Now Reading
Tazria, and Lashon Hara’s Harmfulness
Slut for Slicha
A Very Jewcy Rosh Hashanah
Snipped and Satisfied
Schtupless in Seattle
Gefilte Guilt
Messy Meshugane. Again.

Tazria, and Lashon Hara’s Harmfulness

This week’s parsha talks about ritual purity, as well as its inverse, ritual impurity. For example: women are considered to be ritually impure for a brief period after giving birth, and they must immerse themselves in a mikvah in order to be purified.

Then, Parshat Tazria talks about tzaraat. Tzaraat is a plague, of sorts. Only a kohen, a priest, could correctly diagnose this leprosy-esque disease. It would show up on an individual’s clothing, house, or even body. If the tzaraat showed up on clothing or a home, the damaged area would be destroyed, and if it showed up on the person’s skin, they would leave the community and live alone outside the encampment until the tzaraat went away. The main cause that would give someone tzaraat is if they partook in my favorite aveira: lashon hara.

I’ll admit it: I love gossip. It’s fun; it’s easy to talk about other people when struggling to come up with a conversation topic that goes beyond generic small talk; it’s easier to talk about other people than to talk about yourself. Who doesn’t love knowing all the backstory, all about why one of your friends is treating another weirdly and what’s really going on within that friend group you’ve always hated?

But Parshat Tazria (and its sister parsha, Parshat Metzora, which is next week’s parsha) is an annual reminder that even lighthearted gossip has its consequences. That it’s an actual sin. I’d hate knowing others were talking about me behind my back. If I ever do find out that that’s going on, I become obsessively curious—what exactly were they saying? And who started the conversation? And what was the tone of voice used? And who else was there, was it just their friends or was it any of mine?

And if I hate the mere thought of being spoken about, why am I comfortable putting others in that situation? If I have something nice to say, shouldn’t I just say it to their face? If I have something mean to say, who does it benefit to say it out loud? What use is there in spilling secrets and sharing backstories if it isn’t remotely relevant to me?

The Talmud talks about how lashon hara harms three people: the speaker, the listener, and the person it’s about. You’re held accountable for gossip even if all you do is overhear it, even if you don’t spread it yourself. If you do spread gossip yourself, you’re not just hurting the person it’s about, but also yourself and the person you’re confiding in. There’s real harm in these seemingly “small talk”-like conversations.

We may no longer get tzaraat as punishment for speaking lashon hara, but lashon hara is just as harmful as it always was. Let’s focus on ourselves—other people’s personal business is irrelevant to our everyday lives.

View Comments (69)
  • I cling on to listening to the reports talk about getting boundless online grant applications so I have been looking around for the top site to get one. Could you tell me please, where could i get some?

  • You really make it appear really easy along with your presentation however I in finding this matter to be actually one thing that I think I’d by no means understand. It seems too complicated and extremely wide for me. I’m looking ahead on your subsequent submit, I’ll try to get the cling of it!

  • I haven’t checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend :)

  • Thank you for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such great info being shared freely out there.

  • hi!,I like your writing so much! share we keep up a correspondence more about your article on AOL? I need an expert in this area to unravel my problem. Maybe that is you! Taking a look ahead to look you.

  • Wow that was odd. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say great blog!

  • We absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for. can you offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on most of the subjects you write in relation to here. Again, awesome site!

  • I’m impressed, I have to say. Actually rarely do I encounter a blog that’s each educative and entertaining, and let me inform you, you have got hit the nail on the head. Your thought is excellent; the difficulty is something that not enough persons are talking intelligently about. I am very pleased that I stumbled throughout this in my search for one thing referring to this.

  • F*ckin¦ remarkable things here. I am very glad to see your post. Thanks a lot and i am looking ahead to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?

  • A large percentage of of whatever you assert happens to be supprisingly accurate and that makes me ponder why I had not looked at this with this light before. This article really did turn the light on for me as far as this specific subject goes. Nonetheless there is one factor I am not really too cozy with and whilst I try to reconcile that with the actual central theme of the point, permit me see just what all the rest of the visitors have to say.Nicely done.

  • After study just a few of the blog posts on your website now, and I actually like your means of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website checklist and will be checking again soon. Pls try my website as nicely and let me know what you think.

  • F*ckin’ remarkable issues here. I’m very satisfied to look your post. Thank you a lot and i’m having a look forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?

  • Thanks for helping out, good information. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” by J. K. Rowling.

  • I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Excellent work!

  • Just wish to say your article is as amazing. The clearness in your post is just cool and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the gratifying work.

  • I’ve been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be much more useful than ever before.

  • I do enjoy the way you have framed this problem and it really does offer me personally some fodder for thought. On the other hand, because of what precisely I have personally seen, I only wish as the actual commentary stack on that people remain on issue and don’t embark upon a tirade associated with some other news du jour. Still, thank you for this superb piece and though I can not necessarily concur with the idea in totality, I value your viewpoint.

  • I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.

  • We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your website provided us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and our entire community will be grateful to you.

  • Can I just say what a aid to search out someone who truly is aware of what theyre speaking about on the internet. You positively know learn how to bring an issue to gentle and make it important. Extra folks must learn this and understand this aspect of the story. I cant consider youre not more fashionable because you undoubtedly have the gift.

  • I think other web-site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and magnificent user friendly style and design, as well as the content. You’re an expert in this topic!

  • I’ve been browsing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be a lot more useful than ever before.

  • Valuable information. Lucky me I found your site by accident, and I am shocked why this accident didn’t happened earlier! I bookmarked it.

  • Excellent blog right here! Also your site quite a bit up fast! What web host are you using? Can I am getting your affiliate hyperlink in your host? I desire my site loaded up as fast as yours lol

  • Hey there! I’ve been following your web site for a long time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Lubbock Texas! Just wanted to say keep up the excellent work!

  • You could definitely see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. All the time follow your heart.

  • It¦s in reality a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you simply shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

  • Have you ever considered about adding a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is fundamental and all. But imagine if you added some great pictures or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and video clips, this site could definitely be one of the very best in its field. Great blog!

  • It is the best time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Perhaps you can write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it!

  • I want to show my affection for your generosity for those individuals that actually need help with this important concern. Your real dedication to passing the message all over appears to be extraordinarily important and have all the time helped employees much like me to achieve their dreams. Your entire insightful publication indicates so much to me and a whole lot more to my peers. Thanks a ton; from everyone of us.

  • You could definitely see your expertise within the paintings you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.

  • Yapan Prof. com akdenİz sosyal dayaniŞma eĞİtİm saĞlik ve kÜltÜr
    vakfi (asda) dÖŞeme mah. ECZANE İLAÇ TARİF ETİKETİ KUŞE adet
    Eczane.

  • I was extremely pleased to discover this page. I want to to thank you for ones time due to this wonderful read!! I definitely appreciated every part of it and I have you bookmarked to look at new information on your web site.

  • The next time I read a blog, Hopefully it does not fail me just as much as this particular one. I mean, Yes, it was my choice to read through, but I truly believed youd have something helpful to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of moaning about something you could possibly fix if you werent too busy seeking attention.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Scroll To Top