To not oppress the convert with words: That we have been prevented from oppressing converts, even [only] with words — and that is one from the [other] nations who converted and entered our religion — such that it is forbidden for [one] to disgrace him even with words, as it is stated (Exodus 22:20), “and you shall not oppress a convert.” And even though we are warned about this with [Jews] and since this one entered our religion, behold he is like [any other Jew], Scripture added a warning to us and also redoubled the prohibition for him, as it is written (Leviticus 19:33), “do not oppress” another time; because the issue of oppression is more relevant to a convert than it is to [another Jew], as [another Jew] has redeemers who will redress his insult. And there is another reason, [and that is] because there is a concern that [the convert] might return to his deviance out of anger over the disgraces. And they said in the Sifra (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 8:2) that one shouldn’t say, “Yesterday you were an idolater and now you entered under the wings of the Divine Presence.”
Aside from what we have [already] written, it is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] in order to permanently train our negative inclination not to do whatever evil is in our power to do. Therefore we are warned regarding this person who is among us without [a full support system], and over whom each and every one of us — with his friends — can exert some power; that we not exclude him from the general [sensitivity that we show to everyone among us]. And through boundaries such as these we will acquire a soul of higher worth — raised-up and crowned with [positive] characteristics and worthy of receiving good. And we will fulfill in ourselves the desire of God, may He be blessed, Who desires to give benefit.
The laws of the commandment are, for example, the many [prohibitions] that they, may their memory be blessed, warned us about; that they made known to us — in order to warn us more about the thing — that the Torah warned about it in twenty-one (and see the Lemberg edition, that reads, twenty-four) places (Bava Metzia 39b); that they also wrote to strengthen the commandment, that with the same expression that we were commanded about the love of the Omnipresent, we were [also] commanded about the love of the convert — as with the Omnipresent, it is written (Deuteronomy 6:5), “And you shall love your God”; and with the convert, it is written (Deuteronomy 10:19), “And you shall love the convert.” And many things like this are in Midrash and in a few places in the Gemara. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat, 307.)
And [it] is practiced in all places and at all times by males and by females. And one who transgresses it and disgraces him, has violated a negative commandment. But we do not give lashes for it, since it does not have an act [involved] with it.
שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹנוֹת הַגֵּר בִּדְבָרִים – שֶׁנִּמְנַעְנוּ מִלְּהוֹנוֹת הַגֵּר אֲפִלּוּ בִּדְבָרִים, וְהוּא אֶחָד מִן הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּר וְנִכְנַס בְּדָתֵנוּ, שֶׁאָסוּר לָנוּ לְבַזּוֹתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בִּדְבָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כא ב) וְגֵר לֹא תּוֹנֶה. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָנוּ מֻזְהָרִים בָּזֶה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְזֶה כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנַס בְּדָתֵינוּ הֲרֵי הוּא כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, הוֹסִיף הַכָּתוּב לָנוּ אַזְהָרָה בּוֹ, וְגַם נִכְפְּלָה הָאַזְהָרָה עָלָיו דִּכְתִיב (ויקרא יט לג) "לֹא תוֹנוּ" פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת, לְפִי שֶׁעִנְיַן הַהוֹנָאָה אֵלָיו קְרוֹבָה יוֹתֵר מִבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי הַיִּשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לוֹ גּוֹאֲלִים שֶׁתּוֹבְעִים עֶלְבּוֹנוֹ. וְעוֹד טַעַם אַחֵר בּוֹ, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חֲשָׁשׁ שֶׁלֹּא יַחְזֹר לְסוֹרוֹ מִכַּעַס הַבִּזְיוֹנוֹת. וְאָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרָא (קדושים ח) שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר לוֹ אֶמֶשׁ הָיִיתָ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְעַכְשָׁו נִכְנַסְתָּ תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה.
