Chofetz Chaim: A Daily Companion (Artscroll Halachah Series) The Concepts and Laws of Proper Speech as Formulated by Sefer Chofetz Chaim

Day 77: The Seven Rules of Toeles Earlier in this volume, we referred to 7 conditions which must be fulfilled before one is permitted to relate loshon hora l'toeles, for a constructive purpose. These are: 1. One must be absolutely certain that the information is accurate. Either one had to have witnessed the incident himself, or he investigated the report and found it to be accurate. If one has second-hand negative information which he wishes to relate for a constructive purpose, he must make it clear that his words are based on hearsay. 2. One must think the matter through and be sure that a wrong has actually been committed. Sometimes, what one may think is a misdeed may in fact be permitted by halachah. One must be certain that his information and his interpretation of the information are correct before the information can be related. 3. One must first approach the wrongdoer and attempt to persuade him to rectify his behavior. For example: A storekeeper was seen cheating a customer. The first step would be to speak to the storekeeper and try to persuade him to return the money. Only after this fails should one consider informing the customer that he was cheated. 4. One is not permitted to exaggerate in any way. This can be especially difficult in a situation where one is relating information regarding an emotional issue. 5. One's intention must be solely to help the person who is being victimized. If one harbors any ill will toward the subject of the report, then he is not permitted to relate it for a constructive

Publisher:

Mesorah Publications Ltd.

Pages:

282

Date Published:

1999-09-20