Gossip or Lashon Hara (Evil Tongue), it is one of the all time ongoing spiritual & social epidemic catastrophes of humanity.  It is impossible to read most newspapers, magazines or watch a TV program without hearing nasty gossip.  There are full time "gossip ministries" working at many Churches, Synagogues, Social Clubs.  Sometimes the gossip is coming right out of Rabbi or Pastor's mouth, or their partners, or from other leaders who are unwilling to respond to the real needs of their community, so they gossip and speak evil instead of properly resolving the issues.

     At times gossip is spawned because of severe infractions like adultery, fornication, stealing, lying or other high handed rebellion that is never addressed and reconciled within the community.  On many occasions those who have the authority to address and eradicate the problem refuse to do so, because they don't want "division" or don't even know how to confront the matter, nothing gets done, the problems go underground. People talk, gossip flies, damage is disseminated like flesh off a suicide bomber, blown all the neighborhood and then to the utmost parts.

Every soul on the planet will either

expend some personal resources

to extinguish the gossip

or they will promote it,

no one is immune.

The Origin of Speech

YHWH Elohim then formed the man [from] the dust of the ground,

and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life.

And so man became nefesh chayah.

Genesis 2:7

     The Targumist suggests that the nefesh chayah (living soul) in Genesis 2:7 is best understood as "the spirit of speech."  Speech is the domain or platform which YHWH endows to mankind as a means to communicate with each other about His awesome Creation and His Kingdom.  Just as we are given the freedom to do anything we want with our lives, so we are given the command of individual speech to direct it according to our free will.  The physical capability of uttering speech like sounds is certainly found within the animal kingdom, but it is only mankind who is given the ability of thought and speech.  YHWH commands us to speak, to teach, to pray, to sing and to use our voices according to what is righteous and wholesome.  Speech is the melding of spirit, soul and body into sound.  YHWH spoke the Universe into existence, His speech created all things and by this we can understand the vital importance of maintaining our words according to what is pleasing to the Master.  Whether people understand this or not, their speech is destroying or building the Malchut Elohim.  The first time speech is abused was in Garden of Eden when the serpent lied, we all know the story.  But many don't to stop and consider how to reconcile evil speech, only Holy (Set Apart) speech can reconcile and atone for evil speech.  According to Jewish law all evil speech originates from the serpent, this is very obvious when you think about how thoughts turn into speech, evil thoughts come from evil spirits, evil spirits establish their authority by showing their victims who to speak evil of YHWH, His Mashiyach or His people, and the evil speaking eventually leads to evil action.

     Years ago a Christian fellow was attending a Messianic congregation in Vancouver and having repeated sex with one of the girls in the congregation.  When the gossip finally reached the girls parents they were devastated, the father came to me inquiring what he should do.  Neither the boy or girl cared to be corrected because they didn't feel what they were doing was wrong.  The leader was approached and asked to respond, but he did nothing, albeit the leader was a spineless individual when it came to upholding Torah, but he was also incapable of providing ministry and counsel to correct problems of this nature, he appeared to put himself above the matter.  Another full time gossiper attended the same congregation with a mission to Hellenize the Jews and gossiped down anyone whose "theology" wasn't according to her christo-paganism, again the leader was approached and replied with, "we're aware of what is going on", "we're taking care of it", but he did nothing and in as much he promoted it.  I journal matters and write of them because I've followed protocols in Torah and Mashiyach to try to make certain individuals accountable, but they tend to scorn those who point out the obvious.

      After a Shabbat service one time a leader, Eli Nessim in Vancouver, was busy gossiping with another individual about another gentleman in the congregation, as soon as I heard what was being said, I objected to their conversation, the other individual turned to me and demanded, "I'm just reporting to Eli", in other words, I'm just doing what is expected of me.  She was one of Eli's "mules", the leadership was running a full time gossip and slander ministry.  It is shocking when one realizes this is how some leaders choose to "minister" to their congregation, which is why so many congregations are lukewarm and indifferent to the Ruach HaKodesh.  There is little or no ministry in the congregation or "Presence" of the Ruach HaKodesh, instead of Chaverim living victorious lives in Mashiyach, indifferent social club attitudes and carnal lifestyles are prevalent.

