What is considered lashon hara?

Lashon hara (or loshon horo, or loshon hora) (Hebrew: לשון הרע; “evil tongue”) is the halakhic term for derogatory speech about a person, which emotionally or financially damages them or lowers them in the estimation of others.

What does Lashon mean?

Lashon is a combination of the prefix La- and the name Shon, derived from Sean, itself an Irish variant of John. John originates in Hebrew language and means “God is merciful”. It has been one of the most popular masculine given names over centuries, and in different spellings all over the world.

What does Tzara at mean in Hebrew?

The ancient Rabbis argued that tzara’at refers not to a bodily disease. but to a physical manifestation of a spiritual malaise, a punishment designed to show. a malefactor that he must mend his ways. In other words, tzara’at is not so much a disease as a form of supernatural spiritual discipline.

What is the principle of bal Tashchit?

Bal tashchit (Hebrew: בל תשחית) (“do not destroy”) is a basic ethical principle in Jewish law. The principle is rooted in the Biblical law of Deuteronomy 20:19–20.

What does skin symbolize?

The skin expresses who we are and how we feel. Skin and psyche are boundaries between the “I” and the “other”. The skin establishes a boundary between our bodies and the environment, as well as the psyche establishes and differentiates the “psyche” (our “inner world”) from the external world.

Is leprosy a curse?

Leprosy is an ancient disease, a biblical curse and, even in the 21st century, a cultural shame so severe that in some countries, patients are sent to live in isolated colonies or tossed out of their own homes.

What is the code of Judaism?

The Jewish moral code is a complex set of ideas sourced from many writings and schools of thought, including the Torah and the Talmud. The 613 mitzvot are found in the Torah and fit into one of the categories of ten positive and negative commandments.

What is Shmirat Haguf?

Shmirat haguf literally translates as “guardian of the body.” Judaism teaches that the body is a divine gift to be cared for. Everything physical act we do, even the most basic such as eating, walking and talking, can be elevated to a higher level when we are mindful that our bodies are sacred.

When was the Sefer Hachinuch written?

Sefer ha-Chinuch (Hebrew: ספר החינוך, “Book of Education”) is a Jewish rabbinic text which systematically discusses the 613 commandments of the Torah. It was published anonymously in 13th-century Spain.

What are skins in the Bible?

In the biblical story of Adam and Eve, coats of skin ( sg. coat of skin) were the aprons provided to Adam and Eve by God when they fell from a state of innocent obedience under Him to a state of guilty disobedience.

What does skin represent spiritually?

The skin is both the separator and the connector between self and others, and can affect spiritual intimacy with another, a spiritual leader, or a higher power. The skin projects to self and others both physical health or illness and emotional reactions and responses.

What does leprosy mean spiritually?

Because leprosy was so visible and involved the decay or corruption of the body, it served as an excellent symbol of sinfulness. Sin corrupts someone spiritually the way leprosy corrupts someone physically.

Why is leprosy white?

In Caucasian people, the patches are reddish. Leprosy does not cause the skin and hair to turn white (like in vitiligo). Unlike vitiligo, leprosy does not turn your skin white. However, this highly contagious disease can cause discolored lumps or sores that disfigure the skin.

What is the meaning of lashon hara?

The Definition of Lashon Hara Lashon Hara is any derogatory or damaging statement against an individual. In Hilchot Deot 7:5, Maimonides supplies a litmus test for determining whether something is or isn’t Lashon Hara:

What is the difference between defamation and lashon hara?

Lashon hara differs from defamation in that lashon hara can consist of truthful speech as well as lies . Lashon hara is considered to be a very serious sin in the Jewish tradition.

Is listening to lashon hara permissible?

Listening to Lashon Hara is generally prohibited for two reasons: (1) It is forbidden to accept or believe Lashon Hara, and by listening to it one might cause himself to believe it. (2) By participating in a session of Lashon Hara, the listener would be assisting the other participants to commit the sins of speaking and believing the Lashon Hara.

What is the difference between lashon hara and hotzaat diba?

By contrast, hotzaat shem ra (“spreading a bad name”) – also called hotzaat diba or motzi shem ra (lit. “putting out a bad name”) – consists of lies, and is best translated as “slander” or “defamation” (calumny). Hotzaat shem ra is an even graver sin than lashon hara. The act of gossiping is called rechilut, and is also forbidden by halakha.