Lashon HaRa by Mikahael ben Moshe
Below is a paper about Lashon Hara ( I did not write it)
LASHON HARA
by Mikahael ben Moshe
"Who is the person who desires life and loves days that he may see the
good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it."
(Psalm 34:12-14).
One of the most difficult sections of the Torah to understand is the
discussion of "Tzarat," a skin disease commonly mis-translated as
"leprosy." In truth, Tzarat is a physical manifestation of a spiritual
deficiency. The Talmud (Arachin 16) says that Tzarat comes specifically
as a consequence of "lashon hara" - negative speech about another person.
We see a solemn story of the dangers of saying something out of turn in the
Haftarah. In this story, we see that it can even lead to bloodshed. It is
recorded in the latter half of Leviticus 19:16 that "you shall not stand
aside while your fellow's blood is shed." The story of Doeg the Edomite (I
Samuel 21-22) is often used to illustrate the harm that can be done by tale
bearing. Doeg saw Achimelekh the priest give David bread and a sword, a
completely innocent act intended to aid a leader of King Saul's court. Doeg
reported this to Saul. Doeg's story was completely true, not negative, not
secret, and Achimelekh would have told Saul exactly the same thing if asked
(which he did later). Yet Saul misinterpreted this tale as proof that
Achimelekh was supporting David in a rebellion, and proceeded to slaughter
all but one of the priests at Nob. We also recall the story in Numbers 12
where Miriam was stricken with Tzarat (leprosy) for having spoken ill of
her brother Moses, even though what she said about him was true What's the
connection between speaking badly - gossiping about another, and
contracting this skin disease?
TO BUILD OR TO DESTROY
Speech is the tool of creation - through it we can build individuals and
the world. We can praise, encourage, and give others confidence. Ancient
Biblical Judaism, (the setting of the earliest Church) was acutely aware of
the power of speech and of the harm that can be done through speech. The
early sages and Rabbis note that the universe itself was created through
words. Bereshit 1, ìand YHWH said, let there be light . . . and YHWH said,
let there be a firmament, and YHWH said, let there be water in the midst of
it, and YHWH said, let the earth bring forth grass and herbs, etc.î The
Ruach Ha Kodesh teaches us in the Brit Chadisha a parallel of this Torah
truth as we see the examples of the fig tree that was cursed by the words
of YAHshua and it withered and died. ìIt is not what goes into the mouth
that defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.î
Matthew 15:11. In addition, we read in the Gospel of Mark 11:23-24 that
there is power in our words that are significant enough to even move
mountains. We are all familiar with the warnings afforded by James, the
half brother of YAHshua when he tells us that ìthe tongue is a fire, a
world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles
the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on
fire by hell . . . no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full
of deadly poison. With it we bless our YHWH and Father, and with it we
curse men who have been made in the image of YHWH. Out of the same mouth
proceeds blessing and cursing. . . these things ought not to be so.î James
3:6-10. The words that we speak can create peace, harmony, joy and unity,
or conversely, can create jealousy, anger, hatred, resentment, violence and
even murder.
The Talmud tells us that the tongue is an instrument so dangerous that it
must be kept hidden from view, behind two protective walls (the mouth and
teeth) to prevent its misuse. It also teaches that the harm done by lashon
hara is even worse than the harm done by stealing or by cheating someone
financially, because amends can be made for monetary harms, but the harm
done by an evil tongue can never be repaired.
By making others feel important, we build them up, as if to say, "Your
existence is necessary." This is life giving and life- affirming. One of
the great American rabbis of the past generation, Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld,
was known to have brought a neighbor back to YHWH and to Torah observance
simply by caring enough to say "good morning." On the other hand, speech
can also be used to destroy. Words like "you're worthless" wipes out a
person's self-esteem. As King Solomon says, "Life and death are in the
power of the tongue, and those who love it (lashon hara) will eat itís
fruit." (Proverbs 18:21). The Talmud (Arachin 15b) explains that negative
speech is even worse than a sword - since it kills many people, even at
great distance.
