The Power of Words: Understanding the Impact of Lashon Hara

Speaking lashon hara, whether through public speeches, social media posts, gossip columns, or private conversations, is widely recognized as morally wrong. Most people understand that spreading negative or defamatory information can cause real damage, including loss of livelihood, humiliation, emotional pain, and even the breakdown of families. As the verse teaches, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.”

Yet this raises an important question. Why is it considered so serious to privately vent about an annoying neighbor, a rude cashier, or a coworker who made an unpleasant comment? It often feels harmless, like casual talk with no real consequences. So what is the deeper issue?

The Severity of Lashon Hara

The Torah views lashon hara as an exceptionally serious offense. The Gemara teaches that habitual speakers of lashon hara are included among four groups who will not merit greeting the Divine Presence. As stated, “Four groups do not receive the Divine Presence: the scorners, the liars, the flatterers, and the gossips” (Sanhedrin 103a).

Many people are unaware that a single act of lashon hara can violate numerous Torah commandments. The Chafetz Chaim lists 31 commandments related to lashon hara, including 17 prohibitions and 14 positive obligations, depending on the situation. In addition, there are four curses mentioned in Parashat Ki Tavo that reflect the Torah’s severe stance toward this behavior.

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, known as the Chafetz Chaim, authored the works Chafetz Chaim and Shemirat HaLashon to raise awareness of these laws. He recognized that many people dismissed lashon hara as insignificant. Even today, there are environments where people speak freely without filters, assuming that words spoken behind someone’s back carry little weight.

Speech as a Divine Gift

One of the defining differences between humans and animals is the power of speech. Hashem endowed humanity with this gift to promote goodness through kind words, encouragement, prayer, and Torah learning. The verse in Shir HaShirim reflects this idea: “Let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet.”

When speech is used for gossip and negativity, it corrupts this divine gift. Instead of fostering unity and love, it creates division and resentment. The Chafetz Chaim explains that human superiority lies in the divine power of speech. When used positively, it elevates a person. When misused, it lowers them beneath animals, which do not destroy through words (Shemirat HaLashon, Gate of Remembrance, Chapter 3).

Modern media often glorifies gossip. Celebrity rumors, harsh fashion critiques, and the exposure of private and painful details attract high ratings. Yet when viewed honestly, this behavior is degrading. Publicly scrutinizing a person’s appearance, mocking their choices, or spreading intimate information reflects a misuse of speech and a loss of human dignity.

Hashem gave us tools to help us grow toward spiritual perfection. Lashon hara turns those tools against their purpose, misusing a divine gift and denying the role we were created to fulfill.

The Spiritual Impact of Words

The Chafetz Chaim teaches that spiritual actions influence the higher realms more powerfully than physical ones. Acts that require physical objects, such as taking the lulav or wearing tzitzit, have less spiritual impact than Torah study, which is entirely spiritual. For this reason, sins committed through speech alone can be especially damaging.

Lashon hara carries such weight because spoken words affect heavenly judgment. A person’s conduct toward others influences how Heaven relates to them and to the Jewish people as a whole. When someone shows kindness and restraint, they draw mercy. When they judge harshly and speak negatively, they awaken judgment.

Furthermore, negative speech empowers the Satan to accuse Israel. This creates turmoil in the spiritual realms, which then manifests as instability in our world. The Chafetz Chaim explains that guarding one’s speech protects against heavenly prosecution, while careless gossip invites it.

Guarding the Tongue and Rebuilding Unity

King Solomon teaches, “One who guards his mouth and tongue preserves his soul from trouble” (Proverbs 21:23). By restraining negative speech, a person protects themselves spiritually.

Speech can be used to build relationships, strengthen unity, and create peace. It can also destroy trust and divide communities. The choice lies in how we use it.

The Chafetz Chaim explains that baseless hatred led to the destruction of the Second Temple. Until love and unity replace that hatred, the Temple cannot be rebuilt. Lashon hara directly opposes this goal. He writes that refraining from speaking ill is considered participation in rebuilding the Temple itself.

Rabbi Yigal Cohen emphasizes that one who refrains from lashon hara achieves great spiritual success. Awareness, restraint, and small daily efforts can transform speech from a source of harm into a force for unity, protection, and blessing.