DA23
We are not to slander or give false testimony against our neighbor.
Category: Neighbours & Brothers
Type: Negative
Form: Explicit
Source dataset: New Testament
Uniqueness: Not unique
Classical commandment: No
New Covenant Literal Application
Applies to Person Categories: Not specified
Literal Application: Not specified
More explanation about New Covenant Literal Application
The New Covenant Literal Application Code (NCLA) is an interpretive guide used by the authors to indicate which person categories a mitzvah applies to, and at what level of literal compliance.
It combines person categories such as Jewish, K'rov Yisrael, and Gentile, together with male/female distinctions and an application level such as mandated, recommended, optional, or prohibited.
This code reflects the authors' interpretive opinion and is provided for prayerful consideration. On this page, the technical code is summarized into plain language to help new readers understand it more easily.
Bible references
Key NT Scriptures
- Colossians 3:8
- Ephesians 4:31
- Luke 3:14
Supportive NT Scriptures
- 2 Corinthians 12:20-21
- Ephesians 4:25
- Ephesians 4:31
- James 4:11-12
- Luke 18:20
- Matthew 19:18
- Romans 1:29-31
- 2 Timothy 3:2-3
- Titus 2:3
- Titus 3:1-2
Supportive OT Scriptures
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Deuteronomy 19:16-19
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Isaiah 58:9
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Jeremiah 18:18
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Leviticus 19:16
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Proverbs 25:18
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Psalms 15:2-3
Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent
Commentary
Rabbi Michael Rudolph
This Mitzvah prohibits the conveying of untrue or false information about a person. Such conveyance can damage a person’s reputation and sometimes even his freedom or his life if given as false testimony in a court of law. There are several words often associated with this Mitzvah . “Slander” (also “backbiting”) as used by Bible translators means saying or writing something derogatory about a person that is untrue. Slander” that is knowingly spoken in a court of law is called “perjury,” and is itself unlawful. I say “knowingly,” because slanderous testimony given in error is not considered “perjury.” A word used in contemporary law but not used in Bible translations is “libel.” “Libel” is distinguished from “slander” in today’s jurisprudence in that “slander” is derogatory and untrue information about a person that is spoken, whereas “libel” is information of the same character that is written or otherwise conveyed in a form that has greater permanence and is therefore considered more damaging. “Libel” and “slander” are both “defamation” because both “unjustly” harm a person’s reputation. “ Lashon hara ” (evil tongue) is a rabbinical halachic term that is different from both “slander” and “libel” in that “ lashon hara ” is the spoken or written conveyance of derogatory information about a person regardless of whether the information is defamatory (i.e. true or untrue) and whether malevolent or innocent. “Gossip” is similar, except the information conveyed need not be derogatory. All of this is to say that we are not to defame or give false testimony against our neighbor regardless of what it is called.
Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3
Source and License
Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.
License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0
Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.
Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3
Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3