## Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering

###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:1
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:1)

**גַּם כֵּן מֵעֵנְיָן זֶה**

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
**More on this subject**


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:2
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:2)

**וְאַל** יִפָּלֵא בְּעֵינֶיךָ עַל זֶה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָנוּ רוֹאִין, כַּמָּה אֲנָשִׁים מְדַבְּרִים לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְאֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם נֶגַע. מָצִינוּ לָהֶם תֵּרוּץ מִמִּדְרַשׁ חֲזַ"ל, שֶׁאָמְרוּ עַל הַפָּסוּק (משלי כ"א כ"ג): "שֹׁמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שֹׁמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ", שׁוֹמֵר מִצָּרַעַת נַפְשׁוֹ.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And let this not be cause for wonder in your eyes, that we find many who speak *lashon hara* and have no plague spots. We find an answer for this in the *midrash* of Chazal on the verse (Mishlei 21:23): "He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles [*tzaroth*]" — (like "*tzara'ath*," plague-spots).


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:3
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:3)

**וּבֵאוּר** הָעִנְיָן רָאִיתִי מִקְצָתוֹ בְּסֵפֶר "נַחַל קדוּמִים". דְּיָדוּעַ דְּכָל מַה שֶׁהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲנִישׁ אֶת הָאָדָם הַכֹּל הוּא לְטוֹבָתוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּנָּקָה מֵעֲוֹנוֹתָיו וְלִפְעָמִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה. וְלָכֵן בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיָה מִקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם וְהָיָה לָנוּ כֹּהֵן מְטַהֵר, אִם נִכְשַׁל אָדָם בַּעֲוֹן לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, הָיָה הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵבִיא עָלָיו עֹנֶשׁ הַנְּגָעִים, וְאַף גַּם זֹאת לֹא הֵבִיא עָלָיו תֵּכֶף עַל גּוּפוֹ רַקּ עַל קוֹרוֹת בֵּיתוֹ, וְהָיָה צָרִיךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ לָבוֹא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן וְלוֹמַר לוֹ, אֲשֶׁר נִרְאֶה לוֹ בַּבַּיִת כְּנֶגַע. וְהָיָה אוֹמֵר לוֹ הַכֹּהֵן דִּבְרֵי כִּבּוּשִׁים: בְּנִי, אֵין הַנְּגָעִים בָּאִים אֶלָּא עַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְכוּ' וּכְמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּדֵּל עַל יְדֵי זֶה לָסוּר מֵהַחֵטְא. וְאִם לֹא שָׂם לִבּוֹ לָזֶה, הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲנִישׁוֹ עוֹד יוֹתֵר בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר עִנְיָן זֶה בָּרַמְבַּ"ם בְּסוֹף הִלְכוֹת טֻמְאַת צָרַעַת וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ שָׁם, שֶׁצָּרַעַת הַבָּתִּים אֵינוֹ מִמִּנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֶלָּא אוֹת וָפֶלֶא הָיָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּדֵי לְהַזְהִירָן מִלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁהַמְסַפֵּר לָשוֹן הָרָע מִשְׁתַּנּוֹת קּוֹרוֹת בֵּיתוֹ, אִם חָזַר בּוֹ יִטְהַר הַבַּיִת, וְאִם עָמַד בְּרִשְׁעוֹ עַד שֶׁהֻתַּץ הַבַּיִת, מִשְׁתַּנִּים כְּלֵי הָעוֹר שֶׁבְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב וְשׁוֹכֵן עֲלֵיהֶן, אִם חָזַר בּוֹ וְכוּ' וְאִם עָמַד בְּרִשְׁעוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׂרְפוּ, מִשְׁתַּנֶּה עוֹרוֹ וְנַעֲשֶׂה מְצֹרָע, וְיִהְיֶה מֻבְדָּל וּמְפֻרְסָם לְבַדּוֹ, עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַסֵּק בְּשִׂיחַת הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁהוּא לֵיצָנוּת וְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְכוּ', עַיֵּן שָׁם. וְהָיָה תּוֹעֶלֵת גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה הָעֹנֶשׁ, כִּי בִּרְאוֹתוֹ אֶת גֹּדֶל עָנְשׁוֹ וּבִזְיוֹנוֹ, שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לֵישֵׁב בָּדָד מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה תָּמִיד וְאֵינוֹ רַשַׁאי לָבוֹא אַף בְּמַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמוֹדִיעַ תָּמִיד אֶת צַעֲרוֹ לָרַבִּים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבַקְשׁוּ עָלָיו רַחַמִים, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מועד קטן דף ה'.) (וַיִּקרָא י"ג מ"ה): "וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָא", מִמֵּילָא הָיָה נִכְנָע מְאֹד מֵעֲוֹנוֹ וּמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עַל לְהַבָּא לְהִזָּהֵר עוֹד מֵעָוֹן הַמַּר הַזֶּה וּלְפַיֵּס לְמִי שֶׁדִּבֵּר עָלָיו. וְהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּחַסְדּוֹ שׁוֹלֵחַ לוֹ רְפוּאָה לְצָרַעְתּוֹ, וְהָיָה יוֹצֵא הַכֹּהֵן אֶל מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה לִרְאוֹת אִם נִרְפָּא הַנֶּגַע, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּקְרָא (ויקרא י"ד ג'): "וְיָצָא הַכֹּהֵן אֶל מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה נִרְפָּא" וְגוֹ' וְלַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כְּכָל הַסֵּדֶר הַכָּתוּב שָׁם בַּפָּרָשָׁה בְּעִנְיַן הַהֲזָאָה וְהַגִּלּוּחַ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הָיָה מֵבִיא עָלָיו אֶת קרְבְּנוֹתָיו.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
I have seen part of the explanation of this matter in the book, *Nachal Kedumim*, viz.: It is well known that all of G-d's punishment of a man is for his good, so that he be cleansed of his sins, and, sometimes, that he repent. Therefore, when the Temple stood and we had a Cohein who cleansed, if a man stumbled into the sin of *lashon hara*, the Holy One Blessed be He would bring upon him the punishment of plague-spots. And even so, He did not bring it immediately upon his body, but upon the beams of his house. And he himself would have to come to the Cohein and say to him that there appeared to him something like a plague-spot in the house. And the Cohein would exhort him to repent — "My son, plague-spots come only for *lashon hara*, etc.", as we find in *Torath Cohanim* — so that he should exert himself thereby to depart from the sin. And if he did not take this to heart, the Holy One Blessed be He would punish him yet further in this manner, as explained by Rambam at the end of the laws of *tzara'ath*-uncleanliness: "House *tzara'ath* is not in the order of nature, but was a sign and wonder in Israel to warn them against *lashon hara*. If one spoke *lashon hara*, the beams of his house would undergo a change. If he repented, the house would be cleansed, and if he persisted in his wickedness until the house were knocked down, the leather appurtenances in his house on which he sat and reclined upon would undergo a change. If he repented, etc. And if he persisted in his wickedness until they were burned, his skin would undergo a change, and he would become a leper. And he would be separated [from others] and exposed [as a leper] by himself, so that he not take part in the converse of the wicked, which is levity and *lashon hara*, etc." And there was great benefit in this punishment. For when he saw the greatness of his punishment and his disgrace, his having to sit solitary outside the [three] camps always, not being allowed to come even to the camp of Israel, and constantly proclaiming his grief to the populace so that they should pray [to the L-rd] to have mercy upon him (viz. *Moed Katan* 5a), and (Vayikra 13:45): "and 'Unclean! Unclean!' shall he cry," then, as a matter of course, he would be extremely humbled by his sin and would take it upon himself for the future to take great care against this bitter sin and to conciliate the one he spoke [*lashon hara*] about. And the Holy One Blessed be He in His [great] lovingkindness would send a cure for his *tzara'ath*, and the Cohein would go outside the camp to see if the plague-spot had healed, as it is written (Vayikra 14:3): "And the Cohein shall go outside the camp, and the Cohein shall see, if the plague-spot of leprosy is healed, etc.", and then he would proceed according to the whole order written in the *parshah* concerning sprinkling and shaving, and afterwards, he [the Cohein] would bring his sacrifices for him.


