| 1God spoke to Moses, saying, |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2“Speak to the entire community of the Israelites, saying to them, ‘You must be holy, for I, God, your God, am holy. |
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בדַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדשִׁ֣ים תִּֽהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם: |
| דַּבֵּר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל - Speak to the entire community of the Israelites. This teaches us that this passage was said with all the Israelites assembled because the majority of the basic tenets of the Torah are inherent in it. |
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דַּבֵּר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל.
מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ בְּהַקְהֵל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁרֹב גּוּפֵי תוֹרָה תְלוּיִּין בָּהּ (ספרא):
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| קְדשִׁים תִּֽהְיוּ - You must be holy - i.e., be totally distanced from forbidden relations and from sin in general, for wherever you find safeguards against forbidden relations, you find mention of holiness: “The priests must not marry an unfaithful woman or one demoted…because I, God, who sanctifies you, am holy”; “He must not cause his offspring to be demoted…for I am God, who sanctifies him”; “They must be holy…They must not marry an unfaithful woman or one demoted….” |
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קְדשִׁים תִּֽהְיוּ.
הֱווּ פְרוּשִׁים מִן הָעֲרָיוֹת וּמִן הָעֲבֵרָה, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא גֶדֶר עֶרְוָה אַתָּה מוֹצֵא קְדֻשָּׁה, אִשָּׁה זֹנָה וַחֲלָלָה וְגוֹ' אֲנִי ה' מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם (ויקרא כ"א), וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל זַרְעוֹ, אֲנִי ה' מְקַדְּשׁוֹ (שם), קְדֹשִׁים יִהְיוּ, אִשָּׁה זֹנָה וַחֲלָלָה (שם):
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| 3Everyone must fear his mother and his father. You must observe My Sabbaths; I am God, your God. |
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גאִ֣ישׁ אִמּ֤וֹ וְאָבִיו֙ תִּירָ֔אוּ וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם: |
| אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ - (lit.) A man his mother and his father you must fear - means: each one among you must fear his father and his mother. This is its straightforward meaning. But its Midrashic explanation is: From the term אִישׁ I only know that a man is obligated. From where do I know that a woman is also obligated in this commandment? Since it says a plural form תִּירָאוּ, this implies that two types of people are commanded. If so, why does it say אִישׁ “a man”? Because a man has the full means to perform this commandment, but a woman is sometimes under the authority of others. |
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אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ.
כָּל אֶחָד מִכֶּם תִּירְאוּ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אִישׁ, אִשָּׁה מִנַּיִן? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר תִּירָאוּ הֲרֵי כָאן שְׁנַיִם, אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר אִישׁ? שֶׁהָאִישׁ סֵפֶק בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֲבָל אִשָּׁה רְשׁוּת אֲחֵרִים עָלֶיהָ (ספרא; קידושין ל'):
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| אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ - Must fear his mother and his father. Here Scripture mentions the mother before the father, because it is apparent to God that a child naturally fears his father more than his mother. However regarding honoring parents, the father is stated before the mother, because it is apparent to Him that a child naturally honors his mother more than his father, because she influences him through her speech. |
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אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ.
כָּאן הִקְדִּים אֵם לָאָב, לְפִי שֶׁגָּלוּי לְפָנָיו שֶׁהַבֵּן יָרֵא אֶת אָבִיו יוֹתֵר מֵאִמּוֹ, וּבַכָּבוֹד הִקְדִּים אָב לָאֵם, לְפִי שֶׁגָּלוּי לְפָנָיו שֶׁהַבֵּן מְכַבֵּד אֶת אִמּוֹ יוֹתֵר מֵאָבִיו, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּשַׁדַּלְתּוֹ בִדְבָרִים (שם):
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| וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ - You must observe My Sabbaths. Observance of the Sabbath is placed adjacent to respect for a father, implying: although I charged you with fearing your father, if he tells you to desecrate the Sabbath, you must not obey him; and the same applies to all other commandments, as it states – |
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וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ.
