False Facts and True Rumors: Lashon Hara in Contemporary Culture

by Daniel Z. Feldman

In False Facts and True Rumors, Rabbi Daniel Feldman undertakes the vital task of examining the halakhic sources regarding lashon hara, derogatory speech, and applying them to today’s technology-driven world. Combining erudite knowledge of rabbinic texts, philosophy, and psychology, Rabbi Feldman explores this uncharted territory of contemporary Jewish life. Among the questions addressed are: How can it be prohibited to convey facts that are true? How can the innocent be protected and society improved in the context of these laws? How do these laws affect areas such as dating and marriage, therapy, business interactions, and comedic performances? How are modern conceptions of privacy and confidentiality impacted? How has the culture of journalism, the Internet, and political campaigning affected, and been affected by, these laws? False Facts and True Rumors offers an essential guide for communicating in today’s fast-paced world, where important information and petty gossip alike are exchanged instantaneously.

Genres: Jewish

494 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 12, 2016

Reviews

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough, with arresting references to contemporary social psychological studies and issues. Lots of discussion of complications that lead to conflicting rabbinic opinions.

If you aren't familiar with traditional halakhic reasoning or the main outlines of Jewish laws of speech, "Words That Hurt, Words That Heal" by Joseph Telushkin is a better introduction.

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A typical book or website on the Jewish law of lashon hara (loosely translated as gossip) makes it seem as though no one can say anything negative about anyone, unless crime is involved. What makes this book special is that, rather than merely citing the most stringent possible views, Feldman discusses a variety of uncertain issues, and emphasizes that we must be "responsible for the quality of our judgment calls" and that knowing when to speak negatively involves "a lifetime of living and learning."

Feldman begins by discussing the logic behind the rule against even true negative speech. He suggests that seemingly true speech can be misleading, both because the speaker's view of a situation is infected by a variety of cognitive biases, and because the listener's interpretation of speech is equally unreliable. So even a technically true statement is easily misinterpreted.

But rather than merely saying no, Feldman guides the reader through a variety of difficult situations. For example, he discusses various situations where negative speech might be permissible for a legitimate purpose. For example:

*If you know someone who is marrying someone you know, when should you bring up their negative traits? On the one hand, if you say too much when a couple starts dating, you risk encouraging people to break up for minor reasons, reasons which (if each person dated longer and had a more complete picture of the other) might not justify foregoing marriage. But on the other hand, if you say something negative right as people are about to get married, you might cause more emotional pain because the couple is more invested in their relationship.

*Is negative speech as part of therapy permissible? Feldman says yes, because of the benefit to the speaker. This is the case even if the conversation is with a friend or relative rather than with a professional. On the other hand, merely venting one's anger may not always be productive.

[The Jewish Book Council]

Review by Jonathan Fass for the Jewish Book Council.

[Jonathan Freed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genius.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...