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:4
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:4)

**וְהִנֵּה** בְּבוֹאוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ אֶל בֵּיתוֹ, בִּרְאוֹתוֹ אֶת הַחֶסֶד הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁעָשָׂה לוֹ ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁרִפֵּא אוֹתוֹ מִצָּרַעְתּוֹ, בְּוַדַּאי עָשָׂה כָּל מַה שֶּׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו בִּהְיוֹתוֹ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וּפִיֵּס לְכָל מִי שֶׁדִּבֵּר עָלָיו לָשׁוֹן הָרָע. וְהִנֵּה עַל יְדֵי כָּל זֶה נִטְהָר לְגַמְרֵי מִזֶּה הַנֶּגַע וְגַם מִזֶּה הֶעָוֹן, כִּי עַל הֶעָבָר נִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ בְּעָנְשׁוֹ וּבִזְיוֹנוֹ, וְעַל לְהַבָּא הָיָה נִזְהָר מֵעַצְמוֹ בְּכָל כֹּחוֹתָיו שֶׁלֹּא לָבוֹא עוֹד לְזֶה הַחֵטְא.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And when he came afterwards to his house, when he saw the great lovingkindness that the L-rd had done with him, having healed him of his *tzara'ath*, he certainly would do all that he had undertaken when he was outside the camp, and he would conciliate all those he had spoken *lashon hara* about. And through this he would be healed completely of this plague-spot and also of this sin. For his punishment and disgrace would atone for him for the past, and, as to the future, he would exert himself with all his strength not to come to [commit] this sin again.


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:5
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:5)

**וְהִנֵּה** כָּל זֶה הָיָה, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיָה הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן עַתָּה, בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁאֵין לָנוּ לֹא מִקְדָּשׁ וְלֹא קָרְבָּנוֹת וְלֹא כֹּהֵן מְטַהֵר, אִם הָיָה הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵבִיא אֶת הַנְּגָעִים עַל גּוּפוֹ, הָיָה נִשְׁאָר בְּטֻמְאָתוֹ לָעַד, וְלֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְהִנָּקוֹת מִזֶּה, עַל כֵּן נִשְׁאֲרָה טֻמְאַת הַנֶּגַע שֶׁבָּא עַל יְדֵי חֵטְא זֶה דְּבוּקָה רַק בְּנַפְשׁוֹ וְאֵין בּוֹלֶטֶת עַל גּוּפוֹ מִבַּחוּץ. וְזֶהוּ כַּוָּנַת הַמִּדְרָשׁ [הוּבָא בְּיַלְקוּט פָּרָשַׁת מְצֹרָע בְּשֵׁם ר' יַנַּאי] "שֹׁמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שׂמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ", מִצָּרַעַת נַפְשׁוֹ, כִּי הַנֶּגַע וְהַצָּרַעַת דְּבוּקָה בַּנֶּפֶשׁ.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And all this, when the Temple stood, as opposed to our situation today, in our many sins, when we have neither Temple nor sacrifices, nor cleansing Cohein, so that if the Holy One Blessed be He brought plague-spots on his body, he would remain in his uncleanliness forever, it being impossible for him to cleanse himself from it. Therefore, the uncleanliness of the plague-spot that came through this sin would remain in his soul alone and would not project from his soul outwards. And this is the intent of the *midrash* [brought in *Yalkut, Parshath Metzora* in the name of R. Yannai]: "He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles [*tzaroth*]" — from the *tzara'ath* of his soul. For the plague-spot of *tzara'ath* is fixed in the soul.


