[Submitted] Camp Agudah has put out a Sefer on Onoas Devorim (hurtful words).
They allow anyone to print it, as they write in the copyright, “Copying of this booklet is strongly encouraged for private and classroom use in order to further Torah study throughout the world.”
Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky wrote a Haskamah for this sefer.
My goal is to get children to know the Halachos of Onoas Devorim. I truly believe that if we get the younger generation to learn the Halachos of Onoas Devorim, the next Dor will be different. People will be cognizant and know how to speak to each other. including parent/child, employee/employer/husband/wife, siblings etc.
Let this be a Zechus for getting rid of this Magaifa and help bring us closer to the Geulah Shleimah.
You can download it here.
I may have said this before but I think it’s worth repeating. Without breath there is no speech. R’ Shmuel Benvenisti wrote in a sefer “Orech Yamim”, as quoted in the recent letter from the Belzer Rav published here on TLS, (Indeed it says in Bereishis that Hashem breathed life into Adam.) What distinguishes man from all other creatures? Speech. No breath, no speech.
Breathing is done by the lungs. Speech can therefore be said to be facilitated by the lungs.
Ask yourself, “Why does the Bellzer Ray quote that Sefer?”, specifically the Pasuk saying, “…it is that place where the blow has been struck that the pestilent scourge will cleave itself to him.”
COVID-19 kills a person via the lungs.
A person without Onaos Devorim speaks badly about others because the person believes he has the Kavod (the dignity – the dignity and authority of a judge, so to speak) to do so. As is well known, the debacle of the “Spies”, was caused by Kavod.
In Mesilat Yesharim, The Ramcha’l gives many examples of how a person’s desire cal actually destroy his life.
It is well known that in the Mishna, Avot 4:21 it says, “… the seeking of drive a person out of this world”.
What I am saying is not intended to apply to, or place blame on any single individual but generally speaking. After all we are an Am Echad. And universally speaking we are all human beings inhabiting one world of which this plague has no bounds, and the above applies to everyone on this Earth.
With all of that said, why would COVID have virtually letters to KAVOD?