Comentário sobre Êxodo 22:20

וגר לא תונה — means, do not vex him with words (referring to the fact that he is a stranger); contrarier in old French Similar is, (Isaiah 49:26) “And I will feed them that vex thee (מוניך) with their own flesh”.

AND A STRANGER SHALT THOU NOT WRONG, NEITHER SHALT THOU OPPRESS HIM; FOR YE WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. There is no reason why all strangers [from countries outside the land of Egypt] should be included here because of our having been strangers in the land of Egypt! And there is no reason why they be assured for ever against being wronged or oppressed because we were once strangers there! Now Rashi explained that this is a reason for the prohibition against annoying a stranger. G-d warned against vexing him with words, for “if you vex him he can also vex you, by saying to you, “You also descend from strangers.’ Do not reproach your fellow man with a fault which is also in you.” Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained the verses: “Remember that ye were strangers as he is now.” But there is in all these comments no real reason for the law.
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that He is saying: “Do not wrong a stranger or oppress him, thinking as you might that none can deliver him out of your hand; for you know that you were strangers in the land of Egypt and I saw the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppressed²⁹⁵Above 3:9. you, and I avenged your cause on them, because I behold the tears of such who are oppressed and have no comforter, and on the side of their oppressors there is power,²⁹⁶Ecclesiastes 4:1. and I deliver each one from him that is too strong for him.²⁹⁷Psalms 35:10. Likewise you shall not afflict the widow and the fatherless child,²⁹⁸Verse 21. for I will hear their cry,²⁹⁹Verse 22. for all these people do not rely upon themselves but trust in Me.” And in another verse He added this reason: for ye know the soul of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.³⁰⁰Further, 23:9. That is to say, you know that every stranger feels depressed, and is always sighing and crying, and his eyes are always directed towards G-d, therefore He will have mercy upon him even as He showed mercy to you, just as it is written, and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto G-d by reason of the bondage,³⁰¹Above, 2:23. meaning that He had mercy on them not because of their merits, but only an account of the bondage [and likewise He has mercy on all who are oppressed].

וגר לא תונה, "You shall not wrong a stranger, etc." Rashi says that if the Jew were to remind the stranger of his idolatrous past, he has to be prepared to be reminded by the stranger of his own unsalutary past. Ibn Ezra says that we must remember that we were once no better than the stranger. Nachmanides disagrees with both these interpretations and says that we must remember that G'd will respond to the oppressed just as He responds to our own outcries when warranted.

לא תונה, do not wrong him with words. In Leviticus 25,14 the Torah refers to similar legislation when applying to monetary matters. The same legislation applies to not wronging fellow Jews who are not converts, of course. The reason the Torah chose the convert as the example of the victim in our verse is that converts have much less of a chance to protect themselves against abuse of any kind, seeing they have no family to stand up for them if a wrong has been committed against them. Not only this, it is so easy to wrong a convert by mentioning what his parents do and what he himself used to do before he converted.

כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים, “for you had remained strangers in the land of Egypt.” Nachmanides writes that not all proselytes have become potentially fit for conversion because we, the Israelites, were strangers only in the land of Egypt. Personally, (Nachmanides speaking) I think that the moral/ethical message here is that we must not taunt the proselyte, reminding him of his lack of illustrious ancestors, seeing that we ourselves not so long ago were no better than he while we were idol worshipping aliens in Egypt. I, the Lord, have saved you from there because I took note of your pitiful state. Similarly, any proselyte will certainly also enjoy My full protection a soon as he turns to Me complaining about being discriminated against. G’d promises similar immediate attention to the pleas of widows and orphans. Their claim for Divine assistance is based on the circumstances in their lives preventing them from taking the kind of initiatives that promise to improve their social and economic status among their peers. Elsewhere the Torah writes:ואתם ידעתם את נפש הגר “you know the mental state of the stranger,” meaning that his mentality is devoid of self-confidence, and that he is therefore liable to cry out to G’d for help at frequent intervals. (compare Exodus 23,9)