From here we can understand a section of the Torah portion, Tazriah, found
in Leviticus 13:45-46. The Torah says that when someone has been diagnosed
as having Tzarat, they must go outside the boundaries of the city and shout
"Contaminated, Unclean!" to warn anyone who approaches. The punishment is
measure-for-measure: If you promote divisiveness amongst others, then you
will suffer divisiveness yourself.
LASHON HARA- IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE
A Chasidic tale illustrates the point: A man went about the community
telling malicious lies about his Rabbi. Later, he realized the wrong he had
done, and began to feel remorse. He went to the Rabbi and begged his
forgiveness, saying he would do anything he could to make amends. The Rabbi
told the man, "Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers
to the winds." The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a
simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the
Rabbi that he had done it, the Rabbi said, "Now, go and gather the
feathers. Because you can no more make amends for the damage your words
have done than you can recollect the feathers." Evil speaking of another
has been compared to an arrow that once released cannot be stopped or
recalled. Likewise, the words spoken once released cannot be stopped from
harming their intended target . . . the character and soul of another. The
person who listens to gossip is sometimes viewed even worse than the person
who tells the story, because no harm could be done by gossip if no one
listened to it. It has been said that lashon hara (an evil tongue and
speech) kills three people: the person who speaks it, the person who hears
it, and the person about whom it is told.
VIOLATIONS OF TORAH
There are 31 commandments that relate to lashon hara in the Torah. Two in
particular will be considered here. These mitzvoth specifically address
inappropriate speech or gossiping about another: ìThou shall not go up and
down as a talebearer among thy peopleî Leviticus 19:16. Leviticus 25:17
says, "You shall not wrong one another." This has traditionally been
interpreted as wronging a person with speech. It includes any statement
that will embarrass, insult or deceive a person, or cause a person
emotional pain or distress. The Chofetz Chayim, Israel Meyer Kagan wrote
several books about lashon hara which all go into great detail. The basics
of the laws are these:
You are not to say derogatory things
about anyone whether they are true or not.
You are not to imply derogatory things about anyone.
You are not to listen to derogatory things about anyone,
and if you do, you're not to believe it.
To violate these Torah instructions is to become one who is known as
having an ìevil tongue,î or one who commits lashon hara. Tale bearing is,
essentially, any gossip. The Hebrew word for talebearer is "rakheel"
(Resh-Kaf-Yod-Lamed), which is related to a word meaning trader or
merchant. The idea is that a talebearer is like a merchant whose
merchandise is gossip or tale bearing. Some other terms that bring more
understanding to the solemnity of this subject are avak rechilut or the
dust of gossip and avak lashon hara, the dust of an evil tongue. Sometimes
a violation of Torah can be committed in lashon hara, without even saying
anything specific about another. The ìdustî of lashon hara could be a
statement that you may make such as ìwell, so-and-so said something about
you, but I wonít tell you because that would be wrong,î or ìdid you read
their latest book? Well, I suggest that you do, and draw your own
conclusion regarding how really sound they are.î The worst offense is motzi
shem ra, or purposely spreading a bad name or lie about another, with the
intention of bringing injury.
We who are attempting to walk in obedience to Torah must correct our
speech, change our habits, and learn to walk circumspectly before YHWH and
men. Western Christianity has evolved into a system that strongly preaches
what one ìbelieves,î but that belief system is not necessarily expressed in
everyday living. Early Biblical Judaism is contrary to this life style. It
is not what one believed that was preached, but rather, how he lives. The
words that proceed from his mouth show his belief system.
LIMITS OF LASHON HARA
Many people make the mistake of thinking that the prohibition of lashon
hara - negative speech - is limited only to saying falsity and untruth. But
this is not so. Lying falls under a separate prohibition, expressed in
Exodus 20:13, 23:7. Lashon hara is the prohibition against saying
anything negative or derogatory about another person - even when it's true!
Often, lashon hara will couch itself in a cloak of rationalizations. It
doesn't even matter whether the words are spoken implicitly or implied. If
the message can be construed negatively, then it is a violation of lashon
hara. Be aware of potential lashon hara situations and stop them before
they start.
WHY DO PEOPLE GOSSIP?