Those who imbibe themselves in gossip take their lead from Ahab and Jezebel. 

     Some of the most accomplished gossipers are highly prized theologians and public orators, the private lives of these "ministers" are hellish, they act as if their gossip against "the dissidents" is vital to their "ministry".  But theological models in themselves can never provide solutions to life's challenges, one must have some courage to do the right thing.  Gossip is dead religion's finest hour, it's the ministry and pulpit of hasatan who brings accusation against those who are in much need of refreshing, rather than becoming targets of gossip because of their theological or personality "differences".

     Being from Vernon BC Canada, a small logging town of about 15,000 souls there is a very small community of those who are interested in living according to Torah and Mashiyach.  My family moved to Vernon in the 50's and holds many values that are different to mainstream religions.  In the late 1940's my Saba Lazarus Gorovenko began studying Netzarim Judaism.  In 1962 he moved to Israel to pursue studies in Hebrew and Aramaic to learn the teachings of Yeshua Mashiyach.  Our family has followed Yeshua and celebrated Shabbat for 5 generations and the Moedim for as long as I can remember, which is NOT a popular thing among the Christian world.  My Saba Lazarus was a Zionist, a lover of Jews and non-Jews alike and held that Torah is for all souls, Jews and non-Jewish souls alike, neither is this popular.  He was an avid Torah Talmid who published various Torah studies and taught that Yeshua and the Ruach HaKodesh came to write Torah upon our hearts.  Our beliefs have made our family a minority, as a result we have become targets for slanderers.

     Some Christians warn others that we are a dangerous group of "legalists", one of our families most infamous slanderers lives in nearby Kelowna BC, at one time she attended various meetings that our family coordinated, however she is a mole for christo-paganism.  Elaine publicly chastised me and our family for teaching the observance of the Commandments of YHWH. Ironically she and her husband became "Messyanics" so now the slander has turned into telling others we are "anti-Semitic" and that I go around infiltrating congregations to take them over, or destroy them.  Over the years others have told me they heard I was a "womanizer", a "fornicator", a "ex-druggie" that my teaching is "dangerous", and the list goes on and on.  The "Believers" in the area have heard so much gossip, slander and accusation against me that I shudder to enter into a congregation in the Province of BC.  The gossipers levy no charges to my face, nor in writing, so transgression will not likely be reconciled until Mashiyach returns.  Maybe you've also experienced the weird looks from people and bizarre questions from those who've been listening to gossip about you?  You'll know what I'm talking about, the last time I saw a slander look was on Pastor, Brian Anderson of the Repairer of the Breach congregation in Winfield BC, Canada, it wasn't pretty.

     Certainly there are times when "gossip" serves a purpose, there are those who do not know how to deal with a grievous situation and are essentially pleading for help, in a round about way, the only way they know how.  There are many situations where individuals attempt to cover up egregious transgression they would otherwise never be accountable for, except that someone let the cat out of the bag.  The problem is that their are so many cowards, and evil minded people in leadership that instead of ministering to the needs, they join the chorus.

  Certainly if there is no accountability for transgression and the Pastors feel "privileged" to run roughshod over others there will never be reconciliation.  When issues are being addressed and attempts are being made to correct a problem this communication is certainly not intended to hurt anyone, or to be cruel, but to restore, but this communication must be made in Mashiyach, not according to the flesh.  All communication must serve the purpose of restoration and be within the body of Mashiyach, and among those who are equipped and able to make restoration, rather than propagate slander as a "ministry".  The gossiper is the most needy of souls because they prove they have no spiritual resources to love another person, or to minister to the needs of others.  The are selfishly slandering others as a way of ministering to their own needs.  Nevertheless, those who hear the gossip must realize the greater underlying needs of the person, and try to help if they can.

