מדרש אויף שמות 22:21

Rabbi asked Rabbi Betzalel: What is that which is written: “For their mother has committed harlotry” (Hosea 2:7)? Is it possible that Sarah our matriarch was a harlot? He said to him: ‘Heaven forbid; rather, when are matters of Torah rendered contemptible before the common people? It is when their owners debase them.’ Rabbi Yaakov bar Avdimi came and rendered it a [midrashic] dictum: When do matters of Torah become like harlots before the common people? When their owners debase them. Rabbi Yoḥanan derives it from here: “The poor man’s [misken] wisdom is contemptible” (Ecclesiastes 9:16). Was the wisdom of Rabbi Akiva, who was poor, contemptible? Rather, what is a misken? It is one who is contemptible in his words, like an elder who sits and teaches: “You shall not pervert justice” (Deuteronomy 16:19), and he perverts justice; “you shall not show partiality” (Deuteronomy 16:19), and he shows partiality; “you shall not afflict any widow or orphan” (Exodus 22:21) and he afflicts them. Samson followed his eyes, as it is stated: “Take her for me, as she is fitting in my eyes” (Judges 14:3). Gideon worshipped idols, as it is stated: “Gideon made it into an ephod” (Judges 8:27). Woe to a judge who shows partiality in judgment.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment” (Leviticus 19:15) – this teaches that a judge who corrupts judgment is called by five names: unjust, hated, detestable, proscribed, abomination. The Holy One blessed be He calls him five: wicked, blasphemer, violator of the covenant, one who infuriates, and defiant. He causes five results in the world; he defiles the land, desecrates the Name, expels the Divine Presence, causes Israel to fall by the sword, and exiles them from their land. Woe to the generation that is corrupted in this way.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment [in measure, in weight, or in volume]” (Leviticus 19:35) – in a judicial ruling. If it is about judicial rulings, it is already stated about judicial rulings!³⁵In the verse cited above, Leviticus 19:15: “You shall not do injustice in judgment.” If so, why is it stated, “…in judgment in measure [in weight, or in volume]”? It teaches that one who measures is called a judge, and if he falsifies, he is called five names and he causes five results. Woe is the generation whose measures are false, as Rabbi Benaya said in the name of Rabbi Huna: If you see a generation whose measures are false, a kingdom comes and besets that generation. What is the reason? “Scales of deceit are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 11:1), and it is written: “Pride comes, shame comes” (Proverbs 11:2).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba: It is written: “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness, [or with a pouch of deceitful weights?]” (Micah 6:11). Is it possible that a generation whose measures are false will find merit? Rather, “in a pouch of deceitful weights.”³⁶They will be left with a purse filled with counterfeit coins. The midrash is reading the second half of the verse, “or with a pouch of deceitful weights” not as the continuation of the rhetorical question, but as the answer to “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness?” Rabbi Levi said: Moses indeed alluded this to Israel in the Torah: “You shall not have in your purse [alternate weights]” (Deuteronomy 25:13); “you shall not have in your house alternate measures” (Deuteronomy 25:13), and if he did so, ultimately, a kingdom will come and beset them, as it is written: “As it is an abomination to the Lord anyone who does [oseh] so, anyone who does [oseh] injustice” (Deuteronomy 25:16), and it is written: “Remember what Amalek did [asah] to you, on the way, as you were leaving Egypt” (Deuteronomy 25:17).

Another matter, “do not cut off,” that is what is written: “Do not rob the impoverished as he is impoverished…” (Proverbs 22:22). Our Rabbis say: Regarding what is the verse speaking? If he is impoverished, what does he steal from him? Rather, it spoke only of gifts to the poor that he is obligated to give them by Torah law; gleanings, forgotten sheaves, produce in the corner of the field, and the tithe of the poor. The Holy One blessed be He cautioned that no person should rob them of the gifts that are fit to give them. “As he is impoverished,” his poverty is sufficient for him. Is it not enough for the wealthy person that he exists in comfort and the poor person in suffering, but he even robs from him what the Holy One blessed be He gave him?
“And do not oppress the poor at the gate” (Proverbs 22:22). Just as it says: “You shall not distort the judgment [of your poor in his dispute]” (Exodus 23:6), and it says: “[You shall not afflict] any widow [or orphan]” (Exodus 22:21), “for the Lord will fight their battle and will deprive of life those who deprive them” (Proverbs 22:23), likewise, it says: “If you afflict him, [then when he cries out to Me, I will hear his cry]. My wrath will be enflamed, and I will kill [you with the sword]” (Exodus 22:22–23).
Another matter, “do not rob,” it is speaking of the tribe of Levi. Why does it call them impoverished? It is because they were more impoverished in number than all the tribes. You have none of the tribes that was as few in number as Manasseh, as their number totaled only “thirty-two thousand two hundred” (Numbers 1:35), and those counted were from twenty years old until sixty years old, excluding those who were from one month old until twenty, and excluding those from sixty years and above. However, the entire tribe of Levi was from one month and above only twenty-two thousand three hundred, plus Aaron and his sons. Why? It is because they were adjacent to the sacred; anyone who was not appropriately careful, the attribute of justice would harm them. The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘They keep the commission of the sacred so that you will not be harmed, and their numbers dwindle for you. Do not rob from them the gifts that I gave them, because he is impoverished.’
Moreover, they are impoverished from an inheritance, as they did not take a portion in the Land with you, as it is stated: “But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance” (Joshua 13:33). “To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all tithes in Israel as an inheritance…[The children of Israel] shall no longer approach the Tent of Meeting]… The Levite himself shall perform the service of the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 18:21–23).
“And do not oppress the poor at the gate,” just as it says: “When you shall conclude to tithe all the tithes of your produce…[and you shall give to the Levite…]” (Deuteronomy 26:12). If you do so³Oppress the poor and not give them their tithes,, “for the Lord will fight their battle” (Proverbs 22:23).
“Do not rob the impoverished.” It is speaking of the sons of Kehat. Why does it call them impoverished? It is because they were from the tribe of Levi, which did not take a portion in the Land.

"Another matter: How long, O Lord, will You forget me? Forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? (Psalms 13:2) The Knesset of Israel said to the Lord: 'There is a King without a throne, a King without subjects. How long, O Lord, will You forget us?' Man, what did you say to the prophet Samuel, who was the champion of Israel? As it is said: "And also, the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret" (1 Samuel 15:29) and it also says: "God is not a man, that He should lie" (Numbers 23:19). Rabbi Samuel said: This verse is neither the beginning nor the end of the matter. When the Lord decrees to bring good into the world, no man is a god who can lie, but when He decrees evil, that statement is made. Thus, when the Lord said to Abraham: "For in Isaac shall your seed be called" (Genesis 21:12), no man is a god who can lie. And when He said to him: "Take now your son" (Genesis 22:2), he said and did not do. And when He said to him: "And also the nation whom they will serve, I will judge" (Genesis 15:14), he said and did not do. And when He said: "I have surely visited you" (Exodus 3:16), no man is a god who can lie. And when He said to him: "Let Me alone, that I may destroy them" (Deuteronomy 9:14), he said and did not do. Rabbi Berechiah said: There was a certain pious man who preached that "You shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child" (Exodus 22:21). One widow heard him and came to him. He said to her, "Go now, and I will come after you." She said to him, "If you had not preached to me that 'You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child,' you would not have come to me now." Thus said the Knesset of Israel: 'Master of the Universe, we have not come to You except relying on what is written: "For the poor will not always be forgotten; the hope of the needy will not perish forever" (Psalms 9:19)."