Page 211 - V1

Introduction to החיתפ
Sefer Chafetz Chayim םייח ץפח רפסל
Laveen - L13
בי ואל - ןיואל

you did earlier in your life.” Do not say to him “Remember what your ליֵעל ןיּעו ,תאֹזּה הערָה וֹתוּרבּחְתִה ידֵי לע הֵשֲׂע תוצִמ
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fathers used to do, etc.” What I wrote above, “lack of knowledge of Torah”
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(were my illustrative examples even though they were not mentioned רזעיִלא יִבּרַדּ יקֵרְִפּ םֵשׁבּ יִתּבַתכֶּשׁ המּבּ םינְפִבּ 'ד תוֹאבּ
in the gemara), that truthfully the gemara used the expressions “Ba'al
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Teshuvah” or “Remember what your fathers did to” as general examples .הז ןינִע לע וֹנבִל וֹתאוּצבּ
but the underlying concept applies to anything one would say that could
cause anguish or pain to another person. The Shulchan Aruch, Choshen
Mishpat, section #228 (paragraph #4) cites an example of someone causing םייח םימ ראב
verbal abuse: Someone asks a question: One should not say “How would
you answer that question” if he knows that this person does not have an לכ .'וכו קבדמ אוה םא לבא 'וכו ונבתכש הז לכו )אי(
answer to the question.
םירוסיא הז לע שי יכה ואלבו אתיירואד ואל ןינעל אוה הז
What I wrote concerning someone who speaks with anger and confusion is ש"מכ רפסמ ןיא דע טעמכ הלבק ירבדמ ןיואלו ןנברד
is taken from the Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot (mitzvah # 251). He warns
us against causing any anguish or pain to anyone in any form by speaking םיבותכ המכ ילשמבו 'וגו םיצל בשומבו 'וגו םיאטח ךרדבו
in a (demeaning) way to the point where the person is so ashamed of that בטיה ראבתי ישילש קלחב ש"היאו ל"זח ירמאמ המכו ז"ע
incident in his past life that he cannot bear it. The Chinuch is of the same
opinion in his listing of mitzvah #338, not to cause verbal anguish to any Jew .םתונג לדוג
which he defines as not saying anything that would cause pain or anguish
to the point where the victim feels helpless. The Chinuch concludes his 'ח לכב ךייש אוה 'וגו םיבר ירחא היהת אלד הז ואלד עדו
commentary by saying that anyone who violates this commandment and .ל"נכו תוטישפב םינפוא
causes verbal harm against another Jew (as I illustrated above) does not
receive lashes from the court because no physical action was involved.
But G‑d has His ways of meting out lashes without using a whip.
.ןויס 'ד ,טבש ד"כ ,ירשת ו"ט - תרבועמ הנש .ןויס ד"י ,טבש ד"י ,ירשת ו"ט - הטושפ הנש :ימוי חול
The Lav of verbal oppression is more severe than the Lav of monetary
oppression as the Gemara Babba Metziah teaches (58b). Regarding what םייחה רוקמ
I wrote above, that the Torah’s Lav was written in the context of a private רבוֹע וֹרוּפִּס ידֵי לע )בי( תקֶלֹחמבּ קיזחמ אוּה םִאו )בי(
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discussion, then all the more so is the punishment for violating this Lav
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even more severe if the remarks are made publicly. This concept is explicit "וֹתדֲעכו חרַקֹכ היהי אלֹ"דּ )'ה ז"י רבּדְִמּבּ( ואל לע דוֹע
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in Rabbeinu Yonah’s Shaare Teshuvah (section #214). (Please see that
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reference). ןירִדְהנסבּ אָתיִאדְִכּ תקֶלֹחמבּ קיזחהל אלֶֹּשׁ ,הרָהזא אוּהֶשׁ
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What I wrote above “or by Lashon Hara” is because everything in the .).י"ק ףדּ(
discussion of this Lav relates to absolute Lashon Hara as well as the Lav of
verbal oppression. The Shaare Teshuvah cites this (in section #21) as does
the Rambam in the seventh perek of Hilchot De’Aut in the (first) [second] םייח םימ ראב
and fifth halachot. There the Rambam discusses oppression inflicted either
verbally or monetarily. This will all be explained, G‑d willing, further on ל"זד .'וכו ורופיס י"ע תקולחמב קיזחמ אוה םאו )בי(
in thesection dealing with the laws of esur Lashon Hara in the fifth Kelal
(Kelal Heh). ואלב רבוע תקולחמב קיזחמה לכ 'וכו בר רמא ארמגה
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