How great is the power of lashon hara, which is over and against three grave transgressions, as stated in Arachin 15b. And in Midrash Shocher Tov: "The school of R. Yishmael taught: 'All who speak lashon hara mount iniquity over and against three transgressions: idolatry, illicit relations, and the spilling of blood, it being written here (Psalms 12:4): 'the tongue that speaks "great" [i.e., slanderous] things'; but, in respect to idolatry (Shemoth 32:31): 'I pray you — this people has sinned a great sin'; in respect to illicit relations (Bereshith 39:9): 'And how shall I do this great evil?'; in respect to the spilling of blood (Ibid. 4:13): 'My sin is too great to bear'" — whence [("things" - plural)] it is derived that lashon hara is severer than these three sins." Another explanation: One who kills a man kills only one soul; but one who speaks lashon hara kills three: the speaker, the accepter, and the one spoken about. Whence do you derive this? From Doeg, who spoke lashon hara about Achimelech before Saul, and the three of them were killed: Saul, who accepted it; Achimelech, who was spoken about; and Doeg, who spoke it. Saul, who accepted it, viz. (I Samuel 31:6): "And Saul died, etc."; Achimelech, who was spoken about, viz. (Ibid. 22:16): "Die, shall you die, Achimelech"; and Doeg, who spoke it, who was driven out of the world [to come], viz. (Psalms 52:7): "G-d also will destroy you forever" from life in the world [to come]. And what caused this? Lashon hara.
And it is stated in Sifrei, and also in Arachin 15a that our forefathers tried the L-rd ten times, and their decree was sealed only for the sin of lashon hara alone, as it is written (Bamidbar 14:22): "And they tried Me this ten times, and they did not heed My voice," and (Malachi 2:17): "You have wearied the L-rd with your words."
And thus have we found in Midrash Shocher Tov and in Yerushalmi Peah 1:1, that in the days of Achav, even though they served idols, they were victorious in war because there was no lashon hara among them. The proof: They did not slander Ovadiah [to Achav] for hiding a hundred prophets in two caves, and no man of them revealed that there was a prophet in Israel aside from Eliyahu, as it is written (I Malachi 18:22): "I alone have been left as a prophet to the L-rd" — even though everyone knew of it. For they would give Ovadiah bread and water to Ovadiah to feed them with. And in the end of the days of Saul, there was slander among them as with Doeg and the Zifim. But there was no idolatry among them as there was in the days of Achav. And there were young children among them who were conversant in forty-nine facets of Torah, [and yet] they went to war and were defeated.
And it [lashon hara] causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel, as it is written in Midrash Rabbah, Parshath Shoftim: R. Mona said: Everyone who speaks lashon hara causes the Shechinah to depart from "below to above." Know this to be so, for what did David say (Psalms 57:5): "My soul is in the midst of lions. I lie down (in the midst of) those that send out flames, (those) sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongue is a sharpened sword." What follows? "Rise above the heavens, O L-rd, etc." David said: "Master of the world, what is the Shechinah doing below? Remove the Shechinah to the heavens!" And thus we find in Midrash Rabbah, Parshath Tetze: "The Holy One Blessed be He said: "In this world, because there was lashon hara among you, I removed the Shechinah from among you." And, similarly, in Arachin 15b: R. Chisda said in the name of Mar Ukva: "[About] one who speaks lashon hara, the Holy One Blessed be He said: 'I and he cannot live [together] in the world, etc.'" And Jerusalem was destroyed in the time of the second Temple only because of the sin of the speakers of lashon hara and the vain hatred that they harbored [see Yoma 9b and Gittin 56a and b, in the name of R. Elazar, as explained by Rashi.]
And one who, by his lashon hara and rechiluth, stirs up strife between good companions and causes quarrels among them, G-d forbid, is abominated because of this before the L-rd. And this sin is more severe than that of pride, lying, spilling innocent blood, etc., as written in Mishlei 6:16-20: "These six are hated by the L-rd, and the seventh is the abomination of His soul: haughty eyes, a false tongue, and hands spilling innocent blood; a heart plotting vain thoughts, feet hastening to run to evil; a false witness spouting lies, and the inciter of strife among brothers" — concerning which Chazal have said (Vayikrah Rabbah 16): "This ['the inciter of strife'] is 'the seventh,' that is more severe than all.
And more than this we find in the Midrash, that the Holy One Blessed be He does not want to associate at all with a man of lashon hara to rescue him from his troubles. And there is no remedy for a man other than to guard his tongue from evil and to hide himself always from sitting in the company of men who speak demeaningly of their friends.
And this is the language of the Midrash and Sifrei Zuta [adduced by Yalkut, Parshath Tetze]: "The Holy One Blessed be He said: 'From all the troubles that come upon you I can rescue you. But from lashon hara [slander]? Hide yourself and you will not be hurt!' An analogy: A rich man who loved a villager went to visit him. There was a mad dog there who bit everyone. The rich man said to his beloved: 'My son, if you are in debt to anyone, I will pay your debt, and don't hide from him. But if you see a mad dog, hide from him. For if he bites you, I don't know what I can do for you.' Thus says the Holy One Blessed be He (Iyyov 5:19): 'From six troubles shall He rescue you … but from the lash of the tongue — hide!'"
See the aptness of these words of Chazal, who compared one afflicted by this sin to one bitten by a mad dog. For, in truth, both are alike. As stated in Yoma 84a: "One bitten by a mad dog has no cure." And about lashon hara they have also said that there is no remedy for one who is habituated to this sin, G-d forbid, viz. (Arachin 15b): "If he has already slandered, there is no remedy for him."
How apt is this analogy of our sages of blessed memory. For when we reflect upon it, we find in it all the signs described by our sages of blessed memory, in Yoma 83b, of a rabid dog — wherefore there also rests upon him [the slanderer] the spirit of uncleanliness that reposes on that dog. This is what the Gemara says there: "The Rabbis taught: 'Five things were said of a rabid dog: His mouth hangs open; his spittle drips; his ears hang down; his tail hangs down on his hindquarters; and he walks on the sides of the public thoroughfare. Others say: He also barks without being heard … One who rubs against him is in danger of dying. One who is bitten by him dies. 'One who rubs against him is in danger of dying': What is the remedy? Let him doff his mantle, throw it before him, and run.'"
