Question:
My wife told a libel about a person, and they believed her and that person had been sparaged in their eyes, but there was no harm to him. Is it enough to make teshuva as an offence that a person has to place, or should he be asked for forgiveness?
Answer:
Those who have told him of defamation and caused the listeners to disparage him should certainly ask for his forgiveness, even if there has been no harm or loss from this, since he must have caused harm to his friend who was belittled by the listeners. However, regarding the request for forgiveness from the friend, The opinion of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef z”l does not need to inform him that he spoke of him for defamation and tell him exactly what he said about him, but rather asks for his forgiveness in general at the appropriate opportunity, as requested from each other on the eve of Rosh Hashana and more on the eve of Yom Kippur.