What would motivate one person to speak badly about another? Low
self-esteem. When a person feels down about themselves, there are two ways
to feel better - either 1) make the effort to work and build oneself up
(this is a lot of hard work!), or 2) put others down. (The reasoning being,
if I can lower others, then I don't look so bad by comparison!) That's the
easy way, the "quick high." But is that the kind of person you want to be?
The first step in avoiding lashon hara is to recognize our own faults and
commit to improving on them. When I accept that I alone am responsible for
my inadequacies, then I will similarly be less critical and more tolerant
of others. If you find yourself getting "down" about yourself or others,
try focusing away from the faults and instead on the virtues. It will lift
you out of your negativity. The Torah says: Don't take the easy way out.
Feeling down? Work hard and improve yourself.
JUDGE OTHERS FAVORABLY
So what happens if we inadvertently hear lashon hara? The Talmud says that
we should not automatically accept it as being true. Rather, the rule is
"innocent until proven guilty." There is a famous story about the great
Talmudic sage the Rashash (Rabbi Shmuel Shtrashun, 19th century Vilna) who
had a fund to lend money to poor people. One day while the rabbi was
studying Talmud; a man came in to repay his loan of 10,000 rubles. The
rabbi was so engrossed in his learning that he stuck the money in the book
and forgot about it. A week later, the rabbi was reviewing his loan ledger
and noticed that the 10,000 ruble loan was never paid. So he called the man
and asked him to pay it. "But I paid you back last week," said the man.
"Okay, then where's your receipt," said the rabbi, who truly had no
recollection of being paid back. "You were studying and I didn't want to
disturb you," replied the man. Soon enough word got out that the poor man
and the rabbi were involved in a financial dispute. "The nerve of this man
to pit his word against the rabbi!" they all said. The man's reputation was
ruined, and the community shunned him. About a year later, the rabbi was
reviewing a section of Talmud and came across an envelope containing 10,000
rubles. Then he realized what had happened! He immediately called the man
and apologized. "But your apology doesn't help me," said the man, sadly.
"My reputation is ruined forever!" "Don't worry," said the rabbi. "I'll
make a public announcement in the synagogue, letting everyone know that it
was I who had made the mistake." "But that won't help," said the man.
"They'll think you're just saying it because you feel sorry for me." The
rabbi thought long and hard until he came up with a solution. "You have a
daughter and I have a son," he said. "Let's arrange for them to be married.
In that way, everyone will be assured that you are fully trustworthy, for
otherwise I would never have suggested this match." And with that, the harm
was repaired. But it's not always so easy...
SPEECH AND THE PROCESS OF REDEMPTION
The Talmud asks: Why was the Holy Temple destroyed? Because people spoke
lashon hara about each other. Thus, says the Chofetz Chayim (the 20th
century codified the laws of lashon hara), refraining from gossip is the
single most effective way to reverse the damage and bring about the
redemption! Why is it that YHWH is so concerned about this? In the big
picture of the universe, what harm does it do? It violates the purposes of
Torah and YHWHís plan for man. Maimonides said that the ìOrdinances of the
Torah are not a burden, but a means of ensuring mercy, kindness, and peace
in the world.î Lashon hara destroys the harmony of YHWHís plan for the
world. ìAnd YAHshua spoke to them, saying, ëWoe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and anise and cumin, and
have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith.
These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.íî Matthew
23:23. ìWhat does Adonai require of you? But to do justly, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your YHWH?î Micah 6:8.
Most who are taking hold of the faith of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, will find that they can be very successful in regard to the Shabbat,
kosher eating, and the starting places of a walk in Torah as described in
Acts 15: 28-29. One of the most commonly violated segments of Torah, and
perhaps the most difficult to gain mastery in, are the laws regarding
lashon hara or, an ìevil tongue.î This is a very important area of Torah;
few men master this Yetzer Hara (evil inclination). Disharmony will remain,
and the full light of YHWH cannot be found in this life without mastery
over lashon hara, an evil and gossiping tongue. There is no better time to
undertake this challenge than today. We find ourselves in the season of
redemption. Pesach celebrates our emergence from slavery unto freedom. And
we are now counting the Omer, on the way toward receiving the Torah at
Mount Sinai. Now is the time to break the dissention and divisiveness that
plagues our people.
