The Chofetz Chaim enumerated 31 Torah Commandments which may be violated when a person speaks or listens to loshon hora. There are 17 prohibitions and 14 positive Commandments - a total of 31 Commandments.
Prohibition number 4: The posuk in Vayikra 19:14 says:
"Before the blind do not put a stumbling block"
This verse prohibits us from placing a spiritual stumbling block in the path of others. If someone causes another to sin, he violates this prohibition. By speaking or listening to loshon hora, you not only sin yourself, but also cause others to transgress.
Prohibition number 5: The posuk in Devorim 8:11 says:
"Beware lest you forget the Lord, your G-d"
This is the prohibition against being conceited (Sotah 5a). One who ridicules others is generally motivated by a feeling of superiority. If he were aware of his own faults, he surely would not deprecate others. The Gemorah equates arrogance with idolotry and states that whoever has this trait will not be privileged to be resurrected by techiyas hamaisim.
The gravity of this transgression is increased if the speaker elevates his own esteem through the medium of degrading someone else. Our sages have declared that such a person will lose his share in Olam Haboh.
(Guard Your Tongue - Rabbi Zelig Pliskin)
A One Minute a Day Torah Thought !
"All of modern technology is put in this world to teach us emunah. How can HaShem hear every word we say? With the invention of the telephone we can understand. How is our every act recorded for posterity in Heaven? With a tape recorder we can understand. Today, we have Satellite Locators which can pinpoint a person's location anywhere on the globe. From this we can truly believe that a person is never alone: HaShem is always with us, watching over us and looking after our well-being.".
(Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman - Sefer Torah Tavlin)
A Touch of Kindness - Story
We have been raising our foster kids to do acts of kindness, knowing that spiritually this will heal them as well as honor G-d and help the world.
Sometimes I read the Daily Dose of Kindness email to them for ideas.
When we travel to out of the way places, we usually carry our food because it is not easy to find kosher products. When we arrived in the town where my family resides, we only had apples left from our packed lunch.
At a busy intersection our 13-year old foster son, Jon, noticed a man on the other side of the road with a big sign that said, "Food."
It was a heavenly blessing....
While stopped for a red light Jon Jon said "I have to help that man!" and jumped out of the car with apples; he darted through stopped traffic to the man and was back in our car just before the light changed.
He told us the man seemed very grateful and said, "G-d bless you" to him. We were touched at Jon Jon's zeal in running to do a mitzvah.
(reprinted with permission - atraditionofkindness.org ) |
