to eat it, but Hashem decreed that I should not.”

Lashon hara, however, is different. People are not born with a desire to speak lashon hara. They develop a desire for it because they choose to focus on others’ faults. Furthermore, a person who enjoys telling nega-tive stories about people can program himself to change his attitude. He can develop a feeling that making fun of others is something despicable. Rather than enjoying the good laugh he gets at someone else’s expense, he can learn to enjoy the pleasure of refraining from evil speech.

And if he does not make the effort to “reprogram,” then he has cast off the yoke of Hashem regarding this mitzvah and has been guilty of chillul Hashem.

IN A NUTSHELL
Speaking lashon hara is a sign of arrogance and is a chillul Hashem.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM
Preface: Negative Commandments

When a person speaks lashon hara, he transgresses the pasuk, “Beware of a tzara’s affliction, to be very careful and to act…”

Tzara’as is not leprosy. Though it is a skin disease, it is a disease unlike any other. It is not caused by contact with a germ or other form of impurity. The Gemara teaches that tzara’as is a punishment for any one of seven sins; at the top of the list is lashon hara.

We can learn how terrible lashon hara is from the very severe tumah of a metzora (one who is afflicted with tzara’as). A metzora is the only living person who can transmit his tumah to another human being simply by standing under the same roof with that person, though there is no actual contact between them.

A metzora must live in solitude; he must let his hair grow and tear his clothing like a mourner. He must call out to those who pass by, “I am tamei (impure)! I am tamei!”

No other tamei in the Torah has to make such an announcement. What is its purpose? The Gemara states that the metzora makes this announcement so that others will pray that he should be healed of his tzara’as. The question, though, remains. Why doesn’t the Torah state that those who are afflicted with other forms of tumah should ask that others pray for them?

The Chofetz Chaim explains: Normally, a person’s Torah learning and prayers have awesome power in Heaven. But this is not the case with a ba’al lashon hara, one who often speaks lashon hara. Zohar teaches that when a person contaminates his mouth with lashon hara, the ruach hatumah (spirit of impurity) created by his words affects his gift of speech in a very powerful way. His Torah and tefillah are wrapped in a spirit of impurity and carry little weight in Heaven.

Therefore, the metzora cannot count on his own prayers to rid himself of his tzara’as. For this, he must call out to others, “I am tamei! I am tamei!” and hope that they will pray on his behalf.

In Sefer Shemiras HaLashon, the Chofetz Chaim asks: If tzara’as is a punishment for lashon hara, why don’t ba’alei lashon hara become afflicted with it nowadays? He cites the explanation of Chidah:

When Hashem punishes someone, He does so for the person’s benefit, so that he will do teshuvah. It was only while the Beis HaMikdash stood that a metzora could become purified from the tumah of his tzara’as. Today, when to our misfortune there is no Beis HaMikdash and no korbanos, there would be no way for a metzora to become tahor; he would remain with this severe form of tumah for the rest of his life. Therefore, today, the tumah of tzara’as clings only to the neshamah, but not to the body.

Both one who speaks lashon hara and one who listens to it are guilty of the sin of, “And before a blind person do not place a stumbling block.” With these words the Torah forbids a Jew to cause another Jew to sin. When someone speaks lashon hara to a willing listener, each one is causing the other to sin. Although the speaker is the one who initiates the conversation, the listener is required to either tell the speaker to stop or simply walk away.

The Chofetz Chaim concludes this segment by quoting the ethical will of the Tanna R’ Eliezer HaGadol to his son Hyrkanos:

My son, do not sit among groups who speak disparagingly of others. For when their words ascend to Heaven, they are recorded in a book, and those who are present are inscribed as a “Wicked Group.”

In Sefer Shemiras HaLashon, the Chofetz Chaim asks: If tzara’as is a punishment for lashon hara, why don’t ba’alei lashon hara become afflicted with it nowadays? He cites the explanation of Chidah:

When Hashem punishes someone, He does so for the person’s benefit, so that he will do teshuvah. It was only while the Beis HaMikdash stood that a metzora could become purified from the tumah of his tzara’as. Today, when to our misfortune there is no Beis HaMikdash and no korbanos, there would be no way for a metzora to become tahor; he would remain with this severe form of tumah for the rest of his life. Therefore, today, the tumah of tzara’as clings only to the neshamah, but not to the body.

