The Mitzvah of Sensitivity
The Talmudic text we study here grapples with the meaning of the following three verses. The first verse appears in the Mishnah and the other two verses appear the Gemara. Before you start to read the Mishnah, take a look at these three verses and ponder what new idea each one gives you. Exodus 22:20 You shall not aggrieve a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt Leviticus 25:14 When you sell property to your neighbor, or buy any from your neighbor, you shall not aggrieve one another Leviticus 25:17 Do not aggrieve one another, but fear your God; for I am the Lord your God Now witness how the Talmud through its close reading learns different things from each of these verses. Babylonian Talmud Bava Metziya 58b-59a Mishnah: Just as [it is illicit] to aggrieve someone in business, it is also [illicit to] aggrieve someone with words. One should not say, "How much does this item cost" if he does not mean to purchase it. If a person had once led a sinf...