Shmirat HaLashon — Musar

Shmirat HaLashon

Shmirat HaLashon — Musar su Beth HaMidrash: il testo ebraico e la sua traduzione italiana, con Rashi e i grandi commentatori. Gratis, online.

כְּתִיב (משלי כ"א, כ"ג): "שֹׁמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שֹׁמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ". וּלְהָבִין הָעִנְיָן מַה שֶּׁפֵּרֵט הַכָּתוּב שְׁמִירַת הַפֶּה וְהַלָּשׁוֹן לִמְנִיעַת צָרָה מֵהַנֶּפֶשׁ, יוֹתֵר מִכָּל הָעִנְיָנִים, אֲשֶׁר צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם הַשָּׁלֵם לִשְׁמֹר בִּימֵי חַיָּיו, עַיֵּן בִּמְפָרְשֵׁי הַפְּשָׁט. וְגַם אֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אֶת חֶלְקִי אֲשֶׁר חַנַּנִי ה', וּבָזֶה נָבִין גַּם כֵּן מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ל"ד י"ג): "מִי הָאִישׁ הֶחָפֵץ חַיִּים אֹהֵב יָמִים לִרְאוֹת טוֹב, נְצֹר לְשׁוֹנְךָ מֵרָע" וְגוֹ'.It is written (Mishlei 21:33): "One who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles." In order to understand why Scripture specified guarding the mouth and the tongue for prevention of trouble to the soul, more than any other things that the complete man must guard in the days of his life (see the commentaries on the pshat [the plain meaning]). And I, too, will contribute my share of what the L-rd has given me. And hereby we shall also understand (Psalms 34:13-14): "Who is the man who desires life, who loves days to see good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit."

מַה שֶּׁפֵּרֵט לָנוּ הַכָּתוּב דַּוְקָא עִנְיָן זֶה, נִרְאֶה, כִּי יָדוּעַ הוּא דְּכָל אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ רְמַ"ח אֵיבָרִים וּשְׁסָ"ה גִּידִים רוּחָנִיִּים, וַעֲלֵיהֶם מְלֻבָּשִׁים הָרְמַ"ח אֵיבָרִים וּשְׁסָ"ה גִּידִים גַּשְׁמִיִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב י' י"א): "עוֹר וּבָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי וּבַעֲצָמוֹת וְגִידִים תְּשׂכְכֵנִי", הֲרֵי שֶׁהִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב עוֹר וּבָשָׂר וְגִידִים וַעֲצָמוֹת וְלֹא קְרָאוֹ, רַק בְּשֵׁם לְבוּשׁ וּסְכָךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי" "תְּשׂכְכֵנִי", וְאֶת מִי הִלְבִּישׁ, אִם לֹא לַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבּוֹ, שֶׁהִיא הִיא עֶצֶם הָאָדָם, וְעַל כָּל אֵיבָר וְאֵיבָר שֶׁל הַנֶּפֶשׁ מְלֻבָּשׁ מִלְּמַעְלָה אֵיבָר הַגּוּף הַמְכֻנֶּה כְּנֶגֶד אֵיבָר הַהוּא, כְּמוֹ הַבֶּגֶד עַל הַגּוּף. וּכְנֶגֶד זֶה נָתַן לָנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רְמַ"ח מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה וּשְׁסָ"ה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וְהֵם מְחֻלָּקִים גַּם כֵּן עַל הָאֵיבָרִים, דְּיֵשׁ מִצְוָה שֶׁתְּלוּיָה בַּיָּד וְיֵשׁ מִצְוָה שֶׁתְּלוּיָה בָּרֶגֶל וְכֵן שְׁאָר כָּל אֵיבָרִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּ"סֵפֶר חֲרֵדִים". וּכְשֶׁאָדָם מְקַיֵּם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה בְּאֵיזֶה אֵיבָר, שׁוֹרֶה לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אוֹר ה' עַל אוֹתוֹ אֵיבָר, וְאוֹתוֹ אוֹר הוּא הַמְחַיֶּה אֶת הָאֵיבָר הַהוּא, וְכֵן כָּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה. נִמְצָא דִּכְשֶׁהָאָדָם מְקַיֵּם הָרְמַ"ח עֲשִׂין, אָז הוּא הָאָדָם הַשָּׁלֵם הַמְקֻדָּשׁ לַה' בְּכָל אֵיבָרָיו, וְזֶהוּ מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּפָרָשַׁת צִיצִית (במדבר ט"ו מ'): "וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָי וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִיִם לֵאלֹהֵיכֶם", אֲבָל אִם, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, תֶּחְסַר לוֹ מִצְוָה אַחַת מִרְמַ"ח עֲשִׂין, שֶׁהִשְׁלִיכָהּ אַחַר גֵּווֹ, וְלֹא עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה עַל זֶה, יֶחְסַר לוֹ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא בְּנַפְשׁוֹ הָאֵיבָר הַמְכֻנֶּה נֶגֶד הַמִּצְוָה הַהִיא. וְזֶהוּ מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ בִּבְרָכוֹת (כ"ו.) (קֹּהֶלֶת א' ט"ו): "מְעֻוָּת לֹא יוּכַל לִתְקֹן", זֶה שֶׁבִּטֵּל קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שֶׁל עַרְבִית אוֹ קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית, אוֹ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל עַרְבִית אוֹ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית. וּכְשֶׁהָאָדָם זָהִיר מִלַּעֲבֹר עַל הַלָּאוִין שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, הוּא מַמְשִׁיךְ אוֹר הַקְּדֻשָּׁה עַל גִּידֵי נַפְשׁוֹ, וּכְשֶׁלֹּא יִזָּהֵר יִהְיוּ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, מְקֻּלְקָלִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּבֹאָר בְּאֹרֶךְ בְּסֵפֶר "שַׁעֲרֵי קְּדֻשָּׁה" פֶּרֶק א', עַיֵּן שָׁם.The reason for Scripture's singling out just these things seems to be this: It is known that every man has 248 physical organs and 365 physical sinews, as it is written (Iyyov 10:11): "With skin and flesh did You clothe me and with bones and sinews did You cover me." Now Scripture mentions skin and flesh and sinews and bones, and calls them only "clothing" and "covering" — "You clothed me"; "You covered me." Whom did He clothe if not the soul that is in his midst — "the essential man." And every organ of the soul is clothed from above with a bodily organ which corresponds to that organ as a garment to the body. And corresponding to this, the Holy One Blessed be He gave us 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments. And they are also distributed among the organs. For there is a mitzvah depending on the hand and a mitzvah depending on the foot. And so with all the other organs, as stated in the book of Charedim. And when a man fulfills a mitzvah in this world with a certain organ, in the world to come the light of the L-rd reposes on that organ, and it is that light which vivifies that organ. And so, with each and every mitzvah. It emerges, then, that when a man fulfills the 248 positive commandments, then he is the "complete man," who is sanctified to the L-rd with all of his organs. And this is the intent of what is stated in the section of tzitzith [fringes] (Bamidbar 15:40): "And you will do all My mitzvoth and you will be holy to your G-d." But if, G-d forbid, he be lacking one of the 248 positive commandments, which he has "cast behind his back," and which he did not repent of, there will be a defect in his soul in the world to come in the organ corresponding to that mitzvah. And this is the intent of Berachoth 26a: "(Koheleth 1:15): 'The crooked cannot be made straight' — This refers to one who omitted the Shema of the evening prayer or the Shema of the morning prayer, or the Amidah of the evening prayer or the Amidah of the morning prayer.'" And when a man is careful not to transgress the negative commandments of the Torah, he draws down the light of sanctity upon the sinews of his soul. And if he is not careful, they will be — G-d forbid — defective, as is explained at length in the book, Sha'arei Kedushah, Chapter I.

