Unlike other negative behavior, lashon hara is forbidden clearly in the Torah. It is an explicit negative commandment, as it is written, You shall not go a gossipmonger among your people, as it causes untold harm and it involves many prohibitions.

Lashon Hara refers to negative speech about one’s friend. Rechilus is when one repeats to someone what an individual has said or done to harm him or upset him. They are both prohibited even if the information is true and whether or not the subject is present when the lashon hara or rechilus is spoken. The Torah prohibits not only speaking it, but also listening to it or accepting it as fact.

All the negative laws written hence forth that a person can transgress, refer to both lashon hara and recilus, as well as to talk that is true or false, unless specified otherwise.