ּומִ ׁשְ מָ ע וְדּומָ ה וגו', יְטּור נָפִ יׁש וָקֵדְ מָ ה (כה, יד-טו)
And Mishma and Dumah and Masa, Chadad and Teima, Yitur, Nafish, and Kedmah. (25:14-15)
Sefer Ach Pri Tevuah sees a remez in this verse about the importance of refraining from lashon hara about one’s friend, even if he heard that his friend spoke badly about him.
The word “mishma” connotes when one “hears” someone speak badly about him. If that person is “dumah and masa”, meaning that he is silent (“domeh”) and “carries the burden” (“masah”) without responding, he will be “yitur nafish” – he will have increase (“yeser nafish”) merits because, as the Chovos Halevavos says, when one speaks lashon hara about someone else, his merits are given to that person. Furthermore, “v’kedmah” – whatever merits he had before (“kodem”) will remain with him.