"his spittle drips" — Because a foul spirit reposes upon him, and the power of anger and audacity implanted in him intensifies itself within him [(Beitzah 25b): "Three are audacious. The most audacious of the animals is the dog"], [he wants] to swallow anything that he chances upon, wherefore his mouth [always] drips spittle, especially so, in that his mouth is [always] open, and there is no restraint for it. This is the way of the confirmed speaker of lashon hara — to vent his anger at whoever he wants to.
And there is in this, something [even] more apt. Just as it is the way of a rabid dog to drip spittle, the mucous of the dog, which is certainly repulsive — especially that of a rabid dog — [it follows that] wherever he was, even for a few moments, there is recognized, even after he has left that spot, the dripped spittle of his constantly open mouth. And this is the way of the man of lashon hara. His mouth hangs open like the mouth of this dog. And he raises his stench wherever he goes, and he leaves an impression on that spot.
There are yet three more signs of a rabid dog. His ears hang down, etc. That is, the rabid dog, aside from his bite being extremely dangerous, as mentioned by Chazal, has a great desire to bite anyone who comes before him. And so that people not hide from him because of the great danger owing to the evil spirit reposing upon him, as written there, he hides and conceals himself in every possible way, and suddenly he pounces upon the person and bites him. That is why he walks (and does not run) on the sides of the public thoroughfares and not on the thoroughfares themselves facing the people [(for that is where people walk, viz. Bava Kamma 60b: "A man should not walk along the sides of the roads, etc.")], so that people should think that he is going slowly on his way. And because of this, his ears also hang down. For it is well known that the Holy One Blessed be He has given a dog an acute sense of hearing to help him protect his master and himself from danger. And so, this dog, who wants to attack everyone, walks along the sides of the road with his ears dragging, so that he appears to everyone as going his own way and not wanting to hear anything on his sides. And that is why his tail also hangs down on his hindquarters, unlifted. All this to show everyone that he is quiet and secure and has no desire to rouse his senses to attack the people at his sides. And some say that he also barks without being heard. All because of the same reason, so that everyone think that he is the very best of dogs, and will not guard themselves from him at all. And all of these things he does through the agency of the evil spirit that rests upon him.
And thus, exactly, is the man of lashon hara. Aside from always probing the houses of the city in order to have what to relate thereafter in the marketplace, he is versatile in changing. For when he is adversely publicized as one who goes peddling [his tales] from one to the other and becomes like a thorn in the eyes of the people of the city, and everyone guards himself against him, he walks on the sides of the public thoroughfare, enwrapped in silence, as if nothing concerns him, in order to spy out everything going on in the city — secret and otherwise. And, correspondingly, when he tells his lashon hara and rechiluth [talebearing], he does so deceptively, as if speaking in pure innocence, not telling the whole story, but intimating — whereby his interlocutor "figures out the rest." And his ears drag, and his tail hangs between his legs. There also applies to him what was said about the aforementioned dog. That is, even though there burn in his midst all the senses of feeling, and, especially, that of hearing, to hear of everything that is done in the city and to run and peddle it from one to the other — in spite of this, in public, he appears to the eye of the beholder as one who suppresses all of his feelings, is equable to all, and wants to hear nothing of what is done among people — all, so that the people of the city not guard themselves against him and everything be revealed to him. "And others say: He also barks without being heard." For in his lashon hara, he wounds in secret (as do those writers of wrongs [called "paskevilim"], about whom it is written (Devarim 27:24):"Cursed be he who smites his neighbor in secret.") — all so that his neighbor will be unable to guard himself against him and he will be able to attack him, like the aforementioned dog. Therefore, there reposes upon him the same spirit of uncleanliness that reposes upon a mad dog, and the Sifrei refers to him as "one bitten by a dog." For upon him, too, there reposes the spirit of uncleanliness. [The end of the comparison is self-explanatory. See the end of Chapter 16.]
And what need is there for me to elaborate on the greatness of this sin, when they have already said that he [a speaker of lashon hara] is like one who transgresses the five books of the Torah and a denier of the Deity, G-d forbid. For this is the language of the Midrash Rabbah (16:1): "R. Yehoshua b. Levi said: Five "toroth" are written in the parshah: (Vayikra 13:59): "This is the Torah of the plague-spot of leprosy"; (Ibid. 14:54): "This is the Torah for all plague-spots of leprosy"; (Ibid. 14:2): "This shall be the Torah of the leper"; (Ibid. 14:32): This is the Torah for him with a plague-spot of leprosy"; (Ibid. 14:57): "This is the Torah of leprosy" ["hametzora," (acronym for)] "hamotzi shem ra," ("one who spreads a false report") — to teach you that one who speaks lashon hara transgresses five books of Torah.
And Chazal have said in Arachin 15b: "R. Yochanan said in the name of R. Yossi b. Zimra: If one speaks lashon hara, it is as if he would deny the Deity, as it is written (Psalms 12:5): 'Who have said: "With our tongue will we be mighty, our lips are with us. Who is L-rd over us?'" The reason is as they have written in the books of Yereim: It is known that one who wants to speak lashon hara looks all around to make sure that the one he wants to talk about is not there, as if the Eye above did not see, G-d forbid, as Chazal have said about a thief [(who steals at night)]. And in Midrash Tanchuma, Metzora 2: "[The sin of] lashon hara is grave; for one does not utter it until he denies the Deity."
Therefore, one who has a brain in his head will see to it always to spur himself and to fight the war of the L-rd with his yetzer not to be ensnared in this great, bitter sin. And then, happy is his portion in this world and in the world to come.
בּוֹ יְבֹאַר כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע.
In this chapter the power of Lashon Hara will be explained.
כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁהִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד ג' עֲוֹנוֹת הַחֲמוּרוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּעֲרָכִין (דף ט"ו:). וּבְמִדְרַשׁ שׁוֹחֵר טוֹב: תָּנָא דְּבֵי ר' יִשְׁמָעֵאל: כָּל הַמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, מַגְדִּיל עֲוֹנוֹת כְּנֶגֶד ג' עֲבֵרוֹת: עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים, דִּכְתִיב הָכָא (תהילים י"ב ד'): "לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדוֹלוֹת", וְאִלּוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּתִיב (שמות ל"ב ל"א): "אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְּדוֹלָה". וּבְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת כְּתִיב (בראשית ל"ט ט'): "וְאֵיךְ אֶעֱשֶׂה הָרָעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת". וּבִשְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים כְּתִיב (בראשית ד' י"ג): "גָּדוֹל עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשׂוֹא", בָּא לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ, שֶׁקָשֶׁה לָשׁוֹן הָרָע מִשְּׁלשׁ עֲוֹנוֹת הַלָּלוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁהַהוֹרֵג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֵינוֹ הוֹרֵג אֶלָּא נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת, וְהָאוֹמֵר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע הוֹרֵג שְׁלֹשׁה, הַמְסַפְּרוֹ וְהַמְקַבְּלוֹ וְהַנֶּאֱמָר עָלָיו. וּמִנַּיִן אַתָּה לָמֵד זֶה? מִדּוֹאֵג, שֶׁאָמַר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל אֲחִימֶלֶךְ לִפְנֵי שָׁאוּל, וְנֶהֶרְגוּ שְׁלָשְׁתָּן. שָׁאוּל שֶׁקִבְּלוֹ, וַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו, וְדוֹאֵג שֶׁאֲמָרוֹ. שָׁאוּל שֶׁקַבְּלוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "מוֹת תָּמוּת אֲחִימֶלֶךְ". וְדוֹאֵג שֶׁאֲמָרוֹ, שֶׁנִּטְרַד מִן הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים נ"ב ז'): "גַּם אֵל יִתָּצְךָ לָנֶצַח" מִן חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם, וּמִי גָּרַם לוֹ? לָשׁוֹן הָרָע.
How great is the power of lashon hara, which is over and against three grave transgressions, as stated in Arachin 15b. And in Midrash Shocher Tov: "The school of R. Yishmael taught: 'All who speak lashon hara mount iniquity over and against three transgressions: idolatry, illicit relations, and the spilling of blood, it being written here (Psalms 12:4): 'the tongue that speaks "great" [i.e., slanderous] things'; but, in respect to idolatry (Shemoth 32:31): 'I pray you — this people has sinned a great sin'; in respect to illicit relations (Bereshith 39:9): 'And how shall I do this great evil?'; in respect to the spilling of blood (Ibid. 4:13): 'My sin is too great to bear'" — whence [("things" - plural)] it is derived that lashon hara is severer than these three sins." Another explanation: One who kills a man kills only one soul; but one who speaks lashon hara kills three: the speaker, the accepter, and the one spoken about. Whence do you derive this? From Doeg, who spoke lashon hara about Achimelech before Saul, and the three of them were killed: Saul, who accepted it; Achimelech, who was spoken about; and Doeg, who spoke it. Saul, who accepted it, viz. (I Samuel 31:6): "And Saul died, etc."; Achimelech, who was spoken about, viz. (Ibid. 22:16): "Die, shall you die, Achimelech"; and Doeg, who spoke it, who was driven out of the world [to come], viz. (Psalms 52:7): "G-d also will destroy you forever" from life in the world [to come]. And what caused this? Lashon hara.
וְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרִי וְכֵן אָמְרוּ בַּעֲרָכִין (דף ט"ו.) עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת נִסּוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וּבְכֻלָּם לֹא נֶחְתַּם גְּזַר דִּינָם אֶלָּא עַל עֲוֹן לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (אבות ה' ד'): "וַיְנַסּוּ אוֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְּקּוֹלִי", וּכְתִיב (מַלְאָכִי ב' י"ז): "הוֹגַעְתֶּם ה' בְּדִבְרֵיכֶם".
And it is stated in Sifrei, and also in Arachin 15a that our forefathers tried the L-rd ten times, and their decree was sealed only for the sin of lashon hara alone, as it is written (Bamidbar 14:22): "And they tried Me this ten times, and they did not heed My voice," and (Malachi 2:17): "You have wearied the L-rd with your words."
וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּמִדְרַשׁ שׁוֹחֵר טוֹב וּבִירוּשַׁלְמִי פֶּרֶק א' דְּפֵאָה הֲלָכָה א', שֶׁבִּימֵי אַחְאָב, אַף שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִין עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הָיוּ נוֹצְחִין הַמִּלְחָמוֹת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָּהֶן לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְהָרְאָיָה שֶׁלֹּא הִלְשִׁינוּ אֶת עוֹבַדְיָה, שֶׁהֶחְבִּיא מֵאָה נְבִיאִים בִּשְׁתֵּי מְעָרוֹת, וְלֹא גִּלָּה אָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ נָבִיא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִבִּלְתִּי אֵלִיָּהוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (מלכים א' י"ח כ"ב): "אֲנִי נוֹתַרְתִּי נָבִיא לַה' לְבַדִּי", אַף שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹלָם יָדְעוּ מִזֶּה, שֶׁהֵן הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין לְעוֹבַדְיָה לְכַלְכְּלָם לֶחֶם וּמַיִם (וכן כתב הסמ"ק בבאור הדבר עיין שם). וּבְסוֹף יְמֵי שָׁאוּל שֶׁהָיָה בֵּינֵיהֶם דֵּלָטוֹרְיָא, כְּמוֹ דּוֹאֵג וְהַזִּיפִים, אַף שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָּהֶם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּמוֹ בִּימֵי אַחְאָב, וְהָיָה נִמְצָא בָּהֶם תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹדְעִין מ"ט פָּנִים בַּתּוֹרָה, הָיוּ יוֹרְדִין לְמִלְחָמָה וְנוֹפְלִין.
