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Sefer Chafetz Chayim םייח ץפח רפס
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara ערה ןושל ירוסיא תוכלה
Kelal Zayin - Halachah 4 ב הכלה - ז ללכ

Be’er Mayim Chayim ןושל ונייהד וננינעב לבא ,הז ןינעב קותשל הל

(K7/4/1)-(8)..a rumor (Lashon Hara) circulated about a person: ,היאר םוש הקיתשהמ ןיא יאדוב תוליכרו ערה
In the context of Gemara Niddah (61a), there were some men from the Galil ד"ס 'ב ןמיסב ע"האב ראובמש הממ הזל היארו
who were sought‑after by the government because they had reputations for
being murderers. These men appeared before Rebbe Tarfon and asked to הקיתשהמ ןיא קיתשו רזממ היל ורק םאד ה"הגהב
be hidden. Rebbe Tarfon considered their request: “If I hide you…but תעדל וליפאו ,הז תמחמ וילע שושחל היאר םוש
Chazal have taught that regarding this Lashon Hara, although one may not
believe it, still one is obligated to suspect its veracity.” We learn from this רמאקדכ אמלעב ששחל ונייה וילע רימחמד רבחמה
gemara that all of the laws of Lashon Hara apply even to a general rumor םידומ ונא םג וננינעבו ,ותחפשמלו ול ןיששוח
circulating in society and that it is forbidden to believe it.
אנווג לכב ונמצע תא רומשלו שוחל ךירצש
And don’t question this concept by citing Gemara Sanhedrin (31a)
regarding a certain student in the Beit Midrash who was reputed to have שוחימל 'וכו אשיב אנשיל יאה א"ס הדנב רמאקדכ
disclosed information that had been kept secret for 22 years. Rav Ameh יאדובש הקיתשה ידי לע טילחהל אל לבא יעבימ
expelled him from the Beit Midrash and declared “this is one who reveals
secrets.” We see from that gemara that based on a reputation caused by .אוה תמא
a rumor which was circulating, this student was ejected from the Beit
Midrash and if so, it is certainly permissible to merely believe the rumor םש תורכזנה תורבסה לכ ךייש ונינינעב תמאבו
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(without taking any action. Please reference the text versions of the Rif
and the Rosh that do not contain the words “who was reputed to have” ראשב ותפרח עמושה ,םשד תועידה לכלד ה"הגהב
but only say as follows: “He revealed a matter that occurred, etc.” which אוהש אוה ןמיס קתושו החפשמ לוספמ דבל םירבד
implies that the incident was proven to have occurred. Similarly, from the
nd
discussion of this law in the 22 perek of the Rambam’s laws pertaining ,אימד הבירמ תעשל קר אכה םגו ,ש"יע סחוימ
th
to the Sanhedrin (7 halacha), the implication is that this incident was well ראשב קותשל אלש הזה שיאה עבט םא וליפא ןכלו VOL-3
known to everyone.
אוהש היאר ןיא ןכ יפ לע ףא קתש התעו םירבד
It seems to me that even in the framework of our text version, the intent of
the gemara is that this matter was subsequently determined by Rav Ameh שיהמ חכומ ןכו ,םעטה םינפב יתבתכש ומכו תמא
to be true and that indeed this student had revealed a secret. The intent םא אלה םשד( ל"נה ה"הגהבש ינשה םירמוא
of the gemara in saying “that gained for himself a reputation in the Beit
Midrash as someone who reveals secrets” means that because everyone in ןויכ יכה וליפאו קתוש ללחו חווצ רזממ היל ורק
the Beit Midrash heard the rumor, that this student disclosed confidential רבכו ה"הגהה ףוסמו )רשכ אימד הבירמ ןינעלד 4
information, now everyone understood that a desecration of Hashem’s
Name was caused by his sin and for that reason Rav Ameh had him removed םייק םלועה ימ לע )א"ע ט"פ( ןילוחב ל"זח ורמא
from the Beit Midrash. Rav Ameh’s actions also served as an object lesson .הבירמ תעשב ויפ םלובש ימ לע

ל"זח וקספש המב וליפאש תוארל לכונ רתויבו
However, “believe” in this context is not license to take action aganst the
person who is the subject of the rumor, and that is what the holy Chafetz ןיא הקזח תנמאנ ינתשריג הלעבל הרמאש השאה
Chayim is saying here: “It is certainly permissible to merely believe the
rumor” but one may not take action against that person. שי םיטרפ המכ האר הלעב ינפב הינפ הזיעמ השא

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