05 Sep REMEMBERING THE CHOFETZ CHAIM ON HIS 90TH YAHRTZEIT WISDOM IN REVIEWS: CHOFETZ CHAIM’S TIMELESS COUNSEL

As we commemorate
the 90th yahrzeit
(anniversary of
passing) of the
Chofetz Chaim, it is
an opportune moment
to reflect on his
teachings and consider their relevance in
addressing contemporary issues.
Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, also known as the
Chofetz Chaim, was a renowned Jewish sage
who lived during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. His groundbreaking work on the
importance of guarding one’s speech cannot be
overstated. The Chofetz Chaim introduced the
world to the significance of responsible
communication and transformed the way
people spoke.
However, since the time of the Chofetz Chaim,
technology has rapidly advanced, and negative
speech has taken on new forms. Today, we
often encounter lashon hara, or harmful speech,
primarily on social media platforms.
Writing a Negative Review.
Let’s address some common scenarios. For
instance, is it permissible to write a negative
review about a business or service provider,
like a doctor or dentist? Is it permitted to write
a negative review about a book you didn’t like?

Is it acceptable to write a fabricated positive
review if the company offers rewards?
Let’s begin with the dilemma posed by the first
questions. On one hand, writing a negative
review can potentially harm the business owner
and make them feel bad, which would fall
under the restriction of lashon hara. On the
other hand, it may serve to inform others and
potentially save them from having a similar
negative experience with the business. So,
where do we draw the line?
In his work “Pitchei Teshuva” (Chapter 156),
Rabbi Yisrael Isser addressed the prevailing
focus on the prohibition of lashon hara.
Nevertheless, he deemed it pertinent to shed
light on another aspect, one fraught with even
greater moral responsibility and more
commonly encountered. This pertains to
individuals who refrain from revealing their
neighbor’s transgressions, even in situations of
urgent necessity to safeguard an innocent party
from harm. Their hesitation stems from the fear
of violating the prohibition of lashon hara. For
example, it could be someone who becomes
privy to another person’s secretive plot to harm
their neighbor or who covertly prepares a
hazard in their neighbor’s home or business. In
such cases, they withhold crucial information
or delay issuing warnings, guided by the belief

that it might fall under the category of lashon
hara. Rabbi Isser strongly asserted that those
who act in this manner incur a more significant
transgression than simply bearing this burden,
as they violate the prohibition of ‘You shall
not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.’
This principle also extends to financial
matters. Whether one observes someone
stealing from them, their business partner
engaging in embezzlement, their neighbor
resorting to deception and fraud in a
transaction, or an individual lending money to
a known dishonest debtor who will not fulfill
their obligations.
To address these questions, we can once again
refer to the teachings of the Chofetz Chaim,
who meticulously outlined the foundations of
these prohibitions. By applying these
principles, we can navigate our discussion.
Lashon Hara Letoeelet.
The Chofetz Chaim explains the concept of
“lashon hara letoeelet,” meaning lashon hara
with a positive benefit, which is permitted.
Such lashon hara is when our intention is to
benefit the person we are speaking about, such
as a teacher providing a negative report to
parents to help the child improve, or when we
aim to protect others from potential harm.
The Chofetz Chaim lays out five conditions
that must be met to permit such lashon hara
for a positive benefit.
1. Verifying the situation is bad.
The first condition is that we should assess
whether what happened was genuinely a
negative occurrence or if it might be a matter
of our subjective viewpoint. It’s crucial to
recognize that not every service falling short
of our expectations should automatically be
deemed as bad. Many products or services
we encounter may still be deemed acceptable,
even if they don’t fully meet our high
standards. In such cases, it is generally not
permissible to write a negative review
because the intention behind the review is to
express personal dissatisfaction rather than
to protect others.
Furthermore, writing a review for something
you didn’t like, such as a book or a meal at a
restaurant, is subjective and may not
necessarily reflect the opinions of others, as
different people have varied tastes. In
contrast, when a business is found to be
deceiving customers, the question of ethics
and reviews becomes more relevant.
2. Ensuring the review is accurate.
The second condition is to ensure that one
accurately describes what happened in their
review without any exaggeration.
3. The correct intention.
Thirdly, it is essential to have the intention of
safeguarding others rather than seeking
revenge for a negative service or encounter
with the business. Often, negative reviews
are written out of anger and frustration rather
than a genuine desire to protect others. The

Chofetz Chaim emphasizes that engaging in
such behavior, without a sincere intention to
benefit or protect, is not in line with the
permitted use of lashon hara for a benefit.
4. No other available resolutions.
The fourth condition is to ensure that there is
no other reasonable way to resolve and improve
the business’s conduct. Often, a direct
conversation with the manager or addressing
the issue in person can lead to understanding
and a desire to rectify any wrongdoing. Most
people inherently aim to provide good service
and understand that satisfied customers lead to
more business. Only after we have exhausted
other means of protecting potential customers
from harm through the business, and it is clear
that there is no alternative, should we consider
posting a negative review.
5. Punishment fits the crime.
Finally, the last condition is that our warning to
others should not cause the person more harm
than merely protecting others from potential
harm. In other words, if writing negative
reviews could lead to consequences such as a
person’s children being denied admission to
schools or fellow community members ceasing
friendly interactions, we should refrain from
posting such reviews. While we cannot always
predict the full extent of the impact of our
words, there are times when we have a strong
indication of the potential consequences, and in
such cases, we must exercise caution to avoid
causing excessive harm.
Positive reviews.
When a business requests positive reviews, it’s
important to recognize that this can be viewed
as cheating, as others depend on your genuine
experiences to make informed purchase
decisions. This remains true even if the review
accurately reflects your personal opinion. This
becomes particularly relevant when the
business entices positive reviews through
incentives like offering complimentary items.
The concern arises because readers may
perceive such reviews as biased and without
any ulterior motives.
This action also violates the prohibitions of
‘הונאה) ‘deceit) and ‘דעת גניבת) ‘misleading or
deceptive behavior).