First of all, the episode of the serpent, who spoke lashon hara of the Holy One Blessed be He and thereby brought death to the world. And (Bereshith 29:20): "If G-d will be with me and guard me," concerning which Chazal have said: "if He will guard me against lashon hara." And the episode of Joseph (Ibid. 37:2): "And Joseph brought their evil talk to their father," this being the catalyst of the descent of the Jews to Egypt. And (Shemoth 2:14): "In truth, the thing has become known" (see Rashi there and what we shall write below). There, too, (4:1) Moses our teacher, may peace be upon him, says: "But they will not believe me," and the Blessed L-rd counters (Ibid. 2): "What is this in your hand?" … (3) …and it became a serpent." Also there (6): "And, behold, his hand was leprous as snow." And (Ibid. 17:2): "And the people quarreled with Moses… (7) …over the quarrel of the children of Israel, etc." followed by (8): "And Amalek came and warred with Israel, etc." And (Ibid. 23:1): "You shall not bear a false report, which applies to both the speaker and the receiver [of lashon hara] (as we find in Makkoth 23a), followed by (2): "Do not be after many to do evil." And, in reference to the me'il [the outer robe of the ephod] (Ibid. 28:32): "A border shall there be to its mouth roundabout," and the entire section. And (35): "And its sound will be heard when he comes to the sanctuary, etc." And the entire section of Tazria and Metzora: the plague-spots of houses, the plague-spots of clothing, the plague-spots of men, (Vayikra 13:46): "Solitary shall he sit"— even outside of the camp of Israel. And his atonement— "chirping" birds. And (Ibid. 19:16): "Do not go talebearing among your people," (Ibid. 17): "Reprove, shall you reprove your neighbor, but you shall not bear sin because of him." And (Ibid. 25:17): "You shall not wrong, one man, his fellow," which relates to verbal wronging, which is also in the category of evil speech. And (Bamidbar 5:1): "And they shall send out of the camp every leper"— even if he were as great in Torah as Doeg. And (Ibid. 12:1): "And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, etc." And the entire section of Shelach Lecha, which speaks about the spies. And (Ibid. 21:5): "And the people spoke against G-d and against Moses." And (Devarim 23:10): "When you go out as a camp against your foes, guard yourself against every evil thing [davar ra]," concerning which Chazal have said: "davar ra" may be read as "dibbur ra" [evil speech]. And in Tetze, the "giving out of an evil name [motzi shem ra]," and (Ibid. 24:9): "Remember what the L-rd your G-d did to Miriam, etc." And (Ibid. 27:24): "Cursed be he who smites his friend in secret," which refers to lashon hara. And it is known that all of the "cursings" were preceded by blessings; and they opened with blessing, saying: "Blessed is he who does not smite"— whence we derive that one who is heedful in this is blessed.
Chazal have said (Sanhedrin 26b) that the Holy One Blessed be He said to Doeg, the wicked one: "When you reach the section concerning the speakers of lashon hara, what do you expound?" The meaning is: When a man commits a transgression, by nature he is ashamed and aggrieved to come upon the relevant section in the Torah. Because of this Eliyahu Rabbah writes (end of 138): "One who is blind or lame should not be called to the Torah for the section [that discusses these defects]. Similarly, one who is suspect of illicit relations should not be called for that section, or the like." If so, in our instance, we have demonstrated above that a great portion of the Torah speaks of these things [(lashon hara)] and a man who broadens his lips and abandons his speech in whichever direction his yetzer desires, will certainly in the course of his life transgress each thing many tens of times, and how his soul will storm when they show him in time to come that in the few days of his life he has transgressed many tens of sections in the Torah. It is known what Chazal (Chagigah 5b) have said on the verse (Amos 4:13): "For He that forms the mountains and creates the winds and tells a man what his speech is"— "even a man's lightest converse is related to him at the time of his judgment." How much more so will he be reproved for these grave forbidden matters [of lashon hara] and have them laid before his eyes, as it is written in Psalms 50:20: "You sit and speak against your brother. Against your mother's son you utter slander …but I will reprove you and set it in order before your eyes." And it is known what the GRA has written, that for every utterance of forbidden speech (such as lashon hara and rechiluth and the like) one must descend to the very depths of Sheol, and it is impossible to visualize the throes and afflictions one suffers for one such utterance.