IN A NUTSHELL
· From the metzora and his tzaraas we learn the severity of lashon hara.
· By speaking or listening to lashon hara, we are causing someone else to sin.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM Preface: Negative Commandments

Name the greatest threat to world peace and security in these times.” A straightforward challenge with a fairly predictable response — or so one would think.

The Chofetz Chaim offers his own insight into what causes destruction. His answer is the real answer, because terrorists and evil regimes are powerless unless Hashem allows them to carry out their evil plans. And it is we, the Jewish people, whose actions determine what will be decided in Heaven.

The Mishnah states: “Know what is above you (— an Eye that sees, an Ear that hears …).” R’ Chaim Volozhiner offered an original explanation: Know that whatever happens Above is because of you. It is our actions and words on this earth that determine whether the world will earn Hashem’s mercy or the opposite, G-d forbid.

In today’s segment, the Chofetz Chaim states:

Whoever spreads gossip about his fellow Jews is guilty of a lo sa’aseh (negative prohibition), as it is written, “Do not go as a gossipmonger among your people.” What is a gossipmonger? One who brings reports from one person to another, saying, “This is what So-and-so said about you, this what I have heard that So-and so did to you …” Though the report is true, he is destroying the world.

As mentioned above (Day 3), when Jews speak evil of each other, this gives the Satan the ability to speak evil of the Jewish people before Hashem. The result, says Zohar, is death and destruction in this world. When the Chofetz Chaim writes “he is destroying the world,” he means it in a very literal sense.

The Chofetz Chaim lists the other primary mitzvah that deals with lashon hara “Do not accept a false report,” which, our Sages teach, also includes the sin of speaking lashon.

To refrain from speaking lashon hara can be a very great test. The test of not listening to lashon hara can be even greater. It is very easy and can be very tempting to sit back and listen as someone tells a funny story about someone that makes the person appear foolish.

At Mount Sinai, Hashem declared that by accepting the Torah we would become a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Through Torah, we are to become noble, refined, exceptional individuals, people whom other nations will look up to and admire.

To become such a person, a Jew must carefully guard the two pathways to his neshamah, his eyes and his ears. He must not view what is forbidden and he must not listen to what is forbidden. And he must carefully guard his power of speech, which defines his essence as a human being.

IN A NUTSHELL
The sins of speaking and listening to lashon hara are stated explicitly in the Torah and bring death and destruction to the world.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Preface (continued)

From verses in Tanach and teachings found in the Gemara, we see how important it is to correct bad midos. Anger is compared to idol worship, and we are told to be kind and compassionate. Yet, there is no mitzvah in the Torah that specifically prohibits us from showing anger or cruelty.

R’ Chaim Vital, famed talmid of the holy Arizal, explained that the Torah does not include avoiding anger and cruelty as part of the 613 mitzvos because developing good midos precedes the mitzvos. Good midos are the foundation of Torah. Without good midos, it is impossible to observe the mitzvos properly and to be elevated by them.

Yet, Hashem did see fit to include not one but two prohibitions against speaking lashon hara as part of the 613 mitzvos.1 This, says the Chofetz Chaim, underscores what we have already said, that lashon hara is more damaging than other forms of bad behavior. Evil speech is terribly damaging to the people who are the victims of such talk and terribly damaging to the Jewish people as a whole, for it empowers the Satan in a way that other sins do not.

There is another reason, says the Chofetz Chaim, why Hashem saw fit to include two mitzvos lo sa’aseh in the Torah against speaking lashon hara. Through speaking lashon hara, a person can transgress virtually every mitzvah in the Torah that is bein adam lachaveiro (between man and his fellow)! And he can also transgress quite a number of mitzvos bein adam laMakom (between man and Hashem). No wonder Talmud Yerushalmi states that just as the study of Torah equals all others mitzvos combined, the sin of lashon hara equals all other sins combined!

