Who is a violator of rekhilut? One who makes claims, and goes from this person to that person, saying, “So-and- so said this, and I heard that from so- and-so.” Even though it is true, this is destructive for the world.
There is an even worse transgression which is included in this prohibition, and that is lashon hara, one who spreads disgrace about someone else, even by telling the truth. If they are lying, that is called motzi shem ra. One who speaks lashon hara is one who sits and says, “So-and-so did this, and his parents were such-and-such and I heard this about them,” and says words of disgrace.
There are certain matters which are considered “the dust of gossip.”
How? If one says... “Do not talk about so and so; I do not want to say what happened”... Similarly, one who relates gossip in frivolity and jest, as if he were not speaking with hatred... Similarly, one who speaks gossip about a colleague slyly, pretending to be innocently telling a story without knowing that it is harmful.
MishnaTorah, Hilchot De’ah 7
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