Rabbi Banna'ah opened [his discourse] (with Prov. 11:1), “Fraudulent scales are an abomination to the Lord….”:27PRK 3:4; Ruth R. 1:2; cf. PR 13:5. if you see a generation whose measures are false, know that the empire [government] will engage that generation in battle. What is the evidence? [It is written] (ibid.), “Fraudulent scales are an abomination to the Lord….” And after that is written (in vs. 2), “When deliberate wickedness comes, disgrace comes as well.” R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Abba bar Lahana (Micah 6:11), “’Shall I be righteous [and successful]28The verb here is ha’ezkeh, which means “shall I be successful” as well as “shall I be righteous,” and the midrash understands the verb in both senses. with false scales?’ Is it really possible for a generation with false measures to be successful, (ibid., cont.), ‘and have a bag of fraudulent weights’?”29Avne. So most translations. However, since Avne can mean “gemstones” as well as “weights,” Braude, and I.J. Kapstein, Pesikta de Rab Kahana (Philadelphia: JPSA, 1975), p. 47, n. 37, may be correct using this meaning. They would understand Micah 6:11 in a sense like the following: IF GEMSTONES GOTTEN THROUGH FRAUD, [BY FALSE BALANCES], ARE IN ONE’S BAG (i.e. IN ONE’S PURSE), HE WILL FIND HIMSELF DEFRAUDED. R. Levi said, “Moses also alluded to it (honest weights) for them in the Torah (in Deut. 25:13-14), ‘You shall not have alternative weights in your bag, [a larger and a smaller]. You shall not have in your house….’ If you do so, the empire will come and engage you in battle.” And what evidence is there? (Deut.: 25:16:) “For [everyone who does these things, who acts dishonestly, is an abomination to the Lord.” What is written after that (in vs. 17)? “Remember what Amalek did to you.”
זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם. רַבִּי בְּנָאָה פָּתַח, מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה תוֹעֲבַת ה' (משלי יא, א). אִם רָאִיתָ דּוֹר שֶׁמִּדּוֹתָיו שֶׁקֶר, דַּע שֶׁהַמַּלְכוּת מִתְגָּרָה בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר. מַה טַּעַם. מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה תּוֹעֲבַת ה'. וּכְתִיב אַחֲרָיו, בָּא זָדוֹן וַיָּבֹא קָלוֹן וְאֶת צְנוּעִים חָכְמָה. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר, הַאֶזְכֶּה בְּמֹאזְנֵי רֶשַׁע וּבְכִיס אַבְנֵי מִרְמָה (מיכה ו, יא), אֶפְשָׁר דּוֹר שֶׁמִּדּוֹתָיו שֶׁקֶר, שֶׁהוּא זַכַּאי. וּבְכִיס אַבְנֵי מִרְמָה, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי, אַף מֹשֶׁה רְמָזָהּ לָהֶם בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּכִיסְךָ אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן, לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּבֵיתְךָ. מַה טַעַם. כִּי תּוֹעֲבַת ה'. מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו, זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק.
Rabbi Banna'ah opened [his discourse] (with Prov. 11:1), “Fraudulent scales are an abomination to the Lord….”:27PRK 3:4; Ruth R. 1:2; cf. PR 13:5. if you see a generation whose measures are false, know that the empire [government] will engage that generation in battle. What is the evidence? [It is written] (ibid.), “Fraudulent scales are an abomination to the Lord….” And after that is written (in vs. 2), “When deliberate wickedness comes, disgrace comes as well.” R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Abba bar Lahana (Micah 6:11), “’Shall I be righteous [and successful]28The verb here is ha’ezkeh, which means “shall I be successful” as well as “shall I be righteous,” and the midrash understands the verb in both senses. with false scales?’ Is it really possible for a generation with false measures to be successful, (ibid., cont.), ‘and have a bag of fraudulent weights’?”29Avne. So most translations. However, since Avne can mean “gemstones” as well as “weights,” Braude, and I.J. Kapstein, Pesikta de Rab Kahana (Philadelphia: JPSA, 1975), p. 47, n. 37, may be correct using this meaning. They would understand Micah 6:11 in a sense like the following: IF GEMSTONES GOTTEN THROUGH FRAUD, [BY FALSE BALANCES], ARE IN ONE’S BAG (i.e. IN ONE’S PURSE), HE WILL FIND HIMSELF DEFRAUDED. R. Levi said, “Moses also alluded to it (honest weights) for them in the Torah (in Deut. 25:13-14), ‘You shall not have alternative weights in your bag, [a larger and a smaller]. You shall not have in your house….’ If you do so, the empire will come and engage you in battle.” And what evidence is there? (Deut.: 25:16:) “For [everyone who does these things, who acts dishonestly, is an abomination to the Lord.” What is written after that (in vs. 17)? “Remember what Amalek did to you.”