## Chafetz Chaim, Part Two, The Prohibition Against Rechilut, Principle 3

###### Chafetz Chaim, Part Two, The Prohibition Against Rechilut, Principle 3 2:1
[Chafetz Chaim, Part Two, The Prohibition Against Rechilut, Principle 3 2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chafetz%20Chaim/s/Part%20Two,%20The%20Prohibition%20Against%20Rechilut,_Principle%203/r/2:1)

אִם רְאוּבֵן דִּבֵּר עַל שִׁמְעוֹן בִּפְנִי לֵוִי, וְהָלַךְ לֵוִי וְסִפֵּר הַדְּבָרִים לְשִׁמְעוֹן, אָסוּר לְשִׁמְעוֹן לוֹמַר אַחַר כָּךְ לִרְאוּבֵן: אֵיךְ דִּבַּרְתָּ עָלַי בִּפְנִי לֵוִי? כִּי עַל יְדֵי זֶה (ג) גַּם הוּא עוֹבֵר עַל אִסוּר רְכִילוּת מֵחֲמַת לֵוִי, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם לֹא יַזְכִּיר לוֹ בְּפֵרוּשׁ אֶת שֵׁם לֵוִי, וְיֹאמַר לוֹ סְתָם: שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁדִּבַּרְתָּ עָלַי כָּךְ וְכָךְ, אִם עַל יְדֵי זֶה (ד) מִמֵּילָא יָבִין רְאוּבֵן, מִי הָיָה הַמְגַלֶּה לוֹ, אָסוּר. וּבַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, הַרְבֵּה אֲנָשִׁים נִכְשָׁלִין בָּזֶה.

**Chofetz Chaim, Silverstein translation:**
If Reuven spoke against Shimon before Levi, and Levi went and told this to Shimon, it is forbidden for Shimon to say afterwards to Reuven: "How did you speak against me before Levi!" For in doing so, he [Shimon] also transgresses the prohibition of *rechilut* because of [his mentioning of] Levi, even if he does not explicitly mention Levi's name, but simply says [to Reuven]" "I heard that you said this and this about me" — If through this, Reuven will naturally understand who revealed it to him, it is forbidden. And in our many sins, many go astray in this.