These chapter summaries of Sefer Chafetz Chaim are best used as a study aid in conjunction with the sefer itself. They are obviously not a substitute to the in-depth and all encompassing work of the Chafetz Chaim.
General Summary Key
ChCh = Chafetz Chaim, LHR = Lashon Hara, BMCh = Be’er Mayim Chaim, ChB = Chelkas Binyamin (commentary on ChCh)
Summary Of Peticha – Arurin
In the last summary we covered the 14 Assin that a person may transgress when they speak or listen to Lashon Hara and Rechilut.
ChCh then brings 4 Arurin (curses) that a person may bring upon themselves by speaking LHR although they don’t all apply to all situations. The Torah commands that these curses were to be said on by the mountains of Gerizim and Eival upon entering Israel with the Jewish people witnessing and agreeing to them.
There are 8 variables which will apply to some Arurin and not to others. ChCh details in each Arur which variables do/don’t apply.
8 Variables Key:
LHR = Lashon Hara, R = Rechilut, E = Emet, Sh = Sheker, F = B’Fanav. LF = Shelo B’Fanav, S = Speaker, L = Listener
Arurin
1) (ארור מכה רעהו בסתר (דברים כז’ כד – Cursed Is One Who Hits Their Fellow In Secret
Sifri explains that this is referring to one who speaks LHR
LHR, R, E, Sh, LF, S
ChCh says here F as well, however in Hilchot Lashon Hara 3/1 he clearly say that it is only when LF and doesn’t want the person to hear about it (as would seem to be the explanation of ‘in secret’ – See ChB).
2) (ארור משגה עור בדרך (דברים כז’ יח – Cursed Is One Who Causes A Blind Person To Make A Mistake On The Way
Applies to anyone who causes another person to do something wrong
LHR, R, E, Sh, F, LF, S, L (All 8)
However the L may not be included if he is not the only one listening nor was the only one listening at the beginning before others came.
3) (ארור אשר לא יקים את דברי התורה הזאת לעשות אותם (דברים כז’ כו – Cursed Is One Who Does Not Uphold The Words Of This Torah To Do Them
LHR, R, E, Sh, F, LF, S, L (All 8)
If he constantly speaks LHR without any consideration. While anybody, even great people, can occasionally do something wrong, to have one Mitzva which a person never keeps is serious as it demonstrates a rebellion in one area.
4) (ארור מקלה אביו ואמו (דברים כז’ טז – Cursed Is One Who Degrades Their Parents
If speaking (and possibly listening) about parents.
LHR, R, E, Sh, F, LF, S
Possibly even L as he shows he doesn’t have respect by listening to someone else degrading his parents.
Negative Character Traits
Apart from all the Lavin, Assin and Arurin that have been listed, ChCh also explains that speaking LHR will also usually involve a wide selection of negative character traits e.g. cruelty, anger, mocking, indifference etc.
Regular Revision
The ChCh ends off the Peticha by encouraging the reader to regularly revise the Lavin, Assin and Arurin listed, for when a person is constantly aware of how wrong something is they are more likely to hold themselves back from transgressing.
לע’נ מרים בילא בת אברהם דוד הלוי