     I don't suppose there is another soul on the planet who would read this website and agree with everything I write, or certainly not how I phrase the words.  Neither do I imagine any reasonable soul would expect me to agree with everything they think and teach, the point is when people disagree they have more reason to exercise restraint over their tongues.  Disagreement doesn't give license to slander others.  If YHWH does not remember the sin which He has forgiven, and I've made long and thorough confession of my failings and shared shortcomings with many others, made restitution as required for my wrongdoings, who then has the right to slander me?  However, those who are interested in gossiping have an agenda, some are threatened by YHWH's Word,  I know that I cause controversy because I advise Believers that they will be judged according to YHWH's Word, not according to a religion.  Christians and Jews hate this because they've been convinced by Pastors and Rabbis that they've already got it in the bag, I come along and suggest that religion and the Kingdom are two different things.  In fact, Believers are likely to burn hotter than the rest because they've had access to the Truth, but don't live accordingly.  They prefer the praise of men over the Praise from YHWH.  Some are threatened by having their own secret sins "found out" sometimes the gossip about others is just a decoy to deflect attention off themselves, other times the gossip is a desperate act to get a bit of recognition within their peer group ministries of gossipers.

     One of my own "shortcomings" is that this nice Jewish boy isn't yet married with children, this has been a target for gossip as well.  My being Jewish or not being Jewish is another target of gossip.  Some believers even slandered me claiming I must be a homosexual, I first heard it told me by a "Believer" after a Shabbat service, I went home and wept, I never imagined "Believers" could be so low, cruel and shameful as to put out such evil gossip.  I was one time courting a sister for marriage in the late 90's, I had met her around the same time I was being gossiped out of the Kehillath Tsion fellowship in Vancouver BC, (by the leadership clique).  Our relationship got very stressed and couldn't progress for a variety reasons, one being that a certain "Jezebel witch" was doing everything in her power to gossip my soul into the dirt and her slander became the topic of conversation.  I had to prove myself, which wasn't so difficult to do but when I noticed that certain others were legitimizing gossip and slander and listening to it, I realized that being single wasn't such a bad thing after all.

     Anyone involved in leadership soon learns to handle the conflicts, but it's especially brutal for a single person.  Not too long ago a movie called the Passion, was popular and hitting the theaters, in my opinion it's a Hollywood orgy of idolatry and paganism, a cheap pathetic flick to Crap-it-al-ize.  I highly doubt the sincerity of anyone who sees such a movie as a "teaching tool" or "witness" of the truth.  It seems to me that the Mother Harlot was using it to entice people back into hell for the price of a movie admission.  I don't mean to make people feel uncomfortable, but the fact of the matter is I myself feel rather uncomfortable when I have to beg to differ. However, just because I may make a person uncomfortable, doesn't give them the right to gossip about the source of their discomfort.  I feel very uncomfortable around those who promote the pagan lawless Jesus god and entice souls into a lifestyle of Hellenism.

     Rigorous disputation is essential, but gossip and stubbornness is a form of idolatry.  When someone vilifies their opponent instead of addressing the issues at hand, it indicates they have no interest in Truth.  Ad Hominem arguments attack the person, or their character they are a distraction against discovering the truth of the matter.

"You shall not go up and down as a talebearer among your people:"

Leviticus 19:16

"If any one among you seem to be religious,

and controls not his tongue, but deceives his own heart,

this man's religion is vain." 

James 1:26

     It seems as gossip is well tolerated among the ranks when it supports a religious agenda, or when it comes from its leaders.  Gossip is evidence of hasatan having a place in the soul, it only brings about contempt, condemnation and torment, it cannot bring about good fruit.  In the religious worlds it is common for Jews, Christians and Moslems to gossip about each others religions, each one thinks they are justified because the other is wrong.  Imagine what the world would be like if Jews, Christians and Moslems expended that time and energy to seek the Truth in Love for the Common Good?

