Category Archives: Shmiras Haloshon

You are forbidden to relate information about a person’s past misdeeds or the misdeeds of his family, even if you do not not intend to belittle him, and you will not cause the listener to think less of him, as … Continue reading →

Failure to study the laws of loshon hora can result in a person’s speaking loshon hora frequently, without even realizing it.  The following true anecdote illustrates this point: Someone asked a certain woman if she wished to borrow a copy … Continue reading →

If one says “I’d rather not discuss So-and-so” so as to avoid speaking loshon hora, he is in effect, communicating that he knows something negative about that person and is therefore considered avak loshon hora.  ~ Chofetz Chaim zt”l

Praising a person in a situation where someone present is likely to temper such praise with criticism is another form of avak loshon hora… ~ The Chofetz Chaim zt”l

The tongue is compared to an arrow.  Unlike a sword that has been drawn and can be returned to its sheath, an arrow, once shot towards its mark, can never be returned. ~ R’ Yankel Taub as quoted in Torah … Continue reading →

A common form of avak loshon hora (dust of loshon hora) is where one sincerely praises another person, but in doing so, alludes to a shortcoming of that individual. For instance, “Who would have believed that he would have come … Continue reading →

One who speaks ill of others become contemptible even to those who listened to his evil talk and accepted it as truth….And [they] will forever suspect that he might one day speak ill of them. ~ The Chofetz Chaim

All forms of loshon hora are prohibited even when no names are mentioned, if it will be possible for people to determine who is being discussed.  If names are omitted but the story will reflect badly on an entire group … Continue reading →

Speaking loshon hora causes the speaker’s merits to be transferred to the Heavenly account of the person against whom he spoke.  ~ The Chofetz Chaim Imagine, God forbid, all of your Torah and mitzvos that you have accumulated over the … Continue reading →