LASHON HARA
by Mikahael ben Moshe
"Who is the person who desires life and loves days that he may see the
good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it."
(Psalm 34:12-14).
One of the most difficult sections of the Torah to understand is the
discussion of "Tzarat," a skin disease commonly mis-translated as
"leprosy." In truth, Tzarat is a physical manifestation of a spiritual
deficiency. The Talmud (Arachin 16) says that Tzarat comes specifically
as a consequence of "lashon hara" - negative speech about another person.
We see a solemn story of the dangers of saying something out of turn in the
Haftarah. In this story, we see that it can even lead to bloodshed. It is
recorded in the latter half of Leviticus 19:16 that "you shall not stand
aside while your fellow's blood is shed." The story of Doeg the Edomite (I
Samuel 21-22) is often used to illustrate the harm that can be done by tale
bearing. Doeg saw Achimelekh the priest give David bread and a sword, a
completely innocent act intended to aid a leader of King Saul's court. Doeg
reported this to Saul. Doeg's story was completely true, not negative, not
secret, and Achimelekh would have told Saul exactly the same thing if asked
(which he did later). Yet Saul misinterpreted this tale as proof that
Achimelekh was supporting David in a rebellion, and proceeded to slaughter
all but one of the priests at Nob. We also recall the story in Numbers 12
where Miriam was stricken with Tzarat (leprosy) for having spoken ill of
her brother Moses, even though what she said about him was true What's the
connection between speaking badly - gossiping about another, and
contracting this skin disease?
TO BUILD OR TO DESTROY
Speech is the tool of creation - through it we can build individuals and
the world. We can praise, encourage, and give others confidence. Ancient
Biblical Judaism, (the setting of the earliest Church) was acutely aware of
the power of speech and of the harm that can be done through speech. The
early sages and Rabbis note that the universe itself was created through
words. Bereshit 1, ìand YHWH said, let there be light . . . and YHWH said,
let there be a firmament, and YHWH said, let there be water in the midst of
it, and YHWH said, let the earth bring forth grass and herbs, etc.î The
Ruach Ha Kodesh teaches us in the Brit Chadisha a parallel of this Torah
truth as we see the examples of the fig tree that was cursed by the words
of YAHshua and it withered and died. ìIt is not what goes into the mouth
that defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.î
Matthew 15:11. In addition, we read in the Gospel of Mark 11:23-24 that
there is power in our words that are significant enough to even move
mountains. We are all familiar with the warnings afforded by James, the
half brother of YAHshua when he tells us that ìthe tongue is a fire, a
world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles
the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on
fire by hell . . . no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full
of deadly poison. With it we bless our YHWH and Father, and with it we
curse men who have been made in the image of YHWH. Out of the same mouth
proceeds blessing and cursing. . . these things ought not to be so.î James
3:6-10. The words that we speak can create peace, harmony, joy and unity,
or conversely, can create jealousy, anger, hatred, resentment, violence and
even murder.
The Talmud tells us that the tongue is an instrument so dangerous that it
must be kept hidden from view, behind two protective walls (the mouth and
teeth) to prevent its misuse. It also teaches that the harm done by lashon
hara is even worse than the harm done by stealing or by cheating someone
financially, because amends can be made for monetary harms, but the harm
done by an evil tongue can never be repaired.
By making others feel important, we build them up, as if to say, "Your
existence is necessary." This is life giving and life- affirming. One of
the great American rabbis of the past generation, Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld,
was known to have brought a neighbor back to YHWH and to Torah observance
simply by caring enough to say "good morning." On the other hand, speech
can also be used to destroy. Words like "you're worthless" wipes out a
person's self-esteem. As King Solomon says, "Life and death are in the
power of the tongue, and those who love it (lashon hara) will eat itís
fruit." (Proverbs 18:21). The Talmud (Arachin 15b) explains that negative
speech is even worse than a sword - since it kills many people, even at
great distance.
