How much must a man reflect to beware constantly of this bitter sin! For this sin is committed by two. He sins and he causes his neighbor to sin. For through him his neighbor also comes to violate the issur of listening to lashon hara and accepting it, among other issurim explained in the introduction to the Chafetz Chaim. And if he [the first] did not speak [lashon hara] to him, he [the second] would not come to sin of himself. And Chazal have already said: "Worse is he who causes another to sin than one who kills him. For the second removes him from this world, while the first removes him from this world and from the world to come."
See, my brother, how solicitous the Torah was of the welfare of one's neighbor, so that even if one sees something belonging to his friend lying in a place where it might go lost, he is obligated not to ignore it, but to return it to him, even if it is worth only a perutah [a small coin], in which instance he can derive but little enjoyment from it and his friend is completely unaware of it. Now if the Torah commanded us to be so solicitous of our friend's possessions, which concern him in this temporal, ephemeral world, how much more so must we be solicitous of his soul, which endures with him forever]! And how much more so must we take care not to destroy his soul and affect him eternally!
Now lest your yetzer entice you, causing you to think: "Now does not my friend, who listens to all these stories of mine, not regard this as harmful — and the proof is that he does not hate me because of this, but, to the contrary, 'beams upon me' because of this" — I shall provide you with a parable [to dissuade you from thinking so]. To what might this be compared? To a thief who disguised himself as a dignitary, and, meeting a passerby, spoke to him as an old acquaintance whom he was glad to see and persuaded him to accompany him to an inn, where he would treat him. At the inn, he says to the passerby: "How happy you have made me after so many years of not seeing you! I have never been happier than today. Tell the innkeeper to give us the finest that the house has to offer, and I will foot the bill." After they eat, the thief absconds and the wayfarer, left to himself, is accosted by the innkeeper, who says to him: "You took the food from me and it is not my business to know who helped you eat it and who fooled you." Now all the time he ate with the thief, he felt no hatred for him. To the contrary, he regarded him as one of his lovers, his having provided him with all of this for nothing. But when the time came to pay for everything, how much anger and hatred did he bear against him! So is it, my brother, in our case. In this world the listener does not "feel" the lashon hara that he is hearing from you and the contamination wherewith you have infested his soul. To the contrary, he considers you his lover in that you relate all of your affairs to him. But all of this obtains so long as the "inn" is open and the innkeeper serves on credit. But when he comes to the next world before "the One who tells a man all of his converse," and finds the ledger open, where there is written all of the things which he has heard and which he has spoken because of your evil companionship, and he will have to render din and accounting for everything and undergo great punishment for everything — how much more so if you have caused him to be written down above, G-d forbid, because of you in "the company of the wicked" — as stated in the will of R. Eliezer Hagadol: "My son, do not sit in the company of those who speak demeaningly of their friends, for when their words rise above, they are written down in a book, and all who were present there are written down as "a company of the wicked" — how much anger and bitterness will he bear against you because of this!
And more, if he habituates himself, G-d forbid, to this grave sin, and becomes a "man of lashon hara," it is known that it is the way of a man like this, who speaks demeaningly, constantly, of his friend, to assemble people to him and to defend his words until they are enticed to accept his lashon hara. And, sometimes, they also become thereby bearers of lashon hara against that man and against others. Now if we stop to consider the greatness of the sin of this man of lashon hara, words do not suffice. For aside from corrupting himself, he also corrupts all those who "walk in innocence" and who are enticed by his wicked words. For through him they become accepters of lashon hara and speakers of lashon hara. And sometimes much falsehood and levity is intermixed in what they relate, so that they also become part of the class of liars and scoffers. And certainly, all those who join this wicked company will be punished in the end. As Chazal have said (Makkoth 5b): "Scripture has punished accessories of transgressors." And they have also said: "Lashon hara kills three: the speaker, the accepter and the object [of the lashon hara]." And all of them [the speakers and the receivers] will be inscribed above as "a wicked company," as Chazal have said. Therefore, aside from the great punishment which will be exacted of him in the world to come, his punishment in this world is that he is not given an opportunity to repent. As Chazal have said (Avoth 5:18): "If one causes many to transgress, he is not given the opportunity to repent." Therefore, take great care, my brother, have pity and compassion on your soul and on the souls of the other people of Israel, and cease creating companies for Gehinnom by your wicked ways.
And how good and right it is to conduct oneself as I have heard, that a certain sage counseled his friend not to stand any time in the summertime on the holy Sabbath after the third meal near the synagogue or the house of study to tell anything to anyone. For the [men] become three, and three [become] four, five, and six — until in the end there is a large company. And each one tells of his dealings of the week past; and it is impossible that this not lead to lashon hara and levity. And all of this results from the act of the first. Therefore, the wise man should "keep his eyes in his head" [i.e., he should anticipate results].
And one who was remiss in this until now and caused many to transgress in this and wished to amend his soul — it is known what Chazal have said: "Tzaddikim, in that which they have sinned they are reconciled." Therefore, first of all, he must habituate himself, against his original nature, to avoid sitting in the company of [wicked men]. As the Shelah has deduced from what is intimated in (Vayikra 19:16): "Do not go talebearing among your people." And he must also see to it to benefit the many and to reprove them and spur them to Torah and mitzvoth, and to bring peace between one man and another.
יְבֹאַר שֶׁבְּעָוֹן זֶה הוּא חוֹטֵא וּמַחֲטִיא אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ.
In this chapter it will be explained that by this sin [lashon hara] he transgresses and causes his friend to transgress.
כַּמָּה צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִזְהָר תָּמִיד מֵעָוֹן הַמַּר הַזֶּה, כִּי יָדוּעַ הוּא שֶׁעָוֹן זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עַל כָּל פָּנִים בִּשְׁנַיִם, וְאִם כֵּן הוּא חוֹטֵא וּמַחֲטִיא בָּזֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ בָּא חֲבֵרוֹ גַּם כֵּן לְאִסּוּר שֶׁל שְׁמִיעַת לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְקַבָּלָתוֹ וְעוֹד שְׁאָר אִסּוּרִים הַמְבֹאָרִים בִּפְתִיחַת סֵפֶר "חָפֵץ חַיִּים", וְאִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה מְסַפֵּר לוֹ, לֹא הָיָה בָּא מֵעַצְמוֹ לָאִסּוּר הַזֶּה, וּכְבָר אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (במדבר רבה פרשה כ"א): קָשֶׁה הַמַּחֲטִיא אֶת הָאָדָם יוֹתֵר מִן הַהוֹרְגוֹ, שֶׁהַהוֹרְגוֹ מוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְהַמַּחֲטִיאוֹ מוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּמִן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
How much must a man reflect to beware constantly of this bitter sin! For this sin is committed by two. He sins and he causes his neighbor to sin. For through him his neighbor also comes to violate the issur of listening to lashon hara and accepting it, among other issurim explained in the introduction to the Chafetz Chaim. And if he [the first] did not speak [lashon hara] to him, he [the second] would not come to sin of himself. And Chazal have already said: "Worse is he who causes another to sin than one who kills him. For the second removes him from this world, while the first removes him from this world and from the world to come."
רְאֵה אָחִי, אֵיךְ הֶחְמִירָה לָנוּ הַתּוֹרָה לַחֲשֹׁש בְּתַקָּנַת זוּלָתֵנוּ, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁהוּא רוֹאֶה אֵיזֶה דָּבָר שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ מֻנָּח בִּמְקוֹם הֶפְסֵד, מְחֻיָּב שֶׁלֹּא לְהִתְעַלֵּם מִמֶּנּוּ וְלַהֲשִׁיבוֹ אֵלָיו, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הָאֲבֵדָה הַהִיא אֵינֶנָּה שָׁוָה רַקּ פְּרוּטָה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵהָנוֹת מִמֶּנָּה רַק מְעַט, וְגַם אֵין חֲבֵרוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מִזֶּה כְּלָל. וְאִם צִוְּתָה לָנוּ הַתּוֹרָה לְהֵיטִיב כָּל כָּךְ עִם חֲבֵרֵינוּ בְּעִנְיַן מָמוֹן, שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹגֵעַ לוֹ, רַק בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַכָּלֶה וְהָאָבֵד, כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה כִּפְלֵי כִּפְלַיִם צָרִיךְ לְהֵיטִיבוֹ בְּעִנְיַן נַפְשׁוֹ הַקַּיֶּמֶת לוֹ נֶצַח, וְקַל וָחֹמֶר בֶּן בְּנוֹ שֶׁל קַל וָחֹמֶר כַּמָּה צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר עַל כָּל פָּנִים מִלְּהַשְׁחִית נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁהוּא לוֹ הֶזֵּקּ עוֹלָמִי.
