Le Lévitique 19:27 Halakha : Mishneh Torah, Repentance, Gray Matter I, Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions & Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs

There are two categories of apostates in Israel: (1) an apostate against one commandment; (2) an apostate against the whole Torah. The apostate against one commandment is; one who emboldens himself to transgress a given commandment consciously so that it becomes his habit of doing it publicly, even it be of the minor commandments, for instance, he persistently wears garment mixed of wool and flax, or rounds the corners of his head, as a consequence whereof it appears that such commandment no longer exists in his world, such one is, indeed, an apostate in this matter, if he does such spitefully. An apostate against the whole Torah is, a convert to the religion of the idolaters, for instance, at a time when they issue arbitrary edicts and he cleaves to them, saying: "Of what profit is there for me to cleave to Israel who are down-trodden and persecuted; it is rather best for me to cleave to these in whose hand lies the power", he, assuredly, is apostate against the whole Torah.¹⁷Hullin, 5; Sanhedrin, 26b. C.

Rav Akiva Eiger (Teshuvot 96, cited by Pitchei Teshuvah, E.H. 42:18) was asked about the validity of a wedding where the witnesses shaved with razors. At first glance, the wedding would appear not to be valid, as shaving with a razor is punishable by malkot and should disqualify the witnesses.²Shaving with a razor violates a biblical commandment (see Vayikra 19:27). Regarding electric shavers, there is much greater room for leniency (see Rav Shabtai Rappaport's essay in Techumin (13:200-208) and Aharon Frazer's article, available at http://www.yucs.org/~frazers/imshefer.html). Rav Eiger, however, forbade the woman to remarry without receiving a get, since "so many people violate the rule forbidding shaving with a razor that the parties in question do not think they are truly violating a serious prohibition."³Due to the current availability of electric shavers, Rav Eiger's ruling presumably no longer applies, as otherwise observant men rarely shave with razors.

He who bears tales against his fellow violates a prohibitive commandment, saying: "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people" (Lev. 19.16.); and although the punishment of flogging is not inflicted for violating this charge, it is a gross iniquity, and is the cause of the slaughtering of many souls in Israel; it is because thereof, that following this commandment is this Verse: "Neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor" (Ibid.). Now, go ye and learn of that which happened to Doeg the Edomite.¹First Samuel, 22.9-19. G.