SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM - A Lesson A Day

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM - A Lesson A Day - 7 Iyar, 5770/ April 21, 2010 Day 37 – Constructive Negatives Below we will see that in certain situations one may – and sometimes must – provide people with negative information that is important for them to know, either to avoid being harmed or for some other constructive purpose. Whenever faced with such a situation, one must explain why he is saying something that would ordinarily be prohibited, so that the listener understands that the prohibitions regarding loshon hora are not being transgressed. To say anything that the listener thinks is loshon hora when, in fact, it is not, constitutes speaking avak loshon hora 1. Footnotes and Background 1. Avak Loshon Hora – Lit. Dust of Loshon Hora, meaning that you are coming close to transgressing the issur (sin) of Loshon Hora, evil speech. SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON - Love Peace and Pursue It Sefer Ma’alos HaMiddos concludes its discussion of the quality of peace with the following: Our Sages state: Peace is precious, for one who erases a single letter of God’s Holy Name transgresses a Torah prohibition, yet in order that peace be restored between husband and wife, the Torah commands, “The Kohen shall inscribe these curses on a scroll and erase it into the bitter waters” (Bamidbar 5:23).1 [The Scriptural verses written upon the scroll contain the Name of God.] Said the Holy One, Blessed is He, “Let My Name, which was written in sanctity, be erased upon the water!” (Vayikra Rabbah 9:15). Our Sages (ibid.) further state: Peace is precious, for all the good blessings and consolations that the Holy One, Blessed is He, brings upon Israel conclude with peace. The blessings of the evening Shema conclude with, “Who spreads the shelter of peace.” The Shemoneh Esrei concludes with, “He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace on us...” Bircas Kohanim concludes with, “May HASHEM... establish peace with you.” Therefore, my son, be zealous regarding this trait. Love peace and pursue it, for there is infinite reward for those who do so. This verse is from the Torah portion dealing with the laws of the sotah, a married woman who is suspected of immorality and is forbidden to live with her husband until she undergoes the procedure detailed in the Torah. The sotah’s drinking of the bitter waters in which the scroll’s verses are erased determines whether or not she sinned; if, indeed, she had been guilty of immorality, she would miraculously die a gruesome death upon drinking the water. If she would not die, her innocence would be proven and she would be permitted to live with her husband once again. • A daily lesson from the Chofetz Chaim: A Lesson A Day/Mesorah Publications. • To subscribe or unsubscribe: e-mail us at alessonaday@chofetzchaimusa.org with subject subscribe/unsubscribe. • To order CDs, books, learning programs and our free catalog call us at 866-593-8399. • Please treat printed version with the respect due Torah materials. Become a daily Shmiras Haloshon Email sponsor and help us provide thousands with easy access to the Torah's inspiration. As a merit for a departed loved one, or for a recovery from illness, your sponsorship will go a long way toward bringing people the most effective tool for dealing with life's troubles. Your dedication will reach over 8,000 recipients per day. Just email back the date and dedication you would like printed, along with your contact information to es@chofetzchaimusa.org.