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:6
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:6)

**עַל** כֵּן הָאָדָם הַמֻּרְגָּל בְּחֵטְא זֶה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, צָרִיךְ לְהִתְאוֹנֵן תָּמִיד עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, כִּי אַף שֶׁמְּחַפֶּה עָלָיו הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם וְאֵינוֹ מַרְאֶה קְלוֹנוֹ לַכֹּל, עַל כָּל פָּנִים אַחַר פְּטִירָתוֹ, שֶׁתֵּצֵא הַנֶּפֶשׁ מֵהַגּוּף, תִּתְגַּלֶּה זֹהֲמַת צָרַעְתּוֹ לְעֵינֵי הַכֹּל, וְכָל עוֹד שֶׁתְּהֵא דְּבוּקָה חֶלְאַת הַזֹּהֲמָא הַזּוֹ בַּנֶּפֶשׁ, בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יָבוֹא מְנֻגָּע בְּהֵיכָל ה' בְּגַן עֵדֶן וְיִצְטָרֵךְ לֵישֵׁב בָּדָד לְמַעְלָה חוּץ לְמַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם הַקְּלִפּוֹת וְהַחִצּוֹנִים, אִם לֹא עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה כָּרָאוּי.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Therefore, the man who is habituated to this sin, G-d forbid, must mourn always for his soul. For even though the Holy One Blessed be He "covers up" for him in this world and does not reveal his disgrace to all, in any event, after his death, when the soul leaves the body, the "pollution" of his *tzara'ath* will be revealed to all. And so long as the scum of this pollution remains in his soul, certainly, the afflicted one will not enter the sanctuary of the L-rd in Gan Eden, and he will have to remain solitary above, outside the camp of Israel, in the place of the "external elements" [impurities] if he did not repent as required.


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:7
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:7)

**וְגַם** בְּעוֹדוֹ בַּחַיִּים בַּעֲלוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ לְמַעְלָה כָּל אִלֵּין מִלִּין בִּישִׁין שֶׁדִּבְּרָה בַּיּוֹם עוֹלִין עִמָּהּ, וְכָל הַקְּדוֹשִׁים בְּדֵילִין הֵימֶנָּה עֲבוּר זֶה, וְאֵין לְךָ בִּזָּיוֹן גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה לְהַנֶּפֶשׁ, דְּזֶה לְשׁוֹן הַזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת תַּזְרִיעַ:

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And also, while yet alive, when his soul rises on high, all those words of *lashon hara* that he spoke during the day rise with it, and all of the holy ones separate themselves from it because of this. And there is no greater disgrace than this to the soul, as the *Zohar* states in *Parshath Tazria*:


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:8
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:8)

**כְּתִיב** (מִשְׁלַי כ"א כ"ג): "שׂמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שֹׁמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ", בְּגִין דְּאִי שִׂפְוָתֵהּ וּלְשָׁנֵהּ מְמַלְּלִין מִלִּין בִּישִׁין, אִנּוּן מִלִּין סָלְקִין לְעֵילָא, וּבְשַׁעְתָּא דְּסָלְקִין, כֻּלָּא מַכְרִיזִין וְאָמְרִין: אִסְתַּלְּקוּ סוּחְרָנֵהּ דְּמִלָּה בִּישָׁא דִּפְלַנְיָא, פַּנּוּן אֲתַר לְאָרְחֵהּ דְּחִוְיָא תַּקִּיפָא, כְּדֵין נִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְעַבְּרַת מִנֵּהּ וְאִסְתַּלָּקָא וְלָא יָכְלָא לְמַלָּלָא, וּכְמָה דְּאָמוּר (תהילים ל"ט ג'): "נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דּוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב", וְהַהִיא נִשְׁמָתָא סָלְקָא בְּכִסּוּפָא בְּעָקוּ דְּכֻלָּא, וְלָא יְהָבוּ לָהּ אֲתַר כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: "שֹׁמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שֹׁמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ". עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ בְּקִצּוּר.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
"It is written: 'He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles.'" For if his lips and his tongue speak evil things, these words rise above. And when they rise, all proclaim: "Remove yourselves from the vicinity of the *lashon hara* of Ploni. Make way for the coming of the mighty Serpent!" And then his holy soul flies far away from him and cannot speak, as it is written (Psalms 39:3): "I was dumb in deep silence. I was stilled from good." And this soul rises in shame and great suffering and is not given a place as before. And of this it is written: "He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles." This is its language in short.


