hashkafah philosophy - Hyperbole in the Gemara?

There are many times where the Gemara says that someone who does something is equivalent to one who is "kofer b'kol" or killing someone (for example regarding lashon harah in Erchin 15b

I have always been under the assumption that such language is hyperbolic.

Is that the case, or should such things be taken literally?

Answer

This is pretty explicit in Rambam Laws of Teshuva Ch. 3:

‏ [יד] כל אחד ואחד מארבעה ועשרים אנשים אלו שמנינו--אף על פי שהן ישראל, אין להן חלק לעולם הבא. ויש עבירות קלות מאלו, ואף על פי כן אמרו חכמים שהרגיל בהן אין לו חלק לעולם הבא, כדי להתרחק מהן ולהיזהר מהן.‏

כה ואלו הן: המכנה את חברו, והקורא לחברו בכינוי, והמלבין פני חברו ברבים, והמתכבד בקלון חברו, והמבזה תלמידי חכמים, והמבזה רבותיו, והמבזה את המועדות, והמחלל את הקודשים.‏

The above 24 matters [e.g. denying the existence of God] would preclude even a Jew from a share in the World to Come. Some sins are less bad than these [and therefore wouldn't], however the rabbis said "one who does these regularly will lose his share in the World to Come" in order to make a point and distance a person from them. They are: dubbing a friend with derogatory nicknames or using such nicknames, deeply shaming someone in public, putting oneself on a pedestal by taking advantage of someone else's shame, disgracing scholars or one's own teachers, disgracing the holidays or holy matters.

Similarly, there's a responsum from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein -- OC4:116 -- for someone overcome with sexual guilt. He says when the Zohar, and subsequently the Shulchan Aruch, say a certain sin is "as bad as all others combined", it's "lav davka" -- it doesn't really mean that.