Lashon Hara

Lashon hara (לשון הרע) literally means “evil tongue” or “evil speech.” In Jewish ethics it means saying something negative or damaging about another person, even when it’s true. (Saying something negative and false has its own, harsher name.)

What counts

• Complaining about a friend to another friend.
• The eye-roll story about your coworker.
• “I’m just being honest” commentary about someone who isn’t there.
• Listening to it, and encouraging it, counts too.

The classic guide to the subject is the Chafetz Chaim (1873), which is still studied today.

Why Kabbalah cares so much

Words are treated as acts. Every negative word about someone else trains your attention on lack and on judgment, which is the opposite of a vessel that can receive. People who are serious about manifesting often find that cleaning up their speech changes more than any affirmation did.

A simple practice

For one day, before you speak about someone who isn’t present, ask: Would I say this if they were standing here, and would it help them? If not, Pause.