Szymon, jego syn, mówi: Przez wszystkie moje dni dorastałem wśród mędrców i nie znalazłem nic lepszego dla (mego) ciała niż cisza [tj. Słuchanie siebie zawstydzonego i milczenie]. I to nie jest wykładanie, które jest przede wszystkim akt [tj. i wiedzcie, że milczenie jest dobre, bo nawet do wykładania i mówienia w Torze, nad którą nie ma nic większego, główną nagrodą jest za czyn (który z niego wynika); a jeśli ktoś wykłada i nie działa (na podstawie tego, co mówi), byłoby lepiej, gdyby pozostał cicho i nie wykładał.] A wszyscy, którzy potęgują słowa, przynoszą grzech. [Albowiem tak znajdujemy u Ewy, która „wzmogła słowa”, mówiąc (I Mojżeszowa 3: 3): „Bg powiedział:„ Nie wolno ci z tego jeść i nie możesz tego dotykać ”.” Dodała „wzruszające”, co nie było jej zabronione, a wąż pchał ją, aż go dotknęła. Powiedział jej: „Tak jak nie ma śmierci w dotknięciu, tak nie ma śmierci w jedzeniu”. A to doprowadziło do jej grzechu polegającego na jedzeniu owoców. Jak mówi Salomon (Przypowieści Salomona 20: 6): „Nie dodawaj do Jego słów, aby cię nie karcił i nie udowodniono ci, że są fałszywe”].
Chofetz Chaim
And I shall begin by saying that it is forbidden to shame one's friend for an insufficiency in what he possesses — whether in wisdom, strength, wealth, or the like. I shall explain my meaning in all of its details: "wisdom" — telling people that Ploni is not wise. And there is no difference here as to whether it is false or partially true and he exaggerates the actuality. — This is certainly a great sin, in the order of "spreading an evil report." For he demeans his friend by his falsehoods. — But even if it is the absolute truth, have not all the Rishonim "rooted it within us" that lashon hara [is forbidden] even if true! (See Principle I.) And this thing, negating one's possession of a certain eminence, is certainly also in the category of lashon hara. For did the Rambam not write (Avoth 1:17): "Lashon hara is relating one's evils and his blemishes and demeaning a Jew in any way, even if the demeaned one were [indeed] deficient, etc." As he expatiates there, it is called lashon hara if what he says about him is true. (See also what the Rambam has written in Hilchoth Deoth 7:5 to the effect that lashon hara is something, which when it becomes known to men, causes someone to be harmed in his body or in his money or to aggrieve him or to frighten him.) It seems clear, then, that negating one's possession of a certain eminence is absolute lashon hara according to the Torah. For upon reflection we find that this can result in monetary loss or grief, etc.
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Gray Matter III
A much stronger justification for the common practice might be derived from Rashi (ad. loc. s.v. Hakorei). He explains that the Gemara censures one who “while drinking wine, derives his amusement from words of Torah and reads pesukim aloud to amuse those at the party.” Rashi seems to imply that the prohibition applies only when Torah verses are used in a degrading manner, as the language of the Gemara (ad. loc.) seems to suggest. This gives the impression (unlike Rav Moshe) that as long as the music does not degrade the Torah, there is no prohibition, even if one is not listening to the music in the context of performing a mitzvah (such as rejoicing with a chatan and kallah). This limitation of the prohibition also is implied by the comments of the Rambam (Avot 1:17), wherein he writes, “The Torah forbade turning words of prophecy into songs of baseness and inappropriate things.” This indicates that the prohibition exists only if the pesukim are sung in a degrading manner. If, on the other hand, the songs are not of “baseness and inappropriate things,” it would be permissible.