And even in the end, when he is cleansed of his sins through the multitude of afflictions that he suffers, and merits because of his mitzvoth taking his portion in Gan Eden, how will he be shamed there forever when he comes to these sections (for every soul in Israel will merit there to bask in the light of the Torah that he learned in his lifetime), and like a mute will not open his mouth in them [(the words of Torah)], and this, not for a year or two; but for thousands upon thousands of years. Whenever he comes to these sections he will moan for his soul— how could he have allowed himself to abandon such a great portion of this holy, awesome Torah scroll! For there he will see for himself how all the holy angels sweat and tremble at the word of the L-rd, and he, a small, lowly, dark creature contemptuously ignored the words of the L-rd hundreds and thousands of times in his lifetime! Happy is the man who reflects upon these things when he is still in this world! How happy and blessed will he be in this world and the next!
It is known what is written in Sefer Chasidim, that a mitzvah that has no "patrons" is like a meth mitzvah (see Part One, Conclusion, Chapter III). And that mitzvah accuses and laments: "How unfortunate I am, that all have forgotten me!" And this applies to even an isolated mitzvah; how much more so, (as we have demonstrated to the reader) to one that occupies a great portion of the Torah, that deals with exercising care with the faculty of speech. And it is understood, then, that when men are not careful of this, but unleash their tongues as they desire, a great part of the Torah lies in shame. How great is the reward of those who are heedful of this, not to transgress in this area. He honors these mitzvoth, and about him Scripture has written (I Samuel 2:30): "For those who honor Me, I shall honor."
[And see, now my brother, that according to the epitomization of Chazal (Bava Bathra 165a), that all [men stumble] in lashon hara, there is no issur in the world that is as "abandoned" as that of lashon hara. For in theft, only the majority stumble; but in lashon hara, all! And even though they have said that this applies only to the "dust" of lashon hara and not to lashon hara itself, Rambam of blessed memory has already written: "Would that we guarded ourselves from the issur itself!" If so, there is no other mitzvah that has been abandoned to this extent. And one who strengthens himself in it, in truth, accords honor to the mitzvah, and it will ascribe merit to him above for doing so.]
And it is known that Chazal have said that one who fulfills a mitzvah, though we have been commanded to do so by the Blessed L-rd, is regarded by the Holy One Blessed be He as if he himself had originated it. And this is so with even an isolated mitzvah; how much more so with one which occupies such a great portion of the Torah. If one strengthens himself to fulfill them [(all the aspects of this mitzvah)], it will be accounted to him in time to come as if he himself had conceived of all these holy things that are written in these sections. How much greatness and honor he will be accorded in time to come because of this! And how much will his heart rejoice in this! In this man there will be fulfilled (Psalms 105:3): "The heart of the seekers of the L-rd will rejoice!"
בּוֹ יְבֹאֲרוּ כַּמָּה פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה הַמְדַבְּרוֹת בָּזֶה.
In this chapter there will be explained several of the sections of the Torah which speak of this [(lashon hara)].