In Sefer Shemiras HaLashon, the Chofetz Chaim offers his own explanation of Talmud Yerushalmi’s statement. Mitzvos other than Torah study are physical in nature. For tzitzis, one dons a garment, a lulav is held in one’s hand, a shofar is blown, etc.

Targum Onkelos translates “And man became a living being” as “And man became a speaking spirit.” The power of speech is a function of the neshamah. (This is why animals cannot speak.) Torah study, in which the power of speech is used, is a “neshamah mitzvah.” This is why it equals all other mitzvos combined.

And speaking lashon hara is a “neshamah aveirah.” This is why it equals all sins combined.

In the lessons that follow, the Chofetz Chaim will list the 31 mitzvos that one can possibly be guilty of when speaking lashon hara.

Sefer Chofetz Chaim is a book of laws. The Chofetz Chaim saw fit to list these 31 mitzvos as an introduction to these laws, so that we will approach the study of this sefer with an understanding that we are about to embark on a journey of utmost importance.

Living by the laws of Sefer Chofetz Chaim can change a person’s life, in this world and the next.

IN A NUTSHELL:
The sin of lashon hara is equal to all sins combined and can cause one to transgress many, many mitzvos.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Preface

Our opening lesson spoke of Hashem’s deep love for every Jew. In this lesson, the Chofetz Chaim quotes the verse “‘I love you,’ says Hashem … ” and he describes the various ways by which Hashem refers to His beloved people: “My children, My portion, My inheritance.” It is obvious that, indeed, Hashem loves us very, very much.

It is because Hashem loves us so much that He cautions us to rid ourselves of bad midos. Evil habits such as speaking lashon hara lead to quarreling and bitterness. A home that is free of lashon hara and rechilus (evil speech that causes bad feelings between people) is a happy, peaceful home — and Hashem wants very much that we should be happy.

Some people derive pleasure from speaking lashon hara. Those who live by the laws of shemiras halashon and carefully guard their tongues know that the pleasure of refraining from evil talk far outweighs
the fleeting pleasure of relating an exciting piece oflashon hara. This is in addition to the spiritual reward for refraining from lashon hara, of which the Vilna Gaon (quoting the Midrash) said: “even Heavenly angels cannot fathom it.”

The complete verse in which the Torah forbids Lashon reads, “You shall not be a gossipmonger among your people, you shall not stand aside while your fellow’s blood is shed — I am Hashem.” The second part of the verse teaches that we are obligated to try to rescue someone’s life if we possibly can, and if we don’t try, then we have sinned.

What is the connection between the two halves of this verse? The Chofetz Chaim explains: Lashon hara can be deadly, like shedding blood. As an example, he cites the story of Doeg HaAdomi, whose slander resulted in the murder of an entire city of Kohanim.

While such cases are extreme, lashon hara can and has destroyed lives in a different sense. Families, friendships and entire communities have been ruined because of lashon hara and the bad feelings that it caused.
In fact, the Chofetz Chaim’s son, R’ Aryeh Leib, wrote that this is what impelled his father to author this sefer. In his words:
It seems to me that one particular episode aroused my father’s pure spirit to compose this work. When he was about twenty-four years old, a dispute erupted in our town between some members of the community and the rav. Ultimately, the rav was forced to leave the town and took a position elsewhere. As I recall, the rav passed away a few years later. It was said in our town that within a few years, the rav’s opponents fell victim to Divine punishment on this world.
It was not long after this that my father involved himself with the study and writing of the laws of lashon hara.

IN A NUTSHELL
Living by the laws of shemiras halashon is the key to a peaceful, happy home and life.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Introduction (Continued)

Some may claim, says the Chofetz Chaim, that it is better not to study these halachos. They might say: “Don’t our Sages teach that it is better to let someone sin unintentionally than to point out his error, if you are sure that he will continue to sin in any case?1 So why learn the laws of lashon hara? Everyone knows that it is nearly impossible to avoid speaking lashon hara — unless you want to be a hermit and not speak to anyone!”

