If someone tells me something, may I go repeat it?

The Torah prohibits relating gossip about another Jew: “Do not go gossiping (rachil) among your people.”¹ Rashi explains the word rachil, “gossiper,” as sharing roots with words meaning “spy” and “peddler,” since, like a peddler, the gossipmonger wanders from person to person, spying out bits of information and trading them.

Gossip refers to repeating to your friend something that someone else said about your friend or did to your friend. Even if the subject contains no shame and the person would not object to it being said, it is nevertheless forbidden, as it can be destructive. This is illustrated in the tragic story of Doeg and Achimelech, where careless reporting led to bloodshed. When Dovid fled from Shaul, he sought food and refuge from the oblivious Kohanim of Nov. Shaul’s advisor, Doeg, saw this and reported what they did to the king. Suspecting that the Kohanim intended to help a rebellion, Shaul ordered them killed.²

One who hears rechilus must likewise be careful not to believe it, and one who does is punished more severely than the one who relates it. In his Shulchan Aruch, the Alter Rebbe allows believing it when there is an indication that the story is true. However, the Alter Rebbe’s brother Maharil quotes the Alter Rebbe as saying that only Dovid Hamelech, a king, could judge based on his own assessment.³

There is a related issur to repeat private or personal information that was shared without explicit permission to repeat it (bal tomar). This applies even if the other person did not explicitly say to keep the conversation secret.⁴ Poskim clarify that this prohibition applies only when it is apparent that the conversation was intended to remain private — for example, if it occurred in a secluded setting or the subject matter itself is clearly of a confidential nature.⁵

When something is shared with three people, it is assumed that the matter will go public, unless the speaker specifically instructs them not to share it. Therefore, there is no prohibition for one of the listeners to repeat it — as long as his intention is not to spread or publicize it further, and the subject matter doesn’t involve lashon hara or rechilus.⁶ If the speaker knows that a listener will share it and he shares it nevertheless, it’s as if he permitted to repeat it.⁷

See Sources (open PDF)