GONE VIRAL - THE VIRUS OF SLANDER
Metzora
In social-media slang, “going viral” means to share something on social-media that spreads rapidly as it is forwarded on and shared exponentially by others. The term comes from the word ‘virus’, an infectious illness which spreads through the population as it is ’shared’ from person to person.
Social media has revolutionised the way we communicate. Facebook, Blogs, WhatsApp, Twitter and a dozen other platforms, enable us to communicate our thoughts instantaneously across the world. And on social media we are always invited to “comment” and share our opinions.
Parshas Tazria focuses on the laws of Tzaraas. Metzora describes the purification of the Metzora. There are many negative qualities for which a person would be afflicted with Tzaraas, but the most famous is for the sin of Lashon Hora, slanderous speech.
The Metzora is treated Middah Kneged Middah. Just as Lashon Hora causes the person spoken about to become socially isolated, the Metzora had to experience the same isolation by being sent out of the city.
As part of their purification, the Metzora would bring 2 birds. Why birds? Says the Talmud (Arachin 16a), because like the speaker of Lashon Hora, they Twitter!
Guarding our speech is an important part of Yiddishkeit. At the end of every Shemoneh Esrei we ask Hashem guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceitfully.
Many great tragedies, including the sale of Yosef, the decree that Bnei Yisroel could not enter Eretz Yisroel and the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdosh and subsequent Golus, came about because of Lashon Hora.
Technology has changed our lives so much and brings with it its own halachic considerations. The Tzemach Tzedek said that a spoken word will reach many (not only those present). A written word reaches the entire world, and the printed word is for all generations.
This statement was said in the positive sense; words of Torah which are written or printed will impact for all time. It is also true on the converse. Lashon Hora which is spoken will have a limited reach. But Lashon Hora which has been printed is ledorei doros!
This is much more the case with social media. An email or blog can go viral, reaching literally the entire world within minutes. One click could lead to destroyed reputations, destroyed relationships and friendships, loss of parnasa, compromised shidduchim, and all too common with internet bullying, lead to loss of life R”L.
The digital “footprint” means whatever is uploaded or put into cyberspace remains forever. Spoken Lashon Hora will eventually be forgotten or become old news. But in cyberspace it remains forever and the damage is perpetuated.
The Chassidic Approach
Lashon Hora was traditionally a rarely discussed topic in Chassdic circles. This was not chas veshalom because the halachos are not important and need not be studied. Rather it is because Chassidus emphasises the assured way to control our speech – by increasing Ahavas Yisroel and speaking positively about others. In the Alter Rebbe’s words;
"Therefore, my beloved and dear ones, I beg again and again that each of you exert himself with all his heart and soul to firmly implant in his heart a love for his fellow. And, in the words of verse “let none of you consider in your heart what is evil for his fellow.” Moreover, [such a consideration] should never arise in one’s heart [in the first place]; and if it does arise, one should push it away from his heart “as smoke is driven away,” as if it were an actual idolatrous thought. For to speak evil [of another] is as grave as idolatry and incest and bloodshed. And if this be so with speech, [then surely thinking evil about another is even worse]; for all the wise of heart are aware of the greater impact [on the soul] of thought over speech!" (Tanya Igeres Hakodesh 22).
The ultimate way to overcome negativity and darkness is by focussing on the positive and bringing light. In a Sicha on Parshas Emor (Likkutei Sichos 27), the Rebbe observes;
The Midrash teaches that Lashon Hora kills three people – the one who speaks it, the one who hears it and the one of whom it is being said. It is understandable why the ones who hears or speaks Lashon Hora is affected negatively because they are involved in a sin. But why should the innocent person about whom it is said be affected?
The Rebbe explains that speech reveals that which was hidden. When we speak negatively about others, we harm them by bringing their faults into the revealed state. Until then, their faults may have been hidden and unexpressed. When we ‘reveal’ it through our speech, we bring that fault into the “world of speech”, activating it and bringing it out into the open. This is the negative impact on the one spoken about. The label becomes self-fulfilling.
