Komentarz do Kapłańska 19:33

לא תונו [AND IF A STRANGER SOJOURN WITH THEE IN THY LAND], YE SHALL NOT VEX HIM — This implies vexing him with words (cf. Rashi on Exodus 22:20) — do not say to him, “Yesterday you were an idolator and now you come to study the Torah which was given from the mouth of the Almighty!” (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 8 2; Bava Metzia 58b, 59b.)

After the Torah warned that the Torah scholars, etc., must be shown due respect, it also warns us not to treat with disdain people who are on the lower rung of the economic ladder. וכי יגור אתך גר לא תונו אותו, even if this unfair treatment consists only of words, not deeds. The Torah continues,

וכי יגור אתך גר, "And if a proselyte sojourn with you in your land, etc." The Torah commences with the singular, i.e. אתך, amongst you (sing), while switching to plural, i.e. ארצכם, "your country" (pl); the reason is that proselytes have been attracted to Judaism through the original proselyte, the first Jew, Abraham, the "spiritual father" of all proselytes. Another factor in attracting pagans to convert to Judaism is the Holy Land itself. We perceive all the souls of the converts as having been "captured" souls which had been ensnared by Satan either in bulk as a result of Adam's sin or individually on subsequent occasions. The word אתך alludes to Abraham's ability to attract converts, the word ארצכם to the ability of the land of Israel itself to exert such an influence.

וכי יגור אתך גר, “and if a proselyte shall reside amongst you,” The reason why the Torah saw fit to write this verse immediately after having told us to treat our native born elderly with dignity and respect, is that G’d draws a comparison between the former and the latter, both being people who by circumstance are somewhat handicapped, one by age and frailty, the other by not yet having established his self-worth in the new nation he has joined. Other opinions see in the sequence of how to respect elders and not to discriminate against proselytes a message that anyone who discriminates legally or otherwise against proselytes offends the Creator Who instructed us to be especially courteous to the elderly.

The anguish of [wounding] words. Because the verse in parshas Behar (25:14) it is written לא תונו (“do not cheat one another”), which is speaking of cheating in monetary matters since the verses there discuss buying and selling. Therefore, לא תונו here must be speaking [not about monetary matters, but] about the anguish of [wounding] words.

וכי יגור אתך גר, “if someone lives amongst you who claims to be a convert, I might have thought that he must be accepted as such on his own testimony; therefore the Torah adds the word: אתך, “with you,” i.e. you are familiar with him and he has behaved in a manner which lends support to his claim. He needs to support his claim by witnesses. (Sifra)

This verse also contains an allusion to the manner in which the שכינה remains with us in this life. Accordingly, the "alien" referred to is the One whose original home was in a different, i.e. celestial domain. G'd commanded His presence to take up residence within each individual Jew as mentioned in Psalms 78,60: אהל שכן באדם, "a tent which He established within (amongst) man." ארצכם, in your land; this is a reference to the Holy Land, the home of G'd's presence. It left its home to take up residence on earth. כאזרח מכם, This is a warning for strangers in the land of Israel to convert to Judasim.