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Introduction to 7 VOL-1 החיתפ
Sefer Chafetz Chayim םייח ץפח רפסל
Laveen - L11
די ואל - ןיואל

that his testimony will not be accepted in court and could not compel the ןמקל ש"היא לכה ראבנש ומכו 'וכו ול רצהל וא ונוממב וא
person he testified about to swear, either because his testimony did not
warrant an oath or because he testified that he was only caused indirect .'ה ללכב ר"השל תוכלהב
damages which would not obligate an oath, then the witnesses’ testimony
carries no purpose at all except to create conflict and rift among Jews. רבידש ימ ינפבו וינפב ול רמואש ונייה תוליכרב ןיב ש"מו
Therefore, this witness is in violation of the Lav of “a single witness may םתסה ןמד ומצע ןיבל וניב הלחתמ וילע ול רמאש המ וילע
not come forward.” The Torah established rules for us, that it is forbidden
for a solitary witness to come forward and give testimony in court in a יחה תא שיחכהל לוכי יחה ןיאש עבטה יכ הז לע רעטצמ
circumstance where his testimony can cause conflict and where there will 'דב ךייש הז ואלד עדו .ל"נכו רעצה הזמ רזעהל חכ וב ןיאו
be no purpose to his testimony. Even if his testimony is true, this witness is
in violation of the Lav and it makes no difference if the testimony involves .וינפב קרו דבלב רפסמהלו םינושארה םינפוא
the subject’s relationship to G‑d or the subject’s interpersonal relationship
with other people.
I found this concept clearly discussed in the Vilna Gaon’s commentary .ןויס 'ה ,טבש ה"כ ,ירשת ז"ט - תרבועמ הנש .ןויס ו"ט ,טבש ו"ט ,ירשת ז"ט - הטושפ הנש :ימוי חול
on Choshen Mishpat, section #28 (paragraph #9), that even in monetary
matters, if there can be no judicial outcome, even regarding compelling םייחה רוקמ
someone to swear an oath, the Torah still prohibits this kind of testimony. וינפבּ םהבּ אצוֹיּכו ל"נּה םירִבדּבּ ךְכּ לכּ וּהנּגּ םִאו )די(
The witness violates the Lav of solitary-witness-testimony even if he ָ ָ ְ ֶ ָ ֵ ַ ְ ַ ַ ָ ְ ַ ָ ָ ָ ִ ְ
knows the testimony is truthful, according to the opinions of the Sefer םגּ רבוֹע ,הז ידֵי לע וינפּ הנַּתְּשׁנֶּשׁ דע )די( ,םירִחא ינְפִבוּ
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Ye’re’im and the Se’Mag (as the Gemara Pesachim demonstrated in the
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citation above) and without question the court may not accept his testimony הרָיִהזִהֶשׁ "אְטח וילע אָשִּׂת אלֹ"דּ )ז"י ט"י ארָקְיּו( ואל לע ןכּ
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because this Lav applies as well to the justices of this court. This is also
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the opinion of the Rambam in his Sefer HaMitzvot (mitzvah #288) and in םוֹקְמִבּ וּלִּפא לארְָשׂי וֹרבח תא שׁיּבל אלֶֹּשׁ ,הזבּ הרָוֹתּה
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the law that he cites pertaining to The Qualification of Witnesses (5 perek, תוֹשׁקָ וֹתִּא רבּדַל אלֶֹּשּׁ וּניהדּ ,וֹמצע ןיבל וֹניבוּ החכוֹתּה
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1 halacha) (please see that reference). This Lav is only applicable in a
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circumstance where the testimony is given in the presence of the person ינְפִבוּ החכוֹתּה םוֹקְמִבּ אלֶֹּשׁ רמֹחו לקַ ,וּנּמיִלכיֶּשׁ דע
who is the subject of the testimony (because testimony cannot be given
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without the opposing party being present). וינפּ תא ןיִבּלִה םִא לבא ,םיִבּרַבּ היה אלֶֹּשּׁ הז לכו .םירִחא
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ןיִבּלמּה :וּרְמאו אבּה םלוֹעֵמ ל"זרַ וּהוּתרָכּ רבכּ ,םיִבּרַבּ
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Mekor Hachayim .*אבּה םלוֹעל קלח וֹל ןיא - םיִבּרַבּ וֹרבח ינְפּ תא
L11. Everything that I have written (11) relates only to someone who
speaks in private conversation or listens in private. But if this person םייח םימ ראב
socializes with people who habitually speak Lashon Hara, with evil
people who gather for the purpose of telling each other what they ונייה .וינפ הנתשנש דע 'וכו והניג םאו )די(
heard or to listen to what they have to say, then he also violates the
Lav of (Shemot 23:2) “Do not follow groups of people to do bad.” ןיכרעב ארמגה ל"זד ארמגה ןושל יתספתו שייבתנש
According to Rabbeinu Yonah (3 sha’ar, section # 50) this pasuk is וינפ ןינתשמ וליפא לוכי חיכות חכוה )ב"ע ז"ט ףד(
rd
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