Shulchan Aruch and Lashon Hara

Many scholars asked the question as to why there isn’t a section in the Shulchan Aruch dedicated to the laws of לשון הרע. The Chafetz Chaim, in his book, שמירת הלשון,later delineated the rules regarding improper speech, but it was not a section of the שלחן ערוך.

This question was posed to Rav Chaim Kaniyevski, זצ״ל, who recently passed away. He said that the command in the Torah of לא תלך רכיל בעמך, that one should not peddle gossip, is an all encompassing Mitzva. He cited one source that mentioned how one needed to be careful with his speech, so that everything he says will be for the purpose of worshipping G-d. Rav Kaniyevski also pointed out another case where a messenger of the court, when fulfilling his mission, needed to be careful with his words, lest he come to speak Lashon Hara.

This answer is similar to the Rambam’s explanation as to why living in Israel was not one of the 613 commandments. Like לשון הרע, it is an all encompassing Mitzva that everyone realizes is important. It is a given that every Jew should live in Israel. And it is a given that people need to guard their tongue. This is why there was no section of the שלחן ערוך devoted to לשון הרע.