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Sefer Chafetz Chayim החיתפ
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara םייח ץפח רפסל
Kelal Aleph ‑ Halachah 1 בי השע - ןישע

Rechilut. The law is the same regarding Lashon Hara, and that Lashon םב תרבדו רמאנש השעב רבוע ןילוח תחיש חשה לכ
Hara is forbidden even if the remarks are truthful.
רבועש היל קופית 'וכו אבה ואלו םירחא םירבדב אלו
Another proof comes from Gemara Sotah (42a) that teaches there are
four categories of people who will never merit to see G‑d's radiance השע תוצמ זא םייקמ וניאש המ ידי לע הרותד השע לע
and included among them are the categories of people who are liars and ,הרות דומלתד
habitual speakers of Lashon Hara. But if Lashon Hara only involved
statements that were lies, why would the gemara list among these four רתוי יחוכשאל יעב ארמגהד אלא ,ימנ יכה ןיאד רמול שי
categories a separate category of people who were liars? (Therefore it
must be that even though the remarks were truthful, they are still Lashon השע תוצמ לע ןילוח תחישה ידי לע דוע רבועד הזמ
Hara). Rabbeinu Yonah in Shaare Teshuvah uses this same proof (in the תחיש לש רובידה ונל הרסא הרותה יכ ,שממ לעופב
3 sha’ar, section # 214).
rd
לאו בש רדגב הרותד השעה לע רבועש המ דבל ןילוח
Another proof comes from Gemara Babba Batra (164b) involving a “shtar
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mekushar” that was brought to Rebbe in order that he render a legal ,הזה תעב התוא םייקמ וניאש המ ידי לע ונייהד השעת
opinion as to its validity. Rebbe rendered an opinion that the contract was ןמיסב םהרבא ןגמב אבוה ןילוח תחיש חשהד הז רמאמו
defective (because the date of the transaction did not seem to be written on
the document. Rebbe’s son, Rebbe Shimon, then suggested to him to look יאנג ונייה ןילוח תחיש י"שר םשב בתכש ש"עו ו"נק
between the folds of the shtar. Rebbe tore open the folds and found the .הזמ תוליכרו ערה ןושל ףידע אל יאדובו שאר תולקו
date. Rebbe then disapprovingly eyed Rebbe Shimon (his son) because
he thought he had prepared this contract which Rebbe mistakenly thought ארמגה לע ב"פ[ תוכרבב הנוי וניבר ידימלתב ןייעו
was invalid). Rebbe Shimon then said to his father that he did not write
the contract but that it was written by Rebbe Yehudah Chayata. Rebbe יאבה ירבד ונייה ןילוח תחיש ושריפש ]םינמואה הנשמד
responded abruptly to Rebbe Shimon, “Stop speaking Lashon Hara!” The ןייעו .הז ללכב ןיא ותסנרפ יקסע לע רבדמש העשב לבא
Rashbam explains that it was not necessary for Rebbe Shimon to blame the
seemingly defective shtar on Rebbe Yehudah Chayata, it would have been תומחלמ ירופיס וליפא ז"ט ףיעס ז"ש ןמיס םייח חרואב
enough to simply say “I did not write it.” From this incident, we learn that רוסא לוחב וליפאו םיצל בשומ ללכב ןכ םג יוה אמלעב
even truthful remarks about someone else’s disgrace are forbidden and are
categorized as Lashon Hara. .ש"ע ןהב קוסעל
This is the unanimous opinion of our Early Authorities (apart from the
very long list of commentators who are our Later Authorities whose names פ"כעו ,ןילוח תחיש ללכמ הז רבד קיפנ אל יאדוב ןכ םא
are too numerous to list here) that Lashon Hara is forbidden even if the רבוע יאדוב תוליכרו ערה ןושל לעד חכומ ןלוכ ירבדמ
remarks are truthful. Quoting the Rambam's commentary in the first
perek of Mishnayot Avot (17 mishnah): Lashon Hara are not lies that are תחיש חשהד וז השע ונינמ אל כ"פעאו .ןכ םג וז השע לע
th
רבוע םינפ לכ לע לבא ,אתכמסא איה ילואד םינפב ןילוח

A shtar mekushar is a contract that is formatted in an unusual way and the .ל"נכו הזה תעב הרות דומלתד הרומג השע תוצמ לע
gemara discusses the reasons for it. The first line of the contract is written
and then folded over onto the next line, which is left blank. The fold is then םינפוא 'ח לכב ונייה רבועד םינפב ונבתכש המד עדו
sewn to the adjoining blank line. The second line is then written and folded
over and sewn, and so forth. .תוטישפב

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