The Chofetz Chaim convincingly refutes this claim with the following points:

The rule that one should not try to correct someone who will definitely ignore the rebuke does not apply to a sin that is stated explicitly in the Torah. Since the Torah explicitly prohibits lashon hara, we are required to alert everyone to the gravity of this sin.

The Gemara states that no one is innocent of the sin of avak lashon hara (statements that either hint to lashon hara or might lead to lashon hara). The Chofetz Chaim states that this is only said of the average person. However, someone who studies the laws of lashon hara and strives to live by them can avoid even avak lashon hara. It is reasonable to assume that the Chofetz Chaim was speaking from experience; he was so knowledgeable of the halachos and so careful to apply them that he probably avoided even avak lashon hara at all times.

At the very least, studying these halachos will ensure that we will not be in the category of a baal lashon hara, someone with a loose tongue who has no regard for the mitzvah of shemiras halashon and speaks whatever comes to mind. Our Sages state that such a person’s evil speech is equivalent to the Three Cardinal Sins (idol worship, immorality, and murder) and that he will not merit to greet the Shechinah.

We may add one more point. Shemiras halashon should not be seen as something difficult, which we do because Hashem has not given us a choice. We can apply to shemiras halashon what the Mishnah says regarding Torah study: “If you do this” you will have the best of both this world and the World to Come.

What does the expression “If you do this” imply?

Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian explained: If someone were to ask you, “I’ve never tasted wine in my life — what does wine taste like?” you might respond, “Well, it’s a little sweet and a little sour.” Of course, this tells the questioner very little. There is only one way to really know what wine tastes like — by tasting it.

Similarly, there is only one way to understand how beautiful life can be when one lives without luxury while devoting himself to Torah study: “If you do this …”

And only one who lives by the rules of shemiras halashon and carefully avoids lashon hara can truly appreciate how wonderful life is when we speak only good of our fellow man.

IN A NUTSHELL
We are required to learn the laws of shemiras halashon and can surely live by them, if we will only try.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Introduction (Continued)

We live in a world where, unfortunately, falsehood is all too common. Advertising, which is a multibillion-dollar industry, often tries to convince people that products of poor quality are the best that money can buy. Politicians running for office will say anything that can get them elected. To exaggerate in order to make a point is accepted as normal.
This is not the Torah way. The Chofetz Chaim was exceptional in his midas ha’emes, quality of truth, both in how he lived and how he spoke. It was only natural, then, that when writing his very first sefer, Chofetz Chaim, he would be exceptionally careful in choosing the right words for each halachah.
In this segment, the Chofetz Chaim tells us how careful he was:
Every paragraph of this sefer has been carefully researched (together with friends who are gedolei Torah). I searched again and again to make sure that nothing contradicts anything in Shas. Many times, I concentrated on one point for many days until, with Hashem’s help, I clarified the matter according to Torah truth.
My hope to Hashem is that a reader who will examine each halachah carefully will see that we were exact with every word in this sefer … Whoever will judge me favorably will be judged by Hashem the same way.
One of the great Torah giants of the previous generation, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, made a fascinating statement regarding the writings of the Chofetz Chaim: Because the Chofetz Chaim was exceptionally careful with his words in daily life (and perhaps also because he taught the Jewish nation to be very careful in matters of speech), he merited a special siyata diShmaya (assistance from Heaven). We know that the writings of the Rishonim (Early Commentators) are very precise. Every word is measured and requires careful study. R’ Yaakov wrote that the Chofetz Chaim’s works were written with this kind of precision and we should measure each one of his words very carefully.

The Midrash tells us that if a Jew toils to study the laws of a particular sin, then Hashem will reward him by weakening his yetzer hara for that sin. Thus, says the Chofetz Chaim, learning these laws will weaken a person’s desire to speak lashon hara. Once a person controls his speech a bit, as time goes on he will learn to control it more and more until he has mastered the great quality of shemiras halashon.

