Engelberg on lashon hara: the pot calling the kettle black

Brian Josselowitz, Cape Town

I refer to her letter in Jewish Report of June 15, “Story on Zuma’s Jewish grandchild sensationalist lashon hara”.

The SA Jewish Report has a mandate to report on issues that are relevant to the community and the fact that President Jacob Zuma’s “playboy son” has a Jewish child is of interest, although some readers like Engelberg think it’s salacious and doesn’t comply with the moral values she espouses.

Engelberg also refers to the tragedy that befell a young high school pupil. “I noticed… that the paper did not publish another article about this recent tragedy,” she wrote, pointing out that the editor said in an editorial: “The SA Jewish Report will not get in the way of the family’s privacy…”

Engelberg wrote that “while these two stories are very different, this single mother is dealing with her own struggles and took precautions to protect her (and her child’s) privacy”.

I assume she is referring to the mother of Zuma’s child. I’m surprised that Jewish Report did not name her. Not because Engelberg thinks it’s lashon hara, but as I recall, the Sunday Times which broke the story, had a picture of Zuma with the woman and she was identified in the report. In the end, we all have a choice. It depends on what we choose and how we handle the consequences.

One of the many laws of lashon hara says if you have already heard it, it is forbidden to believe it. On the contrary, one should always judge one’s fellow in a good light. Well, by calling Zuma “the playboy son of a corrupt president who is on the gravy train, including relationships with the Gupta family”, Engelberg is already playing judge, jury and executioner. And the only evidence she has is what she has read in the papers or seen on TV. If that isn’t lashon hara then I don’t know what is, and I am no expert.