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Rashi is teaching us is that if we misjudge a situation and reach a conclusion that is unfounded, we may think that we are doing a mitzvah but in fact we will be held liable for slander. While our intentions might be pure, because of our lack of caution we could needlessly spoil a man’s reputation or damage his business or stop a shidduch, and we will then be liable for the harm. What we thought was a mitzvah was in fact an egregious sin. We wronged an innocent man, and that is something that we may never be able to repair.
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