The Prohibition of Lashon Hara

וְהַצָּר֜וּעַ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֣וֹ הַנֶּ֗גַע בְּגָדָ֞יו יִהְי֤וּ פְרֻמִים֙ וְרֹאשׁוֹ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה פָר֔וּעַ וְעַל־שָׂפָ֖ם יַעְטֶ֑ה וְטָמֵ֥א ׀ טָמֵ֖א יִקְרָֽא׃

As for the person with a leprous affection: their clothes shall be rent, their head shall be left bare, and their upper lip shall be covered over; and they shall call out, “Impure! Impure!”

מִֽי־הָ֭אִישׁ הֶחָפֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים אֹהֵ֥ב יָ֝מִ֗ים לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב׃ נְצֹ֣ר לְשׁוֹנְךָ֣ מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ מִדַּבֵּ֥ר מִרְמָֽה׃

מ Which of you are eager for life and desire years of good fortune? נ Guard your tongue from evil, your lips from deceitful speech.

לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃

Do not deal basely with members of your people. Do not profit by the blood of your fellow: I am GOD.

תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: כׇּל הַמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע מַגְדִּיל עֲוֹנוֹת כְּנֶגֶד שָׁלֹשׁ עֲבֵירוֹת, עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְגִילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. כְּתִיב הָכָא ״לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדוֹלוֹת״, וּכְתִיב בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה ״אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה״. בְּגִילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת כְּתִיב: ״וְאֵיךְ אֶעֱשֶׂה הָרָעָה הַגְּדֹלָה הַזֹּאת״, בִּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים כְּתִיב: ״גָּדוֹל עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשֹׂא״. בְּמַעְרְבָא אָמְרִי: לָשׁוֹן תְּלִיתַאי קָטֵיל תְּלִיתַאי, הוֹרֵג לַמְסַפְּרוֹ, וְלַמְקַבְּלוֹ, וְלָאוֹמְרִין עָלָיו.

The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Anyone who speaks malicious speech increases his sins to the degree that they correspond to the three cardinal transgressions: Idol worship, and forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. This can be derived from a verbal analogy based on the word “great.” It is written here: “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks great things” (Psalms 12:4). And it is written with regard to idol worship: “And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold” (Exodus 32:31). With regard to forbidden sexual relations it is written that when Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce Joseph he responded: “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God” (Genesis 39:9). With regard to bloodshed it is written, after Cain murdered his brother: “And Cain said to the Lord: My punishment is greater than I can bear” (Genesis 4:13). The Torah describes each of these three cardinal sins with the word “great” in the singular, whereas malicious speech is described with the plural term “great things,” indicating that it is equivalent to all three of the other transgressions together. In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say: Third speech, i.e., malicious speech about a third party, kills three people. It kills the one who speaks malicious speech, and the one who accepts the malicious speech when he hears it, and the one about whom the malicious speech is said.

אַבְטַלְיוֹן אוֹמֵר, חֲכָמִים, הִזָּהֲרוּ בְדִבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁמָּא תָחוּבוּ חוֹבַת גָּלוּת וְתִגְלוּ לִמְקוֹם מַיִם הָרָעִים, וְיִשְׁתּוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיכֶם וְיָמוּתוּ, וְנִמְצָא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְחַלֵּל:

Abtalion used to say: Sages be careful with your words, lest you incur the penalty of exile, and be carried off to a place of evil waters, and the disciples who follow you drink and die, and thus the name of heaven becomes profaned.

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הַמְסַפֵּר אַחֲרֵי הַמֵּת, כְּאִלּוּ מְסַפֵּר אַחֲרֵי הָאֶבֶן. אִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי דְּלָא יָדְעִי, וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי דְּיָדְעִי וְלָא אִיכְפַּת לְהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כׇּל הַמְסַפֵּר אַחַר מִטָּתָן שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים נוֹפֵל בְּגֵיהִנָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהַמַּטִּים עֲקַלְקַלּוֹתָם יוֹלִיכֵם ה׳ אֶת פּוֹעֲלֵי הָאָוֶן שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל״. אֲפִילּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁשָּׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, ״יוֹלִיכֵם ה׳ אֶת פּוֹעֲלֵי הָאָוֶן״.

