EXOD740 Concern with the feeling [text says "feeding" - AJL] of animals is present in another Torah law. If one animal is attached by another and killed, its flesh is forbidden for human consumption (since the animal has not been slaughtered in the ritually prescribed manner). Rather, the Israelites are instructed to give the dead animal's meat to dogs.

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EXOD743 When all is said and done, holiness and wholeness and any other elevated idea of the spiritual goal come down to a simple Yiddish notion: you are supposed to be a mensch, which means "a decent human being." That one Yiddish word conveys the full measure of the integrity, honor, and respect that a person can hope for in this life. In the words of the Hasidic teacher, known as the Kotzker, "Fine," he says, "be holy. But remember first one has to be a mensch." [1789-1859. He is commenting on the verse "Be holy people to me." In the Hebrew, the word "people" comes before "holy.']

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EXOD742 See [[EXOD325]] Exodus 19:6 holy OXFORD 39-40

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EXOD744 Do not be a party to any loan that involves the charging of interest. We are forbidden to play any role in such a loan. Thus, if interest is involved, we cannot serve as guarantors or witnesses or write the legal document (the I.O.U.) that proves the loan’s existence. Having chosen Israel as His people, Hashem desires our survival and well-being. Therefore, He removes from us a stumbling block and commands that no Jew may devour his fellow Jew’s money or property little by little in a way that the borrower does not feel it until it is too late, which is the way of interest charges on loans.

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EXOD745 We are forbidden to listen to loshon hara or to believe it to be true if we have heard it. This is a prohibition against accepting loshon hora (derogatory information about others). (Mechilta cited by Rashi; Pesochim 118a, Rambam, Hilchos Sanhedrin 21:7; see Chofetz Chayim, Prohibition 2.) Laws pertaining to this prohibition are dealt with at length in the book Chofetz Chayim, chapters six and seven and in an English adaptation, Guard Your Tongue. [Author lists eight "essential excerpts."]

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EXOD746 [What is the intent of this?] [The reference is to an instance in which] one said to him: "That man owes me two hundred dinars, and I have one witness. Come and join him, and you will get one hundred, and I one hundred." In this respect it is stated: "Do not place your hand with an evildoer" (Mechilta).

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EXOD749 It is a negative commandment for a judge not to hear the argument of one party to a lawsuit when the other party is not there for Scripture says, You shall not take up a false report [this verse]. A litigant (party to a dispute) is likewise adjured not to present his statement to the judge before his fellow-litigant comes; we read the text lo thissa, "you shall not take up" as though it were lo thassi, "you shall not cause to be taken up." Included in this prohibition is the rule not to accept and not to relate evil slander, and not to give false testimony.

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EXOD754 The Torah warns a judge that he shall not listen to the claims of a litigant unless the other litigant is there to hear. The reason is that when a litigant is alone with the judge, he is likely to lie when he states his claims. In order that such lies never enter the ears of our judges, the Torah forbids any judge to hear either litigant’s claims unless both litigants are present. Other prohibitions are included in this verse. The Torah warns a litigant that he may not state his claims to a judge if the other litigant is not there, even if the judge wants to hear them. The verse also prohibits us from relating or believing lashon hara [a negative, derogatory report about a fellow Jew]. Finally, the verse forbids witnesses from giving false testimony in court. Nothing is more disgusting than lies and deceit. Someone who enjoys lies is accursed, for Hashem is the God of Truth. Only truth abides by Him. Blessing accrues only to those who are truthful in word and deed, as is Hashem Himself, and who shows mercy and kindness as He does. On the other hand, when someone is attached to lies and deceit, and his words and actions are the very opposite of those of Hashem, blessing cannot rest on him. He will not merit happiness, peace or true enjoyment. The exact opposite will be his lot: He will be accursed, plagued by worries, disputes and much suffering. For this reason, the Torah commands us to distance ourselves from lies and deceit. The Torah tells us, “Distance yourself from any false matter.” Only regarding this prohibition does the Torah use the wording “distance yourself.” due to the repulsiveness of lies and deceit. The Torah wants us to stay very far away from any hint of falsehood, to avoid inclining our ear to anything that seems untrue, even if it is not clear to us that it is false.

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EXOD748 Gossips maybe divided into six categories. The first is he who speaks evil of people and says, "This did they do," when in fact they did not do so, and at times he will slander and honorable an innocent person--in which case he is both a liar and a gossip. And we have been warned by the Torah not to accept gossip because it may be false, as it is said, "You shall not utter a false report" (this verse). And one who speaks gossip, will also be quick to accept gossip. And you should know that if one who hears gossip endorses what he has heard, then he is just as guilty as the gossiper. For all who hear that he agreed, will say, "Since he endorses it, it must be true." And even if he does not agree, but simply listens intently to the words, and appears to believe them, in the presence of people, he causes others to believe them too, and thus he helps the gossiper. For if he were to scold the gossiper, then he might restrain him from telling more, but since he pays attention and shows that he is interested, he causes him to speak even more gossip. And, behold, we have been warned by the verse, "You shall not utter a false report" that we should not believe a gossip story in our hearts, for this would leave a strong imprint in our thoughts that the words are true and cause us to despise the object of the gossip. (Sefer Orhot Zaddikim--The Ways of the Righteous). [Continued at [[LEV1004]] Leviticus 25:17 wrong HTBAJ 206].

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EXOD752 See [[LEV336]] Leviticus 19:11 falsely OXFORD 434-5

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