רִאְשׁוֹן לַכֹּל, מַעֲשֵׂה דְּנָחָשׁ, שֶׁסִּפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּבָזֶה גָּרַם מִיתָה לְכָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם. וּבְפָרָשַׁת וַיֵּצֵא (בראשית כ"ח כ'): "אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹקִים עִמָּדִי וּשְׁמָרַנִי" וְגוֹ'. וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: "וּשְׁמָרַנִי" מִלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע. וּבְפָרָשַׁת וַיֵּשֶׁב, בְּמַעֲשֵׂה דְּיוֹסֵף, שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית ל"ז ב'): "וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל אֲבִיהֶם", שֶׁזּוֹ הָיְתָה הַסִּבָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לִירִידַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְרַיִם. וּבְפָרָשַׁת שְׁמוֹת (שמות ב' י"ד): "אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר" (עַיֵּן שָׁם בְּפֵרוּשׁ רַשִּׁ"י וּבְמַה שֶּׁנִּכְתֹּב לְקַמָּן). עוֹד שָׁם, שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶה רַבֵּנוּ, עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם (שמות ד' א'): "וְהֵן לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ לִי", שֶׁהֵשִׁיב לוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ (שָׁם ב'): "מַה זֶּה בְּיָדֶךָ" וְגוֹ', וַיְהִי לְנָחָשׁ. עוֹד שָׁם (שם ו'): "וְהִנֵּה יָדוֹ מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג". וּבְפָרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ (שמות י"ז ב'): "וַיָּרֶב הָעָם עִם מֹשֶה וְגוֹ' עַל רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" וְגוֹ', וְסָמִיךְ לֵהּ (שם ח'): "וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק". וּבְפָרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים (שמות כ"ג א'): "לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא", שֶׁהוּא קָאֵי עַל הַמְסַפֵּר וְעַל הַמְקַבֵּל כִּדְאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (מכות כ"ג.), וְסָמִיךְ (שָׁם ב'): "לֹא תִהְיֶה אַחֲרֵי רַבִּים לְרָעֹת". וּבְפָרָשַׁת תְּצַוֶּה: עִנְיַן הַמְּעִיל (שמות כ"ח ל"ב): "שָׂפָה יִהְיֶה לְפִיו סָבִיב" וְכָל הַפָּרָשָׁה (שם ל"ה) "וְנִשְׁמַע קוֹלּוֹ בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ" וְגוֹ'. וְכָל פָּרָשַׁת תַּזְרִיעַ וּמְצֹרָע: נִגְעֵי בָּתִּים, נִגְעֵי בְּגָדִים, נִגְעֵי אָדָם (ויקרא י"ג מ"ו): "בָּדָד יֵשֵׁב", מְרֻחָק אַף מִמַּחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכַפָּרָתוֹ צִפֳּרִים הַמְפַטְפְּטִין. וּבְפָרָשַׁת קְדֹשִים (ויקרא י"ט ט"ז): "לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּךָ", (שָׁם י"ז) "הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ אֶת עֲמִיתֶךָ, וְלֹא תִשָּׂא עָלָיו חֵטְא". וּבְפָרָשַׁת בְּהַר (ויקרא כ"ה י"ז): "וְלֹא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת עֲמִיתוֹ", שֶׁזֶּה קָאֵי עַל אוֹנָאַת דְּבָרִים, שֶׁהוּא גַּם כֵּן דִּבּוּר רַע. וּבְפָרָשַׁת נָשֹא (במדבר ה' ב'): "וִישַׁלְּחוּ מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה כָּל צָרוּעַ", הַיְנוּ, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה כְּדוֹאֵג. וּבְפָרָשַׁת בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ (במדבר י"ב א'): "וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמֹשֶה" וְגוֹ'. וְכָל פָּרָשַׁת שְׁלַח לְךָ, הַמְדַבֶּרֶת מֵעִנְיַן הַמְרַגְּלִים. וּבְפָרָשַׁת חֻקַּת (במדבר כ"א ה'): "וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם בֵּאלֹקִים וּבְמֹשֶה". וּבְפָרָשַׁת כִּי תֵצֵא (דברים כ"ג י'): "כִּי תֵצֵא מַחֲנֶה עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ וְנִשְׁמַרְתָּ מִכֹּל דָּבָר רָע". וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: דָּבָר רָע דִּבּוּר רָע. וּבְפָרָשַׁת תֵצֵא, פָּרָשָׁה שֶׁל מוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע, עוֹד פָּסוּק (דברים כ"ד ט'): "זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ לְמִרְיָם" וְגוֹ'. וּבְפָרָשַׁת תָבֹא (דברים כ"ז כ"ד): "אָרוּר מַכֶּה רֵעֵהוּ בַּסָּתֶר", שֶׁהוּא קָאֵי עַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע. וְיָדוּעַ, שֶׁכָּל הָאֲרוּרִים פָּתְחוּ בִּבְרָכָה וְאָמְרוּ: "בָּרוּךְ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַכֶּה" וְגוֹ' הֲרֵי שֶׁהַזָּהִיר בָּזֶה, תִּהְיֶה לוֹ בְּרָכָה.