And thus have we found in Midrash Shocher Tov and in Yerushalmi Peah 1:1, that in the days of Achav, even though they served idols, they were victorious in war because there was no lashon hara among them. The proof: They did not slander Ovadiah [to Achav] for hiding a hundred prophets in two caves, and no man of them revealed that there was a prophet in Israel aside from Eliyahu, as it is written (I Malachi 18:22): "I alone have been left as a prophet to the L-rd" — even though everyone knew of it. For they would give Ovadiah bread and water to Ovadiah to feed them with. And in the end of the days of Saul, there was slander among them as with Doeg and the Zifim. But there was no idolatry among them as there was in the days of Achav. And there were young children among them who were conversant in forty-nine facets of Torah, [and yet] they went to war and were defeated.
וְגוֹרֶמֶת לְסַלֵּק אֶת הַשְּׁכִינָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּמִדְרָשׁ רַבָּה פָּרָשַׁת שׁוֹפְטִים: אָמַר רַבִּי מוֹנָא: כָּל שֶׁאוֹמֵר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע מְסַלֵּק הַשְׁכִינָה מִמַּטָּה לְמַעְלָה, תֵּדַע לְךָ, מַה דָּוִד אוֹמֵר? (תהילים נ"ז ה'): "נַפְשִׁי בְּתוֹךְ לְבָאִם אֶשְׁכְּבָה לֹהֲטִים בְּנֵי אָדָם שִׁנֵּיהֶם חֲנִית וְחִצִּים וּלְשׁוֹנָם חֶרֶב חַדָּה", מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו? "רוּמָה עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם אֱלֹהִים" וְגוֹ', אָמַר דָּוִד: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מַה הַשְּׁכִינָה עוֹשָׂה לְמַטָּה? סַלֵּק הַשְׁכִינָה לָרָקִיעַ. וְכֵן אִיתָא בְּמִדְרָשׁ רַבָּה פָּרָשַׁת תֵצֵא: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיָה לָשׁוֹן הָרָע בֵּינֵיכֶם סִלַּקְתִּי שְׁכִינָה מִבֵּינֵיכֶם. [וּכְעֵין זֶה אָמְרוּ גַּם כֵּן בַּעֲרָכִין (דף ט"ו:): אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא, אָמַר מַר עוּקְבָא: כָּל הַמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֵין אֲנִי וָהוּא יְכוֹלִין לָדוּר בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְגוֹ']. וְלֹא חָרְבָה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בְּמִקְּדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי, אֶלָּא בַּעֲוֹן מְסַפְּרֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע שֶׁהָיָה בֵּינֵיהֶם, בִּשְׁבִיל שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם שֶׁהָיָה בָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּיוֹמָא (דף ט':) [וּבְגִיטִין דַּף נ"ו ונ"ז: בְּשֵׁם ר' אֶלְעָזָר וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִּׁ"י שָׁם דִּבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל "וְהַיְנוּ"].
And it [lashon hara] causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel, as it is written in Midrash Rabbah, Parshath Shoftim: R. Mona said: Everyone who speaks lashon hara causes the Shechinah to depart from "below to above." Know this to be so, for what did David say (Psalms 57:5): "My soul is in the midst of lions. I lie down (in the midst of) those that send out flames, (those) sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongue is a sharpened sword." What follows? "Rise above the heavens, O L-rd, etc." David said: "Master of the world, what is the Shechinah doing below? Remove the Shechinah to the heavens!" And thus we find in Midrash Rabbah, Parshath Tetze: "The Holy One Blessed be He said: "In this world, because there was lashon hara among you, I removed the Shechinah from among you." And, similarly, in Arachin 15b: R. Chisda said in the name of Mar Ukva: "[About] one who speaks lashon hara, the Holy One Blessed be He said: 'I and he cannot live [together] in the world, etc.'" And Jerusalem was destroyed in the time of the second Temple only because of the sin of the speakers of lashon hara and the vain hatred that they harbored [see Yoma 9b and Gittin 56a and b, in the name of R. Elazar, as explained by Rashi.]
וְהַמְסַכְסֵךְ בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת שֶׁלּוֹ בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים אֲהוּבִים וְעוֹשֶׂה בֵּינֵיהֶם מַחֲלֹקֶת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הוּא מְתֹעָב עֲבוּר זֶה לִפְנֵי ה', וְקָשֶׁה עָוֹן הַזֶּה יוֹתֵר מֵעֲוֹן גַּאֲוָה וְשֶׁקֶר וּשְׁפִיכַת דַּם נָקַי וְכוּ', כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּמִשְׁלֵי (ו' ט"ז): "שֶׁשׁ הֵנָּה שָׂנֵא ה' וְשֶׁבַע תּוֹעֲבַת נַפְשׁוֹ; עֵינַיִם רָמוֹת לְשׁוֹן שָׁקֶר וְיָדַיִם שׂפְכוֹת דַּם נָקִי וְגוֹ'; וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ מְדָנִים בֵּין אַחִים", וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (ויקרא רבה פרשה ט"ז) דְּזוֹ הִיא הַשְּׁבִיעִית הַקָּשָׁה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן.
And one who, by his lashon hara and rechiluth, stirs up strife between good companions and causes quarrels among them, G-d forbid, is abominated because of this before the L-rd. And this sin is more severe than that of pride, lying, spilling innocent blood, etc., as written in Mishlei 6:16-20: "These six are hated by the L-rd, and the seventh is the abomination of His soul: haughty eyes, a false tongue, and hands spilling innocent blood; a heart plotting vain thoughts, feet hastening to run to evil; a false witness spouting lies, and the inciter of strife among brothers" — concerning which Chazal have said (Vayikrah Rabbah 16): "This ['the inciter of strife'] is 'the seventh,' that is more severe than all.
וְיוֹתֵר מִזֶּה מָצִינוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רוֹצֶה לְהִשְׁתַּתֵּף כְּלָל עִם בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע לְהַצִּיל אוֹתוֹ מִצָּרוֹתָיו, וְאֵין שׁוּם עֵצָה לָאָדָם, רַק שֶׁיִּנְצֹר לְשׁוֹנוֹ מֵרַע וְגַם יַטְמִין תָּמִיד אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִלֵּישֵׁב בַּחֲבוּרַת אֲנָשִׁים הַמְדַבְּרִים דִּבְרֵי גְּנַאי מֵחַבְרֵיהֶם.
And more than this we find in the Midrash, that the Holy One Blessed be He does not want to associate at all with a man of lashon hara to rescue him from his troubles. And there is no remedy for a man other than to guard his tongue from evil and to hide himself always from sitting in the company of men who speak demeaningly of their friends.
וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְסִפְרֵי זוּטָא [הֱבִיאוֹ הַיַּלְקוּט פָּרָשַׁת תֵצֵא]: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מִכָּל צָרוֹת הַבָּאוֹת עֲלֵיכֶם אֲנִי יָכוֹל לְהַצִּיל אֶתְכֶם, אֲבָל בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע הַטְמֵן עַצְמְךָ וְאֵין אַתָּה נִפְסָד. מָשָׁל לְעָשִׁיר שֶׁהָיָה אוֹהֵב בֶּן כַּפְרִי, הָלַךְ לִשְׁאֹל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ, וְהָיָה שָׁם כֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה, וְהָיָה נוֹשֵׁךְ אֶת הַבְּרִיוֹת, אָמַר אוֹתוֹ עָשִׁיר לְאוֹהֲבוֹ: בְּנִי, אִם אַתָּה חַיָּב לְאָדָם, אֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ לְךָ, וְאַל תִּתְחַבֵּא מִמֶּנּוּ, אֲבָל אִם רָאִיתָ כֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה מִמֶּנּוּ הִתְחַבֵּא, שֶׁאִם נוֹשֶׁכְךָ, אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת לְךָ. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (איוב ה' י"ט): "בְּשֵׁשׁ צָרוֹת יַצִּילֶךְ", (שם כ"א) [וּ] "בְּשׁוֹט לָשׁוֹן תֵּחָבֵא". עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
And this is the language of the Midrash and Sifrei Zuta [adduced by Yalkut, Parshath Tetze]: "The Holy One Blessed be He said: 'From all the troubles that come upon you I can rescue you. But from lashon hara [slander]? Hide yourself and you will not be hurt!' An analogy: A rich man who loved a villager went to visit him. There was a mad dog there who bit everyone. The rich man said to his beloved: 'My son, if you are in debt to anyone, I will pay your debt, and don't hide from him. But if you see a mad dog, hide from him. For if he bites you, I don't know what I can do for you.' Thus says the Holy One Blessed be He (Iyyov 5:19): 'From six troubles shall He rescue you … but from the lash of the tongue — hide!'"
וּרְאֵה אֶת הַמְתָּקַת דִּבְרֵי חֲזַ"ל, שֶׁהִמְתִּיקוּ אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַמְקֻלְקָל בְּחֵטְא זֶה כְּמוֹ הַמְנֻשָׁךְ מִכֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם שָׁוִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּיוֹמָא (דף פ"ד), שֶׁמִּי שֶׁנְּשָׁכוֹ כֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה אֵין לוֹ רְפוּאָה, וְעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע גַּם כֵּן אָמְרוּ, שֶׁהַמֻרְגָּל בְּעָוֹן זֶה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֵין לוֹ תַּקָּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (ערכין ט"ו:): סִפֵּר, אֵין לוֹ תַּקָּנָה.
See the aptness of these words of Chazal, who compared one afflicted by this sin to one bitten by a mad dog. For, in truth, both are alike. As stated in Yoma 84a: "One bitten by a mad dog has no cure." And about lashon hara they have also said that there is no remedy for one who is habituated to this sin, G-d forbid, viz. (Arachin 15b): "If he has already slandered, there is no remedy for him."
הג"ה. [וּמַה יָּפָה מְלִיצַת חֲכָמֵינוּ זַ"ל, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִתְבּוֹנֵן הֵיטֵב נִמְצָא בּוֹ כָּל הַסִּימָנִים שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זַ"ל בְּיוֹמָא פֶּרֶק ח' (דף פ"ג:) בְּכֶלֶב שׁוֹטֶה, וּלְפִיכָךְ נִמְשָׁךְ עָלָיו עַל יְדֵי זֶה גַּם כֵּן רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה הַשּׁוֹרָה עַל הַכֶּלֶב הַהוּא. כִּי זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן הַגְּמָרָא שָׁם: תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן: חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּכֶלֶב שׁוֹטֶה: פִּיו פָּתוּחַ, וְרִירוֹ נוֹטֵף, וְאָזְנָיו סְרוּחוֹת, וּזְנָבוֹ מֻנַּחַת לוֹ בֵּין יַרְכוֹתָיו, וּמְהַלֵּךְ עַל צִדֵּי רְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַךְ נוֹבֵחַ, וְאֵין קוֹלוֹ נִשְׁמָע וְכוּ'. דְּחָיֵף בֵּהּ (המתחכך בו) מִסְתַּכֵּן, דְּנָכֵית לֵהּ (שנושכו) מִית. דְּחָיֵף בֵּהּ מִסְתַּכֵּן, מַאי תַּקַנְתֵּהּ? נִשְׁלָח מָאנֵהּ וְנִשְׁדִינְהוּ קַמֵּהּ וְנִרְהַט (יפשט בגדיו ויזרקם לפניו וירוץ).
How apt is this analogy of our sages of blessed memory. For when we reflect upon it, we find in it all the signs described by our sages of blessed memory, in Yoma 83b, of a rabid dog — wherefore there also rests upon him [the slanderer] the spirit of uncleanliness that reposes on that dog. This is what the Gemara says there: "The Rabbis taught: 'Five things were said of a rabid dog: His mouth hangs open; his spittle drips; his ears hang down; his tail hangs down on his hindquarters; and he walks on the sides of the public thoroughfare. Others say: He also barks without being heard … One who rubs against him is in danger of dying. One who is bitten by him dies. 'One who rubs against him is in danger of dying': What is the remedy? Let him doff his mantle, throw it before him, and run.'"
וְעַתָּה נְבָאֵר:
We shall now explain:
א. פִּיו פָּתוּחַ, וְזֶהוּ גַּם כֵּן דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל הַבַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע לִהְיוֹת פִּיו פָּתוּחַ תָּמִיד לְדַבֵּר עַל כָּל מִי שֶׁיִּזְדַּמֵּן לְפָנָיו כְּקָטָן כְּגָדוֹל.
