Shemirat HaLashon שמירת הלשון

A man should also reflect and know that at the time that he speaks lashon hara against his friend, the angels on high also mention his sins, as Rokeach wrote in his book, and so we find also in Aggadath Mishlei.

He must also etch into his consciousness what is written in Semak (283, in the name of Riva), viz. :Even those whom it is a mitzvah to kill, such as one pursuing a male [for sodomy] or a betrothed maiden, or his neighbor, to kill him, the one who kills them must afterwards be [especially] careful of their "dust" [i.e., a similar sin]. For if, G-d forbid, their killer stumbles into a similar sin, the one killed will be accounted to him as innocent blood. The proof is from Yehu, who was punished for the blood of the house of Achav, even though the prophet commanded him in the name of the L-rd to kill them, because he himself had stumbled in the sin of the house of Achav."

And even though he had rendered a great favor to Israel, for Achav had served the Ba'al and the calves, and Yehu had abolished Ba'al worship from Israel and made [their sites] sewers, as Scripture states (II Kings 10:27), and he had also found favor in the eyes of the L-rd for having killed Achav (for which the kingdom was given him for four generations as mentioned in Scripture), and Yehu's later idol worship was unwitting, (as written in Sanhedrin 102a): "Yehu was a great tzaddik … but he saw the signature of Achiya Hashiloni and erred" — in spite of all this, since there remained in him part of the sin of Achav, he was punished, as is written in the beginning of Hoshea (1:4): "And I will remember the blood of Yizre'el (i.e., the blood of the house of Achav, whom he had killed in Yizre'el) on the house of Yehu."

And from the words of Semak we learn that the same applies in all similar instances between man and his neighbor. If one punishes his friend with any manner of punishment — by striking [him] or "whitening" his face or by speaking lashon hara against him — even if in this, the din were in accordance with the shamer or the speaker — still, he must "know in his soul" that if he himself had transgressed in this way in the past or if he will transgress in this way in the future, then the suffering of this man whose face he whitened or against whom he spoke lashon hara will be reckoned "innocent blood," and he will be punished for it, just as if he had acted thus against a man complete in the Torah of the L-rd and His mitzvoth.

And because of this the speaker of lashon hara against his friend or one who causes him all kinds of suffering will be in [constant] trepidation. For if he reflects well he will find that not long past he himself had transgressed in exactly the same matter or in similar matters. And even if he examined himself closely and did not find [this to be so], still, he should know that after speaking [as he did], if he himself transgressed in this way, he would immediately be punished above for this sin retroactively, for having spoken in this manner against his friend.

And thus is it stated (Yevamoth 105b): "R. Chiyya and R. Shimon ben Rebbi were sitting [in the house of study] … R. Yishmael ben R. Yossi came to them … In the interim, Rebbi came to the academy [and all had to sit in their places]. These (R. Chiyya and R. Shimon], who were agile, [quickly] sat in their places; R. Yishmael ben R. Yossi, being heavy, had to step [over those who were seated to get to his place], whereupon Avdan called out: 'Who is this that steps over the heads of the holy people!' R. Yishmael: 'I, Yishmael ben R. Yossi, who has come to learn Torah from the mouth of Rebbi!' Avdan: 'Are you worthy of learning Torah from the mouth of Rebbi!' R. Yishmael: 'And was Moses worthy of learning Torah from the Almighty?' Avdan: 'Are you Moses!' R. Yishmael: 'Is your teacher [(Rebbi)] G-d!' …In the interim, a yevamah [a woman slated for levirate marriage] came before Rebbi for chalitzah [release from levirate marriage], whereupon he said to Avdan: 'Go and have her examined' [for pubertal signs (to see if she is fit for chalitzah)]. At this, R. Yishmael b. Yossi said: [This is not necessary.] 'Thus did father say: "The man" is stated by Scripture in the section [on chalitzah (Devarim 25:7)], but as far as the woman is concerned, whether she be grown or a minor [the chalitzah is valid].'" Hereupon, Rebbi called Avdan back, saying: 'It is not necessary [to examine her]; the elder [R. Yossi] has already ruled.' As Avdan stepped [over those who were seated to return to his place], R. Yishmael ben R. Yossi said to him: 'Let him of whom the holy people have need step over the heads of the holy people; but how should he of whom the holy people have no need step over the heads of the holy people!' — whereupon Rebbi said to Avdan: 'Remain in your place.' It was taught: 'At that time, Avdan was smitten with leprosy [(the punishment for lashon hara)], his two sons drowned, and his two daughters-in-law [(who had been betrothed when minors)] had their marriage annulled."

