ANSWER KEYSfor SHEMIRAS HALASHON

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INTRODUCTION

1 The light of Torah.

2 The speaking of lashon hara.

DEFINING LASHON HARA

1 a. Yes, although it will not harm Yosef, it is derogatory.

2 Answers may vary. Students may write: Calling a person a nerd to a person who likes nerds.

3 Answers may vary. Students may write:

a. Physical- Pointing out that someone wears suspenders to a person that punches people who wears them.

b. Financial- Saying lashon hara that lands a person in jail and causing him to pay to get out of jail or place bond.

c. Emotional- Saying lashon hara that causes a person emotional pain of having to remove his suspenders.

4 We learn that you are not allowed to say over any piece of information that if repeated to others could cause harm.

5 ...that what you say to one person will be told to others.

6 They will be hurt to know that people were uncomfortable at their event.

7 Lashon Hara, bad speech, is either saying bad about someone. Or causing bad to someone.

SPEAKING LASHON HARA

1 Any negative statement, even about a loved one who you would never want to harm, is lashon hara.

2 Yes. A negative statement said as a joke is still lashon hara.

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3 No. Even when a person makes someone angry, whether a family member or not, speaking badly about them is still lashon hara.

4 Answers may vary. The student may write about making a statement about someone’s poor bentching. The common thread of the answers should be a negative statement in which the speaker does not think or realize that it is negative.

5 This is a negative statement about a person and anything negative will be lashon hara.

6 Yes, by saying that Yoni was only average at close shots, Avi was saying that he lacked in a positive area which is lashon hara.

7 Answers may vary. The student may write about washing one window. When speaking about a professional it is lashon hara; when speaking about a child it will not be.

8 When speaking badly about products or businesses you are causing harm to the owner of the business.

9 The lashon hara is multiplied according to the number of people in the group.

10 b. Speaking lashon hara about seven people.

11 When you speak lashon hara about a group you are giving each member a bad name.

12 Lashon hara about him can cause people to lose respect for him.

13 The listener will think you are passing judgment.

THE “DUST” OF LASHON HARA

1 b. It is rabbinic.

2 Although you didn’t relay anything specific, the implication is that there is some negative or harmful information that exists.

3 No, implying lashon hara is also forbidden.

4 Unless you know for sure that the person you are asking the question to is careful about the laws of lashon hara and knows not to respond anything negative, asking such a question is avak lashon hara since you are setting up your friend to speak lashon hara.

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5 ...the prohibition of avak lashon hara.

6 You will cause the person answering to speak lashon hara.

7 You will cause the person answering to speak lashon hara.

8 A special effort to watch his speech.

9 Answers may vary. The student may write about praising someone in front of their adversary.

10 By praising them, you are asking for a negative response.

11 It is normal with so many people listening that someone will likely make a negative comment.

12 A person who is so well known for his righteousness that no one would come to speak badly of him.

13 When giving a lot of praise, the listeners, or even the speaker himself, can easily come to mention a shortfall.

14 Answers may vary. The student may write: When one person is angry at another, just mentioning their name will cause lashon hara to be said.

15 It can cause insincere or undeserving people to take advantage of their kindness.

TRANSMITTING LASHON HARA

1 No, the facial expression was lashon hara as it was derogatory towards Rachel.

2 Answers may vary. The student may write:

a. Eye rolling

b. Laughing

c. Crinkling the nose

d. Raised eyebrows

3 If the picture is derogatory towards someone it will be lashon hara.

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SERIOUSNESS OF THE TRANSGRESSION

1 Lashon hara so great that it blocks our prayers from going up to the heavens.

2 When combined together from each speaker, this negativity creates the spiritual pollution that continues to block out the light

3 The merits of a person who regularly speaks Lashon Hara are transferred to those he spoke about.

4 The sins of the subject of the lashon hara are transferred to the speaker.

5 In the eyes of the Torah, the harder it is for Rachel to remain silent and not be a part of their slander, the greater her reward.

6 their reward.

7 A person who is ridiculed for being careful to keep Hashem’s Torah and mitzvos will surely receive a large reward for his actions, whereas a person who gives into the pressure, will be a “fool” in the eyes of Hashem as he has sinned.

8 Answers will vary.

SPEAKING FOR A CONSTRUCTIVE PURPOSE

1 A person shouldn’t give importance to what is not relevant to him and that will be outside his daled amos. What is relevant to him, on the other hand, is considered to be in his daled amos and he should be concerned with it.

2 The bubble represents the daled amos of concern a person has to have for others.

3 Answers will vary, but student may write to concentrate on the needs of others while being careful not get involved with things that are are relevant to me.

4 A person would never be able to find out who needs to have help.

5 When a person speaks about someone l’toeles, it is not being nosy, but rather being concerned for his fellow Jew.

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HEADER6 A father must preempt his comments by saying that he’s saying it to educate or else his son may think he is speaking lashon harah.

