To not make an innocent one stumble on the way: To not make the Children of Israel stumble, to give them bad advice; but rather we right them when they ask advice, with that which we believe to be right and good advice, as it is stated (Leviticus 19:14), “and you shall not put a stumbling block in front of the blind.” And the language of Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 2:14 [is] “In front of one who is blind about a thing and he takes advice from you, do not give him advice that is not appropriate for him.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said [there also], “A man should not say to his fellow, ‘Sell your field, and buy a donkey,’ and he stalks him and takes it from him.” And this negative commandment also includes one who helps one who commits a sin, since he brings him to being seduced to also transgress other times besides this. And from this angle, they, may their memory be blessed, said that both the lender and the borrower with interest transgress with regards to “in front of the blind, etc.”
The root of the commandment is well-known, since the guidance of people and to give them good advice for all of their actions [is needed for] the ordering of the world and its civilization.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Avodah Zarah 14a), that we are concerned about “in front of,” but we are not concerned about “in front of” of “in front of.” And because of this they explained there that when we had the question in the Gemara (Avodah Zarah 6a) [regarding] the reason for our Mishnah (Avodah Zarah 2a), if it is on account of that he will go and thank [his idol] or if it is on account of “in front of the blind” — that we were only in doubt about the reason of the Mishnah regarding buying and selling with them, that an Israelite give the gentile something fit for a sacrifice. And in such a way, it is possible that there would be [a violation] of it. But in all the rest of our Mishnah — for example to give loans, to redeem them and to have them borrow — it is forbidden on account of that he will go and thank. As it cannot be said that it is on account of “in front of the blind”; as he must return the actual item he borrowed, and also in giving them loans and redeeming them — he gave him coins, and coins are not fit for a sacrifice. What [might] you have said? Maybe he will buy a sacrifice with them. [But] that would be “in front of” of “in front of.” And we are not concerned about such a way, as they said — and so [too,] all that is similar to it. And so [too,] that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Avodah Zarah 15b) that it is forbidden to sell any weapons and anything that can injure the public, unless he sells them so that they will defend us. And so [too,] is it forbidden to sell them to an Israelite who sells them to idolaters, and so [too, if he sells them] to Israelite brigands. And it is all forbidden on account of “and in front of the blind.” And the rest of its details are in scattered places of the Talmud. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Murderer and the Preservation of Life 11.)
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and consciously raises advice to his fellow that is not appropriate for him; or helped him in the matter of a sin — such as handing a cup of wine to a nazirite and all that is similar to this — has violated this negative commandment, and it is like violating the commandment of the King. But we do not administer lashes for it, since there is no act [involved] with it.
שֶׁלֹּא לְהַכְשִׁיל תָּם בַּדֶּרֶךְ – שֶׁלֹּא לְהַכְשִׁיל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָתֵת לָהֶם עֵצָה רָעָה, אֲבָל נַיְשִׁיר אוֹתָם כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁאֲלוּ עֵצָה, בַּמֶּה שֶׁנַּאֲמִין שֶׁהוּא יָשָׁר וְעֵצָה טוֹבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט יד) וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל. וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרָא (ב יד) לִפְנֵי סוּמָא בְּדָבָר וְהָיָה נוֹטֵל מִמְּךָ עֵצָה, אַל תִּתֵּן לוֹ עֵצָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם) אַל יֹאמַר אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ מְכֹר שָׂדְךָ וְקַח חֲמוֹר, וְהוּא עוֹקֵף עָלָיו וְנוֹטְלָהּ הֵימֶנּוּ. וְזֶה הַלָּאו כּוֹלֵל כְּמוֹ כֵן מִי שֶׁיַּעֲזֹר עוֹבֵר עֲבֵרָה, שֶׁהוּא מֵבִיא אוֹתוֹ שֶׁיִּתְפַּתֶּה בְּזוּלַת זֶה לַעֲבֹר פְּעָמִים אֲחֵרִים עוֹד, וּמִזֶּה הַצַּד אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"מ עה ב), בְּמַלְוֶה וְלֹוֶה בְּרִבִּית שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם עוֹבְרִים בְּלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר וְגוֹ'.
To not make an innocent one stumble on the way: To not make the Children of Israel stumble, to give them bad advice; but rather we right them when they ask advice, with that which we believe to be right and good advice, as it is stated (Leviticus 19:14), “and you shall not put a stumbling block in front of the blind.” And the language of Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 2:14 [is] “In front of one who is blind about a thing and he takes advice from you, do not give him advice that is not appropriate for him.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said [there also], “A man should not say to his fellow, ‘Sell your field, and buy a donkey,’ and he stalks him and takes it from him.” And this negative commandment also includes one who helps one who commits a sin, since he brings him to being seduced to also transgress other times besides this. And from this angle, they, may their memory be blessed, said that both the lender and the borrower with interest transgress with regards to “in front of the blind, etc.”
שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה. יָדוּעַ, כִּי תִּקּוּן הָעוֹלָם וְיִשּׁוּבוֹ הוּא לְהַדְרִיךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם וְלָתֵת לָהֶם בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם עֵצָה טוֹבָה.
