Page 54 - V4

Sefer Chafetz Chayim םייח ץפח רפס
Hilchot Esurei Rechilut תוליכר ירוסיא תוכלה
Kelal Heh 'ו ללכ - םייחה רוקמ

pasuk teaches (Shemot 23:1) “Do not accept a false report ” and ,ןוֹגכּ ,וֹתבִּס וֹל עדַוֹנ אלֹו ,וֹקסִעבּ קזּה וֹל היה םִאו .ג
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the pasuk that immediately precedes it teaches “Throw it (him) to
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the dogs.” אלֹו ,רַשּׂה וֹתוֹא קלִּסו ,רַשִּׂמ )הרָיִכח( "עדֶנערֶאה" קיזחמֶּשׁ
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וֹמצע דצִּמ רַשּׂהֶשׁ וֹא ,וילע ןיִשׁלִה דחא םִא ,וֹל עדַוֹנ
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Be'er Mayim Chayim on page 189
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לארְָשׂיִּמ דחאל דֹשׁחל וֹל רוּסא ,הזבּ אצוֹיּכו ,וֹריִבעה
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RK5/2. Listening to gossip is a severe sin (2) just as it is a sin
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to listen to Lashon Hara, as I wrote above in the first part of this ראבְּתיֶּשּׁ המ יִפכוּ ,םירִכּנּה םירִבדּ וילע וֹל שׁיֶּשׁ אלֹ םִא(
sefer in the 6 Kelal, the -6 halachot, even if at the moment the וֹבִּלבּ טיִלחהל רָתּמ זא ,םירִכּנּה םירִבדּ ארָקְנּ המ ,ןמּקַל
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gossip was conveyed the “victim” still has not decided whether or
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not to believe it. Still, believing gossip is a more severe sin than just יקֵוֹזחאדּ )ןמּקַלדִכוּ הז ידֵי לע וֹדיִסְפהל אלֹ לבא ,וילע
listening to it. Regarding the “victim” listening to gossip, and the
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victim understands from the outset of the remarks that if the gossip טֹפְּשִׁתּ קדֶצבּ" :רמאנ הז לעו .ןניקִזחמ אל יֵעיִשּׁרַבּ יֵשׁנא
is true it will pertain to him at some future time, for example, the לע ףא ,קזּהה וֹל בבִּס אוּהֶשׁ ,עמָשׁ םִא וּלִּפאו .*"ךֶָתיִמֲע
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listener realizes the speaker wants to tell him that Plony wants to
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hurt him, either physically or financially (or something comparable), וֹתְּעדַבּ רבדּה טיִלחהל אלֹו ,שֹחל קרַ ,וֹל רָתּמ ןיא ןכ יִפּ
then most certainly (3) it is permissible to listen to that gossip (and םִע הז רוּבֲע הבירְִמ וּשׂע םיִשׁנא םִא וּלִּפאו ,תמא אוּהֶשׁ
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not believe the gossip as truth, but) in order to learn what steps
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he needs to take to protect himself from Plony. But to decide \ to ,וילע עמְשׁנֶּשׁ המּבּ הָשׂע הלוֹדגּ הלועֶשׁ ,וֹל וּרְמאו ,דָשׁחנּה
believe that gossip he hears is the truth is strictly forbidden by the וֹל ןיא ןכ יִפּ לע ףא ,קַתָשׁו לארְָשׂיּהל קזּהה בבִּס אוּהֶשׁ
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Torah in all circumstances; however to suspect that perhaps it might הוצִמ תמאבֶּשׁ םגה יִכּ ,תמא רבדּהֶשׁ ,הז םעטִּמ טיִלחהל
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be true is permissible in order to protect oneself. Chazal have taught
Mekor Hachayim its possible veracity” (and take the necessary precautions to protect םֶתייהו" :)ב"כ ב"ל רבּדְִמּבּ( בוּתכּה רמאמכוּ ,דָשׁחה ןִמ אוּה
this concept (in Gemara Niddah 61a) “even though Lashon Hara is
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יקִנֶּשׁ ךְיא ,וֹדְשׁוֹחה ינְפִל עיִצּהלוּ דָשׁחה ןִמ וֹמצע ליִצּהל
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forbidden to be believed as truth, nevertheless one should suspect
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oneself). Please see above in the section of this sefer discussing the
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,ןינִעה יִפל הארָ ןפּ ,םוֹקמ לכִּמ )ה( ,"לארְָשׂיִּמוּ 'הֵמ םיּקִנ
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rd
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esur of Lashon Hara, the 6 Kelal, the halacha, to learn how to
react to someone who wants to convey gossip, in order to satisfy
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םהיֵתוֹנוֹיְערַבּ טלחנו ךְכּ לכּ אָשׁיִבּ אנָשִּׁל וילע וּלבִּקֶּשׁ
our obligation to G-d. That law applies here as well.
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ןכּ לעו ,הבוּשְׁתּ םוּשׁ וּנּמִּמ וּלבּקַי אלֶֹּשׁ דע ,יִתִּמא רבדל
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Be'er Mayim Chayim on page 191
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RK5/3. If the “victim” sees circumstantial evidence (that supports ןיִבלענּהֵמ תוֹיהִלו הזבּ קֹתְּשִׁל רֵתוֹי בוֹטֶּשׁ ,וֹמצע לע לבּקִ
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.ןיִביִשְׁמ ןניאו )ו( ןָתפּרְח ןיִעְמוֹשׁ ,ןיִבלוֹע םניאו
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םירכנה םירבד are literally “recognizeable facts.” In this context םירכנה םירבד are
weak circumstantial facts or indications that tend to corroborate the Lashon
Hara told to a listener. The םירכנה םירבד by themselves are not substantial
enough to prompt the listener to form a conclusion, but when coupled with
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