יג מִי שֶׁנִּדּוּהוּ בְּפָנָיו אֵין מַתִּירִין לוֹ אֶלָּא בְּפָנָיו. נִדּוּהוּ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו מַתִּירִין לוֹ בְּפָנָיו וְשֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו. וְאֵין בֵּין נִדּוּי לַהֲפָרָה כְּלוּם אֶלָּא מְנַדִּין וּמַתִּירִין בְּרֶגַע אֶחָד כְּשֶׁיַּחֲזֹר הַמְנֻדֶּה לַמּוּטָב. וְאִם רָאוּ בֵּית דִּין לְהַנִּיחַ זֶה בְּנִדּוּי כַּמָּה שָׁנִים מַנִּיחִין כְּפִי רִשְׁעוֹ. וְכֵן אִם רָאוּ בֵּית דִּין לְהַחֲרִים לָזֶה לְכַתְּחִלָּה וּלְהַחֲרִים מִי שֶׁיֹּאכַל עִמּוֹ וְשׁוֹתֶה עִמּוֹ אוֹ מִי שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד עִמּוֹ בְּאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת מַחְרִימִין כְּדֵי לְיַסְּרוֹ וּכְדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִפְרְצוּ הַחוֹטְאִים. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ רְשׁוּת לֶחָכָם לְנַדּוֹת לִכְבוֹדוֹ אֵינוֹ שֶׁבַח לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם לְהַנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ בְּדָבָר זֶה אֶלָּא מַעֲלִים אָזְנָיו מִדִּבְרֵי עַם הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא יָשִׁית לִבּוֹ לָהֶן כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ (קהלת ז כא) "גַּם לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר יְדַבְּרוּ אַל תִּתֵּן לִבְּךָ". וְכֵן הָיָה דֶּרֶךְ חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שׁוֹמְעִים חֶרְפָּתָם וְאֵינָן מְשִׁיבִין וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִים לַמְחָרֵף וְסוֹלְחִים לוֹ. וַחֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים הָיוּ מִשְׁתַּבְּחִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הַנָּאִים וְאוֹמְרִים שֶׁמֵּעוֹלָם לֹא נִדּוּ אָדָם וְלֹא הֶחְרִימוּהוּ לִכְבוֹדָן. וְזוֹ הִיא דַּרְכָּם שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁרָאוּי לֵילֵךְ בָּהּ. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים כְּשֶׁבִּזָּהוּ אוֹ חֵרְפָהוּ בַּסֵּתֶר. אֲבָל תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁבִּזָּהוּ אוֹ חֵרְפוֹ אָדָם בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא אָסוּר לוֹ לִמְחל עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְאִם מָחַל נֶעֱנָשׁ שֶׁזֶּה בִּזְיוֹן תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא נוֹקֵם וְנוֹטֵר הַדָּבָר כְּנָחָשׁ עַד שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ מְחִילָה וְיִסְלַח לוֹ:
13 One against whom a pronouncement of excommunication was made in his presence, is not released save when he is present. If the pronouncement was made in absenta, the release may be given, both in his presence and in his absence. There is no interval necessary between pronouncement and release; a bond of separation may be imposed, and, if the offender doth repent himself, he may be released the same minute. Yet, if the tribunal see fit to leave one under ban many years, he may be so left, all depending upon his wickedness. Likewise, if the tribunal see fit to first exclude one and then exclude whomsoever that will eat with him, drink with him, or stand within four ells of him, such exclusion should stand so as to punish him, and so as to make a guard around the Torah which the sinners will be unable to break. Although a scholar is vested with authority to excommunicate to preserve his honor, it is not good taste for a disciple of the wise to accustom himself to do such thing, but conceal his ears from the gossip of the ignorant people, and pay no attention to them, as the subject was spoken of in Solomon's wisdom: "Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken" (Ecc. 7.21). So was the way of the pious of yore: they heard themselves maligned, but made no reply; moreover, they pardoned the traducer and condoned him. Great scholars prided themselves in their becoming conduct and related that they have ever declined to pronounce an excommunication of separation or exclusion against a man for the sake of their honor. Such way of disciples of the wise is proper to follow. Whereat are these words directed? When one abused him maligned him secretly; but a disciple of the wise, who was abused or maligned by a man publicly, is forbidden to pardon an offense against his honor, and if he does pardon it he is punished in the end, for it is disgraceful to the Torah; he must avenge it and beat it in his heart serpent-like until the traducer will beg his pardon, when he should forgive him.