On this subject, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who speaks negatively after the deceased it is as if he speaks after the stone. The Gemara offers two interpretations of this: Some say this is because the dead do not know, and some say that they know, but they do not care that they are spoken of in such a manner. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said similarly: One who speaks disparagingly after the biers of Torah scholars and maligns them after their death will fall in Gehenna, as it is stated: “But those who turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord will lead them away with the workers of iniquity; peace be upon Israel” (Psalms 125:5). Even if he speaks ill of them when there is peace upon Israel, after death, when they are no longer able to fight those denouncing them (Tosafot); nevertheless the Lord will lead them away with the workers of iniquity, to Gehenna.

הזהיר מהיות רכיל. והוא אמרו לא תלך רכיל בעמך, אמרו (ספרא) לא תהא רך בדברים לזה וקשה לזה. דבר אחר שלא תהא כרוכל שטוען דברים והולך, ובכלל לאו זה אזהרה מהוצאת שם רע. (קדושים תהיו, מדע הלכות דעות פ"ז):

He prohibited us from being a talebearer. And that is His saying, "Do not be a talebearer (rakhil) among your people" (Leviticus 19:16). They said (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 4:5), "You shall not be soft (rakh) with words to one and hard to the other. Another explanation: You shall not be like a merchant (rokhel), who bandies words and moves on." And included in this negative commandment is the prohibition of putting out a bad name. (See Parashat Kedoshim; Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 7.)

הַמְרַגֵּל בַּחֲבֵרוֹ עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט טז) "לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ". וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לוֹקִין עַל דָּבָר זֶה עָוֹן גָּדוֹל הוּא וְגוֹרֵם לַהֲרֹג נְפָשׁוֹת רַבּוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. לְכָךְ נִסְמָךְ לוֹ (ויקרא יט טז) "וְלֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ". צֵא וּלְמַד מָה אֵרַע לְדוֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי: אֵי זֶהוּ רָכִיל. זֶה שֶׁטּוֹעֵן דְּבָרִים וְהוֹלֵךְ מִזֶּה לָזֶה וְאוֹמֵר כָּךְ אָמַר פְּלוֹנִי כָּךְ וְכָךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי עַל פְּלוֹנִי. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא אֱמֶת הֲרֵי זֶה מַחֲרִיב אֶת הָעוֹלָם. יֵשׁ עָוֹן גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה עַד מְאֹד וְהוּא בִּכְלַל לָאו זֶה וְהוּא לָשׁוֹן הָרַע. וְהוּא הַמְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּת חֲבֵרוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאוֹמֵר אֱמֶת. אֲבָל הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁקֶר נִקְרָא מוֹצִיא שֵׁם רַע עַל חֲבֵרוֹ. אֲבָל בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרַע זֶה שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְאוֹמֵר כָּךְ וְכָךְ עָשָׂה פְּלוֹנִי וְכָךְ וְכָךְ הָיוּ אֲבוֹתָיו וְכָךְ וְכָךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי עָלָיו וְאָמַר דְּבָרִים שֶׁל גְּנַאי. עַל זֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהילים יב ד) "יַכְרֵת ה' כָּל שִׂפְתֵי חֲלָקוֹת לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדֹלוֹת": אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים שָׁלֹשׁ עֲבֵרוֹת נִפְרָעִין מִן הָאָדָם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְאֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. וְלָשׁוֹן הָרַע כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים כָּל הַמְסַפֵּר בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרַע כְּאִלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בָּעִקָּר. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים יב ה) "אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ לִלְשֹׁנֵנוּ נַגְבִּיר שְׂפָתֵינוּ אִתָּנוּ מִי אָדוֹן לָנוּ". וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים שְׁלֹשָׁה לָשׁוֹן הָרַע הוֹרֶגֶת. הָאוֹמְרוֹ. וְהַמְקַבְּלוֹ. וְזֶה שֶׁאוֹמֵר עָלָיו. וְהַמְקַבְּלוֹ יוֹתֵר מִן הָאוֹמְרוֹ:

A person who collects gossip about a colleague violates a prohibition as [Leviticus 19:16] states: "Do not go around gossiping among your people." Even though this transgression is not punished by lashes, it is a severe sin and can cause the death of many Jews. Therefore, [the warning]: "Do not stand still over your neighbor's blood" is placed next to it in the Torah [ibid.]. See what happened [because of] Doeg, the Edomite. Who is a gossiper? One who collects information and [then] goes from person to person, saying: "This is what so and so said;" "This is what I heard about so and so." Even if the statements are true, they bring about the destruction of the world. There is a much more serious sin than [gossip], which is also included in this prohibition: lashon horah, i.e., relating deprecating facts about a colleague, even if they are true. [Lashon horah does not refer to the invention of lies;] that is referred to as defamation of character. Rather, one who speaks lashon horah is someone who sits and relates: "This is what so and so has done;" "His parents were such and such;" "This is what I have heard about him," telling uncomplimentary things. Concerning this [transgression], the verse [Psalms 12:4] states: "May God cut off all guileful lips, the tongues which speak proud things..." Our Sages said: "There are three sins for which retribution is exacted from a person in this world and, [for which] he is [nonetheless,] denied a portion in the world to come: idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and murder. Lashon horah is equivalent to all of them." Our Sages also said: "Anyone who speaks lashon horah is like one who denies God as [implied by Psalms 12:5]: 'Those who said: With our tongues we will prevail; our lips are our own. Who is Lord over us?’” In addition, they said: "Lashon horah kills three [people], the one who speaks it, the one who listens to it, and the one about whom it is spoken. The one who listens to it [suffers] more than the one who speaks it.”

וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּרְצֶה לַעֲמֹד עַל בֵּרוּר מָה שֶׁזָּכַרְתִּי מֵרֹב חֲטָאֵי הַלָּשׁוֹן קַבֵּל עַל עַצְמְךָ לִזְכֹּר מָה שֶׁיֵּצֵא מִלְּשׁוֹנְךָ בְּיוֹמְךָ בְּהִתְחַבֶּרְךָ עִם בְּנֵי אָדָם וְהִתְעָרֶבְךָ בָּם וְאִם תּוּכַל לְכָתְבוֹ עֲשֵׂה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הַעֲבִירֵהוּ עַל לִבְּךָ וְהַעֲלֵהוּ בְּמַחְשַׁבְתְּךָ בְּעֵת שֶׁאַתָּה פָּנוּי מִן הָעֲסָקִים בַּלַּיְלָה וְתִרְאֶה מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ לְצֹרֶךְ וּמָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹתָר לֹא יוֹעִיל לְךָ וּמָה שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ מֵבִיא הַהֶזֵּק עָלֶיךָ כְּמוֹ הַכָּזָב וְהָרְכִילוּת וְהַשְּׁבוּעוֹת וְלָשׁוֹן הָרַע וְאָז יִתְבָּרֵר לְךָ חֶסְרוֹנְךָ וְתִרְאֶה בּוֹ מְעֻוָּתְךָ, וְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל אַחַ״כּ לֶאֱטֹם אָזְנֶיךָ מִשָּׁמְעֲךָ מָה שֶׁאֵינְךָ צָרִיךְ לוֹ וּפְרֹשׂ מִמּוֹתְרֵי הַשֵּׁמַע כְּפִי יְכָלְתְּךָ וְאַל תַּאֲזִין לִשְׁמֹעַ מָה שֶׁלֹּא יוֹעִילְךָ שָׁמְעוֹ מִמּוֹתְרֵי הַדְּבָרִים וְהַכָּזָב וְהָרְכִילוּת ולה״ר וּפְרֹשׂ מִמָּה שֶׁיְּבִיאֲךָ לְהַמְרוֹת הָאֱלֹהִים וְלַעֲזֹב מִצְוֹתָיו מִמִּינֵי הַזֶּמֶר וְהַנִּגּוּן וְהַשְּׂחוֹק וְהָרִנָּה הַטּוֹרְדִים אוֹתְךָ מִן הַמִּצְוֹת וְהַמַּעֲשִׂים הַטּוֹבִים אֲבָל הַט אָזְנְךָ אֶל דִּבְרֵי הַחֲכָמִים הַיּוֹדְעִים אֶת ה׳ וְאֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הֶחָכָם (משלי כב) הַט אָזְנְךָ וּשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים וְאָמַר (שם טו) אֹזֶן שֹׁמַעַת תּוֹכַחַת חַיִּים.

Because He who watches your thoughts will help you to fulfill your desire in regard to His service, as our Sages said: "He who fulfills the torah from poverty will eventually fulfill it from wealth, and he who neglects the torah from wealth will eventually neglect it from poverty" (Avot 4:9). Afterwards, at night, when you are free from your matters, go over it and reflect on it.

