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Sefer Chafetz Chayim
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara
Kelal Zayin

prerogative if the circumstantial evidence is only claimed by the Volume 1
complaining litigant but is not (independently) clearly proven. Chafetz Chayim
Sefer Chafetz Chayim
Esurei Lashon Hara
English translation entitled Mazal Elul
K7/14. From all of this (explanation) you will see how often
people make a mistake in this regard and when something is stolen
from them, and they suspect a particular person as being the thief,
they tell the authorities of the city that they have circumstantial © copyright 2008
evidence identifying this person as the thief and, contrary to the Mazal Elul
law, they will hit and punish this person to compel him to admit he Yedidya Levy
was the thief. In reality there never was any justification for this 2017 East 17th Street
action, as even if the circumstantial evidence is a proof of the crime Brooklynm, NY 11229
and the city’s authorities do have the status of a Beit Din, they must 718-627-3795
have prior knowledge that the item was stolen and witnesses who mazalelul@chafetzchayim.org
could testify to the circumstantial evidence, or they themselves (the All rights reserved
judges of the Beit Din) saw the circumstantial evidence (as was the
case involving Mar Zutra cited in Gemara Babba Metziah a). But
in no way can they rely on the assertions of the complainant as a
basis for hitting \ punishing a fellow Jew needlessly (i.e., without Page layout by
any real substantiation of the evidence). It is forbidden for them EFI – A.B. Productions, Bnei Brak
to even personally believe the charges that this person is the thief Cover art: David Benoliel Creative Design
Mekor Hachayim out punishment, and in so doing they violate the Torah’s Lav of ISBN 978-1-60585-652-0
because the assertions are Lashon Hara. And how much even more
db@davidbenoliel.com
so is it forbidden to rely on the complainant’s charges and mete
718-207-2125
(Devarim : ) “Do not exceed.”

Printed in Eretz Yisrael

Distributed by the Mazal Elul Congregation
2017 East 17 Street
Brooklyn, NY 11229
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