 The Righteous Way to Resolve Gossip

The FIRST STEP

"Go to the one who trespassed against you" -don't send an email, letter or a fax, go to the person, unless this is how you always communicate with them.  Show respect to your soul and theirs and base your reconciliation on the Unity of the Body of Mashiyach, not on your PERSONAL needs regardless of how much you were offended.  Hope for the best and trust that the other soul will respond to you in Love.

"Tell him his fault between you and him"  -don't water it down, be honest and clear, someone who offends you and is also violating Torah is also an offence to YHWH and His Mashiyach.  It might well be that YHWH is raising you up to minister to this person who desperately needs some help.  Hopefully at this point you and the other person are able to reconcile, if so forgive each other and pray for each other and see that your relationship is strengthened.  Take the time to expose and crush the enemies plans, pray for each other, claim the promises of Scripture for each other, tell each other about the good things your relationship has brought into each others lives.  Seal the reconciliation in the Name of YHWH and His Mashiyach Y'shua and take back the ground that might have have otherwise been lost.  Agree to strengthen those who might have also been hurt by the gossip.  Make an opportunity to share the blessings of being reconciled together, but after this is done NEVER repeat the details of the gossip, it's not necessary to go back.

     If you have done your very best, ONE on ONE and the problem continues to escalate, i.e. the person accuses you or attempts to defend their flesh...

THEN take the SECOND STEP

"Take with you one or two more" -this is a powerful and effective Torah principle which MUST NOT be skipped.  At this point YOU will be judged along with the offender to determine whether your motive is Kadosh (set apart to YHWH).  Two or three witnesses will hold both of you accountable to the Word of YHWH, it is best to find mature brothers/sisters who are "Mighty in the Scriptures" and who have Spiritual Discernment, Wisdom and the Gifts of the Ruach HaKodesh.  You will not be chairperson for this meeting, you will be a witness to the offence and supply testimony to those in attendance while the one who trespassed against you also listens and provides evidence.

     Hopefully at this point you will all be able to reconcile the matter, forgive, pray for each other and see your relationship restored.

     If you have done your very best, and the one who made the offense escalates the accusations and gossip...

THEN take the THIRD STEP

"Tell it to the congregation"  -all the particulars of the gossip do not have to be made public, the two persons of the conflict should be NAMED and the assessment made public by the two or three witnesses before the congregation.  The Scripture says "if he neglect to hear the congregation" in other words the two or three witnesses and their testimony will also be judged by the congregation, this has the effect of prohibiting a peer group from running roughshod over the congregation.

"But if he neglect to hear the congregation, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican."  -the congregation and the parties to the infraction must be provided a time and place to address the matter if necessary and make factual statements regarding the matter.  If the offender goes against the congregation they must repent before being restored to the congregation, it is best if they bring their repentance to the congregation by stating their offense as well as what they've done to reconcile the matter.  If that matter could not be reconciled in the SECOND STEP and the leadership of the congregation refuses to judge the matter righteously and take this third step, then you should be looking for the door of the congregation and don't bother going back.  It is a social club that does not Fear YHWH nor choose to establish righteousness in their community.

     It's not easy to deal with habitual gossipers, they tend to mount attacks against everyone who attempt to stop them.  Anyone who habitually gossips about others demonstrates that they have given place to hasatan, no one can know how deep the reprobation is in their soul, they close themselves and gossip about others.  It doesn't matter how many "redeeming" things there are in the person or what office they hold, unclean spirits can infiltrate where we least expect them.  When a person habitually gossips it indicates underlying problems within their soul.  Gossip begins with idle or trivial talk, jesting, vanity then escalates into reprobation and puts off all manner of carnal energy.  Mature communities will not tolerate gossip, each soul must be accountable to one another and have holy conversation at all times, we all make mistakes but we must each also humble ourselves and accept necessary correction.