"His mouth hangs open" — This is also the way of the man of lashon hara. His mouth is always open to speak against anyone he meets, child or adult.
ב. רִירוֹ נוֹטֵף, וְהַיְנוּ, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁרוּחַ רָעָה שׁוֹרָה עָלָיו, וְנִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו עַד מְאֹד כֹּחַ הַכַּעַס וְהָעַזּוּת הַמֻּטְבָּע בּוֹ, (כְּמַאֲמָרָם (ביצה כ"ה:): ג' עַזִּין הֵן, עַז שֶׁבַּחַיּוֹת כֶּלֶב וְכוּ') לִבְלֹעַ אֶת כָּל הַמִּזְדַּמֵּן נֶגְדּוֹ, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה נוֹטֵף רִיר מִפִּיו, וּבִפְרָט שֶׁפִּיו פָּתוּחַ, וְאֵין לוֹ מִסְגֶּרֶת לְהָרִיר לְהִתְעַכֵּב שָׁם. כֵּן הוּא דֶּרֶךְ בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע הַקָּבוּעַ לְהִתְרַגֵּז תָּמִיד עַל כָּל מִי שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה בְּרוּחוֹ.
"his spittle drips" — Because a foul spirit reposes upon him, and the power of anger and audacity implanted in him intensifies itself within him [(Beitzah 25b): "Three are audacious. The most audacious of the animals is the dog"], [he wants] to swallow anything that he chances upon, wherefore his mouth [always] drips spittle, especially so, in that his mouth is [always] open, and there is no restraint for it. This is the way of the confirmed speaker of lashon hara — to vent his anger at whoever he wants to.
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ בָּזֶה עִנְיָן יוֹתֵר נָאוֹת, וְהוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁכֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה דַּרְכּוֹ לִנְטֹּף רִירוֹ, וְהוּא לֵיחַת הַכֶּלֶב, אֲשֶׁר הִיא בְּוַדַּאי מְאוּסָה עַד מְאֹד, וּבִפְרָט מִכֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה, וְאִם כֵּן כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה שָׁם הַכֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה, אֲפִלּוּ עַל אֵיזֶה רְגָעִים אֲחָדִים, מִנְכָּר אֲפִלּוּ אַחַר הִסְתַּלְּקוֹ מִשָּׁם מֵהָרִיר הַנִּשְׁפָּךְ מִפִּיו הַפָּתוּחַ תָּמִיד, כֵּן הוּא דֶּרֶךְ בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, פִּיו פָּתוּחַ כַּכֶּלֶב הַנַּ"ל, וּמַעֲלֶה צַחֲנָתוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ וְעוֹשֶׂה רֹשֶם בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם.
And there is in this, something [even] more apt. Just as it is the way of a rabid dog to drip spittle, the mucous of the dog, which is certainly repulsive — especially that of a rabid dog — [it follows that] wherever he was, even for a few moments, there is recognized, even after he has left that spot, the dripped spittle of his constantly open mouth. And this is the way of the man of lashon hara. His mouth hangs open like the mouth of this dog. And he raises his stench wherever he goes, and he leaves an impression on that spot.
עוֹד ג' סִימָנִים יֵשׁ בְּכֶלֶב שׁוֹטֶה, אָזְנָיו סְרוּחוֹת וְכוּ' וְכַנַּ"ל. וְהַיְנוּ כִּי הַכֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה, מִלְּבַד מַה שֶּׁנְּשִׁיכָתוֹ הִיא מְסֻכֶּנֶת עַד מְאֹד, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, רְצוֹנוֹ מְאֹד לִנְשֹׁךְ כָּל מִי שֶׁיִּזְדַּמֵּן לְפָנָיו, וּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִסָּתְרוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם מִמֶּנּוּ מִפְּנֵי גֹּדֶל הַסַּכָּנָה מֵחֲמַת הָרוּחַ רָעָה הַשּׁוֹרָה עָלָיו וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב שָׁם, הוּא מִתְחַבֵּא וּמַסְתִּיר לְעַצְמוֹ בְּכָל אֹפֶן, וּבְפֶתַע פִּתְאֹם הוּא פּוֹגֵעַ לָאָדָם וְנוֹשְׁכוֹ. וְלָכֵן הוּא מְהַלֵּךְ וְלֹא רָץ וּבְצִדֵי רְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וְלֹא בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים נֶגֶד בְּנֵי אָדָם, [כִּי שָׁם הוּא מַהֲלַךְ אֲנָשִׁים, כְּמַאֲמָרָם (בבא קמא דף ס':): לְעוֹלָם אַל יְהַלֵּךְ אָדָם בְּצִדֵּי הַדְּרָכִים], כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחְשֹׁב כָּל רוֹאֵהוּ, כִּי הוֹלֵךְ הוּא לְאַט לְדַרְכּוֹ. וּמִשּׁוּם זֶה גַּם כֵּן אָזְנָיו סְרוּחוֹת, כִּי יָדוּעַ שֶׁהִטְבִּיעַ הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵצֶל כֶּלֶב חוּשׁ הַשֵׁמַע גָּדוֹל, כְּדֵי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יוּכַל לִשְׁמֹר אֶת בְּעָלָיו וְאֶת עַצְמוֹ לְבִלְתִּי לִפְגֹּעַ בָּם לְרָעָה, וְעַל כֵּן הַכֶּלֶב הַזֶּה, שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְסַכֵּן אֶת כָּל אֶחָד מְהַלֵּךְ בְּצִדֵּי רְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וְאָזְנָיו סְרוּחוֹת [הַיְנוּ גְּדוֹלוֹת וּכְפוּלוֹת לְמַטָּה וּכְפֵרוּשׁ רַשִׁ"י שָׁם], שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִרְאֶה לְאֵלּוּ הוֹלֵךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לִשְׁמֹעַ שׁוּם דְּבַר מַה שֶּׁבְּצִדּוֹ. וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה גַּם כֵּן זְנָבוֹ מֻנַּחַת לוֹ בֵּין יַרְכוֹתָיו וְאֵינוֹ מַגְבִּיהוֹ, וְכָל זֶה כְּדֵי לְהַרְאוֹת לַכֹּל, שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹקֵט וּבוֹטֵּחַ וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְעוֹרֵר אֶת חוּשָׁיו לְהִלָּחֵם עִם הָאֲנָשִׁים הַנִּרְאִים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף נוֹבֵחַ וְאֵין קּוֹלוֹ נִשְׁמָע, וְהוּא הַכֹּל מִטַּעַם הַנַּ"ל כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּסְבְּרוּ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהוּא הַטּוֹב שֶׁבְּכָל הַכְּלָבִים וְלֹא יִשָּׁמְרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ כְּלָל. כָּל אֵלּוּ הַפְּעֻלּוֹת עוֹשָׂה הָרוּחַ רָעָה הַשּׁוֹרָה עָלָיו.
