מוסר אויף משלי 12:20

With reference to the reverse of this quality, i.e., weakness of purpose in worldly affairs and in the attempt to save souls, it has been said (Prov. xxiv. 10), "If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small"; and again (id., xii. 27), "The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting." However, we have mentioned the languid while treating of the quality of hatred. He who is one of the estimable, and administers his affairs with alacrity, will succeed in them. Thus it is said (Prov. xii. 24), "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; but the slothful shall be under tribute." Concerning this the poet spake: "If the souls become too greatly ambitious, the bodies will be wearied thereby." This is a beautiful maxim. The sage, peace be upon him, exhorted to wide-awakedness in matters religious and worldly in saying (Prov. xix. 15), "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep." This saying is very evident, for slothfulness necessarily induces lethargy. For when the vapors, which are designed to exude from the pores of the body through forcible movements, are motionless and do not dissolve, they mount to the brain, and bring about constant drowsiness. In the book of Al-Kuti it is said of wide-awakedness, "He who satisfies his land in respect of cultivation, will be satisfied by it with bread."

Chazal have explained that the class of slanderers is one of four classes who do not behold the Shechinah, viz. (Sotah 42b): "R. Yirmiyah b. Abba said: Four classes do not behold the Shechinah: the class of flatterers, the class of liars, the class of scoffers, and the class of slanderers … The class of slanderers, viz. (Psalms 5:5): 'For You are not a G-d that desires wickedness; evil will not sojourn with You.' You are righteous, O L-rd; evil will not sojourn in Your dwelling place.'" This section deals with the sin of lashon hara, as Rashi explains there. And the speaker of lashon hara is even called "evil," as we find in Aggadath Mishlei on the verse (Mishlei 12:20): "There is deceit in the heart of plotters of evil" — R. Chamma b. R. Chanina said: "One who speaks with his friend and eats and drinks with him and speaks lashon hara against him, the Holy One Blessed be He calls him 'evil,' etc." He is also judged in the fourth level of Gehinnom for this sin, as stated in Midrash Hane'elam on Ruth.

And it is found that it [(guarding one's tongue)] leads to peace [shalom]. And the greatness of peace is already known. As Chazal have said: "Even if there be, G-d forbid, the sin of idolatry in Israel, but there is peace among them, the Holy One Blessed be He tells Satan not to touch them." And if one accustoms himself to speak well of his friend, he merits that the Holy One Blessed be He calls him by His name — "Shalom!" As it is written (Judges 6:24): "And he called it [(the altar)] 'the L-rd - Shalom.'" And if he does the opposite, G-d forbid, he is called "Ra" ["evil"]. As Chazal have said: "If one speaks with his friend and eats with him and drinks with him and speaks lashon hara against him, the Holy One Blessed be He calls him 'Ra,' as it is written (Mishlei 12:20): 'There is deceit in the heart of the plotters of ra.' And if one does not eat and drink with him and does not deal with him [i.e., if he has acquired no favors from him] and [still] he speaks well of him, the Holy One Blessed be He calls him 'Shalom,' viz. (Ibid.): 'And for the counselors of Shalom there is joy.'"