     If you are a minority within a congregation of gossipers, if you cannot find two or three witnesses who will go with you to correct a trespass or gossip, if the person refuses to meet with you and witnesses then you must not expose yourself to abuse.  In this case either you or the congregation is carnally minded and a decision must be made to change your scenery.  The greatness of the Ruach HaKodesh (Set-Apart Spirit) within the soul of the righteous must not be subject to evil spirits otherwise a person will eventually become lukewarm.  The Neshama must be elevated in each soul and treated with respect, but in so doing evil and hurtful activities must be judged and forbidden within each interpersonal relationship and within the entire community.

     I have mentioned names of certain individuals above because each one has refused to attend a hearing with witnesses, yet they consider themselves to be in good standing as "Believers", I disagree with their gossip and slander and made it very clear that I for one do not condone it or accept it in any fashion.  Elaine Dueck went before her entire congregation (the Repairer of the Breach in Winfield BC Canada) with the consent of her Pastor Brian Anderson to mount a slander campaign against me, then she back peddled and asked for a private meeting with me in her home.  Mr. Eli Nessim gossiped with his church behind my back and never brought any charges to my person, then he got his henchmen to literally slam the door and lock it one Shabbat when I was about to enter the building for a meeting.  I had no idea what was going on, or specifically why they were doing it.  As far as I'm concerned I have made sufficient warnings to these individuals about their gossip and slandering that their blood will not be on my hands.  I realize that their gossip against me is simply because they do not agree with me teaching the things that I do, and they teach a different gospel than I.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:"

James 1:19

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members,

that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." 

James 3:6

"For every kind of beast, bird, serpent, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be. Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?  Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Or a vine bear figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? 

Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."

James 3:7-13

"Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that you are called unto this, that you should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it."

1 Peter 3:9-11.

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of Elohim, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be kind to one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as Elohim for Mashiyach's sake has forgiven you." 

Ephesians 4:29-32

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

For everything is exposed and revealed by the light, and everything that reveals is light." 

Ephesians 5:11-13

"To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures,

living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another."

Titus 3:2-3

"Draw nigh to Elohim, and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of YHWH, and He shall lift you up.

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother,

speaks evil of the Torah, and judges the Torah: but if you judge the Torah,

you are not a doer of Torah, but a judge.

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy:

who are you that judges another?"

James 4:8-12.

     Mankind has a problem controlling the tongue, the only way to get the victory over this demon is to understand that YHWH strictly forbids it and have a consensus that gossip shall not be tolerated.  Each one must be accountable for what comes out of their mouths.

     The underlying agenda of the gossiper is to destroy the Unity of Mashiyach to establish carnal authority.  A habitual gossiper proves their reprobate soul has fallen into the pit where the Ruach HaKodesh is unable to convict them of their gossip.

The gossiper is deceived to think they are doing a service by "exposing" others,

the fact is they are living and thinking according to the demon infested world in which they live, they are exposing only what is in their own soul.  The only way to stop the gossip is to have a consensus and say no.  What if the congregational leader is the full time gossiper?  What if the leader is using gossip and witchcraft to manipulate people?  Beware of false religious leaders, these are the greatest abominations within mankind, flee, be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing!

The Word of YHWH is quick and

P O W E R F U L

and sharper than any two-edged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow, and is a

discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Let all our conversation be Holy unto YHWH!

1 Peter 1:15

     If we find ourselves in situations where the leadership is incapable or unwilling to address the gossip coming from their own mouths, we must follow righteous counsel.

Warn others, do not remain silent!

All that hate me whisper together against me:

against me do they devise my hurt.

Psalm 41:7

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, 

Come out of her, my people,

that you be not partakers of her sins, 

and that you receive not of her plagues . 

Revelation 18:4

YHWH be with you!

Shalom U'Vrachot,

Baruch Ben Daniel