Ibid., fol. 105, col. 1.

Rabbi Yochanan, in the name of Yossi, the son of Zimra, asks, “What is this that is written (Ps. cxx. 3), ’What shall be given unto thee, or what shall be added unto thee, O thou false tongue’?” The Holy One—­blessed be He!—­said to the tongue, “All the members of the body are erect, thou only art recumbent; all other members are without, thou art within, and not only so, for I have surrounded thee with two walls, one of bone and the other of flesh.  What shall be given to thee, or what shall be added unto thee, O thou false tongue?” Rabbi Yochanan, in the name of Yossi, says, “He who slanders is an atheist, for it is written (Ps. xii. 4), ’Who have said, With our tongues will we prevail; Our lips are with us; who is lord over us?’”

Erchin, fol. 15, col. 2.

    Here are a few sayings from the Talmud on the abuse of the
    tongue.

He who slanders, he who receives slander, and he who bears false witness against his neighbor, deserve to be cast to the dogs.

Psachim, fol. 118, col. 1.

All animals will one day remonstrate with the serpent and say, “The lion treads upon his prey and devours it, the wolf tears and eats it, but thou, what profit hast thou in biting?” The serpent will reply (Eccl. viii.  II), “I am no worse than a slanderer.”

Taanith, fol. 8, col. 1.

Adonijah was deprived of life for no other reason than that he was given to quarreling.  It is lawful to slander one so evil disposed as he was.

Perek Hashalom.

God will say to the prince of hell, “I from above and thou from below shall judge and condemn the slanderer.”

Erchin, fol. 15, col. 2.

The third tongue (i.e., slander) hurts three parties:  the slanderer himself, the receiver of slander, and the person slandered.

Ibid.

Four classes do not receive the presence of the Shechinah:  scorners, liars, flatterers, and slanderers.

Sanhedrin, fol. 103, col. 1.

Where are we told that when two sit together and study the law the Shechinah is with them?  In Mal. iii. 16, where it is written, “They that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it.”

Berachoth, fol. 6, col. 1.

Why did Elijah employ two invocations, saying twice over, “Hear me! hear me!” (1 Kings xviii. 37.) Elijah first prayed before God, “O Lord, King of the universe, hear me!” that He might send fire down from heaven and consume all that was upon the altar; and again he prayed, “Hear me!” that they might not imagine that the result was a matter of sorcery; for it is said, “Thou hast turned their heart back again.”

Berachoth, fol. 9, col. 2.