1) (Vayikra 19:33) ("And if there dwell among you a stranger (i.e., a proselyte) in your land, you shall not oppress him.") If one came and said; I am a proselyte, I might think that he is to be accepted (as such); it is, therefore, written "among you" — when he is acknowledged among you (to be a proselyte). If he comes along with his witnesses (that he is a proselyte), whence is it derived (that he is to be accepted)? From "And if there dwell, etc." "in your land": This tells me (that they are accepted) only in Eretz Yisrael. Whence do I derive (the same) for outside the land? From "among you" — wherever you are. If so, why is it written "in your land"? In your land he must bring proof (that he is a proselyte); outside the land he need not bring proof. 2) "you shall not oppress him": You shall not say to him: "Yesterday you were an idolator, and today you have entered under the wings of the Shechinah!" 3) (Vayikra 19:34) ("As the home-born among you shall he be to you, the stranger that lives among you." And you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt; I am the L–rd your G d.") "As the home-born": Just as the home-born takes upon himself all the words of the Torah, so, must the proselyte take upon himself all the words of the Torah. From here they ruled: If a proselyte took upon himself all the words of the Torah except one, he is not to be accepted. R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah says: Even (if he did not accept) a small thing of the inferences of the Scribes. 4) "shall be to you the stranger that lives among you. And you shall love him as yourself." Just as it is written of Jews (Vayikra 19:18) "and you shall love your fellow as yourself," so is it written of proselytes "and you shall love him as yourself." "for you were strangers in the land of Egypt": Know the soul of the strangers, for you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt." 5) (Vayikra 19:35) ("You shall not do wrong in judgment: in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.") "You shall not do wrong in judgment": To whom is this directed? If to a judge, it is already written, (viz. Vayikra 19:15). It is to teach us, rather, that a measurer is called a judge, and if he falsifies in measurement, he is called: "wrong," "hated," "revolting," "rejected," "abominable," and he brings about five things: He defiles the sanctuary, he desecrates the Name, he drives out the Shechinah, he causes Israel to fall by the sword, and he exiles them from their land. 6) "in meteyard": This is land measure. "in weight": tritani (gold and silver measure). "in measure": This refers to the large crest (in dry measure). Others say: This refers to kutith (in liquid measure). Others say: This refers to the leveling stick. 7) (Vayikra 19:36) ("Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall you have; I am the L–rd your G d, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.") "just balances": Justify the scales precisely. "just weights": Justify the weights precisely. "a just ephah": Justify the eiphoth (dry measures) precisely. "and a just hin": Justify the hin (liquid measure) precisely. R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah says: Is not "hin" included in "ephah"? Why, then, is it written "and a just hin"? To teach that your "No" should be just and that your "Yes" ("hehn," similar to "hin") should be just. 8) "shall you have": Appoint agardimim (market commissioners) to this end — whence they ruled: The wholesaler cleans his measures once in thirty days; the retailer, once in twelve months. R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Reverse it. The shopkeeper cleans his measures twice a week, and wipes his weights once a week, and cleans his scales for each weighing. 9) R. Shimon b. Gamliel said: When is this so? With liquid measure, but with dry measure it is not needed. And (in weighing a litra of meat or more), he must allow the scale (containing the meat) to sink one handbreadth lower (than the scale of weights [i.e., he most give overweight]). If he weighed exactly, he must give him the due surplus — one-tenth in liquid measure and one-twentieth in dry measure. 10) "I am the L–rd your G d, who brought you out of the land of Egypt": On this condition I brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you take upon yourselves the mitzvoth of measures. For all who acknowledge the mitzvah of measures acknowledge the exodus from Egypt, and all who deny the mitzvah of measures deny the exodus from Egypt. 11) (Vayikra 19:37) ("And you shall heed all of My statutes and all of My judgments, and you shall do them; I am the L–rd.") "And you shall heed all of My statutes and all of My judgments and you shall do them": to assign heeding and doing to the statutes, and heeding and doing to the judgments. "I am the L–rd.": trusted to reward.
Sifra Kedoshim Chapter 8
Tap any verse to see what it echoes — and start a chain or echo from it.