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:9
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:9)

כָּתוּב: "שֹׁמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שֹׁמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ", מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאִם שְׂפָתָיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ מְדַבְּרִים דְּבָרִים רָעִים, אוֹתָם הַדִּבּוּרִים עוֹלִים לְמַעְלָה, וּכְשֶׁעוֹלִים, כֻּלָּם מַכְרִיזִים וְאוֹמְרִים: הִסְתַּלְּקוּ מִסְּבִיבַת הַדִּבּוּר הָרַע שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי, פַּנּוּ מָקוֹם לְדַרְכּוֹ שֶׁל הַנָּחָשׁ הַתַּקִיף. וְאָז הַנְּשָׁמָה הַקְדוֹשָׁה פּוֹרַחַת מִמֶּנּוּ וּמִסְתַּלֶּקֶת וְלֹא יְכוֹלָה לְדַבֵּר, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב". וְזוֹ הַנְּשָׁמָה עוֹלָה בְּבוּשָׁה וּבְצַעַר גָּדוֹל וְלֹא נוֹתְנִים לָהּ מָקוֹם כְּמִקֹדֶם, וְעַל זֶה כָּתוּב: "שֹׁמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שׁוֹמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ", עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ בְּקִצּוּר.


###### Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:10
[Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 6:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shemirat%20HaLashon/s/Book%20I,_The%20Gate%20of%20Remembering/r/6:10)

**וְעוֹד** מָצָאתִי תֵּרוּץ לַקֻּשְׁיָא הַנַּ"ל בְּסֵפֶר דָּבָר שֶׁבָּקְדֻשָּׁה בְּשֵׁם "סֵפֶר הַקָּנֶה", וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: רְאֵה וְהָבֵן, שֶׁכָּל הַמּוֹצִיא לָשׁוֹן הָרָע מִפִּיו, נִדּוֹן בְּצָרַעַת וְגוֹ', אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי: אִם כֵּן, כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיוּ מְצֹרָעִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי בַּעֲוֹן לָשׁוֹן הָרָע גָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכוּ', אָמַר לוֹ: שְׁקוּלָה הָעֲנִיּוּת כְּצָרַעַת, וַהֲרֵי הוּא עָנִי, הַנִּמְסָר בִּידֵי אָדָם [פֵּרוּשׁ: וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה תּוּסַר מִמֶּנּוּ הַגַּאֲוָה, שֶׁהִיא עַל פִּי רֹב הַסִּבָּה הָעִקָּרִית לְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב ר' יוֹנָה בְּשַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיְּבֹאַר אִם יִרְצֶה ה' לְקַמָּן, וְגַם הוּא יָרֵא לְדַבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם מִיִּרְאָתוֹ פֶּן יִוָּדַע הַדָּבָר וְלֹא יֵיטִיבוּ עִמּוֹ] וְעַיֵּן שָׁם עוֹד עִנְיָן נוֹרָא בָּזֶה. וְכֵן אִיתָא בְּתִקּוּנֵי זֹהַר, דְּעָוֹן זֶה גּוֹרֵם, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לַעֲנִיּוּת. עַל כֵּן, מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִחְיוֹת בְּטוֹבָה יִשְׁמֹר עַצְמוֹ.

**Shmirath Halashon by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
And I have found another answer to the aforementioned question in the book *Davar Shebikedushah* called *Sefer Hakaneh*, viz.: "See and understand that whoever utters *lashon hara* is judged [i.e., punished] by *tzara'ath*." Rabi said to him: "If so, all of Israel should be lepers, for because of the sin of *lashon hara*, Israel was exiled, etc." He answered: "Poverty is equivalent to *tzara'ath*, and he becomes impoverished and beholden to men." That is, through this, his pride, the major cause of *lashon hara*, will depart from him, as Rabbeinu Yonah wrote in the Sha’arei Teshuvah, and as will be explained, please G-d, below. And he also will be afraid to speak *lashon hara* of them for fear that the thing will become known and they will not be benevolent to him.] (See there, too, another awesome statement on this subject.) And thus is it adduced in *Tikkunei Zohar*, that this sin leads, G-d forbid, to poverty. Therefore, he who would live a good life will guard himself.