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Sefer Chafetz Chayim םייח ץפח רפס
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara ערה ןושל ירוסיא תוכלה
Kelal Yud - Halachah 6 ח הכלה - י ללכ

Lashon Hara and, in particular the sin of accepting Lashon Hara as עמשמ 'וכו םירבדה רוקחל םהל שי לבא םייסש
truth. In this context it is very possible that people will believe the
Lashon Hara that they hear from this boor and it will be difficult for ןאכ דע ,טושפו ךירצ הריקח ןיידע התע ףאד
this observer to erase the impressions this boor made on the people’s .םש יתבתכ
heart (as Shelomo HaMelech teaches in Mishle – 18:17) “The first
one (to present his case) seems to be righteous in his grievance,”
meaning that first impressions are very difficult to undo). Therefore
it is correct and appropriate that this observer pre‑empt the boor and םייחה רוקמ
disclose the remarks made by him and explain to those other people
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the extent of the sin this boor committed. The observer must tell רבּדְַמֶּשׁ ,אוּהה שׁיִאה ןִמ המיא וילע ןיאֶשׁכּ )הכ( ,הז לכו .ח
these other people how this boor is wanton in his remarks and that ,וֹמִּע ערַהל וֹדי לאל שׁיֶּשׁ ,המיא וילע שׁי םִא לבא ,וילע
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there is no substance to the denigration aimed at the victim. All this
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so that when this boor does approach these other people with his ,וֹרבחל הָשׂעֶשׁ ,הלועה וילע רפּסל לקֵהל שׁיֶּשׁ רָשְׁפא
degrading remarks they will not believe him at all, and even more
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than that, these other people will stand up to this boor and rebuke .אָתלְתּ יפּאבּ אלֶֹּשׁ וּלִּפא
him for making those comments. When this boor sees their reaction
and realizes they will not accept his remarks and that they consider
him to be disgraceful and shameful, he will certainly take care not
to repeat again the comments he made about the victim. Therefore, םייח םימ ראב
in this instance it is certainly permissible to repeat the remarks
made by this boor because it will save the victim from shame and הטישב בותכ ןכ .'וכו המיא וילע ןיאשכ )הכ(
humiliation. It will also save both the speaker and the listener from אל ילואד 'וכו רשפא ש"מו ,י"ר םשב םש תצבוקמ
going into Gehinnom (because in speaking together they are saving
the victim). In so doing, this observer also fulfills the mitzvah of ףנוחל ותוא וקיזחי אלש ארבסהל קר הז םש בתכ
rebuking a fellow Jew. רתומ ורמא רבכש רתומ הז ןוגכבד י"ר בתכ כ"עו
בתכש ינשה םעטל כ"אשמ ,'וכו םיעשרל ףינחהל
Be’er Mayim Chayim אלש ןמז לכ ךייש הזב םגד רשפא ןרקשל והודשחיד
(K10/6/1)-(21) .. the victim will gain a meaningful benefit by ,ירש הז םעטל םגד רשפאו .םוסריפב רבדה רפיס
it: In this particular instance we need not be concerned that word of these רבדל היאר שיש אכיה קר ןרקשל ותוא וקיזחי אלד
remarks will get back to the victim because it is permitted to make these
remarks directly to the victim himself as long as we know that the outcome בתכש ומכ הנושאר וינפב ונוע לע הליג אלדמ
(of repeating those remarks to the victim) will be beneficial. For example, רשפא ונממ המיא וילע שיש הזבו ,ת"שב י"רה
the observer heard someone wanted to hurt the victim or he heard someone
say that if he encountered the victim he would abuse him in some fashion .'וכו רשפא יתבתכ כ"ע הז ךייש אלש
and this observer understood that this person was not exaggerating but
really meant it. Under these circumstances, most certainly it is necessary
to tell the victim what this person said in order that the victim take steps to
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