Halakhah su Ecclesiaste 7:78

(Kof) “Robbing an ordinary person is more severe than robbing the Most High, (i.e., taking consecrated property). As with [robbing an ordinary person, the Torah] has sin precede me’ilah (trespass), [whereas with robbing the Most High], it has me’ilah preceding sin.” With robbing an ordinary person, it is written (Lev. 5:21), “If any one sin, and commit a trespass, etc.” But with one who misuses consecrated items, it is written (Lev. 5:15), “If any one trespasses in misuse (timol ma’al) and sins unwittingly, etc.” And this is a statement of Rabbi Levi in the chapter [entitled] HaSfina (Bava Batra ).⁵⁸Only the first part of this appears in our standard text of the Talmud, but the meaning is the same. And it requires explanation – as [just] because it had sin precede me’ilah, [does that mean] it is more severe? As both [terms] appear in both. And it appears to me that it can be explained according to that which is written by Rabbi Yitschak Arama in Parashat Chukkat of Akeidat Yitschak, that even the most complete person sins in something, etc. Indeed, he is compelled by his nature, as the verse states (Ecclesiastes 7:20), “For there is no man who is righteous in the world [… who does not sin].” But when it is in the manner of either being from the light sins or after complete repentance, he will certainly not be punished; as the Sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh Hashanah 12b) “I am He before he sins, and I am He after he sins and repents.”⁵⁹The Talmud (the wording of which is slightly different than the quote) is referring to God’s attributes of mercy in Exod. 34:6). However we do not understand from this that no sinner is ever punished. As even though – in his not being God – he is compelled to sin, he is not compelled to wallow in sin and have it become habitual. See there. And [so] it is elucidated that man is not fitting to be punished for sinning, since he is compelled to it – and especially if it is from the lighter sins. Rather the main punishment comes in his wallowing in it and making it habitual, and not repenting. As anyone [can repent]; as it is written (Deut. 30:11), “it is not a wonder […] and not distant, etc.” – and the Sages, may their memory be blessed, say this is referring to repentance.⁶⁰The first known source for this is actually Ramban on this verse. And that is because while the [fulfillment of all the] actual commandments [is] a wonder for man and distant from him since he is a man and not divine, and is [so] compelled to sin – especially with the lighter sins – he is not compelled to wallow in them and make them habitual. And he needs to regret and repent, [as] the commandment of repentance is not a wonder and distant. And it is because of this that Rabbi Levi decides that stealing from an ordinary person is more severe than from the Most High. For with stealing from the Most High, [the Torah] had trespass precede sin; as since it is from the lighter sins, it is not called a sin for a man, given that “there is no man who is righteous in the world who only does good.” And the main sin [here] is because he wallows in it and does not immediately regret [it] after doing it. And that is why it has trespass before sin; as the sin is [afterwards] when he does not regret [it]. For this reason, it is written (Num. 5:7), “and they shall confess,”⁶¹In another section dealing with misusing sanctified property. such that they shall repent. But the trespass itself is not in the category of sin, since man is compelled to do such a light sin; which is not the case with robbing an ordinary person. [As] that is more severe, since a man can withstand [its temptation]. Even though he is not divine, he is not compelled to rob his fellow – [something that is] in the category of friendship and brotherhood. Hence with robbing an ordinary person, the trespass itself is the sin. And for this reason it had sin precede trespass.

