Laws of Rechilus / 2: 1-2 (87)

1. It is forbidden to speak lashon hara in front of one person, how much more so in front of many.

2. It is forbidden to speak even avak rechilus – lit. the dust of rechilus [as explained below, Law 8].

A statement which can be interpreted either positively or negatively, it is forbidden to relate it in a way that implies that the speaker’s intention was negative. If one assumes that the listener will interpret his words negatively, as he tends to judge things negatively, or if bad feelings already exist between him and the subject, it is forbidden to mention the incident even when the connotation is positive, as he is most likely to judge it negatively.