וּמִזֶּה יוּכַל לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן כָּל אָדָם, אֵיךְ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת זָהִיר בְּכָל הַתַּרְיָ"ג מִצְוֹת בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ בִּימֵי חַיָּיו, כִּי הֵם הֵם הַמַּמְשִׁיכִין חַיּוּתוֹ לָנֶצַח בְּאֵיבְרֵי וְגִידֵי נַפְשׁוֹ. [וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּפָרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי (ויקרא י"ח ה'): "וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם" וְגוֹ', וְלֹא כְּתִיב וָחַי עֲבוּרָם, לְהוֹרוֹת לָנוּ שֶׁאוֹר הַמִּצְוָה גּוּפָא הִיא חַיּוּתוֹ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא.] כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד רוֹצֶה לִהְיוֹת שָׁלֵם בְּכָל אֵיבָרָיו בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בַּעַל מוּם אַף בְּאֵיבָר קָטָן שֶׁבַּקְּטַנִּים.And from this one can reflect how he must be heedful of all the 613 mitzvoth with all his strength in the days of his life. For it is they [the mitzvoth] that extend his life eternally in the organs and sinews of his soul. As it is written (Vayikra 18:5): "And you shall keep My statutes and My judgments that a man shall do and live in them." It is not written "And he shall live because of them" [but "in them,"] to teach that the light of the mitzvah itself is his life in the world to come — just as one wishes to be perfect in all of his limbs in this world, so that he not be blemished in his very smallest organ.

וּבִפְרָט בְּעִנְיַן שְׁמִירַת הַלָּשׁוֹן, דְּאִם יַתִּיר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לְנַפְשׁוֹ לִהְיוֹת מִכַּת מְסַפְּרֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וּמִמֵּילָא בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יִמְנַע אָזְנָיו גַּם כֵּן מִלִּשְׁמֹעַ תָּמִיד לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת וּלְקַבְּלָם, וְגַם כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ מַה לְּסַפֵּר, דְּזוֹ הִיא מִדַּת הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל לֵילֵךְ וְלִשְׁמֹעַ בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד כְּדֵי לִמְכֹּר הַסְּחוֹרָה הַזּוֹ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר כְּמוֹ הָרוֹכֵל בִּסְחוֹרָתוֹ, [כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים וּבְפֵרוּשׁ רַשִּׁ"י בַּחֻמָּשׁ], וְאִם כֵּן יְקַלְקֵל בְּחַיָּיו אֶת חוּשׁ הַדִּבּוּר וְחוּשׁ הַשְּׁמִיעָה, וּבְוַדַּאי יֵעָנֵשׁ כְּנֶגְדָּם לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא בְּנַפְשׁוֹ בְּאֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי הַחוּשִׁים גּוּפַיְיהוּ שֶׁהֵם הַדִּבּוּר וְהַשְּׁמִיעָה . כִּי בְּאִסּוּר סִפּוּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת שֶׁסִּפֵּר בְּפִיו עָבַר עַל (ויקרא י"ט ט"ז) "לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּךָ", שֶׁתָּלוּי עִקָּרוֹ בַּפֶּה, וְעַל שְׁמִיעַת לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְקַבָּלָתוֹ פָּגַע בְּהַלָּאו דְּ"לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא" [כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בְּ"סֵפֶר חֲרֵדִים" בַּלָּאוִין הַתְּלוּיִין בָּאָזְנַיִם עַיֵּן שָׁם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהֶעְתַּקְתִּי דְּבָרָיו בֶּחָפֵץ חַיִּים כְּלָל י' בִבְאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים עַיֵּן שָׁם] וְיָדוּעַ שֶׁהֵם הַחוּשִׁים הָרָאשִׁיִּים שֶׁבָּהֶם תָּלוּי צוּרַת הָאָדָם וּשְׁלֵמוּתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיָּדוּעַ גַּם כֵּן מַאֲמָרָם, דְּחֵרֵשׁ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ וְאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר, הוּא כְּמוֹ שׁוֹטֶה וְקָטָן לְכָל עִנְיָן, וּבְבָבָא קָמָא (דף פ"ה:): חֵרְשׁוֹ נוֹתֵן לוֹ דְּמֵי כֻּלּוֹ, כִּי