[Avodah] Did RSRH Write LH about Shimon and Levi

[Yitzhak Grossman]

On Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:53:54 -0500
Yitzchok Levine <Larry.Levine at stevens.edu> wrote:

My father points out Rav Ya'akov's suggestions for why the Torah's own
narrative of the sale of Yosef is consistent with the rules of Lashon
Ha'Ra (Emes Le'Ya'akov Bereishis 37:18):

"A student asked me how to explain that which the Torah told these
stories about Yosef's brothers, is this not in the category of Lashon
Ha'Ra?

At first I answered that the prohibition against LH applies only to the
living, and it is permitted according to the law to tell LH about the
dead.  The only problem is the Herem Ha'Kodmonim (see OH 606:3), which
only bars Mozi Shem Ra, not Lashon Ha'Ra.

But in truth, there is no question to begin with, for Yosef's brothers
sentenced him to death according to the Din ... and they certainly
intended Le'Shem Shamayim. ...

And in truth, even though all the commentators on the Torah have
already written that the quarrel between Yosef and his brothers was not
a quarrel rooted in jealousy and hatred between them, but it was a
disputed Le'Shem Shamayim over the Ikar Ha'Din, that the brothers ruled
that Yosef was pursuing [Rodef] them and it was therefore permitted to
kill him, there are nevertheless those who feel that this is merely
Derush that was said to cover up for our forefathers, in order not to
slander (Le'Hozi La'az) them.  But in truth, one who carefully analyzes
the entire Parshah will see the the text necessarily indicates
this [that they acted Le'Shem Shamayim] and it is impossible to
say otherwise.  ..."

See the continuation for the details of his closely reasoned argument
against the more salacious understanding of the story.  I don't find it
persuasive, and in any event, I'm not sure what he really accomplishes
by it, since the original question can be posed regarding many other
Biblical narratives, including many in which people have clearly done
wrong, and we would seem to be forced to accept either Rav Ya'akov's
first point, that there's nothing wrong with slandering (as opposed to
libeling) the dead, or the point made by RnTK in another post in this
thread, that the Torah's narratives are meant to teach us important
lessons, and are therefore covered under the Le'Toeles dispensation.

Yitzhak
--
Bein Din Ledin - http://bdl.freehostia.com
A discussion of Hoshen Mishpat, Even Ha'Ezer and other matters