בַּר קַפָּרָא אָמַר חוֹרֵי גָּדוֹל שָׁלוֹם, מַה אִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם לֹא קִנְאָה וְלֹא שִׂנְאָה וְלֹא תַּחְרוּת וְלֹא מַצּוֹת וְרִיבוֹת וְלֹא מַחְלֹקֶת וְלֹא עַיִן רָעָה צְרִיכִין שָׁלוֹם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב כה, ב): עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הַלָּלוּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
Bar Kappara said: Great is peace, for if the celestials who have no jealousy or hatred or competition or strife or quarrels or debates or evil eye (i.e., envy) require peace, as it is written (Job 25:2) "He who makes peace in the heavens," how much more so the mortals who have all those traits?
דרש רבי שמלאי שש מאות ושלש עשרה מצות נאמרו לו למשה....
בא דוד והעמידן על אחת עשרה דכתיב (תהלים טו, א) מזמור לדוד [ה'] מי יגור באהלך מי ישכון בהר קדשך הולך תמים ופועל צדק ודובר אמת בלבבו לא רגל על לשונו לא עשה לרעהו רעה וחרפה לא נשא על קרובו נבזה בעיניו נמאס ואת יראי ה' יכבד נשבע להרע ולא ימיר כספו לא נתן בנשך ושוחד על נקי לא לקח עושה אלה לא ימוט לעולם ...
לא עשה לרעהו רעה שלא ירד לאומנות חבירו וחרפה לא נשא על קרובו זה המקרב את קרוביו
Rabbi Simlai taught: There were 613 mitzvot stated to Moses in the Torah...
King David came and established the 613 mitzvot upon eleven mitzvot, as it is written: “A Psalm of David. Lord, who shall sojourn in Your Tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Your sacred mountain? 1) He who walks wholeheartedly, and 2) works righteousness, and 3) speaks truth in his heart. 4) Who has no slander upon his tongue, 5) nor does evil to his neighbor, 6) nor takes up reproach against his relative. 7) In whose eyes a vile person is despised, and he honors those who fear the Lord; 8) he takes an oath to his own detriment, and 9) changes not. 10) He neither gives his money with interest, 11) nor takes a bribe against the innocent. He who performs these shall never be moved” (Psalms, chapter 15). Eleven attributes that facilitate one’s entry into the World-to-Come appear on this list.... 5) “Nor does evil to his neighbor”; this is referring to one who did not infringe upon another’s trade, constituting illegal competition.
הֵ֤ן כָּל־הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ לִ֣י הֵ֔נָּה כְּנֶ֧פֶשׁ הָאָ֛ב וּכְנֶ֥פֶשׁ הַבֵּ֖ן לִי־הֵ֑נָּה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַחֹטֵ֖את הִ֥יא תָמֽוּת׃ (ס) וְאִ֖ישׁ כִּי־יִהְיֶ֣ה צַדִּ֑יק וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃ אֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ לֹ֣א אָכָ֔ל וְעֵינָיו֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔א אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאֶת־אֵ֤שֶׁת רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ לֹ֣א טִמֵּ֔א וְאֶל־אִשָּׁ֥ה נִדָּ֖ה לֹ֥א יִקְרָֽב׃ וְאִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א יוֹנֶ֔ה חֲבֹלָת֥וֹ חוֹב֙ יָשִׁ֔יב גְּזֵלָ֖ה לֹ֣א יִגְזֹ֑ל לַחְמוֹ֙ לְרָעֵ֣ב יִתֵּ֔ן וְעֵירֹ֖ם יְכַסֶּה־בָּֽגֶד׃ בַּנֶּ֣שֶׁךְ לֹֽא־יִתֵּ֗ן וְתַרְבִּית֙ לֹ֣א יִקָּ֔ח מֵעָ֖וֶל יָשִׁ֣יב יָד֑וֹ מִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֱמֶת֙ יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה בֵּ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ לְאִֽישׁ׃ בְּחֻקּוֹתַ֧י יְהַלֵּ֛ךְ וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֥י שָׁמַ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אֱמֶ֑ת צַדִּ֥יק הוּא֙ חָיֹ֣ה יִֽחְיֶ֔ה נְאֻ֖ם אדושם ה'׃ וְהוֹלִ֥יד בֵּן־פָּרִ֖יץ שֹׁפֵ֣ךְ דָּ֑ם וְעָ֣שָׂה אָ֔ח מֵאַחַ֖ד מֵאֵֽלֶּה׃ וְה֕וּא אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֖לֶּה לֹ֣א עָשָׂ֑ה כִּ֣י גַ֤ם אֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ אָכַ֔ל וְאֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ טִמֵּֽא׃ עָנִ֤י וְאֶבְיוֹן֙ הוֹנָ֔ה גְּזֵל֣וֹת גָּזָ֔ל חֲבֹ֖ל לֹ֣א יָשִׁ֑יב וְאֶל־הַגִּלּוּלִים֙ נָשָׂ֣א עֵינָ֔יו תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה עָשָֽׂה׃ בַּנֶּ֧שֶׁךְ נָתַ֛ן וְתַרְבִּ֥ית לָקַ֖ח וָחָ֑י לֹ֣א יִֽחְיֶ֗ה אֵ֣ת כָּל־הַתּוֹעֵב֤וֹת הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ עָשָׂ֔ה מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת דָּמָ֖יו בּ֥וֹ יִהְיֶֽה׃ וְהִנֵּה֙ הוֹלִ֣יד בֵּ֔ן וַיַּ֕רְא אֶת־כָּל־חַטֹּ֥את אָבִ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּרְאֶ֕ה וְלֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה כָּהֵֽן׃ עַל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ לֹ֣א אָכָ֔ל וְעֵינָיו֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔א אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ לֹ֥א טִמֵּֽא׃ וְאִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א הוֹנָ֔ה חֲבֹל֙ לֹ֣א חָבָ֔ל וּגְזֵלָ֖ה לֹ֣א גָזָ֑ל לַחְמוֹ֙ לְרָעֵ֣ב נָתָ֔ן וְעֵר֖וֹם כִּסָּה־בָֽגֶד׃ מֵעָנִ֞י הֵשִׁ֣יב יָד֗וֹ נֶ֤שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית֙ לֹ֣א לָקָ֔ח מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י עָשָׂ֔ה בְּחֻקּוֹתַ֖י הָלָ֑ךְ ה֗וּא לֹ֥א יָמ֛וּת בַּעֲוֺ֥ן אָבִ֖יו חָיֹ֥ה יִחְיֶֽה׃
...The person who sins, only he shall die. Thus, if a man is righteous and does what is just and right: If he has not eaten on the mountains or raised his eyes to the fetishes of the House of Israel; if he has not defiled another man’s wife or approached a menstruous woman; if he has not wronged anyone; if he has returned the debtor’s pledge to him and has taken nothing by robbery; if he has given bread to the hungry and clothed the naked; if he has not lent at advance interest or exacted accrued interest; if he has abstained from wrongdoing and executed true justice between man and man; if he has followed My laws and kept My rules and acted honestly—he is righteous. Such a man shall live—declares the Lord GOD. Suppose, now, that he has begotten a son who is a ruffian, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things, whereas he himself did none of these things. That is, [the son] has eaten on the mountains, has defiled another man’s wife, has wronged the poor and the needy, has taken by robbery, has not returned a pledge, has raised his eyes to the fetishes, has committed abomination, has lent at advance interest, or exacted accrued interest—shall he live? He shall not live! If he has committed any of these abominations, he shall die; he has forfeited his life. Now suppose that he, in turn, has begotten a son who has seen all the sins that his father committed, but has taken heed and has not imitated them: He has not eaten on the mountains or raised his eyes to the fetishes of the House of Israel; he has not defiled another man’s wife; he has not wronged anyone; he has not seized a pledge or taken anything by robbery; he has given his bread to the hungry and clothed the naked; he has refrained from oppressing the poor; he has not exacted advance or accrued interest; he has obeyed My rules and followed My laws—he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, but shall live.
דרש רב אחא בר' חנינא מאי דכתיב (יחזקאל יח, ו) ... ואת אשת רעהו לא טימא שלא ירד לאומנות חבירו
The Gemara cites a homiletic interpretation that Rav Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “He did not eat upon the mountains, nor did he lift his eyes toward the idols of the house of Israel, nor did he defile his neighbor’s wife, nor did he approach a menstruating woman” (Ezekiel 18:6)? This cannot be understood literally, as refraining from performing these transgressions is not sufficient to characterize an individual as righteous... “Nor did he defile his neighbor’s wife” is an allusion to the fact that he did not infringe upon another’s trade, thereby compromising his livelihood.
אָמַר רַב הוּנָא הַאי בַּר מְבוֹאָה דְּאוֹקִי רִיחְיָא וַאֲתָא בַּר מְבוֹאָה חַבְרֵיהּ וְקָמוֹקֵי גַּבֵּיהּ דִּינָא הוּא דִּמְעַכֵּב עִילָּוֵיהּ דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ קָא פָּסְקַתְּ לֵיהּ לְחַיּוּתִי...