מֵעַתָּה אֵינוֹ שָׁוֶה כְּלוּם) וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְאַף אִם נֹאמַר דְּלֹא יֶחְסַר לוֹ לְגַמְרֵי אֵלּוּ הַחוּשִׁים, כִּי הֲלֹא עָסַק בָּהֶם בִּימֵי חַיָּיו גַּם בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וּקְדֻשָּׁה, עַל כָּל פָּנִים מְקֻלְקָלִין בְּוַדַּאי יִהְיוּ, שֶׁקִּלְקְלָן בְּעוֹדוֹ בַּחַיִּים וְלֹא עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה. וְזֶה יָדוּעַ לְכָל מֵבִין, דְּאַף בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אִם יְקֻלְקַל, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כֹּחַ הַדִבּוּר וְהַשְׁמִיעָה לְאָדָם, אַף שֶׁהוּא יָכוֹל עֲדַיִן לְדַבֵּר וְלִשְׁמֹעַ אַךְ בְּקֹשִי גָּדוֹל, זֶה יָצֵר לוֹ לָאָדָם בִּימֵי חַיָּיו, וִיבֻזֶּה הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר עַל יְדֵי זֶה, מֵאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה לוֹ קִלְקוּל בִּשְׁאָר אֵיבָרָיו, כִּי הֵם הַחוּשִׁים הָרָאשִׁיִּים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָדָם, וְגַם לֹא יוּכַל לְהַעֲלִים אֶת חֶסְרוֹנָן, וְעַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה בָּעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן, כַּמָּה יִצַּר לוֹ לְנַפְשׁוֹ בְּגַן עֵדֶן עַל יְדֵי זֶה לְעֵינֵי כֹּל, אַף אִם לֹא הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים לְבַעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע שׁוּם עֹנֶשׁ כְּלָל, רַק שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְקֻלְקָלִין כֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר וְהַשְּׁמִיעָה שֶׁלּוֹ, כַּמָּה בֹּשֶת יַגִּיעַ לוֹ עַל יְדֵי זֶה, כִּי שָׁם יָדוּעַ וְנִכָּר לַכֹּל, כִּי פְּגִימַת הַדִּבּוּר וְהַשְּׁמִיעָה שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא עֲבוּר שֶׁהָיָה בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּמַחֲלֹקֶת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה.And [this holds true] especially in the area of guarding one's tongue. For if he permits, G-d forbid, his soul to be in the category of speakers of lashon hara in this world, and, as a matter of course, does not prevent his ears, too, from always hearing lashon hara and rechiluth and accepting it, (also, so that he will have later what to talk about; for this is the trait of the talebearer, to go and hear in one place and sell this "merchandise" in another place, as a merchant with his wares [viz. Torath Cohanim and Rashi's commentary on Chumash]), then he will have damaged his faculties of speech and hearing, and will certainly be punished in his soul, correspondingly, in the world to come, in these two faculties themselves, speech and hearing. [This is the language of the GRA (R. Eliyahu of Vilna) on the verse (Mishlei 13:13): "He who neglects a thing will be hurt by it, and the fearer of a mitzvah — he will be complete." "For there are 248 organs in a man, and, corresponding to them, 248 positive commandments. And likewise, every thing derives its vital strength from the mitzvoth. And, therefore, anyone who neglects any matter of mitzvah hurts himself. For he is thereby deprived of the vital strength of that matter. But one who fears forsaking any mitzvah and seeks to fulfill every thing [(of mitzvah)] will be complete in all of his organs."] And we may also say that this is the intent of the verse (Devarim 32:5): "[In the transgressions that they have committed,] they have corrupted [themselves], not Him," [G-d forbid], as it is written [Iyyov 35:6]: "If you have sinned, what have you done to Him." The intent [of the verse in Devarim] is as he [the GRA] explains — that through their sins they become blemished in the end. [see Rashi on "banav mumam" ("His sons, their blemish")]. That is, if any mitzvah becomes