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And now we shall begin to explain, with the help of the L–rd, the din of accepting lashon hara from a man who is believed like two witnesses, or from someone speaking "in his innocence," or if there are elements in what is said which indicate it to be true. And though in most of their dinim they are alike, I have divided each one into sections by themselves, for there are several details in which each one is different from the other, and also so that the eyes of the reader not be overtaxed by the abundance of branches which spread from each one. And this I have begun with the help of Him who graces man with knowledge.

The issur of lashon hara obtains even if it is heard from one who is believed [to the hearer] like two witnesses. As to what we have written above, in Principle IV, section 5, that it is permitted to reveal the matter secretly to his Rabbi or to his close confidant if he knows that his words will be believed like those of two witnesses, and that it is permitted for his Rabbi to accept his words and to hate him [the object of the lashon hara], and to distance himself from his company, until it becomes known to him that he has repented of his evil way — that is there, where it is a thing because of which he is, in truth, permitted to speak demeaningly of him if he has not repented, since he knowingly transgressed something which is known by all of Israel to be forbidden, in which instance no merit is to be posited of him (as in the act of Toviyah in Pesachim, 113b, which is an act of fornication, and the like). Not so, where it is a thing where some merit is to be posited of him, such as lacking knowledge of the issur of the act, or, perhaps, having performed the act unwittingly. Nor [is it permitted] to speak of him demeaningly in general, or as lacking in advantages, as mentioned before in Principle V, section 2, or to bring up the [negative] acts of his forbears or his relatives, or his early [negative] deeds. Certainly, "being believed like two" does not apply in these instances. For what difference does it make if this [i.e., what is said about him in these instances] is not false at all? In spite of this, the Torah forbade speaking of him demeaningly because of this, but [legislated] to judge him only in the scales of merit in such things, as explained in Principle IV, section 3.

And the hearer [as well as the speaker] is also forbidden to think demeaningly of his friend in his heart because of this (viz. Principle VI, section 7). And aside from the issur of accepting [the lashon hara], he transgresses "Before the blind man do not place a stumbling- block," along with many other positive and negative commandments, as explained above in the introduction. For the speaker certainly transgresses the issur of lashon hara, as explained by all the poskim, to the effect that lashon hara is forbidden even if true, and he [the accepter] brings him [the speaker] to this issur. For if he refused to listen, his friend [the speaker] would not arrive at this issur at all. And the more the words of the speaker are accepted and his [the speaker's] act is effectual, to that extent the accepter's act is more severe, for through him his friend is brought to such a great issur.