First of all, the episode of the serpent, who spoke lashon hara of the Holy One Blessed be He and thereby brought death to the world. And (Bereshith 29:20): "If G-d will be with me and guard me," concerning which Chazal have said: "if He will guard me against lashon hara." And the episode of Joseph (Ibid. 37:2): "And Joseph brought their evil talk to their father," this being the catalyst of the descent of the Jews to Egypt. And (Shemoth 2:14): "In truth, the thing has become known" (see Rashi there and what we shall write below). There, too, (4:1) Moses our teacher, may peace be upon him, says: "But they will not believe me," and the Blessed L-rd counters (Ibid. 2): "What is this in your hand?" … (3) …and it became a serpent." Also there (6): "And, behold, his hand was leprous as snow." And (Ibid. 17:2): "And the people quarreled with Moses… (7) …over the quarrel of the children of Israel, etc." followed by (8): "And Amalek came and warred with Israel, etc." And (Ibid. 23:1): "You shall not bear a false report, which applies to both the speaker and the receiver [of lashon hara] (as we find in Makkoth 23a), followed by (2): "Do not be after many to do evil." And, in reference to the me'il [the outer robe of the ephod] (Ibid. 28:32): "A border shall there be to its mouth roundabout," and the entire section. And (35): "And its sound will be heard when he comes to the sanctuary, etc." And the entire section of Tazria and Metzora: the plague-spots of houses, the plague-spots of clothing, the plague-spots of men, (Vayikra 13:46): "Solitary shall he sit"— even outside of the camp of Israel. And his atonement— "chirping" birds. And (Ibid. 19:16): "Do not go talebearing among your people," (Ibid. 17): "Reprove, shall you reprove your neighbor, but you shall not bear sin because of him." And (Ibid. 25:17): "You shall not wrong, one man, his fellow," which relates to verbal wronging, which is also in the category of evil speech. And (Bamidbar 5:1): "And they shall send out of the camp every leper"— even if he were as great in Torah as Doeg. And (Ibid. 12:1): "And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, etc." And the entire section of Shelach Lecha, which speaks about the spies. And (Ibid. 21:5): "And the people spoke against G-d and against Moses." And (Devarim 23:10): "When you go out as a camp against your foes, guard yourself against every evil thing [davar ra]," concerning which Chazal have said: "davar ra" may be read as "dibbur ra" [evil speech]. And in Tetze, the "giving out of an evil name [motzi shem ra]," and (Ibid. 24:9): "Remember what the L-rd your G-d did to Miriam, etc." And (Ibid. 27:24): "Cursed be he who smites his friend in secret," which refers to lashon hara. And it is known that all of the "cursings" were preceded by blessings; and they opened with blessing, saying: "Blessed is he who does not smite"— whence we derive that one who is heedful in this is blessed.
הִנֵּה אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (סנהדרין כ"ו:), שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְדוֹאֵג הָרָשָׁע, כְּשֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לְפָרָשִׁיּוֹת מְסַפְּרֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע מָה אַתָּה דּוֹרֵשׁ בָּהֶן? וּבֵאוּרוֹ, שֶׁאָדָם כְּשֶׁעוֹבֵר עֲבֵרָה, בַּטֶּבַע הוּא מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ וּמֵצֵר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא מַגִּיעַ בְּעִנְיָן זֶּה בַּתּוֹרָה, וּמִפְּנֵי זֶּה כָּתַב הָאֵלִיָּהוּ רַבָּה בְּסוֹף סִימָן קל"ח: מִי שֶׁהוּא עִוֵּר אוֹ פִּסֵּחַ, אֵין לִקרוֹתוֹ לַתּוֹרָה בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְבַּיֵּשׁ, וְכֵן