LEV358 Torah study influences its students to become more empathetic. For example, if we study the laws regarding employers and employees, we learn the Torah mandates paying a worker as soon as his job is complete (Deuteronomy 24:15; see also this verse); as the text puts it: "For he is needy and urgently depends on it." In a different context, the Tanchuma (in its commentary on Exodus 22:25-26) notes: "It is like the case of a man who had bought a sheath of corn which he placed upon his shoulder, and then walked in front of a donkey who was longing to eat it. But what did the owner do? When he reached home, he tied the sheaf high above the donkey so that the animal could not reach it. People said to him, 'You cruel man; the animal has been running the whole day for the sake of the sheaf, and now you refuse to give it to him.' So it is with the hired worker; the whole day has been toiling and sweating, hoping for his wages and you sent him away empty-handed" (Mishpatim number 10). Throughout history, and in many societies, wealthy people not only underpaid laborers, but often paid them late; they knew that even if their employees complained, the law was unlikely to protect them. But how could anyone study these two texts and not feel concern for the needs of his or her workers? At the very least, these texts teach us that not treating our employees fairly and compassionately is an offense against humanity and God.

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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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LEV434 .. In line with the biblical law "In justice shall you judge your fellow" [this verse], we should force ourselves to construct one or two positive scenarios that can account for why the person acted as he did. If we recall the person's good deeds and try to put a more positive "spin" on why he has now acted inappropriately, we might choose not to break off a relationship over a relatively insignificant issue.

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LEV435 Gossips also violate [this verse]. Jewish tradition understands this law as requiring us to judge others fairly, and to incline toward the more favorable assessment of their behavior when two views are possible. Yet those who speak lashon hara tend to attribute bad or selfish motives to those they are talking about (for a more comprehensive discussion of judging others fairly, see chapters five and six [of this volume]).

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LEV496 Someone who has information that can be helpful to a person on trial is obligated to come forward, whether or not he has been subpoenaed. To withhold testimony that can help save someone from undeserved punishment is likewise seen as standing idly by while your neighbor's blood [or reputation] is shed (Sifra on this verse]. In monetary cases, Maimonides applies this verse to one who withholds evidence that can prevent his fellow's money from being lost, but who does not come forward to testify (Book of the Commandments, negative commandment 297).

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LEV576 The prohibited hate is the kind which is "in the heart" [this verse]. Hate can find an outlet in violent reactions, or it can remain quiescent in the heart. A prohibition of overt acts is feasible. However, what is the practical effect of a divine prohibition of an emotion? How can one control his heart to exclude from it an instinctive reaction of hate? Hate is part of man's psyche and will not disappear because it is outlawed. The rabbinical answer to these questions amended the scope of the prohibition of hate. In the opinion of the rabbis, the phrase "in my heart" changes the framework of the prohibition. In effect, the principal aim of the verse is to warn against keeping a grudge bottled up "in the heart," i.e., one must not keep his grudge secret. "Thou shalt surely rebuke thy neighbor." A discussion of one's grievance is therapeutic and desirable. The rabbis regarded as particularly reprehensible any pretense of "business as usual," and needless to say an appearance of friendship, at a time when one bears a grudge in his heart (Bereshit Rabbah 84). The new interpretation stresses the need for purging one's hate rather than prohibiting the initial experience of hate.

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LEV575 The medieval Sefer HaChinnuch, an exposition of the Torah's 613 commandments, notes that one who makes known his hatred does not violate the biblical commandment against hatred (although such a person violates the law to "Love your neighbor as yourself," and might well come to violate the Torah's prohibition against bearing a grudge [Leviticus 19:18).

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LEV573 Express your anger directly to the person who offended you. Many people, afraid to confront the other person, instead share their anger with others, thereby besmirching their opponent's good name. The Rabbis understood the law [this verse] as meaning that when you have a grievance, you should neither hold it in nor share it with others. Rather, you should go directly to the person and inform him of what he has done to hurt you. There is much wisdom in William Blake's poem "A Poison Tree": "I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe; I told it not, my wrath did grow." As a general rule, it is wisest not to confront the person with whom you are angry when you are at the height of your rage, since it is difficult at such moments to express your anger fairly. Obviously, we should also be cautious about expressing anger to someone in a position to do us harm; the goal of expressing anger is to improve our situation with the other party, not worsen it.

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LEV583 Greater is Torah than the cohen's realm and than royalty: for royalty is acquired with thirty attainments, and the cohen's realm with twenty-four, while the Torah is acquired by forty-eight things. And they are: [33] loves reproofs. Pirkei Avot, Perek VI, mishnah 6. Why, we might ask, is a love of reproof a station, a stage of development, on the road to the mastery of the Torah? In his study, the devoted scholar realizes time and again that the Torah is no romantic literature for entertainment and delight. It upgrades and admonishes, chastises and demands. But accepting its unbending law, rising to its demands, he is elevated and grows in character. As he accedes to the Torah's stern words with benefit, so does the scholar come to accept with good grace the rebuke of teachers and fellow-students, finding there his guidelines to self-improvement. In turn he learns to reprove others, knowing it is the only way to really help them. ... So the scholar learns to make rebuke and chastisement a significant part of his life, a necessary extension of Torah study. Scripture bids him, "Reprove shall you reprove your fellow." The double verb indicates, say the Sages, that you should be ready to castigate someone even four or five times--even one hundred--until he is ready to strike or curse or calumnify you [this verse, T.B. Baba Metzi'a 31a; Arakin 16b; Midrash Sifra, K'doshim iv.] The scholar knows he may not be popular as a result; but this is Heaven's will, for man's improvement: "Whoever chastises his fellow for the sake of Heaven, merits to enter the domain of the Holy, Blessed One; moreover, a thread of grace is drawn through his life." (T.B. Tamid 28a) So the Sages give assurance that ultimately the scholar will not be shunned or disliked: people will regard him with favor and affection, realizing that his criticism is no scalpel or hammer of irrational enmity but a kindly instrument used with discretion for their benefit. ... To keep silent is certainly safe and pleasant. The Sages astutely note, "If his townspeople are kindly disposed toward a rabbinic scholar, it is not because is of superior quality, but because he does not rebuke them about matters concerning Heaven" (T.B. Kethuboth 105b). This is clearly an occupational disease of the American rabbinate. The average American Jew lacks the education to accept and value censure from the pulpit. Criticism of American foreign policy--yes; a polished review of a current play or novel--yes. But rebuke of our business ethics, reproof about morality in our family life, chastisement about Jewish observance--heavens, no!

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LEV593 The final words of [this verse] can also be translated as "but do not bear sin because of him." The Rabbis understood the ambiguity in the Hebrew as meaning that, even when criticizing someone, you should not commit a sin by shaming him or her. As Rashi explains in his commentary on this verse: "Though rebuking him, you should not publicly embarrass him, in which case you will bear sin on account of him." To the question, "Should you rebuke one to the point that his face changes color?" the Talmud responds, "No" (Arachin 16b). Shaming someone is both ineffective and immoral. If you're rebuking a person for a serious offense, shaming him will only make him defensive, and thus render your words less effective. And if you're rebuking someone for a small offense (as a parent may do to a child who has broken a plate), then shaming him is a greater sin than the offense itself. The best way to avoid shaming a person is to deliver the criticism privately (See the opening paragraph of this chapter), "with soft language and gentle words" (See Sefer Ha-Chinnuch, commandment number 239). For more on not shaming or humiliating another, see chapters 29 and 31 [of this volume].

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