סָמַךְ שַׁבָּת לְמוֹרָא אָב, לוֹמַר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִזְהַרְתִּיךָ עַל מוֹרָא אָב, אִם יֹאמַר לְךָ חַלֵּל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, אַל תִּשְׁמַע לוֹ, וְכֵן בִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת (בבא מציעא ל"ב):
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| אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם - I am God, your God - i.e., both you and your father must honor Me by obeying Me; therefore do not obey him to transgress My commands. What then is proper fear for a parent? He should not sit in his place, not speak when it is his turn to do so, and not contradict his words. What is honor for a parent? He gives him to eat and drink, dresses him and puts on his shoes, and helps him go in and go out. |
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אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם.
אַתָּה וְאָבִיךָ חַיָּבִים בִּכְבוֹדִי, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא תִשְׁמַע לוֹ לְבַטֵּל אֶת דְּבָרַי. אֵיזֶהוּ מוֹרָא? לֹא יֵשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא יְדַבֵּר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא יִסְתֹּר אֶת דְּבָרָיו, וְאֵיזֶהוּ כָבוֹד? מַאֲכִיל וּמַשְׁקֶה, מַלְבִּישׁ וּמַנְעִיל, מַכְנִיס וּמוֹצִיא (קידושין ל"א):
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| 4Do not turn your thoughts toward worshiping idols, in order that you not come to believe in them and make them molten deities for yourselves; I am God, your God. |
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דאַל־תִּפְנוּ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלִילִ֔ם וֵֽאלֹהֵי֙ מַסֵּכָ֔ה לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם: |
| אַל־תִּפְנוּ אֶל־הָאֱלִילִם - Do not turn toward idols - to think about worshiping them. אֱלִילִים is related to אַל “not,” i.e., it is considered like nothing. |
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אַל־תִּפְנוּ אֶל־הָאֱלִילִם.
לְעָבְדָם; אֱלִילִים לְשׁוֹן אַל — כְּלֹא הוּא חָשׁוּב:
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| וֵֽאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה - Molten deities. At the beginning they are אֱלִילִים, i.e., worthless, but if you turn your thoughts toward them you will ultimately make them into a deity. |
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וֵֽאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה.
תְּחִלָּתָן אֱלִילִים הֵם, וְאִם אַתָּה פוֹנֶה אַחֲרֵיהֶם סוֹפְךָ עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם אֱלוֹהוֹת (ספרא):
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| לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם - (lit.) You may not make for yourselves - i.e., you must not make for others, and others may not make for you. If you imagine that the words “you may not make for yourselves” imply “but others may make for you,” I answer: It already says: “You must not possess any idols” – not made by you and not made by others. |
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לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם.
לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לַאֲחֵרִים וְלֹא אֲחֵרִים לָכֶם; וְאִם תֹּאמַר לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לְעַצְמְכֶם אֲבָל אֲחֵרִים עוֹשִׂין לָכֶם, הֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ (שמות כ') — לֹא שֶׁלְּךָ וְלֹא שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים:
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| 5When you slaughter a peace-promoting feast-offering to God, you must slaughter it such that it attain My favor for you, i.e., |
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הוְכִ֧י תִזְבְּח֛וּ זֶ֥בַח שְׁלָמִ֖ים לַֽיהוָֹ֑ה לִרְצֹֽנְכֶ֖ם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ: |
| וְכִי תִזְבְּחוּ וגו' - When you slaughter… This passage was stated only to teach us that the slaughter of such sacrifices must be done with the sole intention that they be eaten within this time, for if it were merely to set the time limit for eating them, that has already been stated: “If his sacrifice is to fulfill a vow or a dedication….” |
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וְכִי תִזְבְּחוּ וגו'.
לֹא נֶאֶמְרָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד, שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא זְבִיחָתָן אֶלָּא עַל מְנָת לֵאָכֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַזְּמַן הַזֶּה, שֶׁאִם לִקְבֹּעַ לָהֶם זְמַן אֲכִילָה, הֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא ז') וְאִם נֶדֶר אוֹ נְדָבָה זֶבַח קָרְבָּנוֹ וְגוֹ' (ספרא):
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| לִרְצֹֽנְכֶם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ - You must slaughter it such that it attain favor for you - i.e., its initial slaughter must be performed with the purpose of pleasing Me in order that it attain My favor for you, for if you have any unfit thought then, it will not attain My favor for you. |
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לִרְצֹֽנְכֶם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ.
תְּחִלַּת זְבִיחָתוֹ תְּהֵא עַל מְנָת נַחַת רוּחַ — שֶׁיְּהֵא לָכֶם לְרָצוֹן, שֶׁאִם תְּחַשְּׁבוּ עָלָיו מַחֲשֶׁבֶת פְּסוּל לֹא יֵרָצֶה עֲלֵיכֶם לְפָנַי:
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| לִרְצֹֽנְכֶם - (lit.) To appease for you - “apayment” in Old French (“appeasement”). This is according to its straightforward meaning. Our rabbis explained לִרְצֹנְכֶם as meaning “by your will,” deriving from here that unaware slaughter of a sacrifice renders it invalid, i.e., he must slaughter it intentionally. |
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לִרְצֹֽנְכֶם.
אפיי"צימנטו, זֶהוּ לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן לַמִּתְעַסֵּק בַּקֳּדָשִׁים שֶׁפָּסוּל, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתְכַּוֵּן לִשְׁחֹט (זבחים מ"ז; חולין י"ג):
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| 6with the intention that it be eaten on the day you slaughter it and on the next day. Anything left over until the third day must be burned in fire. |
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ובְּי֧וֹם זִבְחֲכֶ֛ם יֵֽאָכֵ֖ל וּמִמָּֽחֳרָ֑ת וְהַנּוֹתָר֙ עַד־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י בָּאֵ֖שׁ יִשָּׂרֵֽף: |
| בְּיוֹם זִבְחֲכֶם יֵֽאָכֵל - (lit.) On the day you slaughter it must be eaten - i.e., when you slaughter it, slaughter it with the intention to eat it within the time that I have already set for you. |
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בְּיוֹם זִבְחֲכֶם יֵֽאָכֵל.
כְּשֶׁתִּזְבְּחוּהוּ תִּשְׁחֲטוּהוּ עַל מְנָת זְמַן זֶה שֶׁקָּבַעְתִּי לָכֶם כְּבָר:
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| 7If it is eaten on the third day, it is contemptible; it will not be accepted as valid. |
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זוְאִ֛ם הֵֽאָכֹ֥ל יֵֽאָכֵ֖ל בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י פִּגּ֥וּל ה֖וּא לֹ֥א יֵֽרָצֶֽה: |
| וְאִם הֵֽאָכֹל יֵֽאָכֵל וגו' - (lit.) And if it is eaten… Since this verse cannot refer to slaughtering a sacrifice with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed time, for that has already been stated – “If the slaughterer articulates his intent that some of the flesh of his peace-promoting feast-offering be eaten on the third day, the offering will not be accepted” – apply it instead to slaughtering a sacrifice with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed place. I might think eating such a sacrifice incurs the penalty of excision; Scripture therefore states there, regarding a sacrifice slaughtered with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed time: “and the person who eats of it will bear his sin” – one who eats “of it” is liable, but not one who eats of a similarly disqualified sacrifice. This excludes from excision one who eats of a sacrifice that was slaughtered with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed place. |
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וְאִם הֵֽאָכֹל יֵֽאָכֵל וגו'.
אִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לְחוּץ לִזְמַנּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר וְאִם הֵאָכֹל יֵאָכֵל מִבְּשַׂר זֶבַח שְׁלָמָיו וְגוֹ' (ויקרא ז'), תְּנֵהוּ עִנְיָן לְחוּץ לִמְקוֹמוֹ; יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ חַיָּבִין כָּרֵת עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֹכֶלֶת מִמֶּנּוּ עֲוֹנָהּ תִּשָּׂא, "מִמֶּנּוּ" וְלֹא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, יָצָא הַנִּשְׁחָט בְּמַחֲשֶׁבֶת חוּץ לִמְקוֹמוֹ (זבחים כ"ח):
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| פִּגּוּל - means contemptible, as in: “and their vessels contain contemptible broth (מְרַק פִּגֻּלִים).” |
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פִּגּוּל.
מְתֹעָב, כְּמוֹ וּמְרַק פִּגֻּלִים כְּלֵיהֶם (ישעיהו ס"ה):
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| 8Whoever eats it will bear his sin, because he has profaned what is holy to God. That person will be cut off from his people. |
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חוְאֹֽכְלָיו֙ עֲוֹנ֣וֹ יִשָּׂ֔א כִּֽי־אֶת־קֹ֥דֶשׁ יְהוָֹ֖ה חִלֵּ֑ל וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵֽעַמֶּֽיהָ: |
| וְאֹֽכְלָיו עונו יִשָּׂא - Whoever eats it will bear his sin. This verse is speaking about sacrificial meat that was left over beyond its prescribed time, but one does not incur excision for the offense stated in the previous verse, i.e., eating a sacrifice slaughtered with the intent to eat it outside its prescribed place, for Scripture has already excluded this, as explained there. This verse must therefore be speaking about sacrificial meat left over beyond its prescribed time. In Tractate Keritot this is derived by means of an analogy. |
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וְאֹֽכְלָיו עונו יִשָּׂא.
בְּנוֹתָר גָּמוּר הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְאֵינוֹ עָנוּשׁ כָּרֵת עַל הַנִּשְׁחָט חוּץ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁכְּבָר מִעֲטוֹ הַכָּתוּב, וְזֶה בְּנוֹתָר גָּמוּר מְדַבֵּר, וּבְמַסֶּכֶת כָּרֵתוֹת (דף ה'), לְמָדוּהוּ מִגְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה:
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| 9When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not fully reap the last corner of your field. Nor may you gather the gleanings of your harvest that fall from your hand. |
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טוּבְקֻצְרְכֶם֙ אֶת־קְצִ֣יר אַרְצְכֶ֔ם לֹ֧א תְכַלֶּ֛ה פְּאַ֥ת שָֽׂדְךָ֖ לִקְצֹ֑ר וְלֶ֥קֶט קְצִֽירְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תְלַקֵּֽט: |
| לֹא תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָֽׂדְךָ - You must not fully [reap] the corner of your field - i.e., one must leave over a corner at the end of his field. |
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לֹא תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָֽׂדְךָ.
שֶׁיַּנִּיחַ פֵּאָה בְסוֹף שָׂדֵהוּ (עי' ספרא):
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| וְלֶקֶט קְצִֽירְךָ - means: stalks that fall down during the reaping, one or two at a time, but three together are not considered לֶקֶט, i.e., forbidden to gather. |
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וְלֶקֶט קְצִֽירְךָ.
שִׁבֳּלִים הַנּוֹשְׁרִים בִּשְׁעַת קְצִירָה, אַחַת אוֹ שְׁתַּיִם, אֲבָל שָׁלוֹשׁ אֵינָן לֶקֶט (פאה פ"ו):
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| 10You must not glean the young grapes of your vineyard. Nor may you collect the fallen individual grapes of your vineyard. You must leave them for the poor and the convert; I am God, your God. |
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יוְכַרְמְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תְעוֹלֵ֔ל וּפֶ֥רֶט כַּרְמְךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְלַקֵּ֑ט לֶֽעָנִ֤י וְלַגֵּר֙ תַּֽעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם: |
| לֹא תְעוֹלֵל - means: do not take its undeveloped clusters, which can be distinguished as follows: What are undeveloped clusters? Any cluster that has neither a shoulder (כָּתֵף) nor a dangling portion (נָטֵף). |
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לֹא תְעוֹלֵל.
לֹא תִטֹּל עוֹלֵלוֹת שֶׁבָּהּ, וְהֵן נִכָּרוֹת; אֵיזֶהוּ עוֹלֵלוֹת? כֹּל שֶׁאֵין לוֹ לֹא כָתֵף וְלֹא נָטֵף (ספרא):
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| וּפֶרֶט כַּרְמְךָ - means the individual grapes that fall during the grape-harvest. |
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וּפֶרֶט כַּרְמְךָ.
גַּרְגְּרֵי עֲנָבִים הַנּוֹשְׁרִים בִּשְׁעַת בְּצִירָה:
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| אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם - I am God, your God - a judge who exacts punishment, and for transgressing these commandments I demand none other than your souls as retribution, as it says: “Do not steal from the poor…for God will plead their cause….” |
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אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם.
דַּיָּן לִפָּרַע; וְאֵינִי גוֹבֶה מִכֶּם אֶלָּא נְפָשׁוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַל תִּגְזָל דָּל וְגוֹ' כִּי ה' יָרִיב רִיבָם וְגוֹ' (משלי כ"ב):
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| 11You must not steal. You must not falsely deny a claim. You must not lie to one another. |
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יאלֹ֖א תִּגְנֹ֑בוּ וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁ֥וּ וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּר֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ בַּֽעֲמִיתֽוֹ: |
| לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ - You must not steal. This is the prohibition of stealing money, but the phrase לֹא תִגְנֹב written in the Ten Commandments is the prohibition of kidnapping people. This is deduced from its context, as kidnapping is a matter incurring the penalty of death by sentence of the court like the other prohibitions in that verse. |
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לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ.