If someone makes an effort to improve, then he is granted siyata diShmaya to accomplish his goal. When we study Sefer Chofetz Chaim, we are making an effort to improve our speech. Hashem will surely assist us in our efforts, and with time we will feel the joy and satisfaction of using the gift of speech only for the good.

IN A NUTSHELL

Every word of Sefer Chofetz Chaim was written with exacting precision. Studying these laws qill weaken our desire to speak lashon hara.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Introduction (Continued)

Such great Torah personalities as the Brisker Rav and Rav Aharon Kotler marveled at the Chofetz Chaim’s greatness in Torah. They felt that his tzidkus, outstanding piety, caused people to overlook his ge’onus, genius in Torah. When we open his works on halachah, Sefer Chofetz Chaim and Sefer Mishnah Berurah, we gain a bit of insight into how wide-ranging his knowledge was. We also gain insight into the Chofetz Chaim’s ameilus, his incredible effort in searching for every source of every law, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to clarify the halachah.

In today’s segment, the Chofetz Chaim writes:

Therefore [i.e. because of the many misconceptions people have regarding lashon hara] I have gathered my strength, with the help of Hashem, to compile all the laws of lashon hara and rechilus in a single sefer. I gathered these laws from wherever they are scattered through Shas and the poskim (codifiers) — especially the Rambam, Smag and Sefer Shaarei Teshuvah by Rabbeinu Yonah, z”l, who show us the way in these halachos …
I have called the sefer “Chofetz Chaim,” based on the verse” Who is the man who desires life, who loves days of seeing good? Guard your tongue from evil …” (Tehillim 34:13-14)

Each section of Sefer Chofetz Chaim is comprised of two sub-sections: the halachos, which the Chofetz Chaim named Mekor Chaim(Source of Life), and the sources of the halachos, which he named Be’er Mayim Chaim(The Wellsprings of Water of Life).

The Chofetz Chaim did not choose these names at random. When the first man was created and Hashem blew life into him, the Torah states, “And man became a living being”, which Targum translates as “a speaking being.”

What defines us as human beings is our power of speech. This is what distinguishes us from animals and all other creatures. To whatever degree we refine our way of speaking, we have given more meaning to our humanity. A person who uses his power of speech to lie, make fun of others, speak badly of others or for vulgar language is lowering his level of humanity. It is, in a sense, as if he is saying, “I’m really not much different than the other creatures of this world.”

Let us be careful how we speak so that we will be more elevated, spiritual and happy people.

IN A NUTSHELL
Sefer Chofetz Chaim is truly a “source of life,” because the power of speech is what defines us as human being.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Introduction (Continued)

We have already demonstrated that lashon hara is one of the worst sins that a Jew can commit, that it causes enormous harm in Heaven, that it had the power to destroy the Beis HaMikdash and send us into exile.

Then why, asks the Chofetz Chaim, are so many people not careful about speaking and listening to lashon hara?

He answers: People who are unlearned simply do not know the facts. They mistakenly think that if the information being said is true, then it is not lashon hara.

Of course, this is a terrible mistake. We are not allowed to speak negatively about anyone even when we are absolutely certain that the information is true. (If it is false information, then the speaker would be guilty of hotza’as shem ra, slander, which is even worse than common lashon hara).

What about learned people, who do know the basic rules of shemiras halashon?

The yetzer hara is very clever. He has ways of getting anyone, including learned Jews, to sin. This is how he does it:

“Him? It’s not lashon hara to speak about him. That man is thoroughly evil, he’s always involved in machlokes (disputes)! It’s actually a mitzvah to speak against him!”

“Yes, he’s a good person, but what did I say wrong? He’s not that bright … so what? I didn’t say that he’s a bad person!”

In the Chofetz Chaim’s words: “The yetzer hara works on two fronts. Either he convinces the person that the statement is not at all lashon hara, or that the sin of lashon hara does not apply when speaking about that individual.”