expendable in his eyes, G-d forbid, then the organ corresponding to that mitzvah becomes blemished in the end, as we have written in the name of the GRA. For in the issur of speaking lashon hara and rechiluth that he speaks with his mouth he transgresses "You shall not go talebearing among your people," most of which [sin] inheres in the mouth. And in hearing lashon hara and accepting it, he infringes on the transgression of (Shemoth 23:1): "You shall not bear a false report." [viz. Sefer Charedim on the negative commandments dependent on the ears, and what I have copied of his words in Principle X of the Be'er Mayim Chayim.] And it is known that these [(speaking and hearing)] are the major faculties of the "form" of man and of his perfection, even in this world. (This is well known from the ruling of Chazal that a deaf-mute [cheresh], who does not hear and does not speak is [legally] comparable to a shoteh [one who is mentally deficient] and to a minor, in all matters. And, in Bava Kamma 85b: "If one rendered another a cheresh he pays him the [legal] worth of an entire man"; for from now on he is not [legally] worth anything.) How much more so is he (i.e., "the counterpart of mouth and ear") rendered defective (for sins by those organs)] in the world to come. And even if we say that he will not be lacking entirely in these faculties, (for did he not also employ them in his lifetime in words of Torah and holiness?) in any event, they will certainly be defective, for he damaged them while yet living and did not repent. And this is known to all who have understanding — that even in this world, if, G-d forbid, a man's faculty of speech and hearing is impaired, even if — with great effort — he can still speak and hear, this greatly grieves him in his lifetime, and he will be more greatly shamed by this lack than if he were affected, in his other organs; for these are man's prime faculties and he will also not be able to conceal their loss. How much more so, in the higher world — how much will his soul grieve there before the eyes of all! Even if no punishment were inflicted upon the man of lashon hara at all, but only his speech and hearing were impaired, how much shame would he suffer because of this! For there it is known and recognized by all that his speech and hearing impairment there is due to his being a man of lashon hara and strife in this world.

וְזֶה יָדוּעַ שֶׁהַמַּרְגִּיל עַצְמוֹ בְּעָוֹן זֶה בִּתְמִידוּת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, קָּשֶׁה לְהַמְצִיא לוֹ שׁוּם תְּרוּפָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד לָבוֹא הַכֹּל מִתְרַפְּאִין חוּץ מִבַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, אִם כֵּן יַגִּיעַ לוֹ לְנַפְשׁוֹ בֹּשֶת גָּדוֹל לָנֶצַח עַל יְדֵי זֶה, וְעַיֵּן לְקַמָּן פֶּרֶק ה' מַה שֶּׁהֶעְתַּקְנוּ מֵהַמִּדְרָשׁ: אָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן וּמַה מִּרְיָם וְכוּ' אוֹתָם הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁמְּכַוְּנִים לוֹמַר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל חַבְרֵיהֶן לַחְתֹּךְ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁיַּחְתֹּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת לְשׁוֹנָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים י"ב ד'): "יַכְרֵת ה' כָּל שִׂפְתֵי חֲלָקוֹת".And it is known that if one is addicted to this sin [of lashon hara, G-d forbid, it is very difficult to find any cure for him, as Chazal have said, that in the next world all are healed, except "a man of lashon hara." If so, his soul will suffer great shame eternally thereby [see the ed of Chapter V, on Miriam.]

Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, Introduction