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.
Positive Commandment number 8: The posuk in Vayikra 19:32 says:
"Before the gray-haired you shall rise up, and you shall honor the face of the old man"
This posuk requires us to honor a Torah scholar, even if he is not aged, and an elderly person, even if he is not a scholar (Kidushin 32b). If someone relates loshon hora about a Torah scholar or an elderly person in his presence, he violates this commandment.
Positive Commandment number 9: The posuk in Vayikra 21:8 says:
"You shall sanctify him"
This posuk obligates us to show respect to Kohanim - members of the priestly family. If you speak loshon hora about a kohen in his presence, you violate this commandment.
(Guard Your Tongue - Rabbi Zelig Pliskin)
A One Minute a Day Torah Thought !
"When I am about to start davening, I'm overcome by a terrible sense of embarrassment. How can I approach HaShem in prayer when my life is so riddled with sin? On second thought, however, I realize that this must be my yetzer hara talking, trying to dissuade me from davening. How do I know it's him? Because this never happens when I'm ready to eat.".
(Rabbi Michel of Zlotchov ZT"L - Sefer Torah Tavlin)
50 Suggestions for Concentrating during Prayer!
(5) Chovos Halevovos says one should think: how can I act towards my Creator in a way that would be improper for me to act towards any of His creations when I need one of them for when they need me? How can I not be too embarrassed to act with my Creator in a way that I would not want even a lowly creature like myself to act with me?
(Pathway to Prayer, Rabbi Meyer Birnbaum) |