7 When a person is speaking for a constructive purpose, it is no longer considered gossip, but rather a crucial report and a mitzvah to help the person.

8 Answers may vary. Students may write:

a. Telling a responsible adult that a friend is planning on doing something dangerous: By telling this negative information, you could be saving your friend’s life.

b. A mother asking if your friend is capable enough to babysit for her large family: By answering the mother you assuring that she is leaving her children in capable hands.

c. A businessman asking if a person is trustworthy: By answering the businessman you are ensuring that he will do business with an honest person and not get ripped off.

d. A doctor asking a relative about the eating habits of his patient: By answering the doctor the relative is helping the doctor care for the relative.

e. A principal asking a teacher about the progress of a student: By answering the principal the student may receive the extra support he needs.

9 By making yourself out to just be curious, you cause the other person to relate what, as far as he understands, is lashon harah.

10 The seven conditions:

1. Speak Direct—Approach the person you are speaking about first.

2. Intent (constructive)—Your intent in saying over the negative information must be for something constructive.

3. Loss (proportional)—You are not allowed to say the negative speech if your words will end up causing the person you are speaking about more damage than he is rightfully owed would his case be presented in a beis din, a Torah court of law.

4. Entire Picture—Before speaking one must make sure there was no justification for what was done.

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5. No other way—If there is any other way to bring about the desired purpose without having to relate the lashon harah, you must use that option.

6. Clear to you—You must know the information first hand.

7. Exaggerate (do not)—You must be careful not to paint an unrealistically negative picture by exaggerating the matter. One must also only relate the pertinent information that is necessary to bring about the toeles.

11 Lashon hara

12 Esther must try her best to remove the ill feelings from her heart.

13 Yes, as long as he follows the seven conditions.

14 It is now clear that they went through with the business partnership and you know he will not listen to you anymore, it is forbidden to tell the negative information.

LISTENING TO LASHON HARA

1 Since we do not see the whole picture when believe lashon hara, we are believing a false report.

2 b. When listening to a report you are relying on another person’s judgement of the situation and that person might not have all the facts.

3 The person who speaks it only transgresses the prohibition once – at the time he told over the story. However, the person who believes the negative information carries it in his or her heart,and so possibly breaks the prohibition of לא תשא שמא שוא thousands and thousands of times.

4 In the eyes of the Torah, even if the lashon harah is true, it is misleading and is therefore described as false.

5 We mustn’t jump to conclusions and realize that when people present information, they leave out pertinent facts such that the whole story takes on a different feel.

6 The Chofetz Chaim writes that most people lie and everyone exaggerates. Therefore, as a rule, you shouldn’t believe your ears.

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7 Three Tactics:

a. Change the topic of conversation.

b. Leaving the middle of the conversation.

c. Make up an excuse if necessary.

8 Yes, just listening to lashon hara is a wrong even if you don’t participate.

9 No, even though the speech was for a toeles, Devora should not have listened as it did not pertain to her and therefore was lashon hara for her.

10 In the same way that you can speak negative information for a constructive purpose, so too can you listen to negative information for a constructive purpose.

11 The Chofetz Chaim says a person should look into a partnership he is about to enter and if he doesn’t and it goes sour, it is a chilul Hashem and he will be held accountable.

12 You should tell the person at the outset your reason for asking.

13 If you don’t you transgress the prohibition of putting a stumbling block in front of the blind, because they may not realize that you are asking for a constructive purpose. And that would make their speech, while permitted for you to hear, forbidden for them to say.

14 Two scenarios:

a. By listening to someone you allow them to let off steam and stop them from telling others who would believe their words.

b. By listening to the whole story you can show them, or others, if there are others listening, that the situation is different than they thought.

15 You must never fully believe what you hear until you clarify it for yourself.

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RECHILUS

1 Rechilus is focused specifically on damaging relationships between one’s fellow Jews.

2 Said, did or plans to do.

3 It is permitted and preferable to tell a white lie in this situation.

4 It is permitted and preferable to tell a lie in this situation.

5 This is in order not to cause animosity against the judges.

6 Revealing this information causes animosity toward the other parent.

7 We feel strongly about our loved ones, so when we hear that someone said something negative about them or did something hurtful to them, it causes us pain.

8 Rechilus is also forbidden even if no names are mentioned if the person’s identity can be figured out.

9 He is not permitted as this will lead to more animosity.

10 Each time the person hears the information he gets more annoyed.

11 Answers will vary. Student should write an example that shows that lying is permitted because of the supreme importance the Torah gives to cultivating peace.

WHY DO PEOPLE SPEAK LASHON HARA & HOW TO STOP.

1 Answers will vary.

2 ...the good in them and they will conceal the negative.