The Hafetz Hayyim, Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan, earned widespread fame as the author of treatises decrying ‘lashon hara’, idle gossip.The story is told that Rabbi Kagan was once in a distant village. In search of a ride home, he met a wagon driver and asked the driver, who did not know his identity, where the driver was going. When he learned that the driver was going to his village, he asked whether he might go along. The Haftez Hayyim asked the driver why he was going there, and he responded excitedly, “I am going to meet the Hafetz Hayyim so as to prepare for the High Holidays.” Upon hearing this, the Hafetz Hayyim – still not revealing his identity to the driver – responded, “Oh, I know the Hafetz Hayyim, and believe me, he’s not that wonderful.” At that, the driver punched the Hafetz Hayyim in the face and tossed him from the wagon.
When he recovered from the blow and reflected upon the incident, the Hafetz Hayyim said the driver had taught him an important lesson – “‘Lashon hara’ is so horrible that you should not speak badly even about yourself!”
As we prepare for the Yamim Noraim, the lesson is clear – repentance can occur only with a positive opinion of self as well as others.
Rabbi David Ellenson is the President of Hebrew Union College. www.huc.edu