מִי שֶׁנֶּחְשָׁד עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת, אֵין לִקרוֹתוֹ בְּפָרָשַׁת עֲרָיוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. וְאִם כֵּן נִרְאֶה לְעִנְיָנֵנוּ, הֲרֵי בֵּרַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁחֵלֶק גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה מְדַבֵּר מֵעִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ, וְאָדָם, שֶׁהוּא מַרְחִיב שְׂפָתוֹ וּמַפְקַיר אֶת דִּבּוּרוֹ לְכָל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ יִצְרוֹ, בְּוַדַּאי בְּמֶשֶׁךְ יְמֵי חַיָּיו יַעֲבֹר עַל כָּל דָּבָר כַּמָּה עַשְׂרוֹת פְּעָמִים, וְכַמָּה תִּסְתַּעֵר נַפְשׁוֹ, כְּשֶׁיַּרְאוּהוּ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁבִּמְעַט יְמֵי חַיָּיו עָבַר עַל כַּמָּה עַשְׂרוֹת פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה. וְיָדוּעַ מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (חגיגה ה:) עַל הַפָּסוּק (עמוס ד' י"ג): "כִּי הִנֵּה יוֹצֵר הָרִים וּבֹרֵא רוּחַ וּמַגִּיד לְאָדָם מַה שֵּׂחוֹ" שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ שִׂיחָה קַלָּה מַגִּידִין לוֹ לָאָדָם בִּשְׁעַת הַדִּין, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דִּבּוּרִים אֲסוּרִים הַחֲמוּרִים הָאֵלּוּ, בְּוַדַּאי יוֹכִיחוּהוּ וְיַעַרְכוּהוּ לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהילים נ' כ'): "תֵּשֵׁב בְּאָחִיךָ תְדַבֵּר, בְּבֶן אִמְּךָ תִּתֶּן דֹּפִי וְגוֹ' אוֹכִיחֲךָ וְאֶעֶרְכָה לְעֵינֶיךָ". וְיָדוּעַ מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב הַגְּרָ"א, שֶׁעַל כָּל דִּבּוּר הָאָסוּר (כְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת וּכְהַאי גַּוְנָא) צָרִיךְ לֵירֵד לַשְּׁאוֹל לְמַטָּה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁעֵר גֹּדֶל הַיִּסּוּרִין וְהַצָּרוֹת שֶׁסּוֹבֵל בִּשְׁבִיל דִּבּוּר אֶחָד.
Chazal have said (Sanhedrin 26b) that the Holy One Blessed be He said to Doeg, the wicked one: "When you reach the section concerning the speakers of lashon hara, what do you expound?" The meaning is: When a man commits a transgression, by nature he is ashamed and aggrieved to come upon the relevant section in the Torah. Because of this Eliyahu Rabbah writes (end of 138): "One who is blind or lame should not be called to the Torah for the section [that discusses these defects]. Similarly, one who is suspect of illicit relations should not be called for that section, or the like." If so, in our instance, we have demonstrated above that a great portion of the Torah speaks of these things [(lashon hara)] and a man who broadens his lips and abandons his speech in whichever direction his yetzer desires, will certainly in the course of his life transgress each thing many tens of times, and how his soul will storm when they show him in time to come that in the few days of his life he has transgressed many tens of sections in the Torah. It is known what Chazal (Chagigah 5b) have said on the verse (Amos 4:13): "For He that forms the mountains and creates the winds and tells a man what his speech is"— "even a man's lightest converse is related to him at the time of his judgment." How much more so will he be reproved for these grave forbidden matters [of lashon hara] and have them laid before his eyes, as it is written in Psalms 50:20: "You sit and speak against your brother. Against your mother's son you utter slander …but I will reprove you and set it in order before your eyes." And it is known what the GRA has written, that for every utterance of forbidden speech (such as lashon hara and rechiluth and the like) one must descend to the very depths of Sheol, and it is impossible to visualize the throes and afflictions one suffers for one such utterance.
