EXOD638 Do not verbally abuse a convert. Do not harm a convert with your words. We are forbidden to insult or offend any Jew, but regarding converts the Torah adds a special prohibition and even repeats it. It does so because converts are more likely to suffer from verbal abuse--because while other Jews have relatives who will defend them, converts have no one. In addition, if a convert is abused verbally there is a chance that he will return to his former way of life. One must subdue his evil nature and not persecute those who cannot defend themselves and have no one to turn to for help. To this end, each of us must behave towards converts just as we behave towards any Jew. One is forbidden to verbally abuse them, to poke fun at them or insult them. We must crown ourselves with refined character traits. Behaving with warmth towards converts promotes this effort.