Rav Pinto: It is Forbidden to Speak Against Tzaddikim and Torah Scholars, It Harms and Affects a Person

So many troubles upon the Jewish people, Rav Yeshayahu Yosef Pinto shlit"a explains in clear language how much we have deteriorated in our disrespect towards tzaddikim and Torah scholars and how much it harms us.

"One who harms scholars should be considered repulsive. Once, could anyone say anything against tzaddikim? The very foundations would tremble. Today, striking tzaddikim has become something admirable, people enjoy striking tzaddikim."

"Rabbis striking rabbis, a rabbi who speaks lashon hara about another rabbi should be told you are disqualified, disqualified, disqualified, there is no one more disqualified than you. How can you speak lashon hara about a tzaddik? It is forbidden to speak lashon hara about tzaddikim."

"To disagree in Torah, yes, I can say yes, you can say no, in Torah it is permissible to disagree. Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai would disagree on the holy Torah, they would argue and debate, and yet they would marry among each other, friends, this is the way of Hashem, but when a person disqualifies - whoever disqualifies does so with his own blemish."

"Whoever tells you so-and-so is not good, know that he is not good, because one who is not good speaks badly about his fellow, one who is good does not see bad in his fellow."

"The holy Baal Shem Tov once saw a desecration of Shabbat and began to cry greatly. Rebbe, why are you crying? He answered: Because I saw a desecration of Shabbat. If I saw a desecration of Shabbat, it is a sign that I heard lashon hara about a Torah scholar and did not protest. A Torah scholar is like Shabbat, and one who sees a desecration of Shabbat is a sign that he saw harm to a Torah scholar and remained silent."

"To disagree on Torah is permissible.., this is how the Torah was built. Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua.., the Jewish people were built like a pyramid with Moshe at the top, but we have reached a state where one kills the other and this is forbidden."

"To disagree on Torah is permissible.., this is my way of Hashem and this is your way, but to enter into disputes, to hate, to engage in negative things, to involve people in negative things. This is something that must end, every person should take upon themselves to cut it off."

"Cut off lashon hara from oneself, one who speaks lashon hara is disqualified, he is considered repulsive. We have Hashem, simplicity, the service of Hashem, the way of Hashem, the service of Hashem in simplicity. This is our life, for they are our life and the length of our days, whoever goes to the sides will manage his life on the sides."

"..whoever walks in simplicity in the way of Hashem, happy are those who dwell in Your house, this is the true way of Hashem, this is the way of Hashem in which a person acquires."