תַּנָּאֵי הִיא דְּתַנְיָא כּוֹפִין בְּנֵי מְבוֹאוֹת זֶה אֶת זֶה שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹשִׁיב בֵּינֵיהֶן לֹא חַיָּיט וְלֹא בּוּרְסְקִי וְלֹא מְלַמֵּד תִּינוֹקוֹת וְלֹא אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי בַּעֲלֵי אוּמָּנִיּוֹת וְלִשְׁכֵנוֹ אֵינוֹ כּוֹפֵיהוּ רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר אַף לִשְׁכֵנוֹ כּוֹפֵיהוּ
אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ פְּשִׁיטָא לִי בַּר מָתָא אַבַּר מָתָא אַחֲרִיתִי מָצֵי מְעַכֵּב וְאִי שָׁיֵיךְ בִּכְרָגָא דְּהָכָא לָא מָצֵי מְעַכֵּב בַּר מְבוֹאָה אַבַּר מְבוֹאָה דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ לָא מָצֵי מְעַכֵּב בָּעֵי רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר מְבוֹאָה אַבַּר מְבוֹאָה אַחֲרִינָא מַאי תֵּיקוּ
§ Rav Huna said: There was a certain resident of an alleyway who set up a mill in the alleyway and earned his living grinding grain for people. And subsequently another resident of the alleyway came and set up a mill next to his. The halakha is that the first one may prevent him from doing so if he wishes, as he can say to him: You are disrupting my livelihood by taking my customers....
The Gemara elaborates: This entire matter is a dispute between tanna’im, as it is taught in a baraita: The residents of an alleyway can compel one another to agree not to allow among them in that alleyway a tailor, a tanner, a teacher of children, nor any type of craftsman. They can bar outside craftsmen from plying their trade in that alleyway. But one cannot compel his neighbor, i.e., one who already lives in the alleyway, to refrain from practicing a particular occupation there. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: One can even compel his neighbor not to conduct such work in the alleyway. Rav Huna holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.
Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, says: It is obvious to me that a resident of one town can prevent a resident of another town from establishing a similar business in the locale of the first individual. But if he pays the tax of that first town, he cannot prevent him from doing business there, as he too is considered a resident of the town. The resident of an alleyway cannot prevent a resident of his alleyway from practicing a particular trade there, in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis in the baraita, and contrary to the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel. With these conclusions in mind, Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, raises a dilemma: With regard to a resident of one alleyway protesting about a resident of another alleyway conducting business there, what is the halakha? No answer was found, and the Gemara states that the dilemma shall stand unresolved.
Rav Yosef said: And Rav Huna, who said that a resident of an alleyway can prevent another from setting up an additional mill, concedes with regard to those who teach children that one cannot prevent him from working, as the Master said: Ezra instituted an ordinance for the Jewish people requiring that they establish one teacher alongside another teacher, to raise the standard of teaching. The Gemara challenges: And let us be concerned lest the teachers will thereby come to be negligent. Rav Yosef said to the Sage who raised this objection: Jealousy among teachers increases wisdom.
(ז) אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי מָבוֹי שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לְהֵעָשׂוֹת מְלַמֵּד, אֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי הֶחָצֵר, אֵין יְכוֹלִין שְׁכֵנָיו לִמְחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ. וְכֵן מְלַמֵּד תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁבָּא חֲבֵרוֹ וּפָתַח בַּיִת לְלַמֵּד תִּינוֹקוֹת בְּצִדּוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ תִּינוֹקוֹת אֲחֵרִים לוֹ אוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ מִתִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁל זֶה אֵצֶל זֶה, אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִמְחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מב כא) "ה' חָפֵץ לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ יַגְדִּיל תּוֹרָה וְיַאְדִּיר":
(7) One of a given neighborhood who desires to become a teacher, even one sharing a common courtyard with others, cannot be prevented by neighbors from doing so; likewise, if a teacher comes and establishes a school to instruct small children alongside the school of another teacher, whether his intentions are to get pupils from others, or whether his intentions are to get pupils from that very school, such teacher cannot prevent him from opening such a school, for it is said: "The Lord was pleased for his righteousness' sake, to make the Torah great and glorious" (Is. 42.21).
(ז) הָיָה מִנְהַג הַמְּדִינָה לִקַּח מְלַמֵּד הַתִּינוֹקוֹת שָׂכָר נוֹתֵן לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ. וְחַיָּב לְלַמְּדוֹ בְּשָׂכָר עַד שֶׁיִּקְרָא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב כֻּלָּהּ. מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב בְּשָׂכָר מֻתָּר לְלַמֵּד בְּשָׂכָר. אֲבָל תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה אָסוּר לְלַמְּדָהּ בְּשָׂכָר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד ה) "רְאֵה לִמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי ה'" וְגוֹ' מָה אֲנִי בְּחִנָּם לָמַדְתִּי אַף אַתֶּם לְמַדְתֶּם בְּחִנָּם מִמֶּנִּי וְכֵן כְּשֶׁתְּלַמְּדוּ לְדוֹרוֹת לַמְּדוּ בְּחִנָּם כְּמוֹ שֶׁלְּמַדְתֶּם מִמֶּנִּי. לֹא מָצָא מִי שֶׁיְּלַמְּדוֹ בְּחִנָּם יְלַמְּדוֹ בְּשָׂכָר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֱמֶת קְנֵה. יָכוֹל יְלַמֵּד לַאֲחֵרִים בְּשָׂכָר. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (משלי כג כג) "וְאַל תִּמְכֹּר". הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאָסוּר לוֹ לְלַמֵּד בְּשָׂכָר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלִּמְּדוֹ רַבּוֹ בְּשָׂכָר:
(7) Where the custom of the state is to pay a beginner's teacher, he should give him his wages, and the obligation to pay for his son's education continues until he is through reading all of the Holy Writ. In a place where the prevailing custom is to teach the written Torah for pay, one may instruct for pay; but to instruct the Oral Torah for wages, is forbidden, as it is said: "Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the Lord my God commanded me, etc." (Deut. 4.5.), which means; "Even as I was instructed free so have you received instruction from me free; likewise when you will give instruction throughout the generations, instruct free even as you were instructed by me." (Nedarim, 37a; Bekorot, 29a). If he find not one who is so willing to teach him gratuitously, he may hire one for wages to be instructed by him, as it says: "Buy the truth" (Prov. 23.23.) Peradventure, one will deduct herefrom that he may instruct others for wages? The Verse, therefore, teaches us, saying: "But sell it not" (Ibid.) Herefrom you learn that one is forbidden to instruct others for hire although his master taught him for hire.
(א) אֵין מְלַמְּדִין תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא לְתַלְמִיד הָגוּן נָאֶה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו. אוֹ לְתָם. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא טוֹבָה מַחְזִירִין אוֹתוֹ לַמּוּטָב וּמַנְהִיגִין אוֹתוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה וּבוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַכְנִיסִין אוֹתוֹ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וּמְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים כָּל הַשּׁוֹנֶה לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן כְּאִלּוּ זָרַק אֶבֶן לְמַרְקוּלִיס שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כו ח) "כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד". וְאֵין כָּבוֹד אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג לה) "כָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ". וְכֵן הָרַב שֶׁאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ טוֹבָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָכָם גָּדוֹל הוּא וְכָל הָעָם צְרִיכִין לוֹ אֵין מִתְלַמְּדִין מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שׁוּבוֹ לַמּוּטָב. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ב ז) "כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַעַת וְתוֹרָה יְבַקְשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ כִּי מַלְאַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת הוּא". אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים אִם הָרַב דּוֹמֶה לְמַלְאַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת תּוֹרָה יְבַקְּשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ אִם לָאו אַל יְבַקְּשׁוּ תּוֹרָה מִפִּיהוּ:
(1) No instructions in the Torah should be given to any but a fit student of proper conduct, or to one indifferently known; but if one followed a way which is not good, we first must bring him back to goodness and lead him in the path of righteousness and scrutinize him, after which we may admit him to the Beth Hamedrash and give him instructions. The sages said: "He who instructs an unfit disciple is likened unto one who serves Mercury by casting a stone upon him, as it is said: "As a small stone in a heap of stones, so is he that giveth honor to a fool'" (Prov. 26.8; Hullin, 133a). There is no honor save in the Torah as it is said: "The wise shall inherit honor" (Prov. 3.35). Likewise, a Rabbi who does not follow the good way, though he be a great scholar and all of the people stand in need of him no instruction should be received from him until his return to goodness, as it is said: "For the priests' lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts" (Mal. 2.7). Thereupon the sages said: "If the Rabbi be like unto the messenger of the Lord of Hosts then shall they seek the Law at his mouth, if not, they shall not seek the Law at his mouth."1Ta’anit, 7b; Mo’ed Katan, 16a; Makkot, 10b. C. G.