Sharing a Thief's Guilt and the Sin of Silence About Blasphemy

"And he is a witness, whether he has seen or known (it)" (Leviticus 5:1). This is what Scripture says: "One who shares with a thief hates his own soul; [he hears an oath but does not tell]" (Proverbs 29:24). What caused a person that it should be said of him, "If a soul sins"? Only because he did not come and tell a certain sage: "So-and-so blasphemed the name of the Holy One, blessed be He." Therefore he shares his iniquities with him, as it is said: "If he does not tell, then he shall bear his iniquity" (Leviticus 5:1). Therefore Solomon said: "One who shares with a thief hates his own soul" (Proverbs 29:24). And just as the thief is caught and his partner along with him is held liable, so too one who hears the blasphemy of the Holy One, blessed be He, and does not tell is held liable along with him. And let a person not say: "What slander am I uttering?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said: For every matter there is slander in it, except for cursing the Name. Why? Because just as when a person curses his fellow and someone hears, it does not concern him; but if he cursed his father in his presence, he gives up his soul and says, "You have cursed my father." Moses said: "Is He not your Father who acquired you?" (Deuteronomy 32:6).