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Thursday

י"ח אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

Thursday
י"ח אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

חיפוש בארכיון

Mitzva 228) Not to retain

Parshas Kedoshim

“Do not retain that which belongs to your friend.” (Vayikra 19:13)

It is a negative commandment that we should not hold in our hands something which belongs to someone else, through force or persuasion and trickery, like wicked people who persuade others to tell them to do and return so they can keep the other’s money. This is an extremely bad character trait, and our complete Torah made us distance ourselves from it and forbade it to us in the following commandment, “Do not retain that which belongs to your friend”.

Included in this prohibition of “retention” is anyone who owes money to another person and withholds it, (for example one who withholds the wages of a hired worker etc.,) for anyone who owes money and defers the creditor using his power or trickery, is called a retainer and is therefore included in this prohibition. Although retention, theft and robbery are all the same concept, the Torah details them as three separate prohibitions. The reason for this is, that in all matters that for our own good Hashem wanted us to distance ourselves greatly from it, Hashem gave us many prohibitions about it. Furthermore, there is also a gain for us, as we get more reward for holding ourselves back from transgressing these prohibitions.

The root of the commandment is well-known, for it is one of the commandments which the brain confirms.

This prohibition applies in all places and at all times. He who transgresses this prohibition and retains that which is due to his friend will have transgressed a negative commandment, and can repair the damage by performing a positive commandment and returning the stolen object which is in his hands, and appease his friend after having made him upset and angry. Chazal have already told us that the power of those who repent is very great.