March 2017

Chofetz Chaim Daily 3 Nissan 7:13 Beis din may rely on circumstantial evidence that THEY witnessed & beat someone to confess his crime. 7:14 Asur for Beis din to rely on the claimant for the circumstantial evidence.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 2 Nissan 7:10 If you have circumstantial evidence that LH is true, still asur to believe it except IF 1. no way to judge favorably and 2. there’s a toeles to listening. 7:11 Circumstantial evidence must be witnessed by speaker, and really pertaining to story. 7:12 Its still asur to tell others or damage the subject.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 1 Nissan 7:7 Asur to believe LH even if the speaker is trustworthy as two witnesses. 7:8 When its mutar to tell people that ploni is a bad person (to stay away from him) people may believe it, IF the speaker witnessed it first hand. However one must not pass it on. 7:9 Asur to believe LH even if speaker was masiach lefi tumo which means it was mentioned as a random side point of a story.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 27 Adar 7:1 Asur to believe LH even if the story was said publicly. 7: 2 Asur to believe LH even if the subject was present & didn’t protest. Asur to believe LH, if speaker just SAYS he would say it in subject’s presence.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 28 Adar 7:3 Asur to believe LH even if heard from two people. They are like reshaim (who we do not trust to spoil a good person’s name), because they are speaking LH. 7:4 Asur to believe a rumor that ploni did an aveira, may suspect until clarified. One may relate it in conversation, but not purposely spread it.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 29 Adar 7:5 Mutar to believe LH about someone who is known to constantly transgress serious sins. 7:6 If someone degrades himself and another, you may believe it about himself but not the other.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 26 Adar 6:11 Heter to suspect is only to protect yourself. It is absolutely forbidden to mistreat, release oneself from obligations to, or hate that person. 6:12 Tshuva from believing LH includes removing the story and any ill will from your heart.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 25 Adar 6:9 Anything that is asur for someone to SAY, is also LH to BELIEVE. 6:10 One is allowed to SUSPECT that a story is true, IF there is toeles e.g. to protect himself etc. However one must still treat this suspect as a regular Jew for all matters.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 24 Adar 6:7 The sin of LH is commonly caused by not judging favorably. 6:8 It is much worse if the subject is a Talmid Chacham, whom one must try harder to judge favorably.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 23 Adar 6:5 If one is in a group of people saying LH who will not accept rebuke & he can’t leave or put his fingers in his ears, then he MUST 1)Resolve not to believe 2)Be unhappy to listen 3)Not show consent. 6:6 It is a sin if he was aware they were going to speak LH before he joined.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 22 Adar 6:3 If someone wants to tell you LH, ask him if there will be toeles for you to listen. Otherwise asur. 6:4 Mitzva to listen to LH IF: 1) Letting speaker finish his story will allow you to show listeners its false. 2) Listening to angry speaker will vent his anger and prevent from spreading further.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 19 Adar 5:5 Saying that someone is weak can damage him for shidduchim or getting a job. Asur to say that ploni isn’t as rich as thought to be, if it will make it hard for him to get a loan. 5:6 RULE: It depends who you are talking about. A positive for one person may be very negative for another.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 20 Adar 5:7 Asur to degrade someone’s belongings i.e. to say ploni’s store sells bad quality items. 5:8 It is worse when two people say LH, because it is more damaging.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 21 Adar 6:1 Asur to BELIEVE LH, as it says Lo sisa sheima shav. Believing is worse than speaking. 6:2 Asur to LISTEN to LH. Mutar if there is a valid toeles, for example you’ll be able to protect yourself/others.