Rabbinic JudaismSifrei Devarim 278HOLYMAP · SACRED TEXTS
Sifrei on DeuteronomySifrei Devarim 278

Sifrei on Deuteronomy

Sifrei Devarim 278

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English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim 24:14) "You shall not oppress a hired laborer": But it is already written (Vayikra 19:13) "You shall not oppress your neighbor and you shall not rob, etc." We are hereby taught that one who holds back the wages of a hired man transgresses five negative commandments (including the two above) and one positive commandment: (Vayikra 19:13) "There shall not abide with you the wages of a hired man," (Devarim, Ibid.) "You shall not oppress a poor hired laborer," (Ibid. 15) "In his day shall you give his wage" (the positive commandment), and (Ibid.) "and the sun shall not go down upon it."

2
English · Shraga Silverstein

"for he is poor and to it he lifts his soul." This tells me only of one who is poor. Whence do I derive (the same for) one who is rich? This tells me only of labor that he does "with his soul" (i.e., in which he risks his life). Whence do I derive the same for labor that he does not do "with his soul," such as that of a weaver or a carder? From (Vayikra 19:13) "You shall not oppress your neighbor … and "there shall not abide with you overnight the wages of a hired man" — in any event. If so, why is it written (Devarim, Ibid. 14) "poor and impoverished"? I hasten to exact payment for (such abuse of) one who is poor and impoverished more than for that of other men.

3
English · Shraga Silverstein

(Ibid.) "of your brothers": and not of others (i.e., gentiles).

4
English · Shraga Silverstein

"or of your stranger": a righteous proselyte.

5
English · Shraga Silverstein

"in your gates": a ger toshav (a "sojourning" proselyte). This tells me only of the hire of a man. Whence do I derive (the same for) the hire of beasts and utensils? From "in your land" — all that is in your land. We are hereby taught that all are subject to the above interdicts. R. Yossi b. R. Judah says: A ger toshav is subsumed in "In his day shall you give his wage," but not in "There shall not abide with you." Beasts and utensils are subsumed only in "You shall not hold back."

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Sifrei Devarim 278English
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Sifrei Devarim 2780%

Sifrei on Deuteronomy

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Public-domain Hebrew editions, digitized by Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

Mechilta, Sifra and Sifrei, translated by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein. CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

English translation: Sifrei Devarim, translated by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

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