Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Commentary for Exodus 23:8

וְשֹׁ֖חַד לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח כִּ֤י הַשֹּׁ֙חַד֙ יְעַוֵּ֣ר פִּקְחִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽים׃

And thou shalt take no gift; for a gift blindeth them that have sight, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Rashi on Exodus

ושחד לא תקח AND THOU SHALT TAKE NO GIFT, even if you mean to give a true judgment in favour of the giver, and it is a matter of course that you must not accept one to wrest judgment, and therefore there is no need for Scripture to forbid this, for with regard to wresting judgment, whether you take a bribe or not, it is distinctly stated, (Deuteronomy 16:19) “Thou shalt not wrest judgment” (Ketubot 105a).
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Rashbam on Exodus

יעור פקחים, the expression עור, blind, is appropriate as a contrast to someone with good vision. On the other hand, the opposite of the virtue of צדיק is סילוף, perversion, distortion.
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Siftei Chakhamim

Judgments of truth. . . In other words, Torah judgment, as it is written [about the Torah], “The judgments of Hashem are true. . .” (Tehillim 19:10).
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