וְהִנֵּה אֲפִלּוּ לְבַסּוֹף, כְּשֶׁיִּנָּקֶה מֵעֲוֹנוֹתָיו עַל יְדֵי רֹב הַיִּסּוּרִים שֶׁיִּסְבֹּל, וְיִזְכֶּה בִּשְׁבִיל מִצְוֹתָיו לִטֹּל חֶלְקוֹ בְּגַן עֵדֶן, כַּמָּה יִתְבַּיֵּשׁ שָׁם לָנֶצַח, כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְפָרָשִׁיּוֹת אֵלּוּ (כִּי כָּל נֶפֶשׁ וְנֶפֶשׁ שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל זוֹכָה שָׁם לֵהָנוֹת מֵאוֹר הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁלָּמַד בִּימֵי חַיָּיו) וּכְאִלֵּם לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו יִהְיֶה בָּהֶם, וְזֶהוּ לֹא לְשָׁנָה וְלֹא לִשְׁתַּיִם, כִּי אִם לְאַלְפֵי אֲלָפִים שָׁנִים. בְּכָל אֵימַת שֶׁיָּבוֹא לְפָרָשִׁיּוֹת אֵלּוּ, יִנְהַם עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, אֵיךְ פָּעַל בְּעַצְמוֹ לְהַפְקִיר חֵלֶק גָּדוֹל מִסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה קְדוֹשָׁה וְנוֹרָאָה כָּזוֹ, כִּי שָׁם יִרְאֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ, אֵיךְ כָּל הַמַּלְאָכִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים זָעִים וְחָלִיםִ מִמַּאֲמַר ה', וְהוּא בְּרִיָּה קְטַנָּה, שְׁפָלָה וַאֲפֵלָה, הִפְקִיר בִּשְׁאָט נֶפֶשׁ אֶת דִּבְרֵי ה' לְמֵאוֹת וַאֲלָפִים פְּעָמִים בִּימֵי חַיָּיו. אַשְׁרֵי לְאָדָם, שֶׁמִּתְבּוֹנֵן בְּכָל זֶה בְּעוֹדוֹ בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם, וְאָז אַשְׁרֵי וְטוֹב לוֹ בָּזֶה וּבַבָּא.
And even in the end, when he is cleansed of his sins through the multitude of afflictions that he suffers, and merits because of his mitzvoth taking his portion in Gan Eden, how will he be shamed there forever when he comes to these sections (for every soul in Israel will merit there to bask in the light of the Torah that he learned in his lifetime), and like a mute will not open his mouth in them [(the words of Torah)], and this, not for a year or two; but for thousands upon thousands of years. Whenever he comes to these sections he will moan for his soul— how could he have allowed himself to abandon such a great portion of this holy, awesome Torah scroll! For there he will see for himself how all the holy angels sweat and tremble at the word of the L-rd, and he, a small, lowly, dark creature contemptuously ignored the words of the L-rd hundreds and thousands of times in his lifetime! Happy is the man who reflects upon these things when he is still in this world! How happy and blessed will he be in this world and the next!
וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב בְּ"סֵפֶר חֲסִידִים", שֶׁמִּצְוָה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ דּוֹרְשִׁים הִיא כְּמֵת מִצְוָה, וְאוֹתָהּ מִצְוָה מְקַטְרֶגֶת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: כַּמָּה גְּרוּעָה אָנֹכִי, שֶׁנִּתְעַלַּמְתִּי מִכֹּל וָכֹל. וְהִנֵּה זוֹ הִיא אֲפִלּוּ רַק בְּמִצְוָה אַחַת, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן לְפִי מַה שֶּׁעָרַכְנוּ לִפְנֵי הַקוֹרֵא, שֶׁיֵּשׁ חֵלֶק גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה, הַמְדַבֵּר מֵעִנְיַן זְהִירוּת כֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר, וּמִמֵּילָא מוּבָן, כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲנָשִׁים אֵינָם זְהִירִים בָּזֶה וּמְשַׁלְּחִים לְשׁוֹנָם כַּאֲשֶׁר יַחְפְּצוּ, חֵלֶק גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה מֻטָּל בְּבִזָּיוֹן. וְכַמָּה גָּדוֹל שְׂכַר הַנִּזְהָר בָּזֶה שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲבֹר עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהוּא נוֹתֵן כָּבוֹד לַמִּצְוֹת הָאֵלּוּ, וְעָלָיו אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (שמואל א' ב' ל'): "כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד" וְכוּ'.