The Torah is interpreted in a manner of מכלל לאו אתה שומע הן, from the negative we can deduce the positive; and the good is always infinitely more powerful than the negative.
Speaking positively about others and complimenting their strengths and qualities creates an infinite goodness. When we make a point to focus on and emphasise the virtues of another person and reveal that in our speech, we reveal it within them and help them to actualise those very virtues.
In his famous Tefillah the Noam Elimelech writes Place into our hearts that we should see the qualities of our friends and not their shortcomings. And that each of us should speak about their friend in a way which is upright and favourable before You.
Shlomo Hamelech says, Life and death are in the hands of the tongue (Mishlei 18:21). Our tongues, our blogs, online comments and social media accounts are powerful tools which literally hold the balance between life and death, between Golus and the Geulah which we are all awaiting. How we use them and what we use them for is in our hands (or fingertips).
The Metzora’s social isolation was to give him time to reflect on his speech and treatment of others, to appreciate the impact of his words and to empathise with the feelings of one who has been slandered. The current social isolation that we are all confined to, should help us to introspect and empathise on the manner and content of our speech and online comments, and the impact that it has on others.
We should also try to think about and be more aware of the experience of those who suffer social exclusion in our community and take upon ourselves to be more embracing and inclusive.
Instead of sledging and bashing, let’s unleash a revolution of Lashon HaTov and go viral with words of positivity. Let’s print words which will impact generations with Ahavas Yisroel and Achdus Yisroel. Let’s see and focus on the good qualities in others and always try to judge them favourably. Remember to compliment others and praise their actions. A word of support, acknowledgement and encouragement can go a long way.
The Corona virus has shown us the power and impact of something “going viral”. One person can infect thousands and it doesn’t take long until the virus literally goes global, causing untold damage and destroying lives. The same can happen with a viral comment or post.
But מכלל לאו אתה שומע הן. We can choose to create a wave of viral goodness and kindness; an infectious spread of positivity and Ahavas Yisroel. Not a virus that isolates people, but one that brings us closer together.
The next time you “tweet”, post to a WhatsApp group or leave a comment on a Facebook page, fill it with words that promote peace and harmony, respect and love and do your part to eradicate the world of negativity and darkness. Those keystrokes just may have the power to tip the scales and bring the Geulah.
Social media has revolutionised the way we communicate. Facebook, Blogs, WhatsApp, Twitter and a dozen other platforms, enable us to communicate our thoughts instantaneously across the world. And on social media we are always invited to “comment” and share our opinions.
Parshas Tazria focuses on the laws of Tzaraas. Metzora describes the purification of the Metzora. There are many negative qualities for which a person would be afflicted with Tzaraas, but the most famous is for the sin of Lashon Hora, slanderous speech.
The Metzora is treated Middah Kneged Middah. Just as Lashon Hora causes the person spoken about to become socially isolated, the Metzora had to experience the same isolation by being sent out of the city.
As part of their purification, the Metzora would bring 2 birds. Why birds? Says the Talmud (Arachin 16a), because like the speaker of Lashon Hora, they Twitter!
Guarding our speech is an important part of Yiddishkeit. At the end of every Shemoneh Esrei we ask Hashem guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceitfully.
Many great tragedies, including the sale of Yosef, the decree that Bnei Yisroel could not enter Eretz Yisroel and the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdosh and subsequent Golus, came about because of Lashon Hora.
Technology has changed our lives so much and brings with it its own halachic considerations. The Tzemach Tzedek said that a spoken word will reach many (not only those present). A written word reaches the entire world, and the printed word is for all generations.
This statement was said in the positive sense; words of Torah which are written or printed will impact for all time. It is also true on the converse. Lashon Hora which is spoken will have a limited reach. But Lashon Hora which has been printed is ledorei doros!
This is much more the case with social media. An email or blog can go viral, reaching literally the entire world within minutes. One click could lead to destroyed reputations, destroyed relationships and friendships, loss of parnasa, compromised shidduchim, and all too common with internet bullying, lead to loss of life R”L.
The digital “footprint” means whatever is uploaded or put into cyberspace remains forever. Spoken Lashon Hora will eventually be forgotten or become old news. But in cyberspace it remains forever and the damage is perpetuated.
