Loshon Hora Dilemma
QUESTION
I’ve been in high school for a few months, and I love it. But I was having one issue: Tam- ar, the girl who used to sit next to me all morn- ing, constantly disturbed me with unnecessary questions during class. Things are much better now that our teacher has changed the seating arrangement for the class, and I want to tell the good news to Shira, my friend who’s in another high school. But she knows I was sitting next to Tamar until now. Can I tell her how happy I am now that my seat was changed? — Tzippy
ANSWER
WHEN SOMEONE CAN READ BETWEEN THE LINES
Even if you don’t name the subject of a neg- ative comment, it’s loshon hora if the listener will be able to figure out who you’re talking about. Furthermore, words or body language that imply something negative are also loshon hora. That means that if your “good news” implies that you don’t like Tamar, it’s forbidden. But you can tell Shira how happy you are with your new seat by pointing out other advantages, such as “I can see the board better.” But use caution: If Shira is likely to tell Tamar that you are happy with the change, even for a neutral reason, you should not tell Shira. This is because Tamar may be disappointed to hear that you prefer your new place.
RABBI DANIEL COREN
CHOFETZ CHAIM HERITAGE FOUNDATION
