And know further a great principle and foundation in these things: If he sees a man who did something or said something — both in the area of what is between man and his Maker or in the area of what is between man and his neighbor — and his words or his deeds can be judged in the scales of good and merit — if that man [the sayer or doer] is G–d-fearing, he must be judged in the scales of merit, even if what he has done seems more inclined to the scales of guilt. And if he is one of the plain people, who guard themselves against sin, but occasionally stumble into it — if the doubt is balanced, he must incline it and judge him by the scales of merit, as Chazal have said: "If one judges his friend by the scales of merit, G–d will judge him by the scales of merit." And this is included in the Blessed One's behest (Vayikra 19:15): "In [the scales of] righteousness shall you judge your fellow." And even if the thing seems more inclined to the scales of guilt, it is very fitting that he regard it as a doubt and not judge it in the scales of guilt. And when the thing is inclined to the scales of merit, where it is certainly forbidden, according to the din to judge it in the scales of guilt, and he judges it in the scales of guilt, as a result of which he goes and demeans him — aside from transgressing "In righteousness shall you judge your fellow," he transgresses further the issur of speaking lashon hara.
וְדַע עוֹד כְּלָל גָּדוֹל וְעִקָּר בְּעִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ, (ח) אִם הוּא רוֹאֶה אָדָם, שֶׁדִּבֵּר דָּבָר אוֹ עָשָׂה מַעֲשֶׂה, בֵּין מִמַּה שֶּׁבֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם אוֹ מִמַּה שֶּׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וְיֵשׁ לִשְׁפֹּט דְּבָרוֹ וּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ לַצַּד הַטּוֹב וּלְצַּד הַזְּכוּת, אִם הָאִישׁ הַהוּא יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים, נִתְחַיֵּב לָדוּן אוֹתוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, אֲפִלּוּ אִם הַדָּבָר קָרוֹב וְנוֹטֶה אֵצֶּל הַדַּעַת יוֹתֵר לְכף חוֹבָה. וְאִם הוּא מִן הַבֵּינוֹנִים, אֲשֶׁר יִזָּהֲרוּ מִן הַחֵטְא וּפְעָמִים יִכָּשְׁלוּ בּוֹ, אִם הַסָפֵק שָקוּל, צָּרִיךְ לְהַטּוֹת הַסָפֵק וּלְהכְרִיעוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזַ"ל: הַדָּן אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, הַמָּקוֹם יְדִינֵהוּ לְכַף זְכוּת, (ט) וְהוּא נִכְנָס בִּכְלַל מַאֲמָרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ: "בְּצֶּדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ". וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הַדָּבָר נוֹטֶה יוֹתֵר לְכַף חוֹבָה, (י) נָכוֹן מְּאֹד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַדָּבָר אֶצְּלוֹ כְּמוֹ סָפֵק וְאַל יַכְרִיעֵהוּ לְכַף חוֹבָה. וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁהַדָּבָר נוֹטֶה לְכַף זְכוּת, דִּבְוַדַּאי אָסוּר עַל פִּי הַדִּין לְדוּנוֹ לְכַף חוֹבָה, וְהוּא דָּן אוֹתוֹ לְכַף חוֹבָה, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הָלַךְ וְגִנָּהוּ, לְבַד שֶׁעָבַר בָּזֶה עַל "בְּצֶּדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ", (יא) עוֹד עָבַר בָּזֶה עַל אִסוּר סִפּוּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע.
And know further a great principle and foundation in these things: If he sees a man who did something or said something — both in the area of what is between man and his Maker or in the area of what is between man and his neighbor — and his words or his deeds can be judged in the scales of good and merit — if that man [the sayer or doer] is G–d-fearing, he must be judged in the scales of merit, even if what he has done seems more inclined to the scales of guilt. And if he is one of the plain people, who guard themselves against sin, but occasionally stumble into it — if the doubt is balanced, he must incline it and judge him by the scales of merit, as Chazal have said: "If one judges his friend by the scales of merit, G–d will judge him by the scales of merit." And this is included in the Blessed One's behest (Vayikra 19:15): "In [the scales of] righteousness shall you judge your fellow." And even if the thing seems more inclined to the scales of guilt, it is very fitting that he regard it as a doubt and not judge it in the scales of guilt. And when the thing is inclined to the scales of merit, where it is certainly forbidden, according to the din to judge it in the scales of guilt, and he judges it in the scales of guilt, as a result of which he goes and demeans him — aside from transgressing "In righteousness shall you judge your fellow," he transgresses further the issur of speaking lashon hara.