There are yet three more signs of a rabid dog. His ears hang down, etc. That is, the rabid dog, aside from his bite being extremely dangerous, as mentioned by Chazal, has a great desire to bite anyone who comes before him. And so that people not hide from him because of the great danger owing to the evil spirit reposing upon him, as written there, he hides and conceals himself in every possible way, and suddenly he pounces upon the person and bites him. That is why he walks (and does not run) on the sides of the public thoroughfares and not on the thoroughfares themselves facing the people [(for that is where people walk, viz. Bava Kamma 60b: "A man should not walk along the sides of the roads, etc.")], so that people should think that he is going slowly on his way. And because of this, his ears also hang down. For it is well known that the Holy One Blessed be He has given a dog an acute sense of hearing to help him protect his master and himself from danger. And so, this dog, who wants to attack everyone, walks along the sides of the road with his ears dragging, so that he appears to everyone as going his own way and not wanting to hear anything on his sides. And that is why his tail also hangs down on his hindquarters, unlifted. All this to show everyone that he is quiet and secure and has no desire to rouse his senses to attack the people at his sides. And some say that he also barks without being heard. All because of the same reason, so that everyone think that he is the very best of dogs, and will not guard themselves from him at all. And all of these things he does through the agency of the evil spirit that rests upon him.
כֵּן מַמָּשׁ הוּא בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, מִלְּבַד מַה שֶּׁהוּא חוֹקֵר תָּמִיד אַחַר הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בְּבָתֵּי הָעִיר, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ מַה לְּסַפֵּר אַחַר כָּךְ בַּשּׁוּק [כְּפֵרוּשׁ רַשִּׁ"י בְּפָרָשַׁת קְדֹשִים], עוֹד הוּא מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּעִנְיָנָיו, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִתְפַּרְסֵם עִנְיָנוֹ לְרָעָה שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ וּמְרַגֵּל מִזֶּה לָזֶה וְהוּא כְּקוֹץ בְּעֵינֵי אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר, וְכָל אֶחָד שׁוֹמֵר עַצְמוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, הוּא מְהַלֵּךְ עַל צִדֵּי רְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים בַּלָּאט וּבַחֲשַׁאי כְּאִלּוּ אֵין נוֹגֵעַ לוֹ דָּבָר, וְלָתוּר עַל יְדֵי זֶה אַחַר כָּל הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בָּעִיר בַּסֵּתֶר וּבַגָּלוּי. וּכְהַאי גַּוְנָא בְּעֵת שֶׁהוּא מְסַפֵּר הַלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע וְהָרְכִילוּת, יַעֲשֶׂה בְּדֶרֶךְ רַמָּאוּת, שֶׁיֵּרָאֶה כְּאִלּוּ הוּא מְסַפֵּר לְפִי תֻּמּוֹ, וְלֹא יְסַפֵּר כָּל הַסִּפּוּר, רַק מְרַמֵּז, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יָבִין חֲבֵרוֹ הַשְׁאָר. וְאָזְנָיו סְרוּחוֹת, וּזְנָבוֹ מֻנַּחַת לוֹ בֵּין יַרְכוֹתָיו, גַּם כֵּן שַׁיָּךְ בּוֹ מֵעֵין מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּכֶּלֶב הַנַּ"ל, הַיְנוּ שֶׁאַף שֶׁבְּקִרְבּוֹ בּוֹעֲרִים בּוֹ כָּל חוּשֵׁי הַהֶרְגֵּשׁ, וּבִפְרָט חוּשׁ הַשְׁמִיעָה, לִשְׁמֹעַ מִכָּל דָּבָר הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בְּעִיר וְלָרוּץ וּלְרַגֵּל מִזֶּה לָזֶה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן בְּפִרְסוּם מַרְאֶה לְעֵינֵי אֲנָשִׁים כְּאִלּוּ הוּא כּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת כָּל תְּנוּעוֹתָיו וְנֹחַ לַכֹּל וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לִשְׁמֹעַ שׁוּם דָּבָר מֵהַנַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים, וְהַכֹּל כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר מִמֶּנּוּ וְיִתְגַּלֶּה לוֹ הַכֹּל. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף נוֹבֵחַ וְאֵין קוֹלוֹ נִשְׁמָע, כִּי בְּהַלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא מַזִּיקוֹ בַּסֵּתֶר, וּבִפְרָט אוֹתָן כּוֹתְבֵי עָמָל (שֶׁקָּוֹרִין פַּאסְקְוִילִן) שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (דברים כ"ז כ"ד): "אָרוּר מַכֶּה רֵעֵהוּ בַּסָּתֶר". וְהַכֹּל הוּא, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל חֲבֵרוֹ לְהִשָּׁמֵר מִמֶּנּוּ וְיוּכַל לְהַזִּיקּוֹ כְּעֵין הַכֶּלֶב הַנַּ"ל. לָכֵן נִמְשָׁךְ עָלָיו אוֹתוֹ רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה הַשּׁוֹרָה עַל הַכֶּלֶב שׁוֹטֶה, וְדִמָּהוּ הַסִּפְרִי לִמְנֻשָׁךְ מִן הַכֶּלֶב, כִּי גַּם עָלָיו שׁוֹרָה רוּחַ הַטֻּמֻאָה וְכַנַּ"ל]. [וְסוֹף הַמַּאֲמָר מְבֹאָר מֵעַצְמוֹ, וְעַיֵּן בְּסוֹף פֶּרֶק ט"ז].
