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Mekor Hachayim Sefer Chafetz Chayim
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara

Kelal Dalet

learn to copy this person’s lifestyle, then it is obviously permissible
and even a mitzvah (43) to disclose this person’s actions.

However, in this kind of circumstance it is a mitzvah for the speaker
to explain the reason why the disclosure is being made, i.e., why
this person is being denigrated, in order that the listener should
(understand the reason for the comment and) not think that this type
of speech is ordinarily permissible. Moreover, the listener should
not think the speaker is contradicting himself since he had said prior
that Lashon Hara is forbidden even if it is the truth). I will explain
this further in the 9th Kelal, in the 5th halacha that it is a great mitzvah
for parents to teach their young children to distance themselves from
this sin and yet now he himself is speaking Lashon Hara. (Similarly,
this law is brought down in Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah section
#242:22 [and in the Taz 92:22], that if a Posek decides the law in
a particular way that conforms to a minority opinion, for example,
in ruling leniently in a matter of urgent need on Erev Shabbat, or
something comparable, he must explain why he determined the law
in that way [i.e., contrary to the majority opinion]).

Be'er Mayim Chayim on page 231

K4/11. And understand clearly yet another essential rule in these

matters. If someone wants to get another person involved in his
affairs, for example, to hire him as an employee or to join with him
in a partnership or to work with this other person in arranging a
marital match with him (or any other comparable situation), even
if he never heard anything negative about this person until now, it
is permissible to make careful inquiries about him to learn more
about his character and situation. Even though it is possible that
during these inquiries people may speak badly against the subject
of the inquiry, nevertheless it is permitted to make them. These
inquiries are permitted because their sole purpose is to protect and
benefit the one who is making the inquiry in order that no damages
or contention (44) will occur in the future that will result in a
desecration of Hashem’s Holy Name, G‑d forbid.

But it seems to me that it would be necessary to tell the respondent

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