LEV526 One who gossips about his friend transgresses a prohibition, as it says: לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ. “Do not go as a talebearer among your nation" (Vayikra 19:16). Who is a “talebearer”? One who goes from one person to another saying, “So-and-so said this about you,” or “I heard that so- and-so did this to you.” Even if what he says is true, he is still considered a “talebearer,” and he brings destruction to the world. There is a sin that is far worse than this, and that is lashon hara. Lashon hara--which means speaking disparagingly of another person, even if what one says is true--is also considered “tale bearing” and is included in the above prohibition. One who relates false information about another person, however, is considered a motzi shem ra (slanderer).