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Sefer Chafetz Chayim 1 VOL-4
Hilchot Esurei Rechilut
Kelal Alef Mekor Hachayim - Page 29 with Be’er Mayim Chayim - 185
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Kelal Heh (rK5 - 5 chapter)
that information to them, and he refuses to disclose it, and by Details of the sin of believing gossip or of listening to it, and if someone did
not disclosing it he will become suspected by them as also being transgress this Lav, the method by which this sin can be remedied. There are 7
involved in that incident and as a result of that suspicion he will be halachot in this Kelal.
removed from his position, and if that happens he will not be able
to support (13) his family. Nevertheless, the disclosure is forbidden Mekor Hachayim - Page 39 with Be’er Mayim Chayim - 207
just as it is forbidden to violate any Lav of the Torah. He is obligated
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to give up everything he owns and not violate a Lav of the Torah, as Kelal Vav (rK6 - 6 chapter)
this law is explained in Yoreh Deh’ah, section #1 , paragraph #1, The esur of accepting gossip as truth in the context of it being conveyed “In the
in the Hagahah, as long as there is no likelihood of some beneficial presence of three people” or conveyed directly to the “victim.” This Kelal will
outcome such as the aversion of damages or the reconciliation of a explain the law if someone suffered a loss and word spread throughout society
dispute. However one may not be quick to take advantage of this that Plony caused the loss to this victim, or if someone conveyed that gossip (that
leniency because many conditions must first be satisfied, as I will Plony was the cause of the loss) in casual passing, unintentionally, or if someone
conveyed that gossip and he (that speaker) had the authority of two authoritative
explain them at length, with G-d’s help, further on in the 9 Kelal. witnesses. Some other details of the laws of gossip will also be discussed in this
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Kelal which consists of 10 halachot.

RK /7. Especially if withholding the disclosure (i.e., not gossiping) Mekor Hachayim - Page 55 with Be’er Mayim Chayim - 249
will not result in monetary damages but only in insults and curses Kelal zayin (rK7 - 7 chapter)
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(that others will insult him because he did not gossip) then most An explanation of the different circumstances when Rechilut is forbidden. There
certainly it would be forbidden for him to gossip. He should not are 5 halachot in this Kelal.
let the insults bother him at all and he should know down to the Mekor Hachayim - Page 63 with Be’er Mayim Chayim - 261
Mekor Hachayim His face will glow with the radiance of the sun, as Chazal teach in Mekor Hachayim - Page 67 (rK8 - 8 chapter)
core of his soul that in not gossiping, in the coming future he will
be counted among those who are beloved by Hashem Yitbarach.
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Kelal Het
Gemara Yomah ( a)- “Those who are insulted but do not insult
The law pertaining to intimations of gossip. There are 5 halachot in this Kelal.
back, who absorb insults without responding,” the pasuk refers to
them specifically as (Shoftim 5:31) “and His beloved ones will shine
like the sun in all of its strength,” and all the more so regarding this
with Be’er Mayim Chayim - 271
person who absorbs humiliation for the sake of fulfilling one of
Kelal tet
(rK9 - 9th chapter)
Hashem’s mitzvot. Please see what I have written at length above
in the Laws of Esurei Lashon Hara, the 1 Kelal, 6 halacha.
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An explanation of when gossip is permitted as the conditions of this Kelal are
fulfilled. There are 15 halachot in this Kelal.
Be'er Mayim Chayim on page 121
Page 365
RK /8. On the topic of what to answer if someone were to ask- illustrative examples
“What did so-and-so say about me?” The response is conditional:
If he has a practical way of answering (14) him and the response is Page 405

response of the Chavot Yair
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volume 4