אֲבָל הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁקֶר נִקְרָא ״מוֹצִיא שֵׁם רַע״. בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע זֶה שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְאוֹמֵר: ״כָּךְ וְכָךְ עָשָׂה פְּלוֹנִי, כָּךְ וְכָךְ הָיוּ אֲבוֹתָיו, כָּךְ וְכָךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי עָלָיו״, וְאוֹמֵר דְּבָרִים שֶׁל גְּנַאי. עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (תהלים יב ד): וּבְוַדַּאי הָרָגִיל בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרַע פּוֹרֵק עֹל שָׁמַיִם מֵעָלָיו, כִּי הוּא חוֹטֵא בְּלִי הֲנָאָה. וְהוּא רַע יוֹתֵר מִגַּנָּב וְנוֹאֵף, שֶׁהֵם רוֹדְפִים אַחַר הֲנָאָתָם, וְאֵין פְּרִיקַת עֹל כְּמוֹ לָשׁוֹן הָרַע (שוחר טוב קכ). וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁשְּׁקוּלָה לָשׁוֹן הָרַע כְּנֶגֶד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, וּשְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים. וְדָבָר זֶה תֵּמַהּ מְאוֹד, שֶׁשְּׁקוּלָה לָשׁוֹן הָרַע כְּנֶגֶד אֵלּוּ הָעֲבֵרוֹת, וְעַל כָּל אַחַת מֵהֶן יֵהָרֵג וְאַל יַעֲבֹר (סנהדרין עד א). וְאָמְרוּ:

The term "gossip" applies to anyone who tells anything that defames his companion, even though he speaks the truth, while one who speaks falsehood is called "one who brings forth an evil repute." A gossip who sits and says, "Thus and thus did so and so do? and thus and thus were his ancestors, and thus and thus did I hear concerning him," and he says shameful things — of him the Scriptures say "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things" (Ps. 12:4). Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said, "If one speaks gossip, it is as though he denied God" (Arakin 15b, and see T.P. And therefore our Sages considered him as though he denied God, for he does a great evil to his companion, by making him odious in the eyes of the people and causing him other losses, though he himself derives no profit out of this. There is no doubt that one who makes a habit of speaking gossip has thrown off the yoke of Heaven from upon him, for he sins without any benefit to himself, and he is worse than a thief or an adulterer, for they pursue after their pleasure (Shohar Tov, 120:3). And there is no throwing off the yoke of Heaven as bad as when one deals in gossip. Our Sages further said, "The sin of gossip is weighed equally with the sin of idolatry and sexual immorality and bloodshed" (Arakin 15b).

יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ. תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת. אִם כֵּן רָאוּי שֶׁתִּמְצָאֶנָּה בוֹ י"ג מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ.

Therefore it is fitting that he should [make his actions] resemble the actions of the Crown (Keter), which are the thirteen highest traits of mercy. And they are hinted to in the secret of the verses (Michah 7:18-20), "Who is a power like You; He will again have mercy on us; You shall give truth." If so, it is fitting that these thirteen traits [also] be found in man.

כִּי מִקְרָא מָלֵא שֶׁהֱבִיאוּהוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לִרְאָיָתָם (ישעיה ט): עַל כֵּן עַל בַּחוּרָיו לֹא יִשְׂמַח ה' וְגוֹ' כִּי כֻלּוֹ חָנֵף וּמֵרַע וְכָל פֶּה דֹּבֵר נְבָלָה, הִנֵּה לֹא הִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב הַזֶּה לֹא עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְלֹא גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וְלֹא שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, אֶלָּא חֲנֻפָּה וְלָשׁוֹן הָרַע וְנִבּוּל פֶּה, כֻּלָּם מֵחַטֹּאת הַפֶּה בְּדִבּוּר וַעֲלֵיהֶם יָצְאָה הַגְּזֵרָה, עַל בַּחוּרָיו לֹא יִשְׂמַח ה' וְאֶת יְתֹמָיו וְאֶת אַלְמְנֹתָיו לֹא יְרַחֵם. אֶלָּא הָאֱמֶת הוּא כְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁנִּבּוּל פֶּה הוּא עֶרְוָתוֹ שֶׁל הַדִּבּוּר מַמָּשׁ, וּמִשּׁוּם זְנוּת הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱסַר כְּכָל שְׁאָר עִנְיְנֵי הַזְּנוּת, חוּץ מִגּוּפוֹ שֶׁל מַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם כָּרֵת אוֹ מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין, אֲסוּרִים הֵם אִסּוּר עַצְמָם מִלְּבַד הֱיוֹתָם גַּם כֵּן גּוֹרְמִים וּמְבִיאִים אֶל הָאִסּוּר הָרָאשִׁיִּי עַצְמוֹ. וּכְעִנְיָן הַנָּזִיר שֶׁזָּכְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁהֵבֵאנוּ לְמַעְלָה. בְּעִנְיַן הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, כְּבָר אָמְרוּ בִּתְחִלַּת הַבָּרַיְתָא שֶׁלָּנוּ (ע"ז כ): וְנִשְׁמַרְתָּ מִכֹּל דָּבָר רָע, שֶׁלֹּא יְהַרְהֵר אָדָם בַּיּוֹם וְכוּ', וְאָמְרוּ עוֹד (יומא כט): הִרְהוּרֵי עֲבֵרָה קָשִׁים מֵעֲבֵרָה, וּמִקְרָא מָלֵא הוּא (משלי טו): תּוֹעֲבַת ה' מַחְשְׁבוֹת רָע. וְהִנֵּה דִּבַּרְנוּ מִשְּׁנֵי גּוּפֵי עֲבֵרוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם קְרוֹבִים לִכָּשֵׁל בְּעַנְפֵיהֶם מִפְּנֵי רֻבָּם שֶׁל הָעֲנָפִים וְרֹב נְטִיַּת לִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בְּתַאֲוָתוֹ אֲלֵיהֶם.

