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Sefer Chafetz Chayim
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara

Kelal Dalet - Halachah 9

provocation or other bad character traits, that most certainly this is a
denigration even though the facts are true. Who knows, perhaps he
did Teshuvah and he is saddened and his heart is embittered because
of these bad personality traits.

And even if one sees this person continue those bad traits and is
not at all remorseful because of them, nevertheless it is forbidden
to disclose and ridicule him because maybe this person does not
understand (38) the seriousness of the esur he is committing (each
time he expresses one of those bad traits). Because truthfully
speaking, we often see people, even men who are learned in Torah,
who don’t consider those bad character traits as being a significant
esur even though truthfully bad character traits are characterized as
a severe sin, as is obvious to anyone who studies the writings and
teachings of our Chazal; they think that this type of behavior is merely
not particularly acceptable.35 And if he understood the seriousness
of the esur that he is committing, perhaps he would make a strong
effort with all of his might not to lapse back into bad character
traits. (The Gemara Shabbat (69a) states that one who inadvertently
transgressed a Lav of Karet [meaning, that he was unaware that he
was committing a Lav which was punishable by Karet] and one who
purposefully transgresses that same Lav [meaning, that he knew he
was committing a Lav but he did not understand that its punishment
was Karet] are both called “Shawgeg” – inadvertent transgressors
relative to the punishment of Karet). In fact just the opposite is
true! If one sees this person routinely expressing one of these bad
character traits, one is obligated to reprimand him and explain to
him the severity of the esur that he is committing. By doing so,
one fulfills the mitzvah of (Vayikrah 19:17) ‘Reprimanding your
fellow Jew’ and it is possible that this person will concede to him
(39) that he was committing a sin. But at this moment this person
thinks his behavior is justified and correct, as Mishle teaches (21:2)
“Man believes that his behavior is always correct.” Therefore it is
forbidden to characterize this person (40) as a Rasha because of his
behavior and to go and talk about him to other people.

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