(16) Do not be a talebearer among your people. Do not stand idly by the blood of your fellow: I am the LORD.
(א) רכיל. כמו רכולתך מכל אבקת רוכל והטעם המלשין כי הרוכל מעתיק יקנה מזה וימכור לזה והרכיל יגלה לזה מה ששמע מזה: (ב) לא תעמד על דם רעך. שלא יתחבר עם אנשי דמים וידוע כי כמה נרצחו ונהרגו בעבור המלשינות: (ג) וטעם אני ה׳. רואה מה שאתה עושה בסתר:
(1) a talebearer from the word “your merchandise” [Ezekiel 28:16] and also “…with all powders of the merchant” [Song of Songs 3:6]. Here the word denotes a gossiper. Just as a merchant transmits things, buying them here and selling them there, so also does a gossiper transmit things, revealing to one what he heard from another. (2) Do not stand idle when your fellowman is in danger [literally: Do not stand upon your fellowman’s blood] One must not become involved with men who shed blood. It is well known that many people have been murdered, many people have been killed, because of slander. (3) I am God Who sees all that you do in private.
(א) לא תלך רכיל לא תעמד אלו נאמר ולא תעמוד בוי״ו הייתי אומר שתי מצות הן עכשיו שכתוב לא בלא וי״ו על כורחין שניהם מצוה אחת. וכן הפירוש לא תלך רכיל כדי ש לא תעמד על דם רעך. שכשתאמר לרעך פלוני הוציא דבה עליך, אותו הנאמר עליו עומד עליו והורגו. ויחזקאל בא ופי׳ אנשי רכיל היו בך למען שפוך דם. ד״א לא תלך רכיל אבל אם שמעת עצה על חברך להרגו לא תעמוד על דמו אלא הודע לו העצה. (ב) לא תלך רכיל זה המחזר לשון הרע מזה לזה ותרגומו לא תיכול קורצין.
(1) לא תלך רכיל, “do not walk around as a talebearer;” Talebearing and standing by idly while your fellow Jew’s blood is being shed are part of the same sin. The Torah warns against talebearing as the next step would result in standing by idly while another Jew’s innocent blood is being shed. What started out as being “only” words, is liable to wind up as complicity in murder. Talebearing is no better than bloodshed. Still another interpretation of our verse: ordinarily the rule of not to go around and bear tales applies. However, if you became privy to a plot being hatched against an innocent person you must not plead this law as an excuse not to have warned the endangered party, or have reported it to the police. (2) לא תלך רכיל, “do not spread evil tales that have come to your attention, but be the one where this practice stops from gaining further ground.”
(א) לא תלך רכיל וגו'. ולפי פשט הכתוב נראה שיכוין לומר שלא יגרום הוא הרכילות הנעשה מהזולת על ידו, הא כיצד שלא יגלה דברים אפילו למי שאין בהם רכילות במקום שיש לחוש שהשומעים יוליכו הדברים ונמצא הוא הוליך רכילות זו שרכלו האמצעים. ולדרך זה ידוייק אומרו בעמך, פירוש באמצעות עמך אתה מוליך רכיל שאומרים הדברים בפניהם ומתגלגלים מזה לזה ונשמעים הדברים, ואמר אני ה' פירוש אני בוחן הדברים ממי יצאו תחילה ופורע: (ב) עוד ירצה שלא יחזיק בידי מדברי לשון הרע שבזה הוא סובב שיוליכו הרכיל ומעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו הוא הוליך רכילות לזה להיותו סיבה:
(1) לא תלך רכיל בעמיך, "Do not go about your people bearing tales." I believe the plain meaning of the Torah is a warning to each individual not to become a vehicle for potential defamatory information about a second party. How does one prevent this? By not revealing any information even innocent information in the hearing of anyone who might use this information or part of it and turn it into something defamatory. If that were to happen then the person who merely related the original harmless sounding story shares part of the guilt. The Torah purposely writes בעמיך, "amongst your own people," referring to people close to you who are indiscreet and blabber about any confidence they have heard or overheard. G'd adds: "I am the Lord" i.e. I am going to track down whence the defamatory remarks originated. (2) Another aspect of our verse is that the Torah warns that we must not associate with nor tolerate the presence of people who spread evil gossip. Providing such people with a home or otherwise assisting them makes the host an accessory to their sin, part of the cause.
(ה) לְפִיכָךְ נִבְרָא אָדָם יְחִידִי, לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁכָּל הַמְאַבֵּד נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ אִבֵּד עוֹלָם מָלֵא. וְכָל הַמְקַיֵּם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ קִיֵּם עוֹלָם מָלֵא. וּמִפְּנֵי שְׁלוֹם הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ אַבָּא גָדוֹל מֵאָבִיךָ. וְשֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מִינִין אוֹמְרִים, הַרְבֵּה רָשֻׁיּוֹת בַּשָּׁמָיִם. וּלְהַגִּיד גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁאָדָם טוֹבֵעַ כַּמָּה מַטְבְּעוֹת בְּחוֹתָם אֶחָד וְכֻלָּן דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה, וּמֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא טָבַע כָּל אָדָם בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן דּוֹמֶה לַחֲבֵרוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד חַיָּב לוֹמַר, בִּשְׁבִילִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם.
