Комментарий к Шмот 23:3

לא תהדר NEITHER SHALT THOU COUNTENANCE [THE INDIGENT IN HIS QUARREL] — You shall not pay regard to him by finding in his favour in the law suit, saying, “He is a poor man; I will find in his favour, and thus show him some measure of respect.”

ודל לא תהדר בריבו, "And do not favour the poor in his litigation." The extra word בריבו contains a moral/ethical message based on Vayikra Rabbah 34, that the poor is liable to engage in a confrontation with G'd asking Him why He supplies everyone else with their needs whereas he is hungry and naked. Everyone who gives even a copper coin to a poor and thereby stills his hunger prevents the poor from complaining to G'd and accusing Him that G'd is not gracious to the poor. On the other hand, at times when no one on earth is gracious to the poor, his argument is very powerful. The Torah therefore commands us not to contribute to strengthening the voice of the poor who accuse G'd of insensitivity to their fate.

ודל לא תהדר, as spelled out in greater detail in Leviticus 19,15 לא תשא פני דל ולא תהדר פני גדול, “do not favour the poor nor show deference to the rich.” The unvarying motto is בצדק תשפוט עמיתך, “judge your kinsman fairly.”

And say, “He is poor. I will find in his favor and show him regard.” Rashi had to explain that the regard shown the poor man is [not actually treating him with honor but] judging in his favor, because the natural tendency of a judge is to treat only a rich man with honor — as it says, “You shall not show regard to a prominent man” (Vayikra 19:15). Therefore, Rashi explains that the regard shown here [to the poor man] is by judging him favorably, and through this he will be looked upon with regard. For otherwise he would have to pay, and since he cannot, he will be disgraced.

(Exodus 23:3) "Do not honor a poor man in his quarrel": Why is this needed? (i.e., it is already written [Leviticus 19:15] "You shall not favor a poor man (in the verdict) and you shall not honor a great one.") (From that verse) I would know only these (i.e., favoring the poor and honoring the rich). Whence do I derive that they ("favoring" and "honoring") are interchangeable, (both applying to the rich and the poor)? From "Do not honor a poor man." Abba Chanan says in the name of R. Elazar: Scripture speaks of leket, shikchah, and peah (i.e., it is "in his quarrel" that you are not to honor a poor man, but you are to honor him by deciding in his favor in instances of doubt as to whether something is leket, shikchah or peah, [which revert to the poor] viz. Leviticus 23:22.)

V. 3. ודל. Wir haben die Ausdrücke für arm: דל .אביון ,עני ,דל, von דלל verwandt mit טלל, wovon טל, der Niederschlag, der Tau, תלל, wovon תֵל, die Trümmer. ist der Herabgekommene; עני, von ענה, entsprechen: der in seiner Existenz Unselbständige; אביון, von אבה, einwilligen: der in seinem Willen Unselbständige. הדר ist die äußere Ehrenbezeugung (vergl. 3. B. M. 19. 32). Nichts tut einem früher vermögend Gewesenen so wohl, als sich noch mit den alten Ehren begegnet zu fühlen, nichts ist so dem Geiste dieses Gesetzes gemäß, als zu zeigen, dass die Wertschätzung und Hochachtung eines Menschen nicht mit dem Vermögen und dessen Verlust steige und falle. Nichts dürfte außergerichtlich eine größere Mizwa sein, als להדר דל. Allein בריבו, wenn er im Rechtsstreite mit seinem Gegner vor dir steht, musst du selbst in bloßen Äußerlichkeiten beide ganz gleich behandeln, darfst auch in bloßen Äußerlichkeiten, und selbst aus menschlichster Rücksicht nicht, dem einen eine größere Aufmerksamkeit als dem andern erweisen.

ודל לא תהדר, “and do not favour the poor (because he is poor). This verse follows closely on the heels of not testifying falsely, in order that you do not think that it is your duty to assist a poor man in his dispute with a rich man.