He Is A Really Neat Guy Etc. - Answer, Compliments Of Alleyways
Yes indeed, one should compliment his friend. It is a fulfillment of "love your neighbor as you love yourself", [as we saw from the Rambam]. So go around saying nice things to people about themselves or about others. It is easy and it makes people feel good. One well worded compliment sometimes stays with someone for YEARS!!!
Ayyyyyy, the Gemara in Erchin says that you should not compliment others lest it lead to lashon hara??? No problemo!! That Gemara, according to the Rambam, is referring to one's enemy [See Deos 7/4]!!! So if you know that Joe hates Bill [maybe because Joe receives him in the mail every month and it gets really expensive... ba dam chhhhhhh] don't tell Joe what a fantastic guy Bill is. You are liable to get an earful about how much of a jerk Bill REALLY is.
But otherwise - compliment, compliment, compliment!!! Your spouse, your doctor, your grocery man, your mother, your brother, your chavrusa, your roommate etc. etc. etc.
Ayyyyyy, the Gemara in Erchin says that you should not compliment others lest it lead to lashon hara??? No problemo!! That Gemara, according to the Rambam, is referring to one's enemy [See Deos 7/4]!!! So if you know that Joe hates Bill [maybe because Joe receives him in the mail every month and it gets really expensive... ba dam chhhhhhh] don't tell Joe what a fantastic guy Bill is. You are liable to get an earful about how much of a jerk Bill REALLY is.
But otherwise - compliment, compliment, compliment!!! Your spouse, your doctor, your grocery man, your mother, your brother, your chavrusa, your roommate etc. etc. etc.
what about issues of complimenting/praising someone in their prescnece. prescense? presents precence? presense?
ARRRRGGGG!!!!
Posted by Amichai S | 6:14 PM
What issues?
Posted by Rabbi Ally Ehrman | 11:14 PM
I assume מקצת שבחו בפניו וכו.
Posted by WillWorkForFood | 1:20 AM
Post a Comment