Elections and Lashon Hara: What May We Say, and What May We Hear?

Rabbi Shay Tahan

The recent elections brought out a flood of slander. Candidates attacked each other, campaigns spread stories, and the same dirt was passed from WhatsApp group to WhatsApp group, at the Shabbat table and in shul. Many good people joined in without a second thought: “It’s politics,” “Everyone knows it anyway,” “It’s true.”

But the Torah’s rules don’t take a break during election season. Is it permitted to say these things? Is it permitted to listen?

True Is Not a Heter

The Chofetz Chaim (Lashon Hara, Klal 1:1) rules that it is forbidden to speak negatively about another Jew even if it is completely true. That is exactly what Chazal call lashon hara, and the speaker transgresses “Lo telech rachil be’amecha.” If any falsehood is mixed in, it becomes motzi shem ra, which is far worse. And one who makes a habit of it, sitting and telling “so-and-so did this, I heard that about him,” is called a baal lashon hara, whose punishment is much greater (Klal 1:3).

Listening Is Also Forbidden

The Chofetz Chaim (Klal 6:1) rules that it is a Torah prohibition to accept lashon hara, meaning to believe in your heart that the story is true. Even just listening is forbidden by the Torah, even if you don’t plan to believe it, since you are lending your ear (Klal 6:2).

However, there is a difference between listening and accepting. If the information is relevant to you for the future, for example you were about to go into business with this person, you may listen in order to be cautious and protect yourself. The same applies if hearing it will help others. But to accept it, to decide in your heart that it is true, is forbidden in every case (Klal 6:2).

And if one sits in a group that starts speaking forbidden things and rebuke won’t help, it is a great mitzvah to leave or even to put a finger in one’s ears (Klal 6:5).

When It Is Permitted: Le’to’elet

The Torah does not want a person to be harmed because others kept quiet. The Chofetz Chaim (Rechilut, Klal 9:1) writes that if one sees that his friend wants to go into partnership with someone, and he believes it will surely cause him harm, he must tell him in order to save him. But this requires five conditions (Klal 9:2):

1. Do not jump to conclusions. First examine carefully whether the matter is truly bad.

2. Do not exaggerate. Tell it no worse than it actually is.

3. Intend only to help, to prevent the harm, and not out of hatred for the other person. Included in this, first think whether telling will actually accomplish anything. If the listener won’t heed you and will partner with him anyway, and later, when they quarrel, will say “so-and-so was right about you,” there is no heter at all.

4. If the benefit can be achieved without revealing anything negative, it is forbidden to tell.

5. The telling may not cause the person actual harm. Losing the benefit the other would have given him is permitted, but causing him real damage requires further conditions, and certainly no harm beyond what halacha would impose.

In Lashon Hara (Klal 10:1-2), the Chofetz Chaim adds that one who saw someone wrong his fellow may publicize it to help the victim and to denounce the act. The conditions there include: he saw it himself rather than heard it, he first rebuked the wrongdoer gently, he does not exaggerate, his intent is to help and not to enjoy the other’s shame, there is no other way, and no harm results beyond what beis din would rule. And if the speaker is guilty of the same sins himself, it is forbidden, because his intent is not for good but to gloat (Klal 10:3).

The Tziyurim

At the end of Hilchot Rechilut, the Chofetz Chaim brings Tziyurim, practical cases. In the first: you see Reuven wanting to go into business with Shimon, who doesn’t know him, and you know well that Reuven doesn’t care about other people’s money. Warn Shimon beforehand. This is not lashon hara, but all the conditions of Klal 9 must be met.

What This Means for Elections

Choosing a leader is, in a sense, entering into a partnership with him. We place our community’s interests in his hands. So there can be real to’elet in warning people about a candidate, if one truly knows something that would harm the public. But all the conditions apply: know it firsthand or verified, examine it carefully, don’t exaggerate, speak only to protect and not out of party hatred, say only what is necessary, and stay within the truth. Spreading a story you saw forwarded, mocking a candidate, or repeating rumors to make “our side” look good does not meet these conditions. That is plain lashon hara, and often motzi shem ra.

The requirement of firsthand knowledge also includes hearing on line a speech in which he made a promise that could potentially harm our community, or the like. Also, if he has a record of engaging in behavior that is harmful to our way of life, this may be relevant as well. Furthermore, the requirement to rebuke him first may not apply in this case, assuming that he would not listen anyway (Klal 10:7).

The same goes for listening. A voter who wants to know relevant facts about a candidate in order to vote responsibly may listen, in order to be careful. But he may not accept as fact everything he hears, and he must not sit and enjoy an hour of political gossip.

Another heter is when the candidate is a wicked person who doesn’t believe in hashem or the torah. Or if he vows to fight the torah and the yeshiva system (klal 7:5 and Tshuvot vehanagot 3:478).

The elections will pass. The words we spoke, and the ones we listened to, remain. May we merit to guard our mouths and our ears, and to see true leaders who bring blessing to Klal Yisrael.

Rabbi Shay Tahan is the Rosh Kollel of Kollel Shaarei Ezra located in Bnei Yosef, on Avenue P and Ocean Parkway, and he is the head of the Bet-Horaha Arzei Halevanon. You can hear Rabbi Tahans classes at Torahanytime.com and in Askhalacha.com.

Originally published in The Jewish Vues, October 28 – November 3, 2026.