September 2023

Chofetz Chaim Daily 12 Tishrei 5)Hishamer… Pen Tishkach Es Hashem… Mitzva not to be haughty 6) Lo Sichallilu Es Shem Kadshi. Warns against chillul Hashem, which one causes when speaking LH. This is especially true if one’s actions negatively influence others.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 13 Tishrei 7)Lo Sisna Es Achicha…. Don’t hate 8)Lo Sikom. If one is taking revenge 9) Lo Sitor. When one holds a grudge. (#8 always includes #9)

Chofetz Chaim Daily 14 Tishrei 10)Lo yakum eid echad. One person may not tell LH to Beis Din. 11)Lo siheye achrei rebim laraos. One may not join a LH group.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 7 Tishrei. Intro. One should try to fully understand the laws, not just superficially, because one might misinterpret heterim. By studying the laws, one will not become a baal LH. A baal LH is similar to one who transgresses a cardinal sin (see 27 Tishrei 1:4 “as bad as all 3” !) & doesn’t greet the shechina.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 8 Tishrei. Opening. In Hashem’s love for us, He distanced us from the bad trait of LH which causes discord & fighting. The Chofetz Chaim details infamous history of LH: Snake/Eitz Hadaas – created death, Sale of Yosef lead to slavery in Egypt, Story of spies caused exile. See sefer for more details.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 9 Tishrei Because LH is such a bad trait, it is singled out with a specific commandment, Lo selech rachil, unlike other bad traits. LH also involves many sins which we will list in the future. General Rule: Unless specified otherwise, prohibitions apply equally to LH and Rechilus, speaker and listener, true and false, before subject and not before him.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 10 Tishrei Commandments that one transgresses with LH: Negative commandments – 1)Lo Selech Rachil B’amecha (if the info is false then it is Motsi Shem Ra) 2)Lo Sisa Shema Shav Don’t accept a bad report. Refers to speaker as well, because we also read as Lo Sasi (do not tell)

Chofetz Chaim Daily 11 Tishrei Negative commandments continued. 3)Hishamer Binega Hatzaraas 4)Lifnei Iver Lo Siten Michshol. Speaker causes listener to hear LH and vice versa.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 5 Tishrei The sefer Chofetz Chaim was written to educate the public in keeping the laws of LH and Rechilus. Content is gathered from Rishonim and Poskim. The main text is concise law. Sources are spelled out in the Beer Mayim Chaim

Chofetz Chaim Daily 6 Tishrei. Intro. The entire sefer was written as actual Halacha, not stringencies (unless specified). The sefer opens with a comprehensive introduction, with all the positive and negative commandments that one may transgress while speaking LH. Studying this will help to restrain oneself.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 3 Tishrei Some reasons why LH is so terrible
1)When people speak/listen to LH, the satan gets the ability to prosecute & the heavenly court gets the right to listen to sins
2)LH damages the potency of prayers and Torah learning that comes from the mouth
3)LH is a habit that piles up many sins very quickly.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 4 Tishrei. Intro. Widespread nonobservance of hilchos LH is because of: 1)Ignorance of the laws 2)False heterim. This is primarily because there was no sefer that clearly spelled out all the halachos.

Chofetz Chaim Daily New Cycle. 1 Tishrei. Introduction. Praised is Hashem who gave us the Torah, and brought us into Eretz Yisrael! Alas, at the end of Bayis Sheni, Sinas Chinam and LH forced us into this long and harsh exile*. Hashem is ready and able to redeem us; He is waiting for us to do teshuva.

* Although clearly the redemption process is well underway, we still anticipate its completion B’Karov BiYameinu. -ed

Chofetz Chaim Daily 2 Tishrei. LH is the primary sin we need to rectify to merit redemption* because 1)it caused the current exile 2)the LH of the miraglim also caused exile 3)LH prolonged the Egyptian exile 4)the Torah curses LH sinners 5)A Baal LH is equal to a kofer. See sefer for elaboration.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 28 Elul. Conclusion. If you think the in-laws aren’t going to support the amount promised, you can tell if a) you are positive b) it is a ‘make it or break it’ issue for the boy 3)the boy is really all he’s made to be. If they already made the t’naim, you may say only if you know they will act Al Pi Din, and not just break it off.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 29 Elul If your information is not first hand, you can say it IF 1)the listeners know that, & will make more serious inquiries 2)they won’t break it off because of you. The Chofetz Chaim concludes his sefer by saying that the main idea is to think before you speak!!

Chofetz Chaim Daily 27 Elul. Conclusion. Serious negativities of a shidduch include: hidden illness, apikorsus and pritzus. Asur to tell about a boy’s lack of Torah knowledge. If they are concerned, they could have him tested. Whenever you’re allowed to speak, you must make sure to fulfill all the conditions in Rechilus Chapter 9:2.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 26 Elul Shidduch Scenario: Be careful. If you know serious negative info about a potential shidduch, you must tell other side. Chofetz Chaim warns against destructive labeling i.e. to call a sincere & simple person “not so sharp”. Besides ruining potential matches, it degrades being sincere. Asur to degrade someone b/c of their parents or ancestors.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 24 Elul 9:14 If someone suspects YOU of wronging him, and you know who really did it, you may not tell (unless all conditions met). You may say it wasn’t me. 9:15 Ex: You put something aside for buyer. Ploni comes, pays, and takes the item. You do not protest. When original buyer returns with $, you may not tell him its ploni’s fault. It is asur to say ploni’s name, even if you accept blame.

All hilchos LH do not apply to people who are public kofrim.

(A Tinok Shenishba, which means someone who wasn’t educated with a Torah education, or someone who didn’t have a stable youth, is considered “Amitecha” and one cannot talk LH about him. For any question ask a Posek.)

Chofetz Chaim Daily 25 Elul In a case of potential partnership, one should not assume that ploni’s poor financial situation makes him a bad candidate for a partnership. BUT in such a scenario, where you may not want him as your partner, you shouldn’t recommend him either. That may be bad advice.