Negative Mitzvahs according to Chofetz Chaim

[AsheDina]

I believe that the WORST negative mitzvah of ALL, is to accuse a fellow brethren of a falsehood, by making ASSUPMTIONS.

Shalom AsheDina,

Do you know what the scriptural source for such a commandment? Does this not fall under the category of being a tale-bearer against your fellow?

Assumptions are evil. Thats what I believe. You cant go around making assumptions of people. It is false witness and if the world were right, one would get killed for committing these atrocities.

[muman613]

I believe that the WORST negative mitzvah of ALL, is to accuse a fellow brethren of a falsehood, by making ASSUPMTIONS.

Shalom AsheDina,

Do you know what the scriptural source for such a commandment? Does this not fall under the category of being a tale-bearer against your fellow?

Assumptions are evil. Thats what I believe. You cant go around making assumptions of people. It is false witness and if the world were right, one would get killed for committing these atrocities.

I would say this falls under the commandment we have to always judge our fellow for the good.

Here is a site which discusses this:  http://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/chapter3.html?print=1#7

7. The Commandment to Judge Favorably

It is important to know another fundamental concept within the subject of Lashon Hara.

If one sees a person what said or did something, whether something Bein Adam L'Makom (between man and G-d) or Bein Adam L'chaveiro (between man and fellow man), and it's possible to judge the speech or action favorably and give the benefit of the doubt, if the person is a "yirei Elokim" (sincerely G-d fearing individual), we are obligated to judge him favorably even if the action in question is more logically interpreted negatively.

If the person is a "beinoni" (average person) in that he is generally careful to avoid sin yet on occasion falters, and the doubt could be equally interpreted favorably or unfavorably, one is obligated to follow the favorable judgement.  This fulfills what our Sages say, that one who jugdes his fellow favorably will receive favorable judgement from G-d; he also upholds the commandment (Lev. 19:15), "Judge your fellow people righteously."  Even if the speech or action seems more likely to have a negative judgement as its interpretation, it is proper that the matter should be considered a doubt, and not as a definitive, negative evaluation.

In the case that the action is more likely favorable, it is certainly forbidden to judge negatively.  And if one judges negatively, and as a result goes and speaks negatively against the person, not only has he violated "Judge your fellow people righteously," but he has also violated the prohibition against speaking Lashon Hara.

[Ulli]

Which book is Devarim in English?

Deuteronomy

Thank you Moshe.