וגר לא תונה, “and you must not take advantage of a stranger.” The word תונה refers to disadvantaging him with words, whereas the following word ולא תלחצנו refers to physically taking advantage of his status such as robbing him of money which is his (Mechilta Nezikin section 18). The Torah writes many times about the need to treat a proselyte fairly seeing that he is alone in a country in which he has no roots, no family who could protect him. The word גר for a stranger is derived from גרגיר, an isolated berry at the far end of a solitary branch. People have a habit of insulting strangers and belittling them. G’d therefore warns us not to think that such a stranger has no one who takes up his complaints. The Lord Himself will fight his fight for him. The Torah reminds us that we of all people should have empathy for strangers seeing we had been taken advantage of in Egypt because we were strangers. G’d implies that just as He took pity on us as we had no one else to turn to, He will do the same for such strangers if the need arises. Interestingly, the Torah (23,9) did not write אתם ידעתם את הנר, but ואתם ידעתם את נפש הגר. “you know the soul (feelings) of a stranger,” You are aware that every stranger has low self-esteem, and he has no one to turn to except Me.” The Torah mentions immediately afterwards that we must not oppress widows or orphans, both of whom have been bereaved of their human protectors. Both categories are often taken advantage of by callous people. Baba Metzia 59 describes them as prone to weeping. Seeing that the “gates of weeping are never locked,” i.e. G’d is ready to respond to people who feel so wretched that they turn to G’d with their tears, G’d warns offenders that He, personally, will exact retribution from people who exploit the weakness of either widows or orphans. To avoid becoming the object of such retribution we must be especially careful not to give widows or orphans cause to complain to G’d against us. Isaiah 58, 7 and 10 warns: “share your bread with the hungry, take the wretched poor into your home, when you see the naked clothe him....offer your compassion to the hungry and satisfy the famished creature.” He means that if you have bread you can give the poor do this; if you do not have what to share at least display some sympathy for the suffering creatures so that they will regain hope and confidence. The reason the Torah speaks about כל אלמנה, “every widow,” is to include wealthy widows in the commandment not to take advantage of them. She too is prone to shedding tears and is liable to feel embittered.

He, too, is capable of abusing you. And consequently, “for you were strangers” just refers back to “You must not abuse,” which means “abusive words.” But “for you were strangers” is not the reason for “nor oppress a stranger,” which means “robbing him of his money.” For the fact that we were strangers is not the reason to refrain [from robbing him].

(Exodus 22:20) "And a stranger you shall not afflict and you shall not oppress him": You shall not afflict him with words and you shall not oppress him in money matters. Do not say to him: "Yesterday you worshipped the deity of Nevo, and (the flesh of) swine is still between your teeth, and you would dare contend with me!" And whence is it derived that if you taunt him he can taunt you in return? From "And a stranger you shall not afflict … for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" — whence R. Nathan derived "Do not attribute a blemish of your own to your neighbor." Beloved are the strangers, for in many places you are exhorted concerning them: "And a stranger you shall not afflict", (Devarim 10:19) "And you shall love the stranger", (Exodus 23:9) "And you have known the soul of the stranger." R. Eliezer says: Because a stranger's past is to his disadvantage, Scripture exhorts concerning him in many places. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: It is written (Judges 5:31) "And His lovers are like the rising of the sun in its might", and it is written (Devarim 10:18) "And He loves the stranger, etc." Now who is greater? One who loves the King or one whom the King loves? Certainly, one whom the King loves. Beloved are the strangers, for by every epithet that Israel is called, the strangers are called. Israelites are called "servants," as it is written (Leviticus 25:55) "For unto Me the children of Israel are servants." And the strangers are called "servants," as it is written (Isaiah 56:6) "… to love the name of the L rd and to be servants unto Him." Israelites are called "ministers," as it is written (Ibid. 6:6) "And you, 'priests of the L rd' shall you be called; 'ministers of our G d' will it be said of you." And the strangers are called "ministers," as it is written (Ibid. 56:6) "… and the strangers who join the L rd to minister unto Him." Israelites are called "lovers," as it is written (Ibid. 41:8) "the seed of Abraham, My lover." And the strangers are called "lovers" (i.e., beloved), as it is written (Devarim 10:18) "And He loves the stranger." "Covenant" is written of Israel, viz. (Genesis 17:13) "And My covenant (i.e., circumcision) shall be in your flesh." And it is also written of strangers, viz. (Isaiah 56:4) "and they hold fast to My covenant." "Acceptance" is written of Israel, viz. (Exodus 28:38) "for acceptance for them before the L rd." And "acceptance" is written of strangers, viz. (Isaiah 56:7) "their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices for acceptance upon My altar." "Watching" is written of Israel, viz. (Psalms 121:4) "He neither slumbers nor sleeps, the Watcher of Israel." And "watchers" is written of the strangers, viz. (Ibid. 146:9) "The L rd watches the strangers." Abraham called himself a stranger, viz. (Genesis 23:4) "A stranger and a sojourner am I with you." David called himself a stranger, viz. (Psalms 119:19) "I am a stranger in the land," and (I Chronicles 29:15) "For we are strangers before You and sojourners as all of our ancestors. As a shadow are our days upon the earth, without a prospect." And it is written (Psalms 39:13) "For a stranger am I with You, a sojourner as all of my ancestors." Beloved are the strangers (i.e., the proselytes), as witness Abraham's not being circumcised until the age of ninety-nine. For if he were circumcised at twenty or thirty, a stranger could become a proselyte only if he were younger than thirty — wherefore the L rd prolonged commanding him until he was ninety-nine, so as not to bar the door to future proselytes. And thus do you find (the L rd's esteem for the stranger-proselyte) in the four classes who respond before Him who spoke and brought the world into being, (Isaiah 44:5) "One shall say: 'I am the L rd's'; another shall call in the name of Yaakov; another shall mark his arm 'of the L rd'; and in the name of Israel he shall be called": "I am the L rd's" — these are the fearers of Heaven, untainted by sin. "another shall call in the name of Yaakov" — these are the minors (who died in childhood), the sons of the wicked in Israel. "another shall mark his arm 'of the L rd'" — these are the penitents. "and in the name of Israel he shall be called — these are the righteous strangers (i.e., the proselytes).

V. 20. וגר לא תונה וגו׳ steht in engem Zusammenhange mit dem vorangehenden Verse. Dort war gesagt: Selbst der eingeborene Jude von der reinsten unmittelbarsten Abstammung geht der Existenz in der jüdischen Gesamtheit verlustig, sobald er nur im geringsten von der Reinheit des Grundprinzips der jüdischen Gottesanerkenntnis abweicht. Dem gegenüber heißt es nun hier: Und ein im Heidentum geborener Mensch, sobald er sich durch Anerkennung des jüdischen Gottesprinzipes dem Judentum anschließt, hat die vollste Gleichstellung und Gleichberechtigung im jüdischen Kreise vor dem jüdischen Gesetze zu beanspruchen. Durch diese Zusammenstellung ist der große, wiederholt zum Ausdruck kommende Grundsatz sanktioniert, dass nicht Abstammung, nicht Heimat, nicht Besitz, überhaupt nichts Äußerliches, Zufälliges, dem eigentlichen innern Wesen des Menschen Fernstehendes, sondern ganz allein der geistig sittliche Wert der Menschenpersönlichkeit die Menschen- und Bürgerwürde und daraus die Berechtigung als Mensch und Bürger bedingt. Es wird dieser Grundsatz noch besonders durch die Motivierung: כי גרים הייתם במצרים vor Verletzung sicher gestellt. Es scheint nämlich dieser Satz nicht gleichbedeutend mit dem ואתם ידעתם את נפש הגר וגו׳ des V. 9 des folgenden Kapitels zu sein. Es heißt vielmehr absolut: כי גרים הייתם וגו׳, euer ganzes Unglück in Mizrajim war, dass ihr dort "Fremdlinge" gewesen, als solche, nach der Anschauung der Völker, kein Recht auf Boden, Heimat, Existenz hattet, denen gegenüber man daher alles für erlaubt ansah. Als Fremde waret ihr rechtlos in Mizrajim, daraus wuchs euer עבדות und ענוי, euer Sklaventum und Elend. Hütet euch darum, so lautet die Warnung, in eurem Staate das Recht von irgend anderem, als dem reinen Menschtum abhängig zu machen, das jeder Mensch als solcher in sich trägt. Mit jeder Kürzung dieses Menschenrechts ist dem ganzen ägyptischen Greuel Menschen misshandelnder Willkür Tür und Tor geöffnet.

1. YOU SHALL NOT OPRESS: since he does not know the matters of the land, it is an easy thing to oppress him.

וגר לו תונה, “and you must not oppress a convert;” the reason why this verse follows that about converts serving both Hashem and their previous deities, is that G-d wishes to go on record that although He finds serving another deity as something repulsive, He does love converts and appreciates that they distanced themselves from their former religion.

ולא תלחצנו NOR OPPRESS HIM — by robbing him of money (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:20).