Now why did the L-rd so order things that "in the interim, a yevamah came, etc."? But it is as we have said. For, in the beginning, Avdan demeaned R. Yishmael ben R. Yossi for having stepped over the heads of the holy people. And even though the din was not with him [Avdan] in his saying: 'Are you worthy, etc.', for this is unquestionably ona'ath devarim ["wronging with words"], still, there was no room here for being so severe with Avdan as to smite him with leprosy if his primary motivation was zealousness for the truth, even though he erred in his manner of speaking. For this reason he was immediately "tested" from "above," so that in the interim the yevamah came and Avdan had to leave. And in the midst of this, R. Yishmael ben R. Yossi ruled as he did…" At that time, Avdan was smitten with leprosy, etc." That is, since he, too, was not careful in this [(not to step, etc.)], he was, therefore, punished retroactively for having demeaned R. Yishmael ben R. Yossi. He was also shown that not in accordance with the din did he say to R. Yishmael: "Are you worthy of learning Torah from Rebbi?", ruling [wrongly] in his words according to Rebbi's original opinion, that for chalitzah a woman [(as opposed to a minor)] is required, wherefore he was punished with leprosy. And also, his two sons drowned, it being known that the punishment of drowning and that of askara [diphtheria] are [essentially] the same punishment (viz. Kethuvoth 30b); and it is known that the death penalty for lashon hara is askara, as stated in Shabbath 33a.

In sum, let a man see to it to habituate himself in his traits to be of "the good ones" and not of "the wicked ones." And it is the trait of "a good one" to help his friend with all his power and to "cover up" for his faults as for his own. And if he sees that another harbors anger against his friend, he will remove it from him with defenses and excuses. And this is wisdom and strength in truth. And "the wicked one" does exactly the opposite. He does evil to his friend and rejoices in his downfall, and he reveals his unwitting faults in public and makes them malicious ones. And he stirs up strife among men, inciting one against the other and vaunting himself in this as having exhibited wisdom and strength thereby. And, in truth, this is not so. As we find in Midrash Shocher Tov 52, which speaks of Doeg, who spoke lashon hara against David and Achimelech before Saul: "(Psalms 52:3): 'Why do you [Doeg] pride yourself in evil, O mighty one!' David said to him: 'Is this strength? Seeing one's friend at the edge of a pit and pushing him into it? Or seeing him on top of a roof and pushing him off it? But who is the mighty one? One who saw his friend about to fall and pulls him by the hand to save him from falling. Or one who sees his friend fallen in the pit and pulls him out of it. And you saw Saul raging at me and you 'passed water on my limbs'? Is this what a man does?'"

And see the greatness of the hatred borne against the wicked. For aside from their being driven away from the table of the King of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, as we find in Shabbath 149b: "You are righteous, O L-rd; evil will not dwell in Your dwelling place" — even at a time when the prophets and the saintly ones implore mercy for Israel, they have no desire at all to implore mercy for the wicked. To the contrary, they intimate in their prayer that they ask nothing at all for the wicked, as it is written (Psalms 125:14): "Do good, O L-rd, for the good ones and for the upright in their hearts."

And how careful must a man be not to rejoice in the falling of his friend and in his shame, as it is written (Mishlei 24:17-18): "When your foe falls, do not rejoice, and when he stumbles, let your heart not be glad. Lest the L-rd see, and it be evil in His eyes, etc." And this sin greatly arouses the power of din against a man, and it has the power to actually destroy, as does the sin of avodah zarah. For thus do we find in the words of Chazal (Eichah Rabbah, Pethichta), that at the time of the destruction of the Temple, when our father Abraham went into the Temple and the Holy One Blessed be He asked him: "What does My loved one in My house?" he asked: "Why have my sons been exiled among the peoples of the world?" And the Holy One Blessed be He answered: "Because they serve idols and rejoice in each other's downfall," the Holy One Blessed be He equating this [second] sin with [that of] idolatry! Let a man, then, always reflect within himself that in view of his sins and his faults, he, too, deserves to be demeaned and shamed — if not for the L-rd's pitying him in the merit of his fathers.