So, you did some gossiping this year?
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Lashon Ha-ra means "talk that is evil (or bad)"
In the Torah, as well as other books of Jewish life, there are many examples of why speaking badly about other people hurts them. One of the Hebrew phrases to describe this is "lashon ha-ra" ... meaning, "one's talk is bad." And interestingly, the Hebrew word "lashon" also translates as "tongue." So when we speak badly of others, our tongue is not doing the right thing! It's gone off the path of good behavior. It isn't just about truth and lies. Judaism says that you shouldn't talk about someone behind their back because it can seriously harm them and their reputation. And apart from that, gossiping can hurt someone's feelings. |
If you have a problem with someone just go talk to him or her.
It is much better to talk to someone you have a problem with, than to talk about them behind their back. Gossiping gets more people involved and can hurt that person quite deeply.
It is much better to talk to someone you have a problem with, than to talk about them behind their back. Gossiping gets more people involved and can hurt that person quite deeply.
"I'm Coming Clean" is a project of the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, 2015.
http://www.jecc.org
http://www.jecc.org