As far as "indications" are concerned, by which it is seen that what was related to him about Ploni, as having done or said this and this to him is true — whether or not to believe what was said — see above, Part One, Principle VII, sections 10-14, where we explained, with the L–rd's help, all the relevant details. But, in order to make the reading easier, I shall set down what emerges from there — that the following conditions must be met:
a) that there not be in the "indications" of the truth [of the rechiluth] anything to judge him in the scales of merit. For if not [i.e., if there were something which suggested judging him in the scales of merit], how are "indications of the truth" [of the rechiluth] relevant here? Even if the rechiluth is true, it is not to be believed about the suspect that he intended wrong thereby, as mentioned above in several places.
d) that there might be some future benefit in knowing the story, failing which, it is forbidden to incline one's ear and listen to it, as we wrote in several places.
e) After all this, indications are of avail only as far as believing the story in his heart, but not to go and publicize it to others. In any event, it is forbidden to rely upon actual "indications" to cause him monetary loss or to strike him, G–d forbid (see above, section 14, where we expanded on this).
וְאִם רָאָה עָלָיו דְּבָרִים הַנִּכָּרִים, שֶׁנִּרְאֶה עַל יָדָם שֶׁאֱמֶת הוּא, מַה שֶּׁסִפְּרוּ לוֹ עָלָיו, שֶׁהוּא עָשָׂה לוֹ, אוֹ דִּבֵּר עָלָיו כָּךְ וְכָךְ, אִם מֻתָּר לְהַאֲמִין מֵחֲמַת זֶה עָלָיו אוֹ לֹא, עַיֵּן לְעֵיל בְּחֵלֶק א' בִּכְלָל ז' מִסָעִיף י' עַד סָעִיף יד, כִּי שָׁם בֵּאַרְנוּ בְּעֶזְרַת ה' כָּל הַפְּרָטִים שֶׁשַּׁיָּכִים בָּזֶה. אַךְ כְּדֵי לְהָקֵּל עַל הַקּוֹרֵא אֶכְתֹּב בְּקִצּוּר הַיּוֹצֵא מִשָּׁם, דְּצָרִיךְ לָזֶה אֵלּוּ הַחֲמִשָּׁה פְּרָטִים:
As far as "indications" are concerned, by which it is seen that what was related to him about Ploni, as having done or said this and this to him is true — whether or not to believe what was said — see above, Part One, Principle VII, sections 10-14, where we explained, with the L–rd's help, all the relevant details. But, in order to make the reading easier, I shall set down what emerges from there — that the following conditions must be met:
א (יח) שֶׁהָעִנְיָן, שֶׁהַדְּבָרִים הַנִּכָּרִים מוֹרִים עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא אֱמֶת, לֹא יִהְיֶה בּוֹ בְּמַה לְּשָׁפְטוֹ לְצַד הַזְּכוּת, דְּאִי לָאו הָכִי {דאם לא כן}, מַה שַּׁיָּךְ בָּזֶה דְּבָרִים נִכָּרִים שֶׁהוּא אֱמֶת? אֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא אֱמֶת, אֵין לְהַחְלִיט בַּלֵּב עַל הַנִּדּוֹן מִשּׁוּם זֶה לְרַע, וּכְדִלְעֵיל בְּכַמָּה מְקּוֹמוֹת.
a) that there not be in the "indications" of the truth [of the rechiluth] anything to judge him in the scales of merit. For if not [i.e., if there were something which suggested judging him in the scales of merit], how are "indications of the truth" [of the rechiluth] relevant here? Even if the rechiluth is true, it is not to be believed about the suspect that he intended wrong thereby, as mentioned above in several places.
ב שֶׁיְּהֵא דָּבָר הַנִּכָּר מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְעִנְיַן הַסִפּוּר, לֹא דָּבָר הַנִּכָּר קְצָת.
b) that it be an actual "indication," that relates to the story, and not a slight "indication."
ג שֶׁיִּרְאֶה אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּכָּרִים בְּעַצְּמוֹ, וְלֹא שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע אוֹתָן מִפִּי אֲחֵרִים.
c) that he see the "indications" himself, and not hear of them from others.
ד דַּוְקָא אִם יוּכַל לִהְיוֹת לוֹ מִידִיעַת הַסִפּוּר הַזֶּה תּוֹעֶלֶת עַל לְהַבָּא, דְּאִי לָאו הָכִי, אָסוּר לְהַטּוֹת אָזְנוֹ וְלִשְׁמֹעַ אֶת הַסִפּוּר, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת.
d) that there might be some future benefit in knowing the story, failing which, it is forbidden to incline one's ear and listen to it, as we wrote in several places.
ה) אַחַר כָּל זֶה אֵינוֹ מוֹעִיל עִנְיָן זֶה, דִּדְבָרִים הַנִּכָּרִים רַק לְעִנְיַן לְהַאֲמִין וּלְקַבֵּל בְּלִבּוֹ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לֶאֱמֶת, (יט) אֲבָל לֹא לֵילֵךְ וּלְסַפֵּר דָּבָר זֶה לַאֲחֵרִים, (כ) וּבְכָל אֹפֶן אָסוּר לִסְמֹךְ עַל דְּבָרִים הַנִּכָּרִים מַמָּשׁ לְעִנְיַן לְהַפְסִידוֹ עַל יְדֵי זֶה בְּמָמוֹן אוֹ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל שָׁם בְּסָעִיף יד, שֶׁהֶאֱרַכְנוּ בָּזֶה.
e) After all this, indications are of avail only as far as believing the story in his heart, but not to go and publicize it to others. In any event, it is forbidden to rely upon actual "indications" to cause him monetary loss or to strike him, G–d forbid (see above, section 14, where we expanded on this).