Beware Of Habitual Negative Thoughts About Yourself

Chazal tell us that the Meil was Mechaper on Lashon Horah. There are Tzaddikim who are very sensitive not to hear a drop of Lashon Hara, and if a person talking to them makes the slightest lapse in his speech, they will immediately say: “Stop! It’s Lashon Hara!” They are 100% right. Lashon Hara is poison. And so, so many of us need to stop ourselves, as we habitually think negative thoughts about ourselves, and to yell internally: “Stop! You’re speaking Lashon Hara about yourself!”

You’d be shocked if you knew how much power words have on you, including your own brain-chatter. We need only to try to improve, and to have more positive thoughts about ourselves. The more we accomplish, the more Simcha we have. As usual, you have no Chiyuv to make yourself crazy; just try your best. And you’ll get plenty Schar for this Avoda Chashuva.

Lashon Hara Comes When a Person Is Lacking Self-Esteem and Looking for Kavod

And if despite all your efforts you’re still loaded with negatives, be happy, since you are such a: ֵל ִנ ב ְשׁ ַבּר broken heart, which has tremendous value. Chazal say that whoever speaks Lashon Hara deserves to be thrown to dogs. We can suggest that since a Baal Lashon Hara speaks evil to get attention from people and he loves Kavod, therefore we show him just the opposite.

People like to show how smart they are, and how they are knowledgeable and wise, and up to date and “with it”, and not a Bat’lan (loafer) or a fool, etc., so they speak Lashon Hara. A person who has no self-esteem wants to put others down, so he’ll come out bigger than the person he’s speaking about.

So the Torah puts him in his place. A dog is a symbol of lowliness and inferiority; a zero. And Chazal describe Lashon Hara with the Passuk: אְוָשׁ עַמֵשׁ אָשִּׂת אֹל א גכ םיטפשמ do not bear a report of: אְוָשׁ, which means “vain”’ a total waste with no Tachlis; to teach that the Baal Lashon Hara is total emptiness and a low-life. Imagine how much Schar and greatness is due to a person who refrains from Lashon Hara and speaks words of Torah and Chesed. How much unending greatness?

Those Who Have Control Over Their Speech Are the True Honorable Humans

הָבּוּרְמ הָבוֹט הָדִמ Hashem’s measurement of goodness is greater than His measure of punishment! Those who don’t talk Lashon Hara are nobility and royal and precious and respectable; they have true “class” and are esteemed and admired.