Lashon Hara About a Rabbi Who Turned Out Not to Be a Great Tzaddik
Question
To my honored teacher, shlita
I was with a certain rabbi for about two years, and I would consult with him and regard him as “my rabbi.” However, after some time with him, conduct was revealed on his part that was not in accordance with the Torah—whether in matters of money, lies, deception, falsehoods, and many other things that do not at all accord with the spirit of the Torah. Does he retroactively have the status of my “primary teacher” regarding the need to ask forgiveness for speaking “lashon hara”?
[If it is possible to ask the rabbi regarding this matter: since these things became public gradually, we would speak about them, and some of the matters became public because I and several other students spoke about the things we had seen from him. There were times when we would laugh about certain incidents. Are these considered “lashon hara”? Or “defamation”?]
Thank you very much to our honored teacher, the rabbi. With the blessing that he should long reign over his kingdom in complete health, amen.
Answer
Shalom and blessings.
Based on what you describe, this is not a case of a person who turned out to be a criminal, but rather someone whom you considered to be a great rabbi, and it became clear that he is an ordinary person with challenges and failures.
Therefore, while he is indeed not a “primary teacher,” nevertheless, with regard to any other Jew as well—even if he sometimes sins—there is a prohibition of lashon hara and defamation.
