LEV540 Who is a talebearer? One who loads himself with stories about others and goes from one to another and says, "Thus did so-and-so say," and "Thus and thus did I hear about that one." Even though what he tells is true, this kind of thing destroys the world. And we have been warned about this as it is written (this verse). And what is tale-bearing? One who reveals to another things that were said about him in secret.… be very careful concerning gossip for with this you shame yourself. For he who finds others unworthy is himself unworthy, and he does not speak in praise of anyone, and his way is to find people unworthy with the fault that he himself possesses. Kiddushin 70a. For this fault of his is constantly on his mind and when he gossips he expresses it with his mouth.… a gossip always seeks out the faults of people; he is like the flies who always rest on the dirty spot. If a man has boils, the flies will let the rest of the body go and sit on the boil. And thus it is with a gossip. He overlooks all the good in a man and speaks only of the evil. There is a story about a certain man who went with a wise man in the field, and they saw a corpse. The man said, "How putrid this corpse is." And the wise man said, "How white are its teeth." Thus the wise man rebuked his companion and said in effect, "Why must you speak about its blemish; speak of its excellence, for one should always speak in commendation of the world." Sefer Orhot Zaddikim--The Ways of the Righteous.