The root of the commandment is well-known, since the guidance of people and to give them good advice for all of their actions [is needed for] the ordering of the world and its civilization.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, בְּרֵישׁ מַסֶּכֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (יד א) דְּאַלִּפְנֵי מִפַּקְּדִינַן אֲבָל אַלִּפְנֵי דְּלִפְנֵי לָא מִפַּקְּדִינַן, וּמִפְּנֵי כֵן פֵּרְשׁוּ שָׁם (ו א), דְּכִי אִבַּעְיָא לַן בַּגְּמָרָא טַעְמָא דְּמַתְנִיתִין אִי מִשּׁוּם דְּאָזֵל וּמוֹדֶה אִי מִשּׁוּם לִפְנֵי עִוֵּר, דְּלָא הֲוָה מִסְתַּפֵּק בְּטַעְמָא דְּמַתְנִיתִין אֶלָּא בְּלָשֵׂאת וְלָתֵת עִמָּהֶם, דְּיָהֵיב לֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגוֹי מִדֵּי דְּחָזֵי לְתִקְרֹבֶת, וּבְכִי הַאי גַּוְנָא אֶפְשָׁר דְּאִכָּא בֵּהּ מִשּׁוּם וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר, אֲבָל שְׁאָר מַתְנִיתִין כֻּלַּהּ, כְּגוֹן לְהַלְווֹתָן וּלְפָרְעָן וּלְהַשְׁאִילָן מִשּׁוּם דְּאָזֵל וּמוֹדֶה הוּא אִסּוּרָא, דְּמִשּׁוּם לִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֵכָּא לְמֵימַר, דִּשְׁאֵלָה בְּעֵינָהּ הָדְרָא, וּלְהַלְווֹתָן וּלְפָרְעָן נָמֵי, זוּזֵי יָהֲבִינַן לְהוּ וְזוּזֵי לָא חֲזוּ לְתִקְרֹבֶת, מַאי אֲמַרְתְּ, דִּלְמָא זָבִין בְּהוּ תִּקְרֹבֶת, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לִפְנֵי דְּלִפְנֵי וּבְכִי הַאי גַּוְנָא לָא מִפַּקְּדִינַן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ, וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. וְכֵן מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם טו ב), שֶׁאָסוּר לִמְכֹּר כָּל כְּלֵי מִלְחָמָה וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ נֶזֶק לָרַבִּים, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מוֹכְרָן כִּי הֵיכִי דְּמַגְּנוּ עֲלַן. וְכֵן אָסוּר לְמָכְרוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַמּוֹכְרוֹ לְגוֹי, וְכֵן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לִסְטִים, וְאָסְרוּ הַכֹּל מִשּׁוּם וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ בִּמְקוֹמוֹת מֵהַתַּלְמוּד בְּפִזּוּר [הלכות רוצח פי"א].
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Avodah Zarah 14a), that we are concerned about “in front of,” but we are not concerned about “in front of” of “in front of.” And because of this they explained there that when we had the question in the Gemara (Avodah Zarah 6a) [regarding] the reason for our Mishnah (Avodah Zarah 2a), if it is on account of that he will go and thank [his idol] or if it is on account of “in front of the blind” — that we were only in doubt about the reason of the Mishnah regarding buying and selling with them, that an Israelite give the gentile something fit for a sacrifice. And in such a way, it is possible that there would be [a violation] of it. But in all the rest of our Mishnah — for example to give loans, to redeem them and to have them borrow — it is forbidden on account of that he will go and thank. As it cannot be said that it is on account of “in front of the blind”; as he must return the actual item he borrowed, and also in giving them loans and redeeming them — he gave him coins, and coins are not fit for a sacrifice. What [might] you have said? Maybe he will buy a sacrifice with them. [But] that would be “in front of” of “in front of.” And we are not concerned about such a way, as they said — and so [too,] all that is similar to it. And so [too,] that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Avodah Zarah 15b) that it is forbidden to sell any weapons and anything that can injure the public, unless he sells them so that they will defend us. And so [too,] is it forbidden to sell them to an Israelite who sells them to idolaters, and so [too, if he sells them] to Israelite brigands. And it is all forbidden on account of “and in front of the blind.” And the rest of its details are in scattered places of the Talmud. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Murderer and the Preservation of Life 11.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְהִשִּׁיא אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ לְדַעַת עֵצָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ אוֹ סִיַּע אוֹתוֹ בִּדְבַר עֲבֵרָה, כְּגוֹן הַמּוֹשִׁיט כּוֹס יַיִן לְנָזִיר וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה, וְהוּא כְּעוֹבֵר עַל מִצְוַת מֶלֶךְ, וְאֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and consciously raises advice to his fellow that is not appropriate for him; or helped him in the matter of a sin — such as handing a cup of wine to a nazirite and all that is similar to this — has violated this negative commandment, and it is like violating the commandment of the King. But we do not administer lashes for it, since there is no act [involved] with it.