And thus, exactly, is the man of lashon hara. Aside from always probing the houses of the city in order to have what to relate thereafter in the marketplace, he is versatile in changing. For when he is adversely publicized as one who goes peddling [his tales] from one to the other and becomes like a thorn in the eyes of the people of the city, and everyone guards himself against him, he walks on the sides of the public thoroughfare, enwrapped in silence, as if nothing concerns him, in order to spy out everything going on in the city — secret and otherwise. And, correspondingly, when he tells his lashon hara and rechiluth [talebearing], he does so deceptively, as if speaking in pure innocence, not telling the whole story, but intimating — whereby his interlocutor "figures out the rest." And his ears drag, and his tail hangs between his legs. There also applies to him what was said about the aforementioned dog. That is, even though there burn in his midst all the senses of feeling, and, especially, that of hearing, to hear of everything that is done in the city and to run and peddle it from one to the other — in spite of this, in public, he appears to the eye of the beholder as one who suppresses all of his feelings, is equable to all, and wants to hear nothing of what is done among people — all, so that the people of the city not guard themselves against him and everything be revealed to him. "And others say: He also barks without being heard." For in his lashon hara, he wounds in secret (as do those writers of wrongs [called "paskevilim"], about whom it is written (Devarim 27:24):"Cursed be he who smites his neighbor in secret.") — all so that his neighbor will be unable to guard himself against him and he will be able to attack him, like the aforementioned dog. Therefore, there reposes upon him the same spirit of uncleanliness that reposes upon a mad dog, and the Sifrei refers to him as "one bitten by a dog." For upon him, too, there reposes the spirit of uncleanliness. [The end of the comparison is self-explanatory. See the end of Chapter 16.]
וּמַה לִּי לְהַאֲרִיךְ עוֹד בִּגְדֻלַּת הֶעָוֹן הַמַּר הַזֶּה, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁאָמְרוּ עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא כְּעוֹבֵר עַל חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְּשֵׁי תּוֹרָה וּכְכוֹפֵר בָּעִקָר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. שֶׁזֶּה לְשׁוֹן הַמִּדְרָשׁ רַבָּה (ויקרא פרשה ט"ז א'): אָמַר ר' יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: חֲמֵשׁ תּוֹרוֹת כְּתוּבוֹת בַּפָּרָשָׁה, "זֹאת תּוֹרַת נֶגַע צָרַעַת", "זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה לְכָל נֶגַע הַצָּרַעַת", "זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְצֹרָע", "זֹאת תּוֹרַת אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ נֶגַע צָרַעַת", "זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַצָּרַעַת" הַמּוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע, לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁכָּל הָאוֹמֵר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עוֹבֵר עַל חֲמִשָּׁה סִפְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְכוּ'.
And what need is there for me to elaborate on the greatness of this sin, when they have already said that he [a speaker of lashon hara] is like one who transgresses the five books of the Torah and a denier of the Deity, G-d forbid. For this is the language of the Midrash Rabbah (16:1): "R. Yehoshua b. Levi said: Five "toroth" are written in the parshah: (Vayikra 13:59): "This is the Torah of the plague-spot of leprosy"; (Ibid. 14:54): "This is the Torah for all plague-spots of leprosy"; (Ibid. 14:2): "This shall be the Torah of the leper"; (Ibid. 14:32): This is the Torah for him with a plague-spot of leprosy"; (Ibid. 14:57): "This is the Torah of leprosy" ["hametzora," (acronym for)] "hamotzi shem ra," ("one who spreads a false report") — to teach you that one who speaks lashon hara transgresses five books of Torah.
וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בַּעֲרָכִין (ט"ו:): אָמַר ר' יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם ר' יוֹסִי בֶּן זִמְרָא: כָּל הַמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, כְּאִלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בָּעִקָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים י"ב ה'): "אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ לִלְשׂנֵנוּ נַגְבִּיר שְׂפָתֵינוּ אִתָּנוּ מִי אָדוֹן לָנוּ". וְהַטַּעַם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ בְּסִפְרֵי יְרֵאִים, כִּי יָדוּעַ הוּא שֶׁמִּי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְדַבֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע הוּא מִסְתַּכֵּל בְּכָל צְדָדָיו, אוּלַי עוֹמֵד שָׁם הָאִישׁ הַהוּא וְעוֹשֶׂה עַיִן שֶׁל מַעְלָה כְּאִלּוּ אֵין רוֹאֶה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בְּגַנָּב. וּבְמִדְרַשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא (מצורע ב') אִיתָא: קָשֶׁה לָשׁוֹן הָרָע שֶׁאֵין אָדָם מוֹצִיאוֹ מִפִּיו עַד שֶׁהוּא כּוֹפֵר בָּעִקָּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְכוּ'.
And Chazal have said in Arachin 15b: "R. Yochanan said in the name of R. Yossi b. Zimra: If one speaks lashon hara, it is as if he would deny the Deity, as it is written (Psalms 12:5): 'Who have said: "With our tongue will we be mighty, our lips are with us. Who is L-rd over us?'" The reason is as they have written in the books of Yereim: It is known that one who wants to speak lashon hara looks all around to make sure that the one he wants to talk about is not there, as if the Eye above did not see, G-d forbid, as Chazal have said about a thief [(who steals at night)]. And in Midrash Tanchuma, Metzora 2: "[The sin of] lashon hara is grave; for one does not utter it until he denies the Deity."
עַל כֵּן מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מֹחַ בְּקָדְקָדוֹ, יִרְאֶה תָּמִיד לְזָרֵז אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְלִלְחֹם מִלְחֶמֶת ה' עִם יִצְרוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִלָּכֵד בֶּעָוֹן הַמַּר הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה, וְאָז אַשְׁרֵי חֶלְקוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Therefore, one who has a brain in his head will see to it always to spur himself and to fight the war of the L-rd with his yetzer not to be ensnared in this great, bitter sin. And then, happy is his portion in this world and in the world to come.