Lashon hara
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Lashon hara, or loshon hora, or other similar variations (the evil tongue in Hebrew) denotes gossip and defamation. Unlike defamation in American and English law, however, truth is not a defense to the sin of lashon hara.
The main prohibition against Lashon Hara is mentioned in Leviticus 19:16 [1] (http://bible.ort.org/books/pentd2.asp?ACTION=displaypage&BOOK=3&CHAPTER=19) : "Do not go as a gossiper amongst your people".
The definitive work on Lashon Hara is the book Chafetz Chayim by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (1873). Chafetz Chaim lists 31 speech-related mitzvot mentioned in the Torah.
See also
External links
- A primer on how to raise our children to look at the positive and speak well about others (http://www.aish.com/family/mensch/Stopping_Lashon_Hara.asp)
- 31 mitzvot of speech (http://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/intrcomm.html)
- Hilchot Lashon Hara (L"H) (http://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/)
- Negative Speech (Lashon Hora) | Chabad.org (http://www1.chabad.org/search/keyword.asp?kid=8321)
- Lashon hara and dishonesty (http://jewish.com/page.php?do=page&cat_id=1010)
- Finding Your Zivug or Mate Loshon Hora and Information-Seeking in Shidduchim (http://www.shemayisrael.com/rabbiforsythe/zivug/loshonhora.htm)Template:Judaism-stub