(5) Therefore, Adam the first man was created alone, to teach you that with regard to anyone who destroys one soul from the Jewish people, i.e., kills one Jew, the verse ascribes him blame as if he destroyed an entire world, as Adam was one person, from whom the population of an entire world came forth. And conversely, anyone who sustains one soul from the Jewish people, the verse ascribes him credit as if he sustained an entire world. The mishna cites another reason Adam the first man was created alone: And this was done due to the importance of maintaining peace among people, so that one person will not say to another: My father, i.e., progenitor, is greater than your father. And it was also so that the heretics who believe in multiple gods will not say: There are many authorities in Heaven, and each created a different person. And this serves to tell of the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as when a person stamps several coins with one seal, they are all similar to each other. But the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamped all people with the seal of Adam the first man, as all of them are his offspring, and not one of them is similar to another. Therefore, since all humanity descends from one person, each and every person is obligated to say: The world was created for me, as one person can be the source of all humanity, and recognize the significance of his actions.
(יד) אין כל דבר עומד בפני פיקוח נפש חוץ מע"ז וגילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים.
(14) There is nothing that should stand before saving a life except for idol worship, forbidden sexual relationships, and shedding blood.
אין לך דבר שעומד בפני פיקוח נפש אלא עבודת כוכבים וגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים
You have no matter that stands before saving a life, other than idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and murder. Only in those three cases, when faced with a choice between violating the prohibition and being killed, must one be killed rather than violate the prohibition.
(כז) קכט. אַל תְּהִי כְּפוּי טוֹבָה, וְכַבֵּד כָּל מִי שֶּׁפָּתַח לְךָ פֶּתַח לְבַקִּשּׁ דֵּי סִפּוּקְךָ:
(27) Do not be oblivious to the good that others do for you. Acknowledge even those who do something as simple as opening a door for you.
. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: כַּמָּה יְגִיעוֹת יָגַע אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד שֶׁמָּצָא פַּת לֶאֱכוֹל: חָרַשׁ, וְזָרַע, וְקָצַר, וְעִמֵּר, וְדָשׁ, וְזָרָה, וּבָרַר, וְטָחַן, וְהִרְקִיד, וְלָשׁ, וְאָפָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָכַל. וַאֲנִי מַשְׁכִּים וּמוֹצֵא כּל אֵלּוּ מְתוּקָּנִין לְפָנַי. וְכַמָּה יְגִיעוֹת יָגַע אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד שֶׁמָּצָא בֶּגֶד לִלְבּוֹשׁ: גָּזַז, וְלִבֵּן, וְנִפֵּץ, וְטָוָה, וְאָרַג, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מָצָא בֶּגֶד לִלְבּוֹשׁ, וַאֲנִי מַשְׁכִּים וּמוֹצֵא כּל אֵלֶּה מְתוּקָּנִים לְפָנַי. כּל אוּמּוֹת שׁוֹקְדוֹת וּבָאוֹת לְפֶתַח בֵּיתִי, וַאֲנִי מַשְׁכִּים וּמוֹצֵא כּל אֵלּוּ לְפָנַי. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: אוֹרֵחַ טוֹב מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? — כַּמָּה טְרָחוֹת טָרַח בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בִּשְׁבִילִי, כַּמָּה בָּשָׂר הֵבִיא לְפָנַי, כַּמָּה יַיִן הֵבִיא לְפָנַי, כַּמָּה גְּלוּסְקָאוֹת הֵבִיא לְפָנַי, וְכל מַה שֶּׁטָּרַח — לֹא טָרַח אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִילִי. אֲבָל אוֹרֵחַ רַע מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? — מַה טּוֹרַח טָרַח בַּעַל הַבַּיִת זֶה? פַּת אַחַת אָכַלְתִּי, חֲתִיכָה אַחַת אָכַלְתִּי, כּוֹס אֶחָד שָׁתִיתִי, כּל טוֹרַח שֶׁטָּרַח בַּעַל הַבַּיִת זֶה — לֹא טָרַח אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו.
Ben Zoma would say: How much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found bread to eat: He plowed, sowed, reaped, sheaved, threshed, winnowed in the wind, separated the grain from the chaff, ground the grain into flour, sifted, kneaded, and baked and only thereafter he ate. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Human society employs a division of labor, and each individual benefits from the service of the entire world. Similarly, how much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found a garment to wear? He sheared, laundered, combed, spun and wove, and only thereafter he found a garment to wear. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Members of all nations, merchants and craftsmen, diligently come to the entrance of my home, and I wake up and find all of these before me. Ben Zoma would say: A good guest, what does he say? How much effort did the host expend on my behalf, how much meat did the host bring before me. How much wine did he bring before me. How many loaves [geluskaot] did he bring before me. All the effort that he expended, he expended only for me. However, a bad guest, what does he say? What effort did the host expend? I ate only one piece of bread, I ate only one piece of meat and I drank only one cup of wine. All the effort that the home owner expended he only expended on behalf of his wife and children.
(ז) רַבִּי פִּנְחָס וְרַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מְנַחֵם דְּגַלְיָא, לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת בְּטֵלִין וְקָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה אֵינוֹ בָּטֵל, כָּל הַתְּפִלּוֹת בְּטֵלוֹת, הַהוֹדָאָה אֵינָהּ בְּטֵלָה.
(7) Rabbi Pinchas, Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yochanan [said] in the name of Rabbi Menachem from Gallia: In the time to come, all sacrifices will be annulled - but the sacrifice of thanksgiving will not be annulled. All prayers will be annulled, but the prayer of gratitude will not be annulled.