Halakhah for Shabbat 291:4
<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> א"ר אושעיא ל"ש אלא דרוסות אבל מפורדות לא ומפורדות לא
AND ONE MAY NOT PERFORATE THE BUNG OF A CASK:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If it is tightly fitted in the cask, so that wine etc., may be poured out through the perforation, R. Han. regards the bung as the whole cover fitted into the top of the cask. ');"><sup>7</sup></span> THIS IS R. JUDAH'S RULING; BUT THE SAGES PERMIT IT. AND ONE MUST NOT PIERCE IT AT THE SIDE THEREOF,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is explained in the Gemara. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
Chofetz Chaim
Some additional great evils brought about by this despicable trait: It is well known that the sin of the [primal] serpent was brought about by the lashon hara that it spoke against the Holy One Blessed be He, saying [to Eve]: "He [G–d] ate from this tree [the Tree of Knowledge] and created the world," by which Eve was enticed to do likewise (viz. Shabbath 146a): "The serpent was 'intimate' with Eve and injected zuhamah ['pollution'] into her" — hence, [(the sin of) illicit relations], and also death to all mankind — hence, the spilling of blood. And through this [i.e., lashon hara] it induced Adam and Eve to transgress the will of the Holy One Blessed be He. It follows that one who speaks lashon hara adopts its [the serpent's] trait, which undermines the creation.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy