קדושים, רביעי

לא תונו. אוֹנָאַת דְּבָרִים; לֹא תֹאמַר לוֹ אֶמֶשׁ הָיִיתָ עוֹבֵד עֲ"זָ וְעַכְשָׁו אַתָּה בָא לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה (בבא מציעא נ"ח):

לא תונו [AND IF A STRANGER SOJOURN WITH THEE IN THY LAND], YE SHALL NOT VEX HIM — This implies vexing him with words (cf. Rashi on Exodus 22:20) — do not say to him, “Yesterday you were an idolator and now you come to study the Torah which was given from the mouth of the Almighty!” (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 8 2; Bava Metzia 58b, 59b.)

כי גרים הייתם. מוּם שֶׁבְּךָ אַל תֹּאמַר לַחֲבֵרְךָ (שם נ"ט):

כי גרים הייתם FOR YE WERE STRANGERS [IN THE LAND OF EGYPT] — "Do not reproach thy fellow-man for a fault which is also thine” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 22:20).

אני ה' אלהיכם. אֱלֹהֶיךָ וֵאלֹהָיו אֲנִי:

אני ה' אלהיכם I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD — Thy God and his God am I! (אלהיכם “your” God — the God of both of you).

לא תעשו עול במשפט. אִם לְדִין, הֲרֵי כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט (פסוק ט"ו), וּמַהוּ מִשְׁפָּט הַשָּׁנוּי כָּאן? הוּא הַמִּדָּה וְהַמִּשְׁקָל וְהַמְּשׂוּרָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַמּוֹדֵד נִקְרָא דַיָּן, שֶׁאִם שִׁקֵּר בַּמִּדָּה הֲרֵי הוּא כִמְקַלְקֵל אֶת הַדִּין, וְקָרוּי עַוָּל, שָׂנאוּי וּמְשֻׁקָּץ, חֵרֶם וְתוֹעֵבָה, וְגוֹרֵם לַחֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים הָאֲמוּרִים בַּדַּיָּן — מְטַמֵּא אֶת הָאָרֶץ, וּמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם, וּמְסַלֵּק אֶת הַשְּׁכִינָה, וּמַפִּיל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּחֶרֶב, וּמַגְלֶה אוֹתָם מֵאַרְצָם (ספרא):

לא תעשו עול במשפט YE SHALL NOT DO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IN משפט — If this has a reference to the execution of justice it would be redundant, for it has already been stated (v. 15) “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment”. What, then is the meaning of משפט mentioned here? It refers to what is right in respect to measure of length, to weight and to measure of capacity. The use of the word משפט here teaches us, therefore, that one who has to do with measuring (in trade or commerce) is termed (is regarded as) “a judge” so that if he gives false measure he is like the judge who perverts justice and he is therefore called "an unjust person” (עַוָּל), hateful, detested, doomed to destruction, and an abomination (cf. Rashi v. 15). He brings about those five things which are mentioned in connection with the judge who perverts justice: he defiles the land, profanes the Name of the Lord, causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel's midst, Israel to fall by the sword and to be exiled from their land (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 8 5).

במדה. זוֹ מִדַּת הָאָרֶץ (שם):

במדה — This denotes land measure (linear and square measure);

במשקל. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:

במשקל is what the word literally implies (“in weight", from שקל, to weigh);

ובמשורה. הִיא מִדַּת הַלַּח וְהַיָּבֵשׁ (בבא מציעא ס"א):

ובמשורה — This denotes liquid and dry measure (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 8 6; Bava Metzia 61b).

אבני צדק. הֵם הַמִּשְׁקוֹלוֹת שֶׁשּׁוֹקְלִין כְּנֶגְדָּן:

אבני צדק are stones used for weights wherewith one weighs.

איפת. הִיא מִדַּת הַיָּבֵשׁ:

איפת — The “Epha” is a certain dry measure.

והין. זוֹ הִיא מִדַּת הַלַּח:

והין — The “Hin” is a certain liquid measure.

אשר הוצאתי אתכם. עַל מְנָת כֵּן; דָּ"אַ אֲנִי הִבְחַנְתִּי בְּמִצְרַיִם בֵּין טִפָּה שֶׁל בְּכוֹר לְטִפָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל בְּכוֹר, וַאֲנִי הַנֶּאֱמָן לִפָּרַע מִמִּי שֶׁטּוֹמֵן מִשְׁקְלוֹתָיו בַּמֶּלַח לְהוֹנוֹת אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁאֵין מַכִּירִין בָּהֶם (בבא מציעא ס"א):

אשר הוצאתי אתכם WHO BROUGHT YOU FORTH [FROM EGYPT] for this purpose, that you shall be honest in your actions (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 8 10). Another explanation is: I distinguished in Egypt between those who were firstborn and those who were not firstborn (a matter which is hidden from human cognizance), I am also certain to exact punishment from him who secretly puts his weights in salt in order to take advantage of people who are not aware of it (cf. Bava Metzia 61b).