אֲבַק לָשׁוֹן הָרַע

ביטוי (אנגלית)

Speech Bordering on Slander / A Hint of Malicious Gossip

הגדרה (אנגלית)

Speech containing a slight trace of slander, or implying something negative about a particular person.

("There are four types of dust: the dust of interest, the dust of the sabbatical year, the dust of idolatry, and the dust of slander." – Tosefta Avodah Zarah (Zuckermandel), Ch. 1; and also: "Slander, do you imagine?! – but only the dust of slander." – Baba Batra 165a; and also: "One who speaks of his friend’s merits before his enemies – this is the dust of slander, causing them to speak against him. And regarding this, Solomon said (Proverbs 27:14): He who blesses his friend loudly early in the morning – it is counted as a curse. For from his good he comes to his harm." – Maimonides, Sefer HaMada, Hilchot De’ot, Ch. 7, 4, 110; and also: "He changed his mind against him to his detriment, and suspected him with the dust of hypocrisy." – Agnon, Only Yesterday, p. 351)