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Summer Sabbath Themes at the

Allied Jewish Chapel

June 29August 31 2013

1. Ex. 2012 Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against

thy neighbour.

2. Ex. 23,;--,.--,;--,--.,

.

1 Thou shalt not utter a false report; put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. 2 Thou shalt not

follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou bear witness in a cause to turn aside after a multitude to pervert justice;3 neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.

3. Prov. 6-,;,().,

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.,;,.16 There are six things which the LORD hateth, yea, seven which are an

abomination unto Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands thatshed innocent blood; 18 A heart that deviseth wicked thoughts, feet that

are swift in running to evil; 19 A false witness that breatheth out lies, andhe that soweth discord among brethren.

4. Lev 19-,----,:,.

-,-:,'.15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the

person of the poor, nor favour the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 16 Thou shalt

not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbour: I am the

LORD.

5. From the Yom Kippur Liturgy:

::

::

For the sin which we have sinned before You by pronouncement of our lipsFor the sin which we have sinned beforeYou by the sppech of the mouth-- For the sin which we have sinned before You by the confession of our mouth-- For the

sin which we have sinned before You by silliness of mouth-- For the sin which we have sinned before You though

impurity of lips.

6. Ps 120--,-:.-,---.;,.

2 O LORD, deliver my soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. 3 What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be

done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue? 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of broom-wood.

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7. Ps 12,---:--.,-,.,--

:.,:,;,.

3 They speak falsehood every one with his neighbour; with flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak. 4 May

the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things! 5 Who have said: 'Our tongue will we makemighty; our lips are with us: who is lord over us?' 6 'For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will

I arise', saith the LORD; 'I will set him in safety at whom they puff.'

8. Arachin 15ba. R. Johanan said in the name of R. Joseph b. Zimra: What is the meaning of: What shall be given unto thee, and

what shall be done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue. (Ps 120:3) The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the

tongue: All members of the human bodyare standing, you are lying; all members of the human body are outside,

you are guarded inside; not only that, but I surrounded you with two walls, one of bone and one of flesh;Whatshall be given unto thee, what shall be done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue!

b. And R. Johanan said in the name of R. Joseph b. Zimra: One who bears evil tales almost denies the foundation [offaith], as it is said: Who have said: Our tongue will we make mighty; our lips are with us; who is lord over us?(Ps12:5)

c. Further did R. Johanan say in the name of R. Joseph b. Zimra : Any one who bears evil tales will be visited by theplague of leprosy, as it is said: Whoso slandereth his neighbour in secret, him azmith [will I destroy].Ps

101:5Further said Resh Lakish: One who slanders makes his sin reach unto heaven, as it is said: They have set

their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Ps 83.9

d. The talk about third [persons] kills three persons: him who tells [the slander], him who accepts it, and him aboutwhom it is told. R. Hama b. Hanina said: What is the meaning of: Death and life are in the hand [power] of the

tongue? (Prov 18:21) Has the tongue a hand? It tells you that just as the hand can kill, so can the tongue. Onemight say that just as the hand can kill only one near it, thus also the tongue can kill only one near it, therefore the

text states: Their tongue is asharpened arrow. Then one might assume that just as an arrow kills only within

forty or fifty cubits, thus also the tongue kills only up to forty or fifty cubits, therefore the text states: They haveset their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

e. What constitutes evil speech?Rabbah said: For example [to say] there is fire in the house of So-and-so. SaidAbaye: What did he do? He just gave information?Rather, when he utters that in slanderous fashion: Whereelse should there be fire if not in the house of So-and-so? There is always meat and fish.

9. Summary definitions, Based on the Chafetz Chaimhttp://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/chapter1.htmlhttp://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/rchapter1.html

It is forbidden to speak disparagingly of one's friend. Even if the information is entirely truthful, it is called Lashon Hara.

If the information also contains any fabrication, it is also called motzi shem ra (lit. putting out a bad name). The speakerof Lashon Hara violates the prohibition of "Lo telech rachil b'ameichado not go about as a talebearer among your

people (Lev. 19:16)." While Lashon Hara causes damage to the subject (in reputation, finances, emotional anguish or

otherwise), Rechilut causes hatred toward the subject, or between the listener and the subject. This is a severe sin, as itcauses much spiritual bloodshed within the Jewish people, which is why the Torah continues, Lo taamod al dam re'eicha

do not stand upon (i.e. allow the shedding of) the blood of your fellow (ibid). Learn from what happened from the

Rechilut of Doeg the Edomite (Samuel I 21-22), [in which he told King Saul that the priest Achimelech of Nob gave

David food and weapon as David was fleeing from Saul, and upon hearing what Achimelech did for his rival David, Saulcommanded that] the entire Priestly City of Nob be annihilated.

Next week: Jealousy.

http://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/chapter1.htmlhttp://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/chapter1.htmlhttp://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/chapter1.htmlhttp://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/rchapter1.htmlhttp://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/rchapter1.htmlhttp://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/rchapter1.htmlhttp://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/chapter1.html