From here we can understand a section of the Torah portion, Tazriah, found
in Leviticus 13:45-46. The Torah says that when someone has been diagnosed
as having Tzarat, they must go outside the boundaries of the city and shout
"Contaminated, Unclean!" to warn anyone who approaches. The punishment is
measure-for-measure: If you promote divisiveness amongst others, then you
will suffer divisiveness yourself.
LASHON HARA- IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE
A Chasidic tale illustrates the point: A man went about the community
telling malicious lies about his Rabbi. Later, he realized the wrong he had
done, and began to feel remorse. He went to the Rabbi and begged his
forgiveness, saying he would do anything he could to make amends. The Rabbi
told the man, "Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers
to the winds." The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a
simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the
Rabbi that he had done it, the Rabbi said, "Now, go and gather the
feathers. Because you can no more make amends for the damage your words
have done than you can recollect the feathers." Evil speaking of another
has been compared to an arrow that once released cannot be stopped or
recalled. Likewise, the words spoken once released cannot be stopped from
harming their intended target . . . the character and soul of another. The
person who listens to gossip is sometimes viewed even worse than the person
who tells the story, because no harm could be done by gossip if no one
listened to it. It has been said that lashon hara (an evil tongue and
speech) kills three people: the person who speaks it, the person who hears
it, and the person about whom it is told.
VIOLATIONS OF TORAH
There are 31 commandments that relate to lashon hara in the Torah. Two in
particular will be considered here. These mitzvoth specifically address
inappropriate speech or gossiping about another: ìThou shall not go up and
down as a talebearer among thy peopleî Leviticus 19:16. Leviticus 25:17
says, "You shall not wrong one another." This has traditionally been
interpreted as wronging a person with speech. It includes any statement
that will embarrass, insult or deceive a person, or cause a person
emotional pain or distress. The Chofetz Chayim, Israel Meyer Kagan wrote
several books about lashon hara which all go into great detail. The basics
of the laws are these:
You are not to say derogatory things
about anyone whether they are true or not.
You are not to imply derogatory things about anyone.
You are not to listen to derogatory things about anyone,
and if you do, you're not to believe it.
To violate these Torah instructions is to become one who is known as
having an ìevil tongue,î or one who commits lashon hara. Tale bearing is,
essentially, any gossip. The Hebrew word for talebearer is "rakheel"
(Resh-Kaf-Yod-Lamed), which is related to a word meaning trader or
merchant. The idea is that a talebearer is like a merchant whose
merchandise is gossip or tale bearing. Some other terms that bring more
understanding to the solemnity of this subject are avak rechilut or the
dust of gossip and avak lashon hara, the dust of an evil tongue. Sometimes
a violation of Torah can be committed in lashon hara, without even saying
anything specific about another. The ìdustî of lashon hara could be a
statement that you may make such as ìwell, so-and-so said something about
you, but I wonít tell you because that would be wrong,î or ìdid you read
their latest book? Well, I suggest that you do, and draw your own
conclusion regarding how really sound they are.î The worst offense is motzi
shem ra, or purposely spreading a bad name or lie about another, with the
intention of bringing injury.
We who are attempting to walk in obedience to Torah must correct our
speech, change our habits, and learn to walk circumspectly before YHWH and
men. Western Christianity has evolved into a system that strongly preaches
what one ìbelieves,î but that belief system is not necessarily expressed in
everyday living. Early Biblical Judaism is contrary to this life style. It
is not what one believed that was preached, but rather, how he lives. The
words that proceed from his mouth show his belief system.
LIMITS OF LASHON HARA
Many people make the mistake of thinking that the prohibition of lashon
hara - negative speech - is limited only to saying falsity and untruth. But
this is not so. Lying falls under a separate prohibition, expressed in
Exodus 20:13, 23:7. Lashon hara is the prohibition against saying
anything negative or derogatory about another person - even when it's true!
Often, lashon hara will couch itself in a cloak of rationalizations. It
doesn't even matter whether the words are spoken implicitly or implied. If
the message can be construed negatively, then it is a violation of lashon
hara. Be aware of potential lashon hara situations and stop them before
they start.
WHY DO PEOPLE GOSSIP?