The Chassidic Approach
Lashon Hora was traditionally a rarely discussed topic in Chassdic circles. This was not chas veshalom because the halachos are not important and need not be studied. Rather it is because Chassidus emphasises the assured way to control our speech – by increasing Ahavas Yisroel and speaking positively about others. In the Alter Rebbe’s words;
"Therefore, my beloved and dear ones, I beg again and again that each of you exert himself with all his heart and soul to firmly implant in his heart a love for his fellow. And, in the words of verse “let none of you consider in your heart what is evil for his fellow.” Moreover, [such a consideration] should never arise in one’s heart [in the first place]; and if it does arise, one should push it away from his heart “as smoke is driven away,” as if it were an actual idolatrous thought. For to speak evil [of another] is as grave as idolatry and incest and bloodshed. And if this be so with speech, [then surely thinking evil about another is even worse]; for all the wise of heart are aware of the greater impact [on the soul] of thought over speech!" (Tanya Igeres Hakodesh 22).
The ultimate way to overcome negativity and darkness is by focussing on the positive and bringing light. In a Sicha on Parshas Emor (Likkutei Sichos 27), the Rebbe observes;
The Midrash teaches that Lashon Hora kills three people – the one who speaks it, the one who hears it and the one of whom it is being said. It is understandable why the ones who hears or speaks Lashon Hora is affected negatively because they are involved in a sin. But why should the innocent person about whom it is said be affected?
The Rebbe explains that speech reveals that which was hidden. When we speak negatively about others, we harm them by bringing their faults into the revealed state. Until then, their faults may have been hidden and unexpressed. When we ‘reveal’ it through our speech, we bring that fault into the “world of speech”, activating it and bringing it out into the open. This is the negative impact on the one spoken about. The label becomes self-fulfilling.
The Torah is interpreted in a manner of מכלל לאו אתה שומע הן, from the negative we can deduce the positive; and the good is always infinitely more powerful than the negative.
Speaking positively about others and complimenting their strengths and qualities creates an infinite goodness. When we make a point to focus on and emphasise the virtues of another person and reveal that in our speech, we reveal it within them and help them to actualise those very virtues.
In his famous Tefillah the Noam Elimelech writes Place into our hearts that we should see the qualities of our friends and not their shortcomings. And that each of us should speak about their friend in a way which is upright and favourable before You.
Shlomo Hamelech says, Life and death are in the hands of the tongue (Mishlei 18:21). Our tongues, our blogs, online comments and social media accounts are powerful tools which literally hold the balance between life and death, between Golus and the Geulah which we are all awaiting. How we use them and what we use them for is in our hands (or fingertips).
The Metzora’s social isolation was to give him time to reflect on his speech and treatment of others, to appreciate the impact of his words and to empathise with the feelings of one who has been slandered. The current social isolation that we are all confined to, should help us to introspect and empathise on the manner and content of our speech and online comments, and the impact that it has on others.
We should also try to think about and be more aware of the experience of those who suffer social exclusion in our community and take upon ourselves to be more embracing and inclusive.
Instead of sledging and bashing, let’s unleash a revolution of Lashon HaTov and go viral with words of positivity. Let’s print words which will impact generations with Ahavas Yisroel and Achdus Yisroel. Let’s see and focus on the good qualities in others and always try to judge them favourably. Remember to compliment others and praise their actions. A word of support, acknowledgement and encouragement can go a long way.
The Corona virus has shown us the power and impact of something “going viral”. One person can infect thousands and it doesn’t take long until the virus literally goes global, causing untold damage and destroying lives. The same can happen with a viral comment or post.
But מכלל לאו אתה שומע הן. We can choose to create a wave of viral goodness and kindness; an infectious spread of positivity and Ahavas Yisroel. Not a virus that isolates people, but one that brings us closer together.
The next time you “tweet”, post to a WhatsApp group or leave a comment on a Facebook page, fill it with words that promote peace and harmony, respect and love and do your part to eradicate the world of negativity and darkness. Those keystrokes just may have the power to tip the scales and bring the Geulah.