Question:
Is it considered Avak Rechilus when I remind my mother that a sibling of mine didn’t listen to her and didn’t do the job she asked him to do? I’m not reminding her with words, but I’m doing the job instead of my sibling, so when my mother sees me doing it, it reminds her that my sibling didn’t listen and didn’t do it(before she saw me, she forgot about the whole thing, and then by me doing the job I’m reminding her)
Answer:
Your question is very interesting. On one hand it would appear that it might be avak loshon hora because your action is causing your mother to realize that your sister didn’t do her job. However most probably it won’t be avak loshon hora. The reason is that it is only avak loshon hora if you action almost certainly will cause the negative reaction, such as praising ones enemies in front of him. We all know what the logical outcome of this will be… that the enemy will start saying that it isn’t true and that he is really a bad person. However in your case, when you want to do a good act, to help out your mother, if it isn’t clear that will realize that your sister didn’t do her job, then it isn’t really considered avak loshon hora. Therefore you can do the job that you wanted to do. However if by doing the job it will clearly cause your mother to know that your sister didn’t do her job, then it would be avak loshon hora.
Sources:
Horav Yisroel Wainman shlit”a.
