EXOD663 Our Sages have said (Koheles Rabbah 1:13): "In a measure full of sins there is none more incriminating than that of theft." And one who aggrieves an orphan or a widow by stealing from them, or shaming them, or in any other way, incurs the penalty of death at the hands of Heaven. Similarly, judges who are in a position to rescue them from their oppressors and do not judge for the orphan and the widow incur the penalty of death, as it is written [this verse], after which it is written (ibid. :22): "If you afflict him in any way, he need but cry to me and I will hear his cry," (ibid.:23): "And my wrath will burn, and I will kill you by the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children, orphans." Measure for measure -- your wives, widows because of your affliction of widows; your children, orphans because of your affliction of orphans. And anyone who aggrieves any Jew transgresses a negative commandment, as it is written [Vayikra 25:17]: "Let one man not afflict his friend, but fear Hashem." The "affliction" here is affliction with words (Bava Metzia 58b), and our Rabbis of blessed memory have said (ibid. 59a): "All gates [of access to Hashem] are closed except that of [crying out] from affliction." Therefore, one must take great care not to cause suffering to this fellow, either in deed or in word.

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EXOD664 See [[EXOD685]] Exodus 22:24 act TZADIK 155

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EXOD678 See [[EXOD685]] Exodus 22:21 afflict TZADIK 155

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EXOD680 See [[LEV610]] Leviticus 19:17 reprove TZADIK 239-41

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EXOD683 See [[EXOD685]] Exodus 22:24 act TZADIK 155

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EXOD685 "Do not act with him as a creditor" [this verse] -- the lender must not afflict the borrower, and he must not pass before the borrower knowing that he has nothing to pay him with (Bava Metzia 75b), for he causes him suffering thereby. We have been exhorted to remove the trait of cruelty from our souls, as it is written [Shemos 22:21): "Do not afflict any widow or orphan," and (Vayikra 25:17): "Let one man not afflict his friend, but fear Hashem." One must also return the poor man's pledge, as it is written (Shemos 22:25): "If you take the poor man's garment in pledge, return it to him before the sun goes down," after which it is stated (ibid.:26): And it shall be, if he cries out to me, that I will hear him, for I am merciful," and (ibid.:20): "and do not afflict or oppress a stranger."

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EXOD722 See [[EXOD685]] Exodus 22:24 act TZADIK 155

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EXOD729 See [[EXOD685]] Exodus 22:24 act TZADIK 155

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EXOD753 The Torah has exhorted us not to accept slander because of the possibility of its being false, as it is written [this verse]: "And you shall not accept a false report." He who speaks slander will also hasten to accept it; and know that when the hearer acknowledges the slander, he is just like the speaker. For all who hear him acknowledging it will say that since he acknowledges it, it must be true. And even if he does not acknowledge it, but just listens to it and makes it appear to others as if he is giving ear to what is being said and believing it, he thereby causes the others to believe it, too, and he thereby also abets the speaker of the slander. For if he rebuked the slanderer, the latter would restrain himself from telling him more. But now that he listens to him and encourages him, he thereby causes him to speak more. And we have been exhorted through (ibid.): "And you shall not accept a false report," not to believe slander in our hearts--to impress upon our minds that the words are true and to cause the objects of the slander to be demeaned in our eyes.

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EXOD789 See [[DEUT628]] Deuteronomy 13:9 pity TZADIK 143-5

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