Perhaps a person might say: "Since envy, lust and glory and the like, are bad character traits that remove a man from the world, I will completely abstain from them, and keep away from them entirely," to the point that he will not eat meat, nor drink wine, nor marry a woman, nor live in a comfortable dwelling, nor wear decent clothes, but he will put on a sackcloth, or something similar; this too is a bad way of life, and it is forbidden to follow it. Anyone who follows this life-style is called a sinner. For in regard to the nazir it is written,²¹Numbers 6:11. (Nazarite) "To atone for him who sinned by the dead,"²²מֵאֲשֶׁר חָטָא עַל הַנֶפֶשׁ—is translated by the Rabbis as “for committing a sin against his soul,” “against himself,” by denying himself things which are permitted. and [our Rabbis] of blessed memory said, "If a nazir who abstained only from drinking wine, needs an atonement, a person who abstains from everything, how much more so does he need [an atonement]."²³Ta’anis 11a. Therefore, our Rabbis of blessed memory ordained that you should abstain only from those things which the Torah prohibits, but do not prohibit to yourself, things which are permitted by means of vows and oaths. Thus said our Sages of blessed memory, "Is not what the Torah forbids enough for you that you have to prohibit to yourself things which are permissible?"²⁴Yerushalmi, Nedarim 9:1. And our Rabbis of blessed memory have forbidden us to inflict pain on ourselves with more fasting than is required. Concerning all these and similar matters, King Solomon, peace be upon him, said, "Do not be excessively righteous, nor overly wise, why destroy yourself."²⁵Ecclesiastes 7:16. And he said [in the same vein],²⁶Proverbs 4:26. "Measure well the path of your foot then you will stay on a straight course."²⁷Malbim explains the word paleis as a form of peles, the name of a measuring instrument. Man should measure carefully to find the middle road of life, staying clear of the extremes.

He prohibited us that we not wander after our hearts to the point that we believe doctrines that are the opposite of the doctrines that the Torah obligates us. Rather we must restrain our thoughts and place a boundary against them to stand thereby - and that is the Torah's commandments and its prohibitions. And that is His saying, "and you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes" (Numbers 15:39). And the language of the Sifrei (Sifrei Bamidbar 115:1) is, "'After your hearts' - that is heresy, as the matter that is stated (Ecclesiastes 7:26), 'And I find more bitter than death the woman (understand to mean heresy), etc.' 'And after your eyes' - that is promiscuity, as the matter that is stated (Judges 14:3) 'Take her for me, for she is just in my eyes.'" [This is] meaning to say, being drawn after physical desires and mental involvement with them. (See Parashat Shelach; Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 2.)

There were two people. One did not want to burn the flies. His friend said to him, " 'Be not righteous overmuch' (Ecclesiastes 7:16). Better to burn the flies so that they shall not fall into the food and drink. [Then] one who swallows them will sin. Therefore it is written 'Be not righteous overmuch.' "

It is well-known and famous among us - the people that accepted the commandments - that there are seventy faces to the Torah. And in each one of them, there are many great and numerous roots, and to each and every root, [is there] branches - each one supports a great cluster of fruits that are pleasant for hearts to ponder. Each day they put out a flower for those that are constant over them - flowers of wisdom and good reasoning. The depth of its wisdom enlightens the eyes, [it] is broad and surrounding, to the point that a man does not have the power to grasp its end; as the wise king testified (Ecclesiastes 7:23), "I said that I would fathom it, but it is far from me." And with all of this, the hands of the one who is involved with it should not tire, for whether he eats little or much, it is all sweet. And if there are many whose hand will not reach the fruit to take it, let them take the leaves for themselves as medication. And I - with the knowledge of its great value and enormous depth and that 'it is a wonder and sublime for me' - have opened my mouth to speak about it. And I will rely upon what my teachers have taught me (Avodah Zarah 19a), "Let a person recite (ligris), and even though he does not know what he said, as it is stated (Psalms 119:20), 'My soul is crushed (garsah) for desire.'"

“Be not righteous overmuch” (Eccl. 7:16). Behold, there is a woman drowning in the river and it is possible for you to rescue her, do not say, “I will let her drown for how can I see her nakedness?”¹Sotah 21b. How dare you not act, it will be held against you as a wrong and you will be punished. Go and learn from Saul who had pity on Agag and engaged in an erroneous syllogism, because of which he was banished. ²Yoma 22b.And thus, “And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his fellow by the word of the Lord, ‘Smite me, I pray thee’” (I Kings 20:35). And through this he was punished, a lion struck him and killed him.³I Kings 20:36.

“For anger resteth in the bosom of fools” (Eccl. 7:9). Anger is very bad and of necessity one must remove himself from it to the opposite extreme. Hourly, one must discipline himself not to be angered, even in matters where it is fitting to become angry.¹Taanith 4a. If he wishes to cast awe upon his household or the congregation, if Le be a leader of the community, let him appear angry before them but let his mind be settled upon him, as a person who shows anger outwardly but in his heart he is calm.²J. T. Taanith 3:11. For anger leads to mistakes. Our scholars said, “ He who angers, if he is a wise man, his wisdom departs from him.” Men of anger, their lives are not lives,³Pesahim 113b. moreover they die before their time,⁴Nedarim 22a. and so he says “For anger killeth a foolish man” (Job 5:2). Therefore it is proper to withdraw from anger and to discipline oneself not to feel even those matters that anger him, and this is the good path. An ill-tempered man does not achieve but ill-temperedness,⁵Kiddushin 41a. and is drawn to say things unbecoming and even blasphemous.⁶Nedarim 22b. Departing from anger leads him to the path of humility. Go and learn from Hillel, the Elder,⁷Shabbath 30b. never had there been a person so humble as he, and his humility caused proselytes to come under the wing of Glory. Let a man not cast excessive fear upon his household lest his servants feed him forbidden foods.⁸Gittin 6b. There might arise an occasion when a dish is not quite ready, or some other matter, but out of fear his servants will go and serve him forbidden things and he will not know. He who casts excessive fear upon his household ultimately comes to three transgressions: incest, desecration of the Sabbath, and murder. Because of her fear for him, he will engage in coitus with his wife during menstruation or she will cook for him on the Sabbath. If he is accustomed to have a light kindled in his night-chamber before the Sabbath and she forgets to put it there, out of fear she will kindle it on the Sabbath. His wife or one of his children may flee in the darkness of night and fall into a pit, behold, here is murder. Similarly, a leader of the community should implant fear in the community only for the sake of heaven.⁹Rosh ha-Shanah 17a. If it be for personal benefit he should not dominate, oppress, and coerce them so that they fear him. How great is their (the leaders) punishment, for they are equated with infidels and apostates;¹⁰Maimonides, Hilkhoth Teshuvah, 3:6. also informers who turn over their neighbor’s money to gentiles, all the more so, those who deliver others bodily to gentiles; those who despise the scholars; those who deny the resurrection of the dead; those, who depart from the paths of the community; even though they do not sin, but are only separated from the community of Israel and do not participate with them in performing commandments; those who do not join them (Jews) in their troubles or in their fasts, not because of accident or illness, but because they go their way as gentiles of the land and as if they were not one of them; (also they) “Who caused their terror in the land of the living” (Ezek. 32:23), refers to those who put their fear upon the congregation not for the sake of heaven; they go down to the bottomless pit and never depart from there, Gehenna comes to an end, but their trials do not. For it is said, “And their form shall be for the nether-world” (Ps. 49:15), but fire issues from their bones and they are consumed.

If a bird is found that is lacking the three signs of purity and there is none remaining to it besides the unique one - and that is that it is not a predator - it is always pure. As there is none among the impure birds that do not have one of all the signs of purity in their bodies but is not a predator except for the ossifrage and the osprey, which are like this. And they are not found in settlements - and since they are not found in settlements, we are not in doubt about them. And there are some of the commentators that said that they were not found with our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, but they are found now. And I [say] about them, 'do not be greatly righteous.' As [the Rabbis] said that they are not found in settlements - meaning to say, that they are always distant from inhabited places - and since their nature is like this, 'the world stands forever,' and the law is the same at all times. If three signs of purity are found in its body - and they are an extra digit, a crop and a gizzard that peels - it is known that it is fit, and [that also] the fourth is [in it] (like this); meaning to say that it is not a predator. As there is no bird in the world with these three signs that is a predator. And [so] he does not need to check about it at all, but rather he may eat it immediately. But if three signs of purity are found in it and one of the three is that it is not a predator, one must certainly be in doubt about it; as most of the impure ones are like this, that they have three signs like these. And every man must ask about such a bird if he does not recognize all of (the impure) the enumerated ones in the Torah. It comes out, according to our words, that any bird that is in doubt for us whether it is impure or pure will be in one of two ways: that it have three signs of purity, and one of them is that it is not a predator, as we said, that it should be in doubt [of being] among the many species of the impure; or that it have two signs of impurity and one of them is that it is not a predator, that it should be in doubt of being a raven and its species. But all of the other ways do not bring a doubt, but rather we judge it as pure or impure immediately. Place your mind to the thing, as it is so, according to this general rule of ours. And we have written this general rule according to some of the commentators, as there are many explanations given in these matters of birds. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Chullin 64b) that all birds that are in doubt are eaten according to tradition - meaning to say that if the people of a place received [a tradition] and were accustomed to eat it [with no question] under the assumption that it is pure - that we should have no hesitation about it at all, and there is no need to check it. And the rest of its details are in the third chapter of Chullin (see Tur, Yoreh Deah 82).

From the roots of the commandment, [we need to] preface [that] anyone who has intelligence will not have a doubt that there was never a man that grasped to know all wisdom to its end, that nothing of it be hidden from him. As behold even about our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh Hashanah 21b), "There are fifty gates of understanding, and they were all given over to Moshe, except for one." And likewise, the wise King Shlomo said about himself (Ecclesiastes 7:23), "I said, 'I will be wise,' but it is distant from me." And also any one with a brain in his skull will not have a doubt that God, may He be blessed, is the Father of wisdom and it is from Him - it comes out that it is all included in Him. And there is also not any doubt that the Father of all good would only command something to His creatures for their good and for their benefit, and to distance any injury from them. And therefore, when we grasp some of the commandments with our wisdom, to know the benefit that accrues to us from them, we shall rejoice about it. But when we do not grasp the benefit to us from them, with our wisdom, we must nonetheless think that with the extra wisdom that God, may He be blessed, has over every creature, He knows the benefit to us in that commandment. And therefore, He commanded us about it.

However according to what it seems, it is not understood that if an Israelite came and began to be wicked to pain his fellow with his bad words, that the listener should not answer him. For it is not possible for a man to be 'like a stone that cannot be overturned' - moreover, that he will be in his silence like one who concedes to the insults. And in truth, the Torah did not command for a man to be like a stone, silent to those who insult him and to those who bless him alike. Rather it commands us to distance ourselves from this trait and that we should not begin to quarrel and insult people. And like this, every man will be saved from all this - since one who doesn't quarrel will not be insulted by people, except for [by] complete fools; and we should not pay attention to fools. And if perhaps some insulting person will force him to answer his words, it is fitting for a wise person to reply to him in a roundabout and pleasant way, and not become very angry; as 'anger rests on the bosom of fools.' And he will [so] save himself before those who listen to his insults, and he will cast the burden upon the one who insults [him]; and this is the way of the best among men. And we should learn this thing - that it is permitted to us to reply to a fool - according to what it seems from how the Torah permitted one who comes to rob secretly to be preceded and killed (Exodus 22:1). As there is no doubt that a man is not obligated to bear harm from his fellow; as he has permission to save himself from his hand - and similarly from the words of his mouth that are full of deceit and cunning - with anything that he is able to save himself from him. However there is a group of people the righteousness of which rises so much that they do not want to include themselves in this teaching - to reply something to those that insult them, lest anger will overpower them and they become involved in the matter more than is necessary. And about them they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 88b), "Those who are humiliated but do not humiliate [back], who hear their insult and do not reply - about them the verse states (Judges 5:31), 'but those who love Him are like the sun coming out in its strength.'"

From the root of the commandment, I have already written an introduction at the beginning of the book that there being something in the world of the Holy One, blessed be He, that combines physicality and intellect - and that is Man - was something fitting and necessary for His praise, blessed be He, to come up properly from His creatures; that with this creature, there would not be lacking any possibilities, which we have in our minds to grasp, from His world, etc., as I wrote there. And there is no doubt that without this reason that obligates our intellect to dwell within the physical, [which is involved with] desire and sin, it would have been fitting for our intellect to stand and serve in front of our Creator and to recognize His honor like one of the 'sons of God' that are stationed with Him. However, because of this obligation, it is subjugated to live in physical houses. And since it is subjugated to this, it must occasionally veer from the service of its Creator to tend to the needs of its home where it lives. For a home's structure and its lumber and its stones cannot stand without a person minding it. If so, as the intention of man's creation was according to what we have said, whenever the intellect can minimize physical work and focus on the service of its Master, that is good for it; so long as it does not completely ignore the work of the house and destroy it. As this would also be considered a sin for him, as the King wished to have a creature like this. It is like the saying of Rabbi Yose, (Taanit 22b) that a person may not afflict himself on a fast day, which Rav Yehudah explained in the name of Rav as stemming from the verse "and man was a living thing" (Genesis 2:7), [which implies that the soul should be allowed to live]. On the [same basis] the wise king stated (Ecclesiastes 7:15), "Do not be overly righteous; do not be overly wise. Why should you be desolate?" And this is the holiness of the nazirite and his loftiness, as he departs from the physical. [About this] Shimon the Righteous said (Nazir 4b), "In all my days [as a priest], I never ate the guilt-offering of an impure nazirite, apart from one man who came to me from the South, who had beautiful eyes and a fine countenance, and his locks were arranged in curls. I said to him, 'My son, what did you see to destroy this [beautiful] hair?' He said to me, 'I was a shepherd for my father in my town, and I went to draw water from the spring, and I looked at my reflection. And my evil inclination quickly rose against me and sought to drive me from the world. I said to my evil inclination, "Wicked one! For what reason are you proud in a world that is not yours, about one who in the future will be maggots and worms. [I swear by] the Temple service that I will shave you for the [sake of] Heaven.' Immediately, I arose and kissed him on his head, and said to him, 'My son, may there be more nazirites like you in Israel. With regard to you the verse states (Numbers 6:2), "When either a man or a woman shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a nazirite, to consecrate himself to the Lord."'" Therefore, in order to suppress the [evil] inclination, he is commanded to shave his head at the end of the days of his [term]. And he is not permitted to fix it up and to take a little of them, so that his [evil] impulse does not come back against him as [it did] at first. Rather, he has become obligated to shave it all, for there is no doubt that both very long hair and completely shaven heads destroy the appearance of a person.

From the root of the commandment, I have already written an introduction at the beginning of the book that there being something in the world of the Holy One, blessed be He, that combines physicality and intellect - and that is Man - was something fitting and necessary for His praise, blessed be He, to come up properly from His creatures; that with this creature, there would not be lacking any possibilities, which we have in our minds to grasp, from His world, etc., as I wrote there. And there is no doubt that without this reason that obligates our intellect to dwell within the physical, [which is involved with] desire and sin, it would have been fitting for our intellect to stand and serve in front of our Creator and to recognize His honor like one of the 'sons of God' that are stationed with Him. However, because of this obligation, it is subjugated to live in physical houses. And since it is subjugated to this, it must occasionally veer from the service of its Creator to tend to the needs of its home where it lives. For a home's structure and its lumber and its stones cannot stand without a person minding it. If so, as the intention of man's creation was according to what we have said, whenever the intellect can minimize physical work and focus on the service of its Master, that is good for it; so long as it does not completely ignore the work of the house and destroy it. As this would also be considered a sin for him, as the King wished to have a creature like this. It is like the saying of Rabbi Yose, (Taanit 22b) that a person may not afflict himself on a fast day, which Rav Yehudah explained in the name of Rav as stemming from the verse "and man was a living thing" (Genesis 2:7), [which implies that the soul should be allowed to live]. On the [same basis] the wise king stated (Ecclesiastes 7:15), "Do not be overly righteous; do not be overly wise. Why should you be desolate?" And this is the holiness of the nazirite and his loftiness, as he departs from the physical. [About this] Shimon the Righteous said (Nazir 4b), "In all my days [as a priest], I never ate the guilt-offering of an impure nazirite, apart from one man who came to me from the South, who had beautiful eyes and a fine countenance, and his locks were arranged in curls. I said to him, 'My son, what did you see to destroy this [beautiful] hair?' He said to me, 'I was a shepherd for my father in my town, and I went to draw water from the spring, and I looked at my reflection. And my evil inclination quickly rose against me and sought to drive me from the world. I said to my evil inclination, "Wicked one! For what reason are you proud in a world that is not yours, about one who in the future will be maggots and worms. [I swear by] the Temple service that I will shave you for the [sake of] Heaven.' Immediately, I arose and kissed him on his head, and said to him, 'My son, may there be more nazirites like you in Israel. With regard to you the verse states (Numbers 6:2), "When either a man or a woman shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a nazirite, to consecrate himself to the Lord."'" Therefore, in order to suppress the [evil] inclination, he is commanded to shave his head at the end of the days of his [term]. And he is not permitted to fix it up and to take a little of them, so that his [evil] impulse does not come back against him as [it did] at first. Rather, he has become obligated to shave it all, for there is no doubt that both very long hair and completely shaven heads destroy the appearance of a person.

The commandment of the red heifer: That Israel was commanded to burn the red heifer so that its ashes will be ready for anyone who needs it to be purified from the impurity of the dead, as it is stated (Numbers 19:2), "Speak to the Children of Israel and they shall take to you a red heifer," and it is written below this (Numbers 19:9), "It will be a safeguard for the Children of Israel." Even though my heart has given me the gumption to write hints of the simple reasons for the previous commandments, with the excuse that [this] work is to instruct my son and his young friends, may God protect them; on this commandment my hands are weak and I am afraid to open my mouth about it at all, since I have seen that our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, spoke at length regarding the depth of its secret and greatness of its content; to the point that they said (Bemidbar Rabbah 19, Midrash Tanchuma 4:6:6) that King Solomon was able through his great wisdom to understand all the reasons of the Torah, except for this - as he stated about it (Ecclesiastes 7:23), "I have said that I will understand, but it is far from me." They also said in the Midrash Tanchuma 4:6:8, "Rabbi Yose BeRebbi Chanina says, 'The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, "To you I will reveal the reason for the red heifer, but not to others."'" And there are many other similar statements. And now, the listener should not think that the matter of its secret and the matter of its being an arational commandment (chok) is that the ashes affect purification, as one will find a similar [process] with other sacrifices for the person with a discharge or a new mother, whose purification is completed by the offering of their sacrifices.

And [also] that which they said (Makkot 8b) that an Israelite is exiled if he killed a slave or a resident alien; and, all the more so, a slave who killed an Israelite or a resident alien, or a slave who killed a slave, or a resident alien [who killed a slave or a resident alien], as it is stated, "and it shall be for the Children of Israel a statute of judgment, and for the stranger that lives among you." But a resident alien that kills an Israelite - whether volitionally or inadvertently - is killed for it; and a gentile that kills a gentile is not sheltered by the cities of refuge. And [also] that which they said (Makkot 8a), that a son is exiled for the killing of his father and a father is exiled for the killing of his son, and about what are these words speaking - not at the time of learning, but at the time of learning, [if it was] inadvertent as his intention was to teach him and to benefit him with wisdom or with a trade, he is exempt from exile. And so [too,] a teacher with his student likewise. And [also] that which they said (Makkot 10a) that a student that is exiled, his teacher is exiled with him, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:42), "he shall flee to one of these cities and live" - and they, may their memory be blessed, expounded (Makkot 10a), [that] they should do for him [what is needed] that he should live, and "wisdom gives life to he who possesses it" (Ecclesiastes 7:14). And the law of whether a husband or master must pay for the sustenance of a wife, a male slave or a maid-servant who has been exiled there; the law of a killer who died before he was exiled, that we bring his bones there; the law of a killer who killed in his city of refuge, and so [too,] a Levite who killed in his city; the law of who is a hater, about whom it is stated that he killed him with enmity, the law of what they said (Makkot 7b) that anyone who kills a soul with a downward motion is exiled, and even an upward motion for the sake of a downward motion, and anyone with an upward motion is not exiled, and even a downward motion for the sake of an upward motion; the law of a killer that the people of the city of refuge want to honor, that he is obligated to say, "I am a killer," and if they say (to him), "Nonetheless," it is permissible for him to accept [it]; the law of the altar that it shelter an inadvertent killer like a city of refuge, but only its top and with the altar of the Eternal House, and only a priest with the service in his hand, but not someone else, and they would only allow him there for a short time and afterwards they would give him bodyguards and take him to his city of refuge, and about what are these words speaking, about one of those legally liable for exile, but one who was afraid from the king that he not kill him through a provisional ruling and [so] escaped to the altar and placed [himself on it] is saved, and even if he is [not a priest], and we do not ever take him off of the altar, so did I see that Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote. And the rest of its details are elucidated in Tractate Makkot (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of Murderer and the Preservation of Life 5).

And [also] that which they said (Makkot 8b) that an Israelite is exiled if he killed a slave or a resident alien; and, all the more so, a slave who killed an Israelite or a resident alien, or a slave who killed a slave, or a resident alien [who killed a slave or a resident alien], as it is stated, "and it shall be for the Children of Israel a statute of judgment, and for the stranger that lives among you." But a resident alien that kills an Israelite - whether volitionally or inadvertently - is killed for it; and a gentile that kills a gentile is not sheltered by the cities of refuge. And [also] that which they said (Makkot 8a), that a son is exiled for the killing of his father and a father is exiled for the killing of his son, and about what are these words speaking - not at the time of learning, but at the time of learning, [if it was] inadvertent as his intention was to teach him and to benefit him with wisdom or with a trade, he is exempt from exile. And so [too,] a teacher with his student likewise. And [also] that which they said (Makkot 10a) that a student that is exiled, his teacher is exiled with him, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:42), "he shall flee to one of these cities and live" - and they, may their memory be blessed, expounded (Makkot 10a), [that] they should do for him [what is needed] that he should live, and "wisdom gives life to he who possesses it" (Ecclesiastes 7:14). And the law of whether a husband or master must pay for the sustenance of a wife, a male slave or a maid-servant who has been exiled there; the law of a killer who died before he was exiled, that we bring his bones there; the law of a killer who killed in his city of refuge, and so [too,] a Levite who killed in his city; the law of who is a hater, about whom it is stated that he killed him with enmity, the law of what they said (Makkot 7b) that anyone who kills a soul with a downward motion is exiled, and even an upward motion for the sake of a downward motion, and anyone with an upward motion is not exiled, and even a downward motion for the sake of an upward motion; the law of a killer that the people of the city of refuge want to honor, that he is obligated to say, "I am a killer," and if they say (to him), "Nonetheless," it is permissible for him to accept [it]; the law of the altar that it shelter an inadvertent killer like a city of refuge, but only its top and with the altar of the Eternal House, and only a priest with the service in his hand, but not someone else, and they would only allow him there for a short time and afterwards they would give him bodyguards and take him to his city of refuge, and about what are these words speaking, about one of those legally liable for exile, but one who was afraid from the king that he not kill him through a provisional ruling and [so] escaped to the altar and placed [himself on it] is saved, and even if he is [not a priest], and we do not ever take him off of the altar, so did I see that Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote. And the rest of its details are elucidated in Tractate Makkot (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of Murderer and the Preservation of Life 5).

And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, answered the challenges and clarified the matter clearly, completely and nicely. And this is his language that he wrote in his commentary of the Torah: That matter which Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote that the commandments have explanations is something very elucidated, as in each one there is an explanation and a benefit and a refinement for a person, besides the reward for them from the Commander, may He be blessed. And they, may their memory be blessed, have already said (Sanhedrin 21b), "For why did He not reveal the explanation of the commandments, etc.?" And they, may their memory be blessed, expounded (Pesachim 119a), "'And to the clothed elegantly' (which can also be read as, 'and to the one that covers the ancient' Isaiah 23:18) - this is [referring] to the one who covers that which the Ancient of Days (God) covered. And what are they? The explanations of the Torah." And they have already expounded about the red heifer (Bemidbar Rabbah 19:6) that Shlomo said, "I have discerned everything, but the section of the red heifer, I have investigated and asked and searched - 'I said that I could fathom it, but is far from me' (Ecclesiastes 7:23)." And Rabbi Yossi Bar Chinanah said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, 'Go and I will reveal to you the explanation of the heifer, but to another, it will be a statute (that is not understood),' as it is written (Zechariah 14:6), 'In that day, there shall be neither sunlight nor cold moonlight' - things that are covered from you in this world, in the future you will gaze upon them in the world to come; like that blind man that becomes able to gaze, as it is written (Isaiah 42:16), 'I will lead the blind by a road they did not know.' And it is written (later in the same verse), 'I have done these words and I have not left them' - as I have already done them for Rabbi Akiva," meaning to say that Rabbi Akiva already knew them in this world.

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Metzia 71a) that it is a commandment to prioritize a free loan to an Israelite over lending to a gentile with interest; and that which they said (Bava Metzia 72a and see Mishneh Torah, Creditor and Debtor 5:1) that [if] a gentile borrowed money from an Israelite with interest - even though he converted - [the Israelite] should collect from him all the interest that accrued until he converted; so that they will not say, "He converted to not pay the interest." And in the same manner that we were commanded to request interest from them, so too is it permissible to give them interest; since the verse only prohibited [taking] interest of an Israelite - the matter is known. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Metzia 71b and see Mishneh Torah, Creditor and Debtor 5:4) that [if] a gentile borrowed money from an Israelite and wanted to pay back [the loan] and found another Israelite and [that Israelite] said, "Give it to me and I will give you the interest from it, in the [same] way that you give it to the Israelite," it is permissible. But if [the gentile] stood [this Israelite] in front of the Israelite [lender] - even though the gentile gives the money to the hand of [the Israelite borrower] - since [the gentile] gave the money with the knowledge of the Israelite [lender], behold it is fixed interest (and forbidden). And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Metzia 70b and see Mishneh Torah, Creditor and Debtor 5:2) that even though their interest is permissible according to the [letter of the] law, it is [still] forbidden for an Israelite to lend to them with fixed interest, more than what he needs for his livelihood; so that he not be accustomed to always be with him and learn from his deeds. But it is permissible to take 'the dust of interest (avak ribit),' even if it is more than what he needs for his livelihood - since he will not be so accustomed to be with him for the sake of the 'dust of interest.' And a Torah scholar may lend whatever he wants, as there is no concern about him that he will learn from [the gentile's] deeds; since 'wisdom emboldens the sage and guards him forever.' And the rest of its details are elucidated in the chapter [entitled] Eizehhu Neshekh in Bava Metzia (see Tur, Yoreh Deah 159, 160).