LEV383 See [[EXOD1030]] Exodus 34:6 compassion BLOCH 57-59

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LEV382 Do not curse your fellow Jew. Generally, people are frightened if someone curses them, for they suspect that the curse might harm them. Therefore, just as Hashem forbids us to harm our fellows through our actions, He forbids us to harm them through our words. What is more, man's being has a spiritual component--his soul--and the soul has the power the influence and affect others. The greater the individual and the more he achieves closeness to Hashem—as do tzaddikim and chassidim--the quicker will his words have effect. In addition, if someone curses his fellow, even not to his face, the one who was cursed is likely to hear of it. Hashem wants to minimize strife and see us living in peace with one another. Therefore, He forbids us to curse others. The Rambam writes that this prohibition is a protective measure so that we do not become vengeful and prone to anger. From his explanation it appears that the Torah is not concerned that someone who curses his fellow might thereby harm him. Rather the Torah’s concern here is those who might utter the curses. The prohibition is meant to prevent them from developing the negative character traits of vengefulness and anger.

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LEV379 "You must not curse judges (Lit., "God." The appellation of Elohim is used in the verse as a reference to both God and judges; see Rashi (Shemos 22:27). Rabbeinu Yonah here discusses only the latter), nor may you curse a leader of your people (Shemos 2:27); "You must not curse a deaf person "[this verse]. We have been admonished herein not to curse a Jew with the use of Hashem's Name, or with any of the appellations of Hashem's Name (See Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Sanhedrin 26:3). That which the Torah mentions, "You must not curse judges," "a leader," and "a deaf person," (I.e., why are these singled out when it is forbidden to curse any Jew?) comes to admonish not to curse the judge who finds one guilty, nor the leader who punishes him, delivering him into the hand of his own iniquity (Iyov 8:4). It is necessary to single out the deaf, lest one say, "There is no punishment for one who curses the deaf since he cannot hear and does not suffer as a result of his being cursed." "You must not curse judges" is stated at the end of Parashas Mishpatim, teaching us that it is forbidden to curse the judge who adjudicates in accordance with these laws (the Torah portion of Mishpatim from its beginning (Shemos 21:1) until the injunction against cursing a judge (Shemos 22:27) discusses monetary laws. Only the judge who rules in accordance with these laws may not be cursed.) However, the judge who does not rule by these laws may be cursed. (Continued at [[DEUT1554]] Deuteronomy 28:5 Name GATES 227)

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LEV380 "You shall not curse the deaf" This verse forbids us to curse others with God's name. It applies even to a deaf person. All the more so are we forbidden to curse someone who is able to hear (Choshen Mishpot 27). If you speak loshon hora about someone in anger, you are apt to curse him.

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LEV381 At times, an additional prohibition is violated, that of cursing with Hashem's Name. Unfortunately, people often speak lashon hara out of anger, and in the heat of the moment, they curse the other person, even with Hashem's name. If he curses with Hashem's Name, in any language, then he transgresses the full-fledged prohibition of לֹא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ, “Do not curse a deaf person” (Vayikra 19:14). (When the pasuk says not to curse a deaf person, it means even a deaf person; it is certainly forbidden to curse someone who is not deaf, as explained in Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 27:1.)

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LEV385 It is a negative commandment to curse no decent person in Jewry for Scripture says, You shall not curse the deaf [this verse]; it speaks of a deaf person to make a stronger point – – that even though this individual does not hear and suffers no distress from the curse, nevertheless one transgresses by cursing him. If a person curses himself, he likewise violates this. However, one who utters a curse does not commit the transgression unless he does so with the Divine name or a substitute name [of God]. If it was even with any term by which the heathen call the Holy One, blessed is He, that is like any of the substitute holy names.

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LEV387 We are forbidden to curse others. It is forbidden to curse even the deaf who are unable to hear the curse. All the more so it is forbidden to curse people who are able to hear. (Sifra).

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LEV384 [Now is it forbidden to curse a deaf man alone? Why, then, is it written: "Do not curse the deaf man"?] Scripture is speaking of the unfortunate ones among your people [i.e., they are never so unfortunate as to be "immune" to cursing] (Sanhedrin 66a).

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LEV386 One who curses his neighbor transgresses the negative commandment: "Do not curse the deaf man"[ all men being subsumed herein] (Shevuoth 36a).

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LEV389 The Bible hopes that fear of God will protect the vulnerable from oppression and exploitation. That is why the demand to fear God's is so often added to commands concerning the weak (and not to other commands). For example [this verse]. The average person, even one with a sadistic inclination, is unlikely to trip another; even if he is stronger than his would-be victim, he will fear that the victim will tell others who might then seek retribution. But there is no reason for a cruel person to refrain from hurting a blind person. The victim will have no idea who caused his injury, and might not even realize that the act was done on purpose. Therefore, God appends to this prohibition a reminder to fear God, the one who sees all that we do. ... Rabbi Aaron Levine presents God's warning even more graphically: "Don't imagine that you will escape punishment just because your misdeeds go undetected by your fellow man. No! Remember that it was I who distinguished in Egypt between the firstborn and those who are not firstborn." Levine, Case Studies in Jewish Ethics, 4.

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