אַזְהָרָה לְגוֹנֵב מָמוֹן, אֲבָל לֹא תִגְנֹב שֶׁבַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת אַזְהָרָה לְגוֹנֵב נְפָשׁוֹת, דָּבָר הַלָּמֵד מֵעִנְיָנוֹ — דָּבָר שֶׁחַיָּבִין עָלָיו מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין:
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| וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ - You must not falsely deny a claim. From the fact that it says וְכִחֶשׁ בָּהּ “and he denied it” – for which one pays the principal and an additional fifth – we have learned only the penalty for denial. From where do we know the corresponding prohibition? From the fact that Scripture states here: “you must not falsely deny a claim.” |
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וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ.
לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ה'), וְכִחֶשׁ בָּהּ מְשַׁלֵּם קֶרֶן וְחֹמֶשׁ, לָמַדְנוּ עֹנֶשׁ, אַזְהָרָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְלֹא תְכַחֲשׁוּ:
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| וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ - You must not lie. From the fact that it says: “and he swore falsely” – for which he must pay the principal and an additional fifth – we have learned only the penalty for swearing falsely. From where do we know the corresponding prohibition? From the fact that Scripture states here: “You must not lie.” |
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וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ.
לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם), וְנִשְׁבַּע עַל שָׁקֶר יְשַׁלֵּם קֶרֶן וְחֹמֶשׁ, לָמַדְנוּ עֹנֶשׁ, אַזְהָרָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּרוּ:
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| לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ וְלֹֽא־תשבעו - You must not steal. You must not falsely deny a claim. You must not lie…You must not swear [falsely]. The sequence of these prohibitions teaches us that if you have stolen, you will end up denying it, and then you will end up lying to back up the denial, and ultimately you will swear falsely. |
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לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ וְלֹֽא־תשבעו.
אִם גָּנַבְתָּ סוֹפְךָ לְכַחֵשׁ, סוֹפְךָ לְשַׁקֵּר, סוֹפְךָ לִשָּׁבַע לַשֶּׁקֶר:
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| 12You must not swear falsely by My Name, thereby profaning the Name of your God; I am God. |
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יבוְלֹֽא־תִשָּֽׁבְע֥וּ בִשְׁמִ֖י לַשָּׁ֑קֶר וְחִלַּלְתָּ֛ אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹֽה: |
| וְלֹֽא־תִשָּֽׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי - You must not swear [falsely] by My Name. Why is this stated? Since it says: “You must not swear by the Name of God, your God, in vain,” I might think that this means that one is liable only for swearing by the Unique Name. From where do we know to include in this prohibition all appellations of God? From the fact that Scripture states: “You must not swear falsely by My Name,” implying any Name that I have. |
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וְלֹֽא־תִשָּֽׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי.
לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת שֵׁם ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַשָּׁוְא (שמות כ'), יָכוֹל לֹא יְהֵא חַיָּב אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם הַמְיֻחָד, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת כָּל הַכִּנּוּיִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְלֹא תִשָּׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי לַשָּׁקֶר — כָּל שֵׁם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי (ספרא):
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| 13You must not oppress your fellow. You must not rob. The hired day-worker’s wage must not remain with you through the night until morning. |
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יגלֹא־תַֽעֲשֹׁ֥ק אֶת־רֵֽעֲךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א תִגְזֹ֑ל לֹֽא־תָלִ֞ין פְּעֻלַּ֥ת שָׂכִ֛יר אִתְּךָ֖ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר: |
| לֹא־תַֽעֲשֹׁק - You must not oppress. This refers to one who withholds the wages of a hired worker. |
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לֹא־תַֽעֲשֹׁק.
זֶה הַכּוֹבֵשׁ שְׂכַר שָׂכִיר (בבא מציעא ס"א):
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| לֹא־תָלִין - It must not remain through the night. This is a feminine third-person form, referring to the wages. |
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לֹא־תָלִין.
לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, מוּסָב עַל הַפְּעוּלָה:
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| עַד־בֹּֽקֶר - Until morning. This verse is speaking about a worker hired for the daytime, who ends work at sunset. Therefore, the time for him to receive his wages is the entire night. Elsewhere, it says: “the sun must not set on his wage.” That verse speaks of a worker hired for the night, who finishes his work at dawn. Therefore, the time for him to receive his wages is the entire day, since the Torah gave the employer a full day- or night-period to find money for payment. |
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עַד־בֹּֽקֶר.
בִּשְׂכִיר יוֹם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁיְּצִיאָתוֹ מִשֶּׁשָּׁקְעָה חַמָּה, לְפִיכָךְ זְמַן גִּבּוּי שְׂכָרוֹ כָּל הַלָּיְלָה, וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר וְלֹא תָבוֹא עָלָיו הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ (דברים כ"ד), מְדַבֵּר בִּשְֹכִיר לַיְלָה, שֶׁהַשְׁלָמַת פְּעֻלָּתוֹ מִשֶּׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, לְפִיכָךְ זְמַן גִּבּוּי שְׂכָרוֹ כָּל הַיּוֹם, לְפִי שֶׁנָּתְנָה תוֹרָה זְמַן לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת עוֹנָה לְבַקֵּשׁ מָעוֹת (בבא מציעא ק"י):
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| 14You must not curse a deaf person. You must not place an obstacle before a blind person. You must fear your God; I am God. |
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ידלֹֽא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹֽה: |
| לֹֽא־תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ - You must not curse a deaf person. From here, I know only that one may not curse a deaf person. From where do I know to include any person in this prohibition? From the fact that Scripture states elsewhere: “nor may you curse…of your people.” If so, why is a deaf person stated specifically? In order to teach us that just as a deaf person is alive even though he cannot hear the curse, so does the prohibition apply only to anyone who is alive. This excludes a dead person, who is no longer alive. |
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לֹֽא־תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ.
אֵין לִי אֶלָּא חֵרֵשׁ, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת כָּל אָדָם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בְּעַמְּךָ לֹא תָאֹר (שמות כ"ב), אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר חֵרֵשׁ? מַה חֵרֵשׁ מְיֻחָד שֶׁהוּא בַחַיִּים, אַף כָּל שֶׁהוּא בַחַיִּים, יָצָא הַמֵּת שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַחַיִּים (ספרא):
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| וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹֽא־תִתֵּן מכשול - You must not place an obstacle before a blind person - i.e., before one who is “blind” in the sense of being unaware of the issues in a particular situation, meaning: do not give such a person advice motivated by any consideration other than to benefit him. Do not say to him, “Sell your field and buy yourself a donkey” if you are intending to manipulate him so that you can buy the field from him. |
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וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹֽא־תִתֵּן מכשול.
לִפְנֵי הַסּוּמָא בְדָבָר לֹא תִתֵּן עֵצָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ, אַל תֹּאמַר מְכֹר שָׂדְךָ וְקַח לְךָ חֲמוֹר, וְאַתָּה עוֹקֵף עָלָיו וְנוֹטְלָהּ הֵימֶנּוּ (שם):
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| וְיָרֵאתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶיךָ - You must fear your God. Since people have no means of ascertaining this matter – i.e., whether this person’s intention was for good (i.e., to benefit the other person) or for bad (i.e., with ulterior motives), and he may excuse himself by lying, saying, “I intended it for the good” – it says here: “you must fear your God,” who knows your thoughts. Similarly, regarding any act that is solely the province of the one performing it, in that other people are unaware of its intention, it also says: “you must fear your God.” |
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וְיָרֵאתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶיךָ.
לְפִי שֶׁהַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ מָסוּר לַבְּרִיּוֹת לֵידַע אִם דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה לְטוֹבָה אוֹ לְרָעָה, וְיָכוֹל לְהִשָּׁמֵט וְלוֹמַר לְטוֹבָה נִתְכַּוַּנְתִּי, לְפִיכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ הַמַּכִּיר מַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ; וְכֵן כָּל דָּבָר הַמָּסוּר לְלִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָעוֹשֵׂהוּ וְאֵין שְׁאָר הַבְּרִיּוֹת מַכִּירוֹת בּוֹ, נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ:
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