Rechilus When Attempting to Avoid Rechilus

It is forbidden to tell someone, “I’d rather not tell you what so-and-so said about you,” for this is implying that “so-and-so” said something negative about the listener. If the speaker honestly – though naively – intended to avoid speaking rechilus, he violated only the rabbinical prohibition of “avak rechilus.” However, if the implication was intentional, then the remark is classified as outright rechilus and he has transgressed the Scriptural prohibition.