And if these tactics do not succeed, the yetzer hara has one more weapon in his arsenal. “You’re not going to speak lashon hara? Well, then, I guess you plan to be a hermit for the rest of your life. There is no way that you can live among people and socialize without speaking lashon hara.”

This statement is patently false. Rather than cause a person to become a hermit, shemiras halashon is what permits us to speak. Once a person becomes knowledgeable in these all-important laws, he knows what he may and may not say in conversation.

The Chofetz Chaim concludes that the situation in his days (before he wrote his sefer) was sad indeed. Many people did not see lashon hara as a sin at all. If someone tried to stop such a person from degrading another Jew, the response might have been, “What are you trying to do — make me into some sort of tzaddik?”

The Chofetz Chaim was determined to change this terrible situation.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Satan has clever ways of convincing good people to transgress the terribly destructive sin of lashon hara.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Introduction (Continued)

As we have seen, the sin of lashon hara is the primary reason we are in galus. It is clear from many teachings of our Sages that lashon hara is a most severe sin, one of the worst that a Jew can commit.

Why? Why should a sin that involves mere speech be viewed by Hashem in such a serious way?

The Chofetz Chaim offers three powerful reasons why this is so.

1. Hashem judges us midah k’neged midah, measure for measure. The reaction in Heaven when we speak lashon hara on this world is a powerful example of this. As long as we speak only good of one another, the Satan (Accusing Angel) cannot accuse the Jewish People in Heaven. However, when Jews speak evil of each other, this gives the Satan the ability to speak evil of the Jewish people before Hashem. The result, says the Zohar, is death and destruction in this world.
Our Sages teach that the sin of lashon hara “reaches the Heavenly Throne.” We now understand why. It is like a chain reaction. When we speak evil on this earth, we should picture the Satan before Hashem’s throne indicting the Jewish people by enumerating their sins. Do we want to be the cause of this?

2. Imagine a funnel that was just used to pour brake fluid into one’s car. Would anyone think of using the same funnel to pour wine into a wine bottle? Would anyone in his right mind drink such wine?
The human mouth is a precious “funnel.” It was given to us for avodas Hashem, so that we can study Torah, pray, speak kind words to others and express ourselves in other positive ways.
When we speak lashon hara, falsehood, or other improper speech, we contaminate our mouths spiritually, in a very real sense. The Torah and tefillah that emanate from the mouth of a baal lashon hara, one who speaks lashon hara regularly, has little, if any, power in Heaven.
What would a baal lashon hara do if a loved one was ill, G-d forbid? Most probably, he would respond like any other Jew — by reciting Tehillim, or learning Torah as a source of merit for the person. How horrible he would feel were he able to see that his words of Torah and prayer never reached the Heavens, because his loose tongue had ruined them, destroying their power.

3. We talk all the time, thousands upon thousands of words each day. Says the Chofetz Chaim: A person who disregards the sin of lashon hara will sin many, many times each day. Over the course of a year, he might accumulate tens of thousands of sins — a frightening thought for anyone who understands the seriousness of this sin.
This, says the Chofetz Chaim, is another reason why the sin of lashon hara is so terribly destructive.

IN A NUTSHELL
Lashon hara gives the Satan power, weakens the power of our Torah and tefillah, and can cause a person to accumulate a staggering amount of sins.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Introduction (Continued)

We live in very difficult times. How great is our yearning for the coming of Mashiach and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, when our nation’s suffering will end! The question is: What can we do to make this happen?

A lot, says the Chofetz Chaim, for it is within our power to end this galus.

The Gemara teaches that the primary sin that led to the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash was sinas chinam, baseless hatred among Jews. The Chofetz Chaim says that hatred alone would not have caused the Churban. The Gemara must be referring to hatred and the lashon hara that it brought about. And, if the sin of lashon hara brought us into galus, surely it has the power to keep us there.

Furthermore, says the Chofetz Chaim, it was following an episode involving lashon hara that Hashem decreed exile upon His beloved people.

