Saturday, December 19, 2009
Public figures and Lashon Hara...
I'm not approving the comment someone wants me to put up. They wrote out this long comment about how I have to stop "speaking lashon hara" about Ivanka Trump's conversion. Just as we are entitled to state what we think about politians, we are entitled to state what we think of any public figure. Furthermore, this person mentions that I shouldn't be telling people information that they don't already know. Well, I think most people already know that Ivanka doesn't dress tznius. I have nothing against her as a person. If she wanted to run around in her scantily clad outfits that would have been fine. I don't care what the non-Jews wear. However, she chose to convert Orthodox. If my friend who is a fan of hers and not Jewish thinks the conversion is a sham, and I want to post about that, I will. It's not Lashon Hara. As I stated, we are permitted to discuss public figures. Ask your rabbi if you're allowed to discuss the polititians, you are. Why? They are public figures. The rules surrounding discussing public figures are different.
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I'm not really sure where you got this information, but I would completely disagree, as I have received very different information. I have learned that even when discussing a political figure, if the information does not directly achieve a goal of saving people from harm, you are not permitted to use names when discussing unsavory characteristics about them. There is also an issue of "avak loshon horo", which are statements that might lead one to speak loshon horo about someone else.
ReplyDeleteI think that as she is a public figure and has also recently converted to Judaism that people will talk about her conversion. Alot of entertainment media outlets and magazines also covered this story.
ReplyDeleteAs many of us know that we are required to dress Modestly and what Tznius entails. Our daily conduct is a reflection upon who we are as Orthodox Jews and ultimately how we are perceived by the wider community.
her conversion will last as long as the marriage, and here in NJ the prediction is 3 years
ReplyDeleteI actually do not believe any Rabbi (except those who are very lose in their beliefs) would say that would be the case. Any Rabbi I have ever spoken with says no matter what you don't speak about other people. Its even considered Lashon Hora if you knew the person would say the exact same thing if they were there.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing I have been told in regard to Loshan Hora is that the tongue is a very dangerous thing. Its so dangerous they gave it two barricades it needs to get past, the teeth and the lips.
No one can stop you from talking about her, but many will probably think its Lashon Hora, but it perfectly fits the definition of it.
I totally agree with Daniel! I don't agree that talking about Ivanka's conduct after her supposed Orthdox conversion is Lashon Hara. Ivanka's a public figure and definately received preferentially treatment in obtaining a "conversion."
ReplyDeleteThis is infuriating considering that most Orthodox (low-income) sincere converts have to go through a lot of hurdles to obtain a conversion. I will always speak out against this kind of injustice.
Michal also has the right to criticize considering that Ivanka puts Orthodox converts in a bad light. I support Michal 100%.
So you attack the figure instead of attacking the institution that gave her such treatment? That makes sense...
ReplyDeleteI still, apparently because I am not zoche to understand, do not comprehend how it is okay to speak negatively about someone who might make you look bad out of an attempt to protect yourself. This seems completely counter-Torah. To do this, in my opinion, is just as "un-Orthodox" as her dressing however (you say) she dresses, or whatever else.
Whether or not it is Lashon Hara, this is Michal's blog and others are entitled not to read it.
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