Wednesday June 18
Please Say/Whisper The Words Out Loud
Lesson 1 - In response to your questions...
Question: Are we allowed to make fun/talk negatively about a
city?
Answer (part a.) - It is considered lashon hora to talk
negatively about Israel (cities, the country, or the people) like saying "those
israeli’s"... or those Drivers in ...or anything like that. With regards to
other cities (including Israeli ones) the laws of lashon hora apply - so it
would depend on your purpose of doing it and the method you do it in. For
example, if you need to warn a friend to not move to a particular city to
prevent that family from financial, emotional, spiritual harm... then the rules
of speaking lashon hora for a constructive purpose apply. So, maybe dont say
that "this city sucks don’t move there" but rather suggest without specifying
derogatory information that it may not be the place for them. Another example,
if your friend has panic attacks by being in crowded places, maybe suggest that
going to a certain populated area may not be the best thing for their health and
that another place may be more calm or suited to their needs.
Lesson 2
If a group of people has not begun speaking
lashon hora, but you know that its members constantly belittle others, you
should not associate yourself with that group.
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Lashon
Hora = Saying a derogatory/negative statement about someone else that
is TRUE
Motzi Shaim Ra (Defamation of Character) = Saying a
derogatory statement that is FALSE
About Whom is it Forbidden to
Speak Lashon Hora - Any Individual Jew - Alive or not, - adult or
child, family member (spouse, in-laws, parent, child, siblings), groups/sects of
Jews, Entire Jewish Nation
Important Numbers