It is known what is written in Sefer Chasidim, that a mitzvah that has no "patrons" is like a meth mitzvah (see Part One, Conclusion, Chapter III). And that mitzvah accuses and laments: "How unfortunate I am, that all have forgotten me!" And this applies to even an isolated mitzvah; how much more so, (as we have demonstrated to the reader) to one that occupies a great portion of the Torah, that deals with exercising care with the faculty of speech. And it is understood, then, that when men are not careful of this, but unleash their tongues as they desire, a great part of the Torah lies in shame. How great is the reward of those who are heedful of this, not to transgress in this area. He honors these mitzvoth, and about him Scripture has written (I Samuel 2:30): "For those who honor Me, I shall honor."
[וּרְאֵה נָא אָחִי, עוֹד לְפִי כְּלַל חֲזַ"ל (בבא בתרא קס"ה.), דְּכֻלָּם בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע, אִם כֵּן אֵין לְךָ שׁוּם אִסּוּר בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הֶפְקֵר כְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁבְּגֶזֶל לֹא נִכְשְׁלוּ, רַק רֻבָּן, וּבְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע כֻּלָּם, וְאַף כִּי אָמְרוּ, כִּי כֻּלָּם הוּא רַקּ בַּאֲבַק לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְלֹא בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַצְמָהּ, כְּבָר כָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, כִּי הַלְוַאי נִשָּׁמֵר מֵעֶצֶם הָאִסּוּר. וְאִם כֵּן אֵין לְךָ מִצְוָה, שֶׁנֶּעֶשְׂתָה הֶפְקַר כְּמוֹתָהּ, וְהַמִּתְחַזֵּק בָּזֶה אָמְנָם נוֹתֵן כָּבוֹד לַמִּצְוָה, וּתְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהוּא חָשׁ לִכְבוֹדָהּ].
[And see, now my brother, that according to the epitomization of Chazal (Bava Bathra 165a), that all [men stumble] in lashon hara, there is no issur in the world that is as "abandoned" as that of lashon hara. For in theft, only the majority stumble; but in lashon hara, all! And even though they have said that this applies only to the "dust" of lashon hara and not to lashon hara itself, Rambam of blessed memory has already written: "Would that we guarded ourselves from the issur itself!" If so, there is no other mitzvah that has been abandoned to this extent. And one who strengthens himself in it, in truth, accords honor to the mitzvah, and it will ascribe merit to him above for doing so.]
וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ, שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, שֶׁהַמְקַיֵּם מִצְוָה, אַף שֶׁנִּצְטַוֵּינוּ עַל זֶה מִפִּי ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ, מַחֲשִׁיב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּאִלּוּ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ חִדֵּשׁ הַמִּצְוָה, וְזֶהוּ אֲפִלּוּ בְּמִצְוָה אַחַת, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בְּזֶה, שֶׁהוּא חֵלֶק גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה, יִתְחַזֵּק לְקַיְּמָם וְיַחֲשִׁיבוּ לוֹ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ חִדֵּשׁ מִדַּעְתּוֹ אֶת כָּל הָעִנְיָנִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, שֶׁכְּתוּבִים בְּאֵלּוּ הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת, כַּמָּה גְּדֻלָּה וְכָבוֹד יְקַבֵּל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא עֲבוּר זֶה, וְכַמָּה יִשְׂמַח לִבּוֹ עֲבוּר זֶה, וִיקֻיַּם עַל זֶה הָאִישׁ מַה שֶּׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהילים ק"ח ג'): "יִשְׂמַח לֵב מְבַקְשֵׁי ה' ".
And it is known that Chazal have said that one who fulfills a mitzvah, though we have been commanded to do so by the Blessed L-rd, is regarded by the Holy One Blessed be He as if he himself had originated it. And this is so with even an isolated mitzvah; how much more so with one which occupies such a great portion of the Torah. If one strengthens himself to fulfill them [(all the aspects of this mitzvah)], it will be accounted to him in time to come as if he himself had conceived of all these holy things that are written in these sections. How much greatness and honor he will be accorded in time to come because of this! And how much will his heart rejoice in this! In this man there will be fulfilled (Psalms 105:3): "The heart of the seekers of the L-rd will rejoice!"