Quotation к Шкали́м 3:5

And even if he heard that Ploni caused him the loss, still, he is permitted only to suspect, but not to confirm it within himself as being true. And even if people stirred up a quarrel with the suspect, telling him that he had done a great wrong in what was heard of him, that he had caused a loss to a Jew — and he kept quiet, still, it is not to be concluded because of this that the thing is true. For though it is a mitzvah for him to rescue himself from suspicion and to convince the one who suspected him that he is not to be suspected, as per (Bamidbar 32:22): "And you shall be clean of [guilt against] the L–rd and [against] Israel," still, it may be that he saw them to be so entrenched in their acceptance of the slander as being true, that they would accept no answer from him, wherefore he decided that it would be best for him to remain silent and to be one of those "who are shamed, but do not shame [in return], who hear their disgrace and do not answer."