EXOD753 The Torah has exhorted us not to accept slander because of the possibility of its being false, as it is written [this verse]: "And you shall not accept a false report." He who speaks slander will also hasten to accept it; and know that when the hearer acknowledges the slander, he is just like the speaker. For all who hear him acknowledging it will say that since he acknowledges it, it must be true. And even if he does not acknowledge it, but just listens to it and makes it appear to others as if he is giving ear to what is being said and believing it, he thereby causes the others to believe it, too, and he thereby also abets the speaker of the slander. For if he rebuked the slanderer, the latter would restrain himself from telling him more. But now that he listens to him and encourages him, he thereby causes him to speak more. And we have been exhorted through (ibid.): "And you shall not accept a false report," not to believe slander in our hearts--to impress upon our minds that the words are true and to cause the objects of the slander to be demeaned in our eyes.