SLANDER AND EVIL SPEECH: Tale-bearing and slander - it's severity is already known, as are its great branches for they are exceedingly numerous. Their extent are such that our Sages of blessed memory said, as I quoted earlier, "all stumble in the dust of slander" (Bava Basra 165a). They taught (Erchin 15b): "What is [the dust of] slander? [Answer:] For instance to say 'where else should there be fire if not in the house of so-and-so?' (implying that there is always meat and fish there)". Or to praise a person before one who hates him. Likewise for all similar cases, even though they may appear like insignificant words, far removed from tale-bearing, behold, in truth, they are of the "dust" of slander. The general principle is that the evil inclination has many ways. But any words which could potentially lead to damage or shame to one's fellow whether the words are uttered in his presence or not is included in the sin of evil speech, which is hated and despised before G-d, and which the sages said "whoever speaks evil speech is as if he denied G-d" (Erchin 15b) and scripture says: "He who slanders his neighbor in secret, I will cut him down" (Tehilim 101:5).

אָכֵן לְפִי דִּבְרֵי חֲזַ"ל בְּמַסֶּכֶת עֲרָכִין (ט"ו. וְהַטַּעַם לָזֶה נִרְאֶה בִּפְשִׁיטוּת, דִּכְמוֹ שֶׁבְּעִנְיְנֵי הַיְסוֹדוֹת שֶׁהִטְבִּיעַ ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם, דְּהַיְנוּ, אֵשׁ, רוּחַ, מַיִם, עָפָר, הַיְסוֹד הָרוּחָנִי הוּא הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר חָזָק מֵהַיְסוֹד הַגַּשְׁמִי, עַד שֶׁכִּמְעַט אֵין נֶחְשָׁב אֶצְלוֹ הַגַּשְׁמִי לִמְאוּמָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִין בְּחוּשׁ שֶׁבְּהִתְגַּבֵּר הָאֵשׁ עַל דָּבָר הַגַּשְׁמִי מְכַלֵּהוּ וְכֵן הַדָּבָר לְהֶפְכוֹ בְּעִנְיַן קִלְקוּל, כִּי בְּכָל הָאֵיבָרִים שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה בָּהֶן עֲוֹנוֹת, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהֵן גַּשְׁמִיִּים, אֵין קִלְקוּלוֹ לְמַעְלָה גָּדוֹל כָּל כָּךְ, לֹא כֵן בַּעֲוֹן לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת, שֶׁפּוֹעֵל פְּעֻלָּתוֹ עַל יְדֵי כֹּחַ רוּחָנִי בִּלְבַד, קִלְקוּלוֹ לְמַעְלָה בָּעוֹלָמוֹת ה

There is one spirit that stands over all those who speak evil, and when people are awakened to speak slander, or one person who is awakened to speak with slander, then the same impure evil spirit above, called Saksocha [סַכְסוּכָא], awakens, and it connects with that awakening of evil speech, which humans started with, and it goes up and causes in it the awakening of slander death and sword and killing in the world. Woe to those who stir up the evil side, and do not guard their mouths and tongues and do not fear it and do not know that the awakening below depends on the awakening above, whether for good or for bad, etc., and all of them conspire to stir up that great serpent, who will conjure up the world, and all for the sake of the same awakening of slander, when its awakening is found below.