DEUT1530 "Walk in His Ways". We are required to emulate the attributes of Hashem Yisborach. "Just as He is merciful and compassionate, so too, we must be merciful and compassionate" (Shabbos 133b). Among God's attributes is His hatred for loshon hora. When Jericho was conquered, a ban was put on taking spoil from the city. When his army was defeated in a subsequent battle, Joshua was told by God that the ban was violated. Joshua asked God for the identity of the transgressor, but God replied, "Am I an informer? Make a lottery to find out." (Joshua 7; Sanhedrin 11a). Anyone speaking loshon hora has failed to emulate God, and violates this commandment.