Saturday, September 9, 2006

Thank you לשון הרע


What would the Chofetz Chaim say to this story?

The owner of the grocery in Monsey (Hatzlocha) spoke to his BIL in Kiryas Joel (KJ Meats) and asked him about his tenant (Shevach Meats): "How's business there, we stopped delivering chickens to him weeks ago!" Hatzlocha says "it's business as usual", "he's selling KJ like always." The BILs get together, bust open his fridge, and find the contraband, thereby busting Shevach and bringing to light the greatest Meat Scandal in history.

Now imagine if these 2 were good frum people, and spoke no Loshon Horah. Imagine if they took upon themselves in Chodesh Elul to tone down the gossip, would we ever know? Would Shevach still be contaminating holy Jewish souls? Am I condoning Loshon Horah as a whole? no. I guess sometimes it is a good thing though, and this here was one of those times.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

There are other times it's good to speak loshon horah, when it's about 'snags (anybody who does not accept the Rebbes divinity {or not quite but almost divine to some members of Lubavitch}is included in 'snag 'leinyon zeh')
Yechi.
Btw one of the things Lubavitch mock the 'snag about is their learning of shmiras haloshon.
Yechi

Anonymous said...

What happens if there is more to the story than what we heard so far. I think the Chofetz Chaim would rather have mashgichim that can be on top of the situation and not have to find out through the way it reached the public.

Anonymous said...

Tzemach,
You anyways want the Sefer Shmiras Halashon burned (r"l), no?

Anonymous said...

It characterized as loshon hora when the purpose is just idle gossip and hence destructive (oros b'li kelim) but if there is a need to know, e.g. a shidduch, then not only is one permitted to speak but is in fact obligated to tell all he knows.