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Mekor Hachayim Sefer Chafetz Chayim
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara

Kelal Dalet

providing they would believe his sole testimony with the same
authority as two witnesses (28). It is permissible for his rebbe to
hate this person (the adulterer) and to distance himself from him
until the matter is resolved and this person did appropriate Teshuvah.
But it is forbidden for this rebbe to relate this story to others since
that would be no better than if he himself witnessed this person’s
actions and could not disclose it to anyone else because he was
only a solitary witness, as I discussed prior in the 4th halacha of this
Kelal.

K4/6. It further appears to me that a person who will likely repeat

the same foolish mistake can be reported to his rebbe even if that
rebbe is not particularly discrete and the disclosure will possibly
become public knowledge. But if the rebbe is an authoritative
person whose words of rebuke will be accepted by this transgressor
as a reprimand to stop his foolishness, then it is likely that one can
also approach his rebbe directly with this story since his motivation
is to help this person stop his sinning and not to humiliate him.

Now to resume the prior subject.

Even if two witnesses watched this person commit a sin, and this
person is likely to repeat this sin, nevertheless the disclosure can
only be made to the city’s judicial authorities and to no one else
because in actuality these two witnesses saw this person commit
a sin only once. Maybe his Yetzer Hara got the better of him this
one time but afterwards he was regretful and became saddened
and embittered because of what he had done and now did a sincere
Teshuvah. Accordingly this person is still categorized as “your
fellow Jew” (and is entitled to the benefit of the doubt as a Torah
imperative).

Be'er Mayim Chayim on page 193

K4/7. All of these laws discussed until this point relate specifically

to someone who becomes remorseful after committing a sin. But if

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