There are some who say that if one speaks demeaningly of his friend before three, even though he certainly transgresses the issur of lashon hara, as mentioned before, still, if one of the three who heard this thing told it thereafter to others, he does not thereby transgress the issur of lashon hara, by reason of the fact that if three know of it, the thing has been heard and become known by all, for "Your friend has a friend, etc.," and the Torah did not forbid as lashon hara something which is bound to be known. And [this is so] only if he relates it by chance; but not if he intends to spread it and to publicize it more.
Even if he does not relate it in the name of the one who told him [so that there is no rechiluth], but casually, to the effect that such and such was heard about Ploni, still he does not escape the issur of lashon hara.
2
הגה"ה: ויש אומרים עוד, (ז) דאפלו בדרך אקראי אינו מתר, רק אם נתגלגל זה הענין דרך אגב בתוך דבורו, אבל לא שיכון לספר זה הענין לבד. (הגהה)
יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, (ד) דְּאִם אֶחָד סִפֵּר (ה) גְּנוּת עַל חֲבֵרוֹ בִּפְנִי שְׁלשָה, אַף דְּהוּא עָבַר בְּוַדַּאי עַל אִסוּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְכַנַּ"ל, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אִם אֶחָד מֵהַשְּׁלֹשָה, שֶׁשָּׁמַע דָּבָר זֶה, סִפֵּר אַחַר כָּךְ לַאֲחֵרִים, לֹא עָבַר בָּזֶה עַל אִסוּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, מִטַעַם דְּכֵיוָן דִּשְׁלֹשָה יוֹדְעִים מִזֶּה, מִמֵּילָא כְּבָר נִשְׁמַע הַדָּבָר וְנוֹדַע לַכֹּל, דְּחַבְרָךְ חַבְרָא אִית לֵה, וּבְדָבָר הֶעָשׂוּי לְהִתְגַּלּוֹת לֹא אָסְרָה הַתּוֹרָה מִשּׁוּם לָשׁוֹן הָרָע. וְדַוְקָא לְסַפֵּר (ו) בְּדֶרֶךְ אַקְרַאִי, אֲבָל לֹא שֶׁיִּתְכַּוֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר הַקּוֹל וּלְגַלּוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר.
There are some who say that if one speaks demeaningly of his friend before three, even though he certainly transgresses the issur of lashon hara, as mentioned before, still, if one of the three who heard this thing told it thereafter to others, he does not thereby transgress the issur of lashon hara, by reason of the fact that if three know of it, the thing has been heard and become known by all, for "Your friend has a friend, etc.," and the Torah did not forbid as lashon hara something which is bound to be known. And [this is so] only if he relates it by chance; but not if he intends to spread it and to publicize it more.
Even if he does not relate it in the name of the one who told him [so that there is no rechiluth], but casually, to the effect that such and such was heard about Ploni, still he does not escape the issur of lashon hara.
הגה"ה: ויש אומרים עוד, (ז) דאפלו בדרך אקראי אינו מתר, רק אם נתגלגל זה הענין דרך אגב בתוך דבורו, אבל לא שיכון לספר זה הענין לבד. (הגהה)
(ח) אֲפִלּוּ אִם לֹא יְסַפֵּר בְּשֵׁם מִי שֶׁסִפֵּר לוֹ, רַק יְסַפֵּר סְתָם, שֶׁכָּךְ וְכָךְ נִשְׁמַע עַל פְּלוֹנִי, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵינֶנּוּ נִמְלָט מֵאִסוּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע.