3 February

that is, if the warning is truly warranted. Countless items are

potentially dangerous if misused, and many processed foods are

unhealthy if consumed in large quantities; in such cases, labeling

the item "dangerous" is wrong. Labeling an item as unsafe is

justified only if such a declaration is considered reasonable by

normal standards. (See Day 42, condition 2.) Furthermore, if the

information is not known firsthand, this must be mentioned when

relating the information (see Day 42). If the manufacturer is

Jewish, he must be spoken to first (see Day 43). Failure to fulfill

the above conditions would render the statement loshon hora, as it

would cause harm to the manufacturer, as well as to the consumer

who will needlessly avoid the product.

The following segment is a translation from the Chofetz Chaim's writings on the philosophy of proper speech from the Sefer Shmiras Halashon.

Disparaging a Torah Scholar

initiates a feud with a Torah scholar. And when one's adversary is his

own Torah teacher, the sin is magnified manifold. It is the way of warring

parties to disparage one another, and it is regarding one who disparages

a Torah scholar that our Sages apply the verse, "For he scorned the word

of HASHEM and broke His commandment; that person will surely be cut off,

his sin is upon him" (Bamidbar 15:31).1 The Talmud relates (Shabbos 119b)

that the sin of shaming Torah scholars led to the destruction of Jerusalem,

as it is written, "But they mocked the messengers of G-d, despised His words

and scoffed at His prophets, to a point that the anger of HASHEM rose against

His people, without any possibility of abatement" (II Divrei HaYamim 36:16).

The Talmud further states: "R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: Whoever speaks

disparagingly of a deceased Torah scholar descends into Gehinnom"

(Berachos 19a).