The Torah states that when the Meraglim (Spies) returned from their mission in Eretz Yisrael with a slanderous report, the Jews were punished by having to remain in the Wilderness for forty years. The Gemara teaches that they were punished in another way as well:

R’ Yochanan said: This day [when they returned with their report] was Erev Tishah B’Av [and the people cried that night after hearing the report]. HaKadosh Baruch Hu said: ‘You wept for no reason. I will establish this night for you as a time of weeping for all generations.’”

Thus, because of the Spies’ lashon hara, the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and our nation’s exile were decreed.

The Chofetz Chaim makes another important point, which we will now elaborate on.

Receiving a blessing from a tzaddik is something very special. A tzaddik’s words have great power in Heaven, and therefore his blessings are eagerly sought.

Far greater than a tzaddik’s blessing is a blessing received directly from Hashem. No one would intentionally do something that might cause him to squander such a blessing — or so it would seem.

The Torah states: “Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor in secrecy.”3 This refers to one who “attacks” his neighbor secretly by speaking lashon hara about him.4 Says the Chofetz Chaim, “How can the berachos of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, which we yearn for, come to rest upon us when, to our misfortune, we are in the habit of committing this sin?”

So the next time you are tempted to speak lashon hara, think to yourself, “Hashem loves me and wants to shower me with berachah, and I certainly want to receive His berachah. I had better guard my tongue — there is too much at stake.”

IN A NUTSHELL
The key to ending this galus and to meriting Hashem’s infinite blessings is to eradicate the sins of sinas chinam and lashon hara.

 -A project of  Mesorah Publications –

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Introduction

The Chofetz Chaim begins his magnificent work on the laws of shemiras halashon (guarding one’s speech) by summarizing our purpose in life. Hashem separated us from the other nations, gave us His precious Torah, and brought us to the holy land of Eretz Yisrael so that we could become a holy people by keeping His mitzvos (commandments). “His intention is entirely for our good,” says the Chofetz Chaim, “for by living a Torah life, we make ourselves deserving of Hashem’s kindness, in this world and the next. “

Hashem loves us very, very much, – more than we can imagine. Therefore, He gave us the 613 mitzvos, 613 precious gifts through which we we are able to draw close to Hashem and earn His blessings. And, says the Chofetz Chaim, Hashem has shown us His love in another important way:

If a person gives someone a gift and then sees that the recipient fails to appreciate what he has been given, the donor may take the gift back. Hashem, however, takes a different approach. In His great love for us, He seeks ways to awaken us to teshuvah (repentance) so that we can continue to earn His great blessings. Therefore, throughout the period of the first Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple), Hashem sent nevi’im (prophets), who told our ancestors what they were doing wrong and guided them along the path of teshuvah.

Eventually, due to our sins, Hashem had no choice but to banish us from our land. However, He stands ready to redeem us, if only we will correct the sins that led to our exile.

We can accomplish this by focusing on how much Hashem loves us. In Sefer Shemiras HaLashon, the Chofetz Chaim offers a powerful mashal(parable):

Reuven and Shimon are involved in a bitter dispute. One day, someone approaches Reuven and says, “You know, the other day I saw one of the Torah giants of our time showing great love and respect for Shimon.”
Reuven is surprised, to say the least. However, he is not convinced. Perhaps Shimon is a top-notch faker, so that he can trick even the leaders of the generation into thinking that he is a tzaddik!
Then someone tells Reuven, “I saw the great Tanna Rabi Yehudah HaNasi showing great love and admiration for Shimon.” Another man approaches Reuven and says, “I heard Eliyahu HaNavi say that he heard Hashem saying that He loves Shimon very much.”
“Woe is me!” Reuven cries. “How wrong I’ve been about Shimon!”

Hashem loves every Jew with a deep, unconditional love. How, then, can we dislike or speak against any Jew? Is it possible to hate the person Hashem loves?

IN A NUTSHELL
We must focus on how much Hashem loves each and every one of us, and how He yearns, as it were, to return us to our Land and rebuild the Beis HaMikdash.

-A project of Mesorah Publications –