Deuteronómio 24:17 Comentario: Rashi, Chizkuni, Sforno & Or HaChaim

לא תטה משפט גר יתום THOU SHALT NOT PERVERT THE JUDGMENT OF THE STRANGER, OR OF THE FATHERLESS — and with regard to the well-to-do one has already been forbidden to do so (Deuteronomy 16:19): “Thou shalt not pervert judgment”, (which is a general prohibition including both poor and rich), but it (Scripture) repeats it regarding the poor in order to make one who perverts the judgment of the poor transgress two negative commands. Because it is easier to pervert the judgment of the defenseless poor than that of the rich, therefore Scripture lays down a prohibition regarding him a second time (Sifrei Devarim 281:1).

ולא תחבול בגד אלמנה, “and you are not to take (as a pledge for an overdue loan) the garment of a widow.” You may not even take the garment of a wealthy widow as a pledge, even if you give it back to her, for she is single and this may lead to sexual impropriety.

לא תטה משפט גר ויתום, during strife; be particularly on guard not to be unfair to orphans or proselytes who may be reluctant to speak up on their own behalf so as not to “make waves.” You should go out of your way to argue on their behalf so as to compensate for their feelings of insecurity in facing adversaries. [the verse is directed at the judges. Ed.]

ולא תחבל NOR TAKE [A WIDOW’S GARMENT] TO PLEDGE — The term חבל refers to taking a pledge not at the time when the loan is transacted (but when default is made in payment) (cf. Bava Metzia 115a; see also Rashi on Exodus 22:25).