Positive Commandment 207 (Digest)
Loving a Convert
"Love the convert"—Deuteronomy 10:19.
Although we are commanded to love every Jew – a commandment that certainly includes the convert – the Torah added a special mitzvah to love an individual who has taken the pain and effort to embrace and adopt the true belief.
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> The 207th mitzvah is that we are commanded to love converts.
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),;) "You must love the convert."
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> Since the convert spoken of here is a ger tzedek,;) he is included in the commandment for the entire Jewish people,;) "You must love your neighbor." Nevertheless, since he has now;) entered the Jewish religion, G‑d shows him additional love and added an extra commandment [to love him].
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> This is similar to the prohibition of mistreating;) him, where in addition to the prohibition;) [regarding all Jews], "You shall not mistreat one another," G‑d also said,;) "Do not mistreat a convert." The Gemara;) explains that one who mistreats a convert transgresses both, "You shall not mistreat one another," and, "Do not mistreat a convert."
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> We are similarly commanded to love him, [both] by the commandment,;) "You must love your neighbor as [you love] yourself," and the commandment,;) "You must love the convert."
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> This is obvious and not hidden, and I am not aware of anyone among those who have compiled the list of commandments who has failed to realize this.
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> In many Midrashim;) is it explained that G‑d has commanded us regarding the convert, as He has commanded us regarding Himself (exalted be He). This [is evident] from the verse,;) "Love G‑d your Lord," and the verse,;) "You must love the convert."
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> Deut. 10:19.
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> A righteous convert, who has fully converted to become a Jew, unlike a ger toshav, who has not. See Hilchos Isurei Biah 14:6.
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> Lev.19:18.
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> See Kapach, note 64.
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> Specifically, verbally causing him pain. See N251, N252
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> Lev.25:17. N251
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> Ex. 22:20. N252
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> Bava Metzia 59b.
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> 9.
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> Lev.19:18. P206
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> Deut. 10:19
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> See Kapach, note 69, that he is in doubt as to the Rambam's source.
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> 12.
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> Deut. 6:5.
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> 13.
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> Deut. 10:19.
Negative Commandment 302 (Digest)
Harboring Hate
"You shall not hate your brother in your heart"—Leviticus 19:17.
We are forbidden to harbor hate for a fellow Jew in our heart. Instead, if someone has wronged you, confront him and tell him that you've been hurt, and demand an explanation and/or an apology.
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> The 302nd prohibition is that we are forbidden from hating one another.
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,;) "Do not hate your brother in your heart." In the words of the Sifra, "I have only spoken [in this verse] about hatred, which is in the heart. But if you reveal to him this hatred and he realizes that you hate him, you do not transgress this prohibition.;) But you do transgress the prohibitions,;) 'Do not take revenge nor bear a grudge,' and a positive commandment, namely,;) 'You must love your neighbor as [you love] yourself.'" However, the sin of hatred in one's heart is most serious of them all.
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> Lev.19:17.
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> The expression, "this prohibition," proves that it counts as one of the 613 commandments.
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> Lev.19:18. N304, N305.
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> Lev. Ibid. P206.
Positive Commandment 205 (Digest)
Reproving
"You shall certainly reprove your neighbor"—Leviticus 19:17.
We are commanded to verbally reprove a fellow Jew who has sinned, and to reprove and attempt to prevent an individual who is about to sin. This commandment applies to everyone, even if the one who has sinned (or is about to sin) is a great individual. To say, "I shall not sin; what another does is G‑d's concern," is contrary to the Torah's viewpoint. And if the first reprove has not accomplished its goal, we must do so again and again. We must be careful, however, to reprove in a pleasant manner—not to embarrass our fellow, G‑d forbid.
Included in this commandment is the obligation to reprove someone who has wronged you, as opposed to silently harboring a grudge against that individual.
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> The 205th mitzvah is that we are commanded to admonish a person who is performing a transgression or who is preparing to do so. One must verbally warn him and admonish him. We are not allowed to say, "I will not sin; and if someone else sins, that is between him and G‑d." This [attitude] is contrary to Torah. Rather, we are commanded not to transgress, nor to allow another Jew to transgress. If a person is preparing to transgress, each individual is commanded to admonish him and to prevent him [from transgressing], even if there has not been testimony which would be sufficient for him to be punished.
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),;) "You must admonish your neighbor."
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> Also included in this commandment is that we should complain to a person who has done wrong to us. We should not bear a grudge and consider him to be a sinner. Rather, we are commanded to verbally complain to him in order that nothing should remain in our heart [against him].
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> In the words of the Sifra, "What is the source of the law that even if you admonish someone four or five times that you should continue to admonish him? From the phrase, 'hochei'ach to'chiach.';) One might think that one could admonish him to the point that his facial features change;) — the verse therefore continues,;) "And not bear sin because of him."
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> Our Sages;) explained that this commandment is incumbent on every individual; even a person on a low level to someone on a higher level.;) Even if one is cursed or insulted he should not desist, nor stop admonishing unless he is struck physically, as explained by our Sages from the Oral Torah,;) "[One must reprimand] until one receives physical blows."
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> This mitzvah has conditions and laws which are explained in various places in the Talmud.
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> Lev. 19:17.
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> The doubled expression for admonishment teaches us that one is commanded to admonish even many times.
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> I.e. to admonish him in the presence of other people, thereby causing him embarrassment See N303, below.
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> Lev. 19:17.
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> Bava Metzia 31a.
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> Compare with Tanya, chapter 32.
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> Arachin 16b.
Negative Commandment 303 (Digest)
Shaming
"And don't bear sin because of him"—Leviticus 19:17.
It is forbidden to shame or embarrass one another. We derive this from the verse: "You shall certainly rebuke your neighbor, and don't bear sin because of him." Even when we rebuke a fellow for a sin he has done, which itself is a Torah command, we must be careful not to embarrass the individual—lest we "bear sin because of him."
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> The 303rd prohibition is that we are forbidden from embarrassing one another. This transgression is the one referred to as, "publicly humiliating one's fellowman."
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,;) "You must admonish your neighbor and not bear sin because of him."
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> In the words of the Sifra, "From where do we learn that even if you admonish someone four or five times that you should continue to admonish him? From the phrase, 'hochei'ach to'chiach.';) One might think that one could admonish him to the point that his facial features change;) — the verse therefore continues,;) 'And not bear sin because of him.'"
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> The simple meaning of the verse, however, is to warn that you should not think of him about the sin in your heart and [continue to] remember it.
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> Footnotes
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> Lev.19:17.
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> The doubled expression for admonishment teaches us that one is commanded to admonish even many times.
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> I.e. to admonish him in the presence of other people, thereby causing him embarrassment .
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> Lev. 19:17.