תלמוד בבלי בבא מציעא פרק ד
תניא רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר מפני מה הזהירה תורה בל"ו מקומות ואמרי לה במ"ו מקומות בגר מפני שסורו רע מאי דכתיב וגר לא תונה ולא תלחצנו כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים <תנינא> [תניא] רבי נתן אומר מום שבך אל תאמר לחברך והיינו דאמרי אינשי דזקיף ליה זקיפא בדיותקיה לא נימא ליה לחבריה זקיף ביניתא
It has been taught: R. Eliezer the Great said, "Why did the Torah warn against [the wronging of] a ger [stranger/convert] in thirty-six, or as others say, in forty-six, places? Because the ger has an inclination towards evil." What is the meaning of the verse, You must neither wrong a stranger, nor oppress the stranger; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt? It has been taught: R. Nathan said: Do not taunt your neighbor with the blemish you yourself have. And so the saying goes: If there is a case of hanging in a person's family record, say not to that person, ‘Hang this fish up for me.’ [Soncino translation, edited for clarity and gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. Rabbi Eliezer seems to say that the reason we should be especially careful not to harm the stranger / convert is that they "have an inclination towards evil." What do you think this means? How do you react to this? If this means that we are afraid they will revert to their previous ways and leave the community, how does this affect your reaction?
2. Why does the text interpret wronging a stranger / convert to mean taunting them about their past?
3. What does R. Nathan mean when he says that the meaning of not oppressing the stranger is not to taunt someone about a blemish you yourself have? What is the blemish?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)