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Mekor Hachayim Sefer Chafetz Chayim
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara

Kelal Heh

particular way with his employees and attendants, those same
remarks would be denigrating. And so on in other examples.

Therefore it is very difficult to write the details of all of the
circumstances in which a speaker’s remarks would be Lashon
Hara. But take the words of the Rambam in the 5th halacha of the
7th perek of Hilchot De’Aut and wear them as a crown on your head,
something which you should constantly be aware of, namely that
anything at all which if it would be publicized could cause harm to
the victim, either physical or financial harm, or anguish, sorrow or
fear is by definition Lashon Hara.

My dear brother, be aware and be very careful not to be fooled by
your Yetzer Hara. Chazal have taught (Gemara Shabbat 31a) hat
whatever is hateful to you, you should not to do your fellow Jew.
Don’t make a mistake (prompted by your Yetzer Hara) and say–
“What did I say about the ‘victim’ that was so terrible, that he learns
three to four hours each day? I’m not commanded to love him any
more than myself and I wish that people would say about me, that
I learn three to four hours each day.” The same applies to giving
charity or spending money to buy things that would beautify the
holy Shabbat. But truthfully speaking this is all a mistake because
Chazal’s teaching, “Whatever is hateful to you” applies only if
you were at his level, then that “circumstance” would be hateful to
you, and truthfully speaking it is very subjective and depends on
the “victim,” the place and the time. Based on circumstances, if
the remarks are denigrating then most certainly the law categorizes
those remarks as Lashon Hara.

Be'er Mayim Chayim on page 273

K5/7. Understand that just as it is forbidden to speak badly about

your fellow Jew, so too it is forbidden to talk about (10) his material
possessions and to spread rumors about them (quoted from Rebbe
Eliezer Mimitz’s Sefer Ye’re’im, paragraph #42 in the unabridged
edition). This is very commonly found in society, because of our
many sins, that one shop owner will spread bad rumors about
the merchandise of a competing shop owner, etc., all because of

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