EXOD45 There are injunctions, such as injuring or striking another, whereby part of the general populace does not keep the principal injunction [i.e., instead of violating only individual aspects of the injunction]. For example, one who hits another individual has transgressed two prohibitions, as the pasuk (Devarim 25:3), "Forty shall he strike him, he shall not add, lest he exceed..." [The verse is discussing specifically one who gives lashes administered by beis din, that he may not exceed the required amount, but it applies to any striking of another. This contains two prohibitions--"He shall not add" and "lest he exceed."] Many transgress these prohibitions when they hit their wives [i.e., in the belief that beating one's wife is different from hitting his fellow man (Sha'arei Teshuvah Hamevo'ar). Our Sages, z"l, said (Sanhedrin 58b), "Whoever raises a hand against another, even if he does not strike him, is referred to as one who is wicked, as the pasuk says [this verse], 'He said to the wicked one, "Why would you [wish to] hit your companion?" It does not say, 'Why did you hit? 'But rather, 'Why would you [wish to] hit?'" Iyov [Job] said (Iyov 31:21), "If I ever were to raise my hand against an orphan." Our Sages, z"l, also said (Sanhedrin 58b) that Rav Huna cut off the hand of the one who hit [this individual habitually struck his neighbor, so he was penalized according to the rule (Sanhedrin 46a), "Beis din would strike and punish... In order to create a fence and safeguard" (Rashi; Tosafos, however, argues that this punishment was according to the letter of the law)], as the pasuk says (Iyov 38:15), "Their raised arm will be broken."