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

attributable to someone for something that he or she did not do, because הוצִמּהֶשׁ ,ןאכּ ןכּ ןיאֶשּׁ המ ,םוֹיּבּ תחא םעפּ קרַ היה 'ה יוּוִּצֶּשׁ ,םָתה ינאָשׁדּ
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that is categorized as spreading a bad name (falsely) about a fellow Jew.
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However, disclosing someone’s disgrace, even regarding actions that were המּכּ לֵטּבְמהדּ אליֵמִּמ ,הינפלֶּשׁ המּבּ וֹז עגרֶ רטְפנ אלֹו ,עגרֶו עגרֶ לכּ איִה
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actually performed by the victim, is categorized as Lashon Hara. The .הּמצע ינְפִבּ הוצִמ עגרֶ לכבּ רבוֹע ,תוֹעָשׁ
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speaker sins in making these remarks and the listener sins in listening (and
accepting) them (his pure words are quoted up until this point). This is
also the Rambam's opinion in the 7 perek of Hilchot De’Aut in the 2
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halacha, and the Se'Mag's opinion in his commentary in the 9 Lav and the םייחה רוקמ
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opinion of Rabbeinu Yonah in Shaare Teshuvah in the 3 sha’ar in section
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#214. This also appears to be the opinion of Rashi in his commentary on וֹמצע שׁרֵוֹפּ אוּהֶשׁ ,הזּה תֵעבֶּשׁ המּכו המּכּ תחא לַעו
Torah, perashat Kedoshim (Vayikrah 19:16), in explanation of the pasuk
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“Do not peddle gossip in society.” This same conclusion is also apparent in לכבּ יִכּ ,הזל המוֹדּכו ערָה ןוֹשׁל רפּסְמ אוּה הרָוֹתּה ןִמ
the Ramban’s commentary on the pasuk “Do not peddle gossip.” (Please לע רבוֹע וֹרבח לע רפּסְמ אוּהֶשׁ תוּנגּ לֶשׁ רוּפִּסו רוּפִּס
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see that reference).
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,'וּכו שׁבּלִתּ לא ):'כ ףדּ( תוֹכּמבּ םרְָמאכוּ ,וֹמצע ינְפִבּ ואל
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The reason I was lengthy on this subject was in the hope that perhaps G‑d
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will help us to remove this misconception from our hearts. ןוֹעבּ קרַ בֹשׁחל וּנאבּ םִא הנִּהו .הנוֹי וּנבּרַ םֵשׁבּ ל"נּכו
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,ערָה ןוֹשׁל רוּבּדּ לֶשׁ ןוֹעו עגרֶ לכבּ הרָוֹתּה תַשׁירְִפּ לֶשׁ
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(K1/1/2)-(2)..disparaging remarks contained lies: This is the
implication of all of the examples brought down in Gemara Shvu’ot (31a) הזל ףרֵצי יִכּ ףאו ,ןיִשֲׂעו ןיואל תוֹאֵמ המּכּ וילע וּבּרְַתי
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in explanation of the pasuk (Shemot 23:7) “Stay far away from a lie,”
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nominally truthful remarks that are laced with lies are just as forbidden by ךְירִצ ןכלו ,הֹפּ דע וּנכרַאהֶשׁ ,םירִחא ןיִשֲׂעו ןיואל הבּרְה
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the Torah as the remarks that are outright lies. In particular, regarding
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Lashon Hara and Rechilut, it is well known that adding only one word to .הלּאכּ םיִלבה ירֵוּפִּסִּמ רהזִּל
a remark can change the entire meaning of what actually happened.
(K1/1/3)-(3) “Do not go peddling gossip in society”: This is the םייח םימ ראב
opinion of the Rambam in the 7 perek of Hilchot De’Aut (2 halacha).
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It also is the opinion of the Se'Mag (10 Lav), quoted as follows: There השע םייקמ וניאש המבד .'וכו רבוע םלוכ לעו )בי(
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is an even greater sin than this which is included in the Lav of “Do not
peddle gossip” and that is the sin of someone who denigrates a fellow וניצמש ומכ השעה לע רבוע ארקנ המייקל ךירצש תעב
Jew even though his remarks are truthful, etc. Even though the Gemara 'וכו רבוע ןיליפת חינמ וניאש ימ לכ ).ד"מ( תוחנמב
וניא םא השעב רבוע ארקנש הצמד השע תוצמב ומכו
Some of the examples listed in this gemara are as follows: ול ןיאו .תוצמה לכב ןכו הנמז עיגהשכ התוא םייקמ

1. It would be forbidden for someone to stand next to one witness in a Beit
Din and give the appearance to the other party of this dispute that he is לכ יכ ,ךכ רחא המייקיש המב הרותד השעמ ומצע רוטפל
also a witness, in order that the accused borrower pay his debt now.
. If someone knew his friend owed him $ 00 yet he claims in court that he is .הנמז איה עגרו עגר

owed $ 00. The defendant denies the $ 00 loan but accedes to the $ 00
loan. אבר רמא )ב"ע ט"י( אמויב ורמא המל ןכ םא השקת אלו
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