[Avodah] Lashon Hara about non-Jews

[Kelmar, Michael J.]

There was some suggestion that perhaps the Torah forbids us to speak
lashon hara about non-Jews because of hashchasas middos.  Bad middos are
already forbidden by the Torah.  If the lashon hara about the non-Jew is
an expression of those bad middos, so it is assur.  But not because of
L"H, just because of bad middos.  The Torah forbids lending money to a
Yid on interest, but allows it for a goy.  The Torah is m'chaiv hashavas
aveidah for a Yid but not for a goy.  Why aren't we worried about the
effect on middos in those cases?  Charging interest from a goy might
result in (or come from) feelings of cruelty, selfishness etc.  The same
for hashavas aveida.  But the Torah says we can keep it.  So obviously
the Torah knows better than us and has kavanos that take in to account
our nature and purpose in the world.  Sometimes b'davka speaking ill of
a goy could be very beneficial.  It helps us stress in our own minds
that a Yid is not a goy and that our first obligation is to love all the
Yidden and then the rest of the world.  

Michoel Kelmar