EXOD691 "You shall not impose interest upon him" [this verse]. This is an injunction directed towards the witnesses [i.e., those who witness a loan where interest is charged. The injunction applies to the lender and guarantor, as well as; see Bava Metzia 75b]. As such, the pasuk says "You shall not impose," in the plural, subsequent to saying, "You shall not act towards him as a creditor" [this is written in the singular as it refers only to the lender] since it is an injunction that is directed towards the witnesses [i.e., it is plural because it applies to the two witnesses].

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EXOD735 See [[LEV379]] Leviticus 19:14 curse GATES 225

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EXOD757 "Do not bear a false report" [this verse]. We have been admonished herein not to accept lashon hara, just as the Targum says, "Do not accept a false report." [Even if the one speaking lashon hara claims it is true, the listener may not believe the report, and must treat it as falsehood (see paragraph 213).

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EXOD760 See [[EXOD378]] Exodus 20:7 swear GATES 223

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EXOD761 Shlomo, a"h, further said (Mishlei 26:28), "A subdued person (dakav) hates a lying tongue." This means that a person who is humble, subdued, and low-spirited [Yeshayahu 57:15], hates a lying tongue; he does not want it and will not listen to it. For a humble person desires that people be esteemed and he is pained when they are shamed and dishonored. The vav of the word dakav takes the place of the heh [See Devarim 23:2. Cf. Yeshayahu 57:15; Tehillim 90:3, 143:3], which is part of the root [of the word dakah], similar to the vav of the word anav.  Others interpret this pasuk as follows: one who possesses a lying tongue hates those who subdue and reprimand him, and he no longer brings people's negative reports to them. We have [therefore] been admonished through the pasuk [this verse], "Do not bear a false report," not to believe reports of lashon hara in our hearts--not to give them credence in our thoughts, [which leads to] deprecating the one against whom they were said.

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EXOD762 The class of those who speak lashon hara is divided into six categories. The first category--one who ascribes a fault to another when he has no such fault; sometimes he may [even] ascribe a negative trait in place of the beautiful one [that he really has]. This person's heart has gathered for him [Tehillim 41:7] the attributes of two evil classes: the class of liars and the class of those who speak lashon hara. We have been admonished by the Torah not to accept lashon hara [i.e., one who hears lashon hara may not believe that it is true], lest it be false and a lie, as the pasuk says [this verse], "Do not bear a false report." [See paragraph 42]. Shlomo, a"h, said (Mishlei 17:4), "An evil person pays attention to iniquitous speech; a liar listens to destructive talk." This means that there are two classes of people who accept lashon hara: one--a wicked, malicious person (the same language as [Yeshayahu 9:16], "For they are all flatterers and wicked") [This verse is brought as proof that the word me'ra in Mishlei 17:4 means an evil person, just as it does here in Yeshayahu 9:16], who suspects innocent people and enjoys finding fault, guilt, and dishonor in his fellow man. [Thus,] when he hears a person's friends relating lashon hara about him [Iyov 36:33; see Ralbag], the malice in his heart incites him to believe the truth of these things. The second class--a liar; he too listens and believes the destructive talk. Since he does not distance [himself] from falsehood [Exodus 23:7], he has no problem accepting lies and bearing false reports. Consequently, he is quick to accept lashon hara. "A liar listens"--this means a person of falsehood [The verse literal (sic) translates as "falsehood listens." Rabbeinu Yonah explains that it means a person of falsehood, i.e., a liar] similar to (Yirmeyahu 9:5), "Your lodging is in the midst of deceit," i.e., amidst people of deceit; and (Tehillim 109:4), "But I am prayer," i.e. a man of prayer.

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EXOD775 "You must not follow the majority to do evil" [this verse]. We have herein been admonished not to verbally strengthen the hands of sinners; and also not to associate ourselves with those who concur with wrongdoing, similar to what the pasuk says (Yeshayahu 8:12), "Do not say to join to everything that this people says regarding rebellion" [i.e., even though you are in the minority (Rashi)].

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EXOD846 See [[EXOD762]] Exodus 23:1 report GATES 409-10

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EXOD861 "You must not take a bribe" [this verse] -- even to entitle the innocent party and to obligate the guilty party. [This injunction applies] even if the two litigants together agree to pay him [for judging]. This is what our Sages, z"l, said (Kesubos 105a): "The legal decisions of one who takes a fee for adjudicating are void." However, it is permissible to compensate him the losses caused as a result of the disruption of his work, provided that the loss is clear, a fixed amount, and known to the public, and that one of the contestants does not reimburse his loss more than the other.

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EXOD918 They further said (Avos d'Rabi Nosson 22), "Anyone whose [good] deeds exceeds his wisdom, his wisdom will endure, as the pasuk says [this verse], 'We will do and we will hear.'" The explanation of this is as follows: One who faithfully resolves to refrain and act [i.e., the negative and positive mitzvos, respectively] in accordance with the Torah and its rulings--as imparted by those who are empowered over its rulings--possesses, from that day onwards, the reward of all the mitzvos. [His reward is both] for what he has heard and understood of the words of Torah, and for what he has not yet heard. He has cloaked himself in righteousness [Tehillim 132:9]; he acquires the merit [both] of what has been revealed to him and of what is concealed from him [Esther 4:11]. Following this, he should daily investigate, study constantly by the doors of those who reprove him, and acquire wisdom from all who teach him [The commitment comes first, but then he must acquire the knowledge that he is lacking]. Thus, this person's deeds [i.e., the rewards for his deeds (Sha'arei Teshuvah Hameforash), based on his commitment to perform them] exceed his wisdom, for he is lacking in knowledge and yet his reward is [already] with him. Similarly, Yisrael said at Sinai, "We will do and we will hear"--they prefaced the listening with the commitment to act. In any other matter it would be impossible for man's deeds to exceed what he knows.

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