Dear Chevre (Friends):
The assassination attempt against Jewish Representative Gabrielle Giffords (and the murder of six bystanders) suggests that the incendiary rhetoric of the increasingly supercharged American political climate may have finally spilled over into violence. Of course, the most outspoken right-wing commentators vehemently deny any connection between their speech and Jared Loughner’s alleged actions. For example, in defense of her 2010 campaign slogan: “don’t retreat, instead RELOAD,” accompanied by a map depicting Representative Giffords in the crosshairs of a rifle, Sarah Palin wrote to Glenn Beck: “politicos just capitalize on this to succeed in portraying anyone as inciting terror and violence.” (sic)
Jewish tradition ranks lashon hara, literally “an evil tongue,” among the most serious offenses, equivalent to murder. Maimonides writes: “bearing tales is a severe sin and causes death… Who is a talebearer? One who collects information and then goes from person to person, saying: ‘this is what so-and-so said,’ ‘this is what so-and-so did.’ Even if the statements are true, they bring about the destruction of the world.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De’ot 7:1-2) Maimonides bases the equivalence between slander and murder on the juxtaposition of two key commandments in the Holiness Code: “do not go about as a talebearer, and do not stand still over the blood of your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:16)–that is to say, if you tell tales, then you will be responsible for the blood of your neighbor.
Strikingly, even if aspersions are true, they are nevertheless venomous and wicked. Maimonides cites the Biblical character of Doeg as an example of the virulence of even non-calumnious speech. What did Doeg say? Within earshot of King Saul, Doeg mentioned that the priests of Nob had sheltered King David—which was true. The problem was, Saul was already violently predisposed toward David. Doeg’s statement was enough to send Saul over the edge into a frenzied rage. Saul ordered the slaughter of the entire village of Nob, including women and children, in revenge for the priests’ kindness toward David. (I Samuel 22) Maimonides’s example cautions us against the awesomely damaging potential of what we say. As soon as words leave of our mouths, we can no longer control where they might go or how they might incite others. (A Chassidic tale compares lashon hara to a down pillow that has been torn open. Containing the effects of utterances, once they are unleashed, is as futile as gathering up feathers, once they are scattered to the winds.)
Do you remember the old childhood ditty: “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me?” The ditty is false. Names do break bones. And words kill.
rabbi.brian.besser@gmail.com