To not oppress the convert with words: That we have been prevented from oppressing converts, even [only] with words — and that is one from the [other] nations who converted and entered our religion — such that it is forbidden for [one] to disgrace him even with words, as it is stated (Exodus 22:20), “and you shall not oppress a convert.” And even though we are warned about this with [Jews] and since this one entered our religion, behold he is like [any other Jew], Scripture added a warning to us and also redoubled the prohibition for him, as it is written (Leviticus 19:33), “do not oppress” another time; because the issue of oppression is more relevant to a convert than it is to [another Jew], as [another Jew] has redeemers who will redress his insult. And there is another reason, [and that is] because there is a concern that [the convert] might return to his deviance out of anger over the disgraces. And they said in the Sifra (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 8:2) that one shouldn’t say, “Yesterday you were an idolater and now you entered under the wings of the Divine Presence.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה, מִלְּבַד מָה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, כְּדֵי לָכֹף אֶת יִצְרֵנוּ לְעוֹלָם לְבַל נַעֲשֶׂה כָּל אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא בְּכֹחֵנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת לְרָעָה, עַל כֵּן הִזְהִירַתְנוּ בְּזֶה הָאִישׁ שֶׁהוּא בֵּינֵינוּ בְּלִי עוֹזֵר וְסוֹמֵךְ וְיֵשׁ כֹּחַ בְּיַד כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִמֶּנּוּ עִם אוֹהֲבָיו עָלָיו לְבַל נַעֲבִיר עָלָיו אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ כְּלָל אֲפִלּוּ בִּדְבָרִים כְּאִלּוּ הוּא כְּאֶחָד מִמֶּנּוּ, וּמִתּוֹךְ גְּדָרִים כָּאֵלּוּ נִקְנֶה נֶפֶשׁ יְקָרָה וּמְסֻלְסֶלֶת וּמְעֻטֶּרֶת הַמִּדּוֹת הָרְאוּיָה לְקַבָּלַת הַטּוֹב, וְיִשְׁלַם בָּנוּ חֵפֶץ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁחָפֵץ לְהֵטִיב.
Aside from what we have [already] written, it is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] in order to permanently train our negative inclination not to do whatever evil is in our power to do. Therefore we are warned regarding this person who is among us without [a full support system], and over whom each and every one of us — with his friends — can exert some power; that we not exclude him from the general [sensitivity that we show to everyone among us]. And through boundaries such as these we will acquire a soul of higher worth — raised-up and crowned with [positive] characteristics and worthy of receiving good. And we will fulfill in ourselves the desire of God, may He be blessed, Who desires to give benefit.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, כְּגוֹן רֹב הָאַזְהָרוֹת שֶׁהִזְהִירוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה עָלָיו, וְהוֹדִיעוּנוּ לְהַזְהִירֵנוּ עוֹד בַּדָּבָר שֶׁבְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד (עי' דפוס לעמבערג שגרס בכ"ד) מְקוֹמוֹת הִזְהִירָה הַתּוֹרָה עָלָיו (ב"מ, לט ב, ע"ש) וְכָתְבוּ גַּם כֵּן לְחִזּוּק הַמִּצְוָה שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ לָשׁוֹן שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ בְּאַהֲבַת הַמָּקוֹם, נִצְטַוִּינוּ בְּאַהֲבַת הַגֵּר, שֶׁבְּאַהֲבַת הַמָּקוֹם כְּתִיב וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ, וּבַגֵּר כְּתִיב וַאֲהַבְתֶּם אֶת הַגֵּר. וְהַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים כָּאֵלּוּ בַּמִּדְרָשִׁים וּבִקְצָת מְקוֹמוֹת בַּגְּמָרָא. (ח"ה סימן ש"ז)
The laws of the commandment are, for example, the many [prohibitions] that they, may their memory be blessed, warned us about; that they made known to us — in order to warn us more about the thing — that the Torah warned about it in twenty-one (and see the Lemberg edition, that reads, twenty-four) places (Bava Metzia 39b); that they also wrote to strengthen the commandment, that with the same expression that we were commanded about the love of the Omnipresent, we were [also] commanded about the love of the convert — as with the Omnipresent, it is written (Deuteronomy 6:5), “And you shall love your God”; and with the convert, it is written (Deuteronomy 10:19), “And you shall love the convert.” And many things like this are in Midrash and in a few places in the Gemara. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat, 307.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן, בִּזְכָרִים וּבִנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וּבִזָּהוּ, עָבַר עַל לָאו, וְאֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה.
And [it] is practiced in all places and at all times by males and by females. And one who transgresses it and disgraces him, has violated a negative commandment. But we do not give lashes for it, since it does not have an act [involved] with it.