See, my brother, how solicitous the Torah was of the welfare of one's neighbor, so that even if one sees something belonging to his friend lying in a place where it might go lost, he is obligated not to ignore it, but to return it to him, even if it is worth only a perutah [a small coin], in which instance he can derive but little enjoyment from it and his friend is completely unaware of it. Now if the Torah commanded us to be so solicitous of our friend's possessions, which concern him in this temporal, ephemeral world, how much more so must we be solicitous of his soul, which endures with him forever]! And how much more so must we take care not to destroy his soul and affect him eternally!
הג"ה. [וּפֶן יְפַתֶּה אוֹתְךָ הַיֵּצֶר לֵאמֹר: הֲלֹא חֲבֵרִי, הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִמֶּנִּי אֶת כָּל הַסִּפּוּרִים שֶׁלִּי, אֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁב זֶה לְהֶזֵּק, וְהָרְאָיָה שֵׁאֵינוֹ שׂוֹנְאִי עֲבוּר זֶה, וְאַדְּרַבָּה הוּא מַרְאֶה לִי פָּנִים צְהֻבּוֹת עֲבוּר זֶה. אֶמשֹׁלׁ לְךָ מָשָׁל, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאִישׁ אֶחָד מִן הַגַּנָּבִים, שֶׁהִלְבִּישׁ אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּאֶחָד מִנִּכְבְּדֵי הָעָם וּפָגַע בְּאוֹרֵחַ וְנַעֲשָׂה לוֹ כְּאֶחָד מִמַּכִּירָיו וְשָׂמַח בִּרְאוֹתוֹ וּפִתָּהוּ, שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ אֶל בֵּית מִשְׁתֵּה הַיַּיִן לְהִתְעַנֵּג, וְהוּא יְהַנֶּה לְהָאוֹרֵחַ. וְהִנֵּה כְּבוֹאָם אָמַר לָאוֹרֵח: כַּמָּה שִׂמְחָה יֵשׁ לִי עַתָּה, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁזָּכִיתִי לִרְאוֹתְךָ, וְזֶה כַּמָּה שָׁנִים שֶׁלֹּא רְאִיתִיךָ, וְאֵין לִי יוֹם שָׂמֵחַ כָּזֶה, עַל כֵּן אֱמֹר לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת שֶׁיַּגִּישׁ לְפָנֵינוּ מִכָּל הַמַּעֲדַנִּים שֶׁנִּמְצָאִים בְּבֵית מִשְׁתֵּהוּ וַאֲנִי אֲשַׁלֵּם בְּעַד הַכֹּל. וְהִנֵּה אַחֲרֵי אֲכִילָתָם, נִשְׁתַּמֵּט הַגַּנָּב מִן הַבַּיִת וְנִשְׁאַר הָאוֹרֵחַ לְבַד וְחִיְּבוֹ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת לְשַׁלֵּם בְּעַד הַכֹּל, בְּאָמְרוֹ: כֵּיוָן שֶׁאַתָּה לָקַחְתָּ מִיָּדִי, אֵין לִי לֵידַע מִי סִיַּעֲךָ בַּאֲכִילָתְךָ וּמִי הִטְעָה אוֹתְךָ בְּעִנְיָן זֶה. וְהִנֵּה, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאָכַל בְּיַחַד עִם הַגַּנָּב, לֹא הָיָה לוֹ שׁוּם שִׂנְאָה עָלָיו, וְאַדְּרַבָּה חֲשָׁבוֹ כְּאֶחָד מֵאוֹהֲבָיו בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁמְּהַנֵּהוּ עַל לֹא דָּבָר, אֲבָל בְּעֵת שֶׁהִצְטָרֵךְ לְשַׁלֵּם עֲבוּר הַכֹּל, כַּמָּה מֵהַכַּעַס וְהַשִּׂנְאָה יִהְיֶה לוֹ עָלָיו עֲבוּר זֶה. כֵּן הַדָּבָר אָחִי בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ מַרְגִּישׁ הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִמְּךָ לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּמְקַבְּלוֹ אֶת הַהַשְׁחָתָה אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁחַתְתָּ לוֹ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, וְאַדְּרַבָּה חוֹשֶׁבְךָ לְאוֹהֲבוֹ, שֶׁאַתָּה מְסַפֵּר לוֹ כָּל עִנְיָנֶיךָ. אֲבָל כָּל זֶה הוּא רַק כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַחֲנוּת פְּתוּחָה וְהַחֶנְוָנִי מַקִּיף, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא לִפְנֵי הַמַּגִּיד לָאָדָם מַה שִּׂיחוֹ, וְיִמְצָא הַפִּנְקָס פָּתוּחַ, וְכָתוּב שָׁם כָּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר עַל יְדֵי הִתְחַבְּרוּתְךָ הָרָעָה, וְיִצְטָּרֵךְ לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן עַל הַכֹּל וּלְהֵעָנֵשׁ בָּעֳנָשִׁים גְּדוֹלִים עַל הַכֹּל, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן אִם גָּרַמְתָּ לוֹ בְּסִפּוּרֶיךָ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִכְתָּב, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, עַל יָדְךָ לְמַעְלָה בַּחֲבוּרוֹת הָרֶשַׁע, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּפִרְקֵי דְּר' אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: בְּנִי, אַל תֵּשֵׁב בַּחֲבוּרַת הָאוֹמְרִים גְּנַאי מֵחַבְרֵיהֶם, כִּי כְּשֶׁהַדְּבָרִים עוֹלִים לְמַעְלָה, בַּסֵּפֶר נִכְתָּבִין, וְכָל הָעוֹמְדִין שָׁם נִכְתָּבִין בְּשֵׁם חֲבוּרַת רֶשַׁע, כַּמָּה מֵהַכַּעַס וְהַמְּרִירוּת יִהְיֶה לוֹ עָלֶיךָ עֲבוּר זֶה].
Now lest your yetzer entice you, causing you to think: "Now does not my friend, who listens to all these stories of mine, not regard this as harmful — and the proof is that he does not hate me because of this, but, to the contrary, 'beams upon me' because of this" — I shall provide you with a parable [to dissuade you from thinking so]. To what might this be compared? To a thief who disguised himself as a dignitary, and, meeting a passerby, spoke to him as an old acquaintance whom he was glad to see and persuaded him to accompany him to an inn, where he would treat him. At the inn, he says to the passerby: "How happy you have made me after so many years of not seeing you! I have never been happier than today. Tell the innkeeper to give us the finest that the house has to offer, and I will foot the bill." After they eat, the thief absconds and the wayfarer, left to himself, is accosted by the innkeeper, who says to him: "You took the food from me and it is not my business to know who helped you eat it and who fooled you." Now all the time he ate with the thief, he felt no hatred for him. To the contrary, he regarded him as one of his lovers, his having provided him with all of this for nothing. But when the time came to pay for everything, how much anger and hatred did he bear against him! So is it, my brother, in our case. In this world the listener does not "feel" the lashon hara that he is hearing from you and the contamination wherewith you have infested his soul. To the contrary, he considers you his lover in that you relate all of your affairs to him. But all of this obtains so long as the "inn" is open and the innkeeper serves on credit. But when he comes to the next world before "the One who tells a man all of his converse," and finds the ledger open, where there is written all of the things which he has heard and which he has spoken because of your evil companionship, and he will have to render din and accounting for everything and undergo great punishment for everything — how much more so if you have caused him to be written down above, G-d forbid, because of you in "the company of the wicked" — as stated in the will of R. Eliezer Hagadol: "My son, do not sit in the company of those who speak demeaningly of their friends, for when their words rise above, they are written down in a book, and all who were present there are written down as "a company of the wicked" — how much anger and bitterness will he bear against you because of this!
וּבְיוֹתֵר אִם הוּא מַרְגִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, בְּזֶה הֶעָוֹן הֶחָמוּר, וְנַעֲשֶׂה בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, יָדוּעַ הוּא שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ אִישׁ כָּזֶה הַמְדַבֵּר תָּמִיד בִּגְנוּת חֲבֵרוֹ לְהַקְהִיל קְהִלּוֹת אֵלָיו וּלְהַטְעִים אֶת דְּבָרָיו בְּפִיהֶם, עַד שֶׁמִּתְפַּתִּים לְקַבֵּל הַלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע שֶׁלּוֹ, וְלִפְעָמִים שָׁבוּ גַּם הֵם עַל יְדֵי זֶה לִהְיוֹת מִמְּבִיאֵי הַדִּבָּה עַל אוֹתוֹ הָאָדָם וְעַל עוֹד אֲנָשִׁים אֲחֵרִים. וְהִנֵּה אִם בָּאנוּ לַחֲשֹׁב גֹּדֶל עֲוֹנוֹ שֶׁל בַּעַל הַלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע הַזֶּה אֵין דַּי בָּאֵר, כִּי לְבַד שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁחִית לְעַצְמוֹ, עוֹד הוּא מַשְׁחִית לְכָל אֵלּוּ הַהוֹלְכִים לְתֻמָּם וּמִתְפַּתִּים לִדְבָרָיו הָרָעִים, שֶׁהֵם נַעֲשִׂים עַל יָדוֹ מְקַבְּלֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּמְסַפְּרֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, [וְלִפְעָמִים מִתְעָרֵב גַּם כֵּן הַרְבֵּה שֶׁקֶר וְלֵיצָנוּת בְּתוֹךְ הַסִּפּוּרִים, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשִׂים גַּם כֵּן מִכַּת שַׁקְּרָנִים וְכַת לֵיצָנִים]. וּבְוַדַּאי יֵעָנֵשׁ לְבַסּוֹף כָּל מִי שֶׁנִּטְפָּל לַחֲבוּרָה הָרָעָה הַזּוֹ, כְּמַאֲמָרָם (במכות דף ה.) עָנַשׁ הַכָּתוּב לַנִּטְפָּל לְעוֹבְרֵי עֲבֵרָה. וְגַם אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: לָשׁוֹן הָרָע הוֹרֶגֶת שְׁלֹשׁה, הָאוֹמְרוֹ וְהַמְקַבְּלוֹ וּמִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר עָלָיו. וְגַם יִכָּתְבוּ כֻּלָּם לְמַעְלָה עַל יָדוֹ בְּשֵׁם חֲבוּרַת הָרֶשַׁע כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, וְעַל כֵּן לְבַד עָנְשׁוֹ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁיְּבוֹאֵהוּ עֲבוּר זֶה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, עָנְשׁוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁאֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה עַל זֶה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: כָּל הַמַּחֲטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים אֵין מַסְפִּיקַין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. עַל כֵּן הִזָּהֵר וְהִזָּהֵר אָחִי, חוּס וַחֲמֹל עַל נַפְשֶׁךָ וְעַל נֶפֶשׁ שְׁאָרֵי אֲנָשִׁים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וַחֲדֹל מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת בַּעֲלֵי אֲסוּפוֹת לַגֵּיהִנֹּם עַל יְדֵי עִנְיָנֶיךָ הָרָעִים.
And more, if he habituates himself, G-d forbid, to this grave sin, and becomes a "man of lashon hara," it is known that it is the way of a man like this, who speaks demeaningly, constantly, of his friend, to assemble people to him and to defend his words until they are enticed to accept his lashon hara. And, sometimes, they also become thereby bearers of lashon hara against that man and against others. Now if we stop to consider the greatness of the sin of this man of lashon hara, words do not suffice. For aside from corrupting himself, he also corrupts all those who "walk in innocence" and who are enticed by his wicked words. For through him they become accepters of lashon hara and speakers of lashon hara. And sometimes much falsehood and levity is intermixed in what they relate, so that they also become part of the class of liars and scoffers. And certainly, all those who join this wicked company will be punished in the end. As Chazal have said (Makkoth 5b): "Scripture has punished accessories of transgressors." And they have also said: "Lashon hara kills three: the speaker, the accepter and the object [of the lashon hara]." And all of them [the speakers and the receivers] will be inscribed above as "a wicked company," as Chazal have said. Therefore, aside from the great punishment which will be exacted of him in the world to come, his punishment in this world is that he is not given an opportunity to repent. As Chazal have said (Avoth 5:18): "If one causes many to transgress, he is not given the opportunity to repent." Therefore, take great care, my brother, have pity and compassion on your soul and on the souls of the other people of Israel, and cease creating companies for Gehinnom by your wicked ways.
וּמַה טּוֹב וְנָכוֹן לְהִתְנַהֵג כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי, שֶׁחָכָם אֶחָד יָעַץ לְאוֹהֲבוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲמֹד בְּשׁוּם פַּעַם בַּקַּיִץ בְּשַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ אַחַר סְעֻדָּה שְׁלִישִׁית סָמוּךְ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וּלְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ לְסַפֵּר לְאֶחָד אֵיזֶה דְּבַר מָה, כִּי מִשְּׁנַיִם נַעֲשִׂים שְׁלֹשָה וּמִשְּׁלֹשָה אַרְבָּעָה, חֲמִשָּׁה, שִׁשָּׁה, עַד שֶׁלְּבַסּוֹף נַעֲשֵׂית חֲבוּרָה גְּדוֹלָה, וְכָל אֶחָד מְסַפֵּר עִנְיָנָיו וּמִסְחָרָיו שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ בַּשָּׁבוּעַ שֶׁעָבַר, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא יָבוֹאוּ עַל יְדֵי זֶה לְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְלֵיצָנוּת, וְכָל זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה בִּגְרָמוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהֵבִיא לְכָל זֶה, עַל כֵּן הֶחָכָם עֵינָיו בְּרֹאשׁוֹ.
And how good and right it is to conduct oneself as I have heard, that a certain sage counseled his friend not to stand any time in the summertime on the holy Sabbath after the third meal near the synagogue or the house of study to tell anything to anyone. For the [men] become three, and three [become] four, five, and six — until in the end there is a large company. And each one tells of his dealings of the week past; and it is impossible that this not lead to lashon hara and levity. And all of this results from the act of the first. Therefore, the wise man should "keep his eyes in his head" [i.e., he should anticipate results].
וּמִי שֶׁקִּלְקֵל עַד עַתָּה וְהֶחֱטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים בְּעִנְיָן זֶה וְרוֹצֶה לְתַקֵּן אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ, יָדוּעַ מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: הַצַּדִּיקּים, בְּאוֹתוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁחוֹטְאִים בּוֹ מִתְרַצִּים. עַל כֵּן תְּחִלַּת הַכֹּל יַרְגִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְהִתְרַחֵק מִלֵּישֵׁב בַּחֲבוּרוֹת אֲנָשִׁים נֶגֶד טִבְעוֹ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ עַד עַתָּה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הַשְּׁלָ"ה רֶמֶז לְזֶה מִפָּסוּק (ויקרא י"ט ט"ז): "לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּךְ", וְגַם יִרְאֶה לְזַכּוֹת אֶת הָרַבִּים בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ וּלְהוֹכִיחָם וּלְזָרְזָם לְתוֹרָה וּלְמִצְוֹת וּלְהָבִיא שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ.
And one who was remiss in this until now and caused many to transgress in this and wished to amend his soul — it is known what Chazal have said: "Tzaddikim, in that which they have sinned they are reconciled." Therefore, first of all, he must habituate himself, against his original nature, to avoid sitting in the company of [wicked men]. As the Shelah has deduced from what is intimated in (Vayikra 19:16): "Do not go talebearing among your people." And he must also see to it to benefit the many and to reprove them and spur them to Torah and mitzvoth, and to bring peace between one man and another.