ולא תלחצנו, to perform work for you seeing he has no “redeemer” who looks out for his interest. G’d mentioned this to remind the Israelites who also had no one in Egypt to plead their case. (Exodus 3,9)

The term גר . . . a person who was not. . . Rashi is explaining that all Yisrael were גרים , even Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, [not just the Bnei Yisrael in Egypt]. For the term גר means someone who is not a native citizen of that country. [And about the Avos it says (Bereishis 21:34), ויגר (“He sojourned”), which comes from the same root as גר .]

Once we remind ourselves that the souls of the Jewish people are the very root of sanctity seeing that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their offspring were part of G'd's heritage, we can understand that Jews do not react to insults heaped upon them by the Gentiles. We do not even view such people as in the category of אדם. It is this attitude vis-a vis the Gentiles that provides the background for Jews belittling Gentiles, even those Gentiles who have ceased worshiping idols. As a result the Torah saw fit to tell us why we must not remind strangers of their idolatrous past. We are not to tell such people that they are rooted in the domain of the קליפות, i.e. that their intrinsic worth is inferior to ours. When the Torah reminds the Jewish people: "for you were strangers in the land of Egypt," this should be understood according to my comment on Genesis 46,3 and Exodus 20,2. I have demonstrated there that while the Jewish people resided in Egypt their own souls were mired deeply in the same moral morass that the souls of the Egyptians found themselves in.

ינה לא תונה (lautverwandt mit כנע: erniedrigen, demütigen, כנה: nicht beim rechten Namen nennen, גנה, rabbinisch: beschimpfen, vielleicht auch mit קנה: seiner Macht unterwerfen, erwerben), heißt: an materiellen oder ideellen Gütern rechtswidrig gekürzt werden, daher a. im Güterverkehr, bei Kauf und Verkauf: übervorteilt werden, (Wajikra 25, 3) אונאת ,וכי תמכרו ממכר וגו׳ אל תונו איש את עמיתו; b. im Umgang: mit Worten gekränkt werden, וגר לא תונה ,אונאת דברים hieße demnach vollständig: Einem Fremdlinge sollst du weder in Worten noch Handlungen zu nahe treten. Es wird jedoch B. M. 58 b zunächst als אונאת דברים aufgefasst. Wir werden zu VV. 21 u. 22, die ja in engem Zusammenhange mit V. 20 stehen, auf den Wechsel des Numerus in der Anrede aufmerksam zu machen haben. Wir glauben, dass der Singular der Anrede entweder an das Individuum als solches, oder an die Nation als Gesamtheit, zunächst auch in ihrer Repräsentanz gerichtet ist, während der Plural immer die Nation in allen ihren einzelnen Gliedern, somit in ihrem gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhange, in ihrer gesellschaftlichen Verbindung im Auge hat. Vergl. Bamidbar 10, wo durch eine Signaltrompete die Häupter der Nation, durch zwei jedoch die ganze Gemeinde in allen ihren Gliedern berufen wird. Es dürfte demnach auch hier zunächst der Staat als solcher vor Kränkung des Fremden gewarnt werden. Er soll keine אונאה an dem Fremden üben, soll ihm seiner Fremdlingsschaft willen nicht mehr Lasten und nicht weniger Rechte als dem Einheimischen zuerkennen, ולא תלחצנו und ihn in keiner Weise in der freien Ausübung seiner Nahrungstätigkeit beschränken. Aus Bamidbar 22, 25. und Kön. II. 6, 32 wissen wir, daß להץ zunächst eine Raumbeschränkung, Einzwängung bedeutet. Also wörtlich: Du sollst ihn nicht beengen, einschränken.

2. FOR YOU WERE STRANGERS. And from this law, each one should love each other, and thus this was the custom that our rabbis said three should love each other: the strangers and so on. And even though they sacrificed to other gods, since they converted, everything was forgiven by the One on Most High.

לא תלחצנו, “do not abuse him.” We must not abuse the converts by using them to perform menial labour. Seeing that by definition they are unfamiliar with the ways of the Israelites, our culture, etc., it would be too easy to take advantage of their ignorance by assigning to them degrading work.

כי גרים הייתם FOR YE WERE STRANGERS — If you vex him he can vex you also by saying to you: “You also descend from strangers”. Do not reproach thy fellow-man for a fault which is also thine (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:20). Wherever גר occurs in Scriptures it signifies a person who has not been born in that land (where he is living) but has come from another country to sojourn there.

כי גרים הייתם, due to your personal experience of such a status, you, better than anyone else, know that seeing that the oppression of strangers is a great wrong, the punishment for violating such a commandment is equally harsh. (compare Exodus 23,9)