What would motivate one person to speak badly about another? Low
self-esteem. When a person feels down about themselves, there are two ways
to feel better - either 1) make the effort to work and build oneself up
(this is a lot of hard work!), or 2) put others down. (The reasoning being,
if I can lower others, then I don't look so bad by comparison!) That's the
easy way, the "quick high." But is that the kind of person you want to be?
The first step in avoiding lashon hara is to recognize our own faults and
commit to improving on them. When I accept that I alone am responsible for
my inadequacies, then I will similarly be less critical and more tolerant
of others. If you find yourself getting "down" about yourself or others,
try focusing away from the faults and instead on the virtues. It will lift
you out of your negativity. The Torah says: Don't take the easy way out.
Feeling down? Work hard and improve yourself.
JUDGE OTHERS FAVORABLY
So what happens if we inadvertently hear lashon hara? The Talmud says that
we should not automatically accept it as being true. Rather, the rule is
"innocent until proven guilty." There is a famous story about the great
Talmudic sage the Rashash (Rabbi Shmuel Shtrashun, 19th century Vilna) who
had a fund to lend money to poor people. One day while the rabbi was
studying Talmud; a man came in to repay his loan of 10,000 rubles. The
rabbi was so engrossed in his learning that he stuck the money in the book
and forgot about it. A week later, the rabbi was reviewing his loan ledger
and noticed that the 10,000 ruble loan was never paid. So he called the man
and asked him to pay it. "But I paid you back last week," said the man.
"Okay, then where's your receipt," said the rabbi, who truly had no
recollection of being paid back. "You were studying and I didn't want to
disturb you," replied the man. Soon enough word got out that the poor man
and the rabbi were involved in a financial dispute. "The nerve of this man
to pit his word against the rabbi!" they all said. The man's reputation was
ruined, and the community shunned him. About a year later, the rabbi was
reviewing a section of Talmud and came across an envelope containing 10,000
rubles. Then he realized what had happened! He immediately called the man
and apologized. "But your apology doesn't help me," said the man, sadly.
"My reputation is ruined forever!" "Don't worry," said the rabbi. "I'll
make a public announcement in the synagogue, letting everyone know that it
was I who had made the mistake." "But that won't help," said the man.
"They'll think you're just saying it because you feel sorry for me." The
rabbi thought long and hard until he came up with a solution. "You have a
daughter and I have a son," he said. "Let's arrange for them to be married.
In that way, everyone will be assured that you are fully trustworthy, for
otherwise I would never have suggested this match." And with that, the harm
was repaired. But it's not always so easy...
SPEECH AND THE PROCESS OF REDEMPTION
The Talmud asks: Why was the Holy Temple destroyed? Because people spoke
lashon hara about each other. Thus, says the Chofetz Chayim (the 20th
century codified the laws of lashon hara), refraining from gossip is the
single most effective way to reverse the damage and bring about the
redemption! Why is it that YHWH is so concerned about this? In the big
picture of the universe, what harm does it do? It violates the purposes of
Torah and YHWHís plan for man. Maimonides said that the ìOrdinances of the
Torah are not a burden, but a means of ensuring mercy, kindness, and peace
in the world.î Lashon hara destroys the harmony of YHWHís plan for the
world. ìAnd YAHshua spoke to them, saying, ëWoe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and anise and cumin, and
have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith.
These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.íî Matthew
23:23. ìWhat does Adonai require of you? But to do justly, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your YHWH?î Micah 6:8.
Most who are taking hold of the faith of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, will find that they can be very successful in regard to the Shabbat,
kosher eating, and the starting places of a walk in Torah as described in
Acts 15: 28-29. One of the most commonly violated segments of Torah, and
perhaps the most difficult to gain mastery in, are the laws regarding
lashon hara or, an ìevil tongue.î This is a very important area of Torah;
few men master this Yetzer Hara (evil inclination). Disharmony will remain,
and the full light of YHWH cannot be found in this life without mastery
over lashon hara, an evil and gossiping tongue. There is no better time to
undertake this challenge than today. We find ourselves in the season of
redemption. Pesach celebrates our emergence from slavery unto freedom. And
we are now counting the Omer, on the way toward receiving the Torah at
Mount Sinai. Now is the time to break the dissention and divisiveness that
plagues our people.
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