Dishonest weights are an abomination in G-d's eyes
The wisest of men King Solomon - exclaimed (Mishlei 11:1): "Deceitful weights are an abomination of the Lord, but a perfect weight is His Will."
In our Parasha, King Solomon's message is brought in an expanded form (25:13-17):
"You shall not have in your pouch a measure and a weight- a large one and a small one. You shall not have in your house a measure and a measure - a large one and a small one. A perfect and honest weight shall you have, a perfect and honest measure shall you have, so that your days shall be lengthened on the Land that Hashem, your G-d, gives you. For an abomination of Hashem, your G-d, are all those who do this, all who act corruptly."
"Remember what Amalek did to you.. when you were leaving Egypt..struck those who were hindmost, all the weaklings at your rear...and he did not fear G-d.."
Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch elucidates:’’a large measure that denies the smaller" (Sifri) : there is no prohibition to having whole or partial weights and measures - however, it is forbidden to have weights and measures that are of equal size, but are found to be ‘denying’ one another - such as a light and a heavy weight, or a wide and a narrow measure, for the purpose of at one time using the one, and at another time, using the other, to profit thereby.
‘The mitzvot on the sanctity of our conduct, concluded (Parashat Kedoshim) with the mitzvah of honest weights - so too, here: the societal mitzvot given to those who are about to enter the Land, also conclude with the mitzvah of honest weights and measures, and to a warning against any breach.
‘We stressed there the importance that the Torah attributes to honesty and faithfulness in business dealings, to preserving the Jewish character.
‘Because of this, it states that a Jew is an abomination in the eyes of Hashem, if he acts deceitfully in the areas of measurement, counting and the like - the punishment of transgressors in these areas is linked to that of transgressors in forbidden relations - and is even harsher than theirs.
‘Faithfulness in business dealings is a fundamental principle of the Jew in society, just as purity in relationships is a principle of the ethical Jew.
‘We will here only focus on those matters which are mentioned in the earlier parasha, which complete what was said there.
‘There it said: You shall not do injustice in judgement - this teaches us that measurement, weighing, counting and calculation, are a form of doing justice in judgment - and this is applicable to every individual.
‘The warning against taking advantage of this trust, and the obligation in this regard, in all matters of honest weights and measures, were said there in general terms - here it is said to the generation destined to be engaged in daily business relationships.
‘Here, the mere possession of inaccurate weights and measures - the fact that they are in your pouch, in your house, is in itself, a transgression.
‘We are here commanded to prevent any appearance of taking advantage to the detriment of another.
‘After mentioning specifically איפה שלמה: a perfect and honest weight..a perfect and honest measure, it adds צדק justice, as an absolute instruction.
‘We learn from here that we have to abstain from any deprivation of another when weighing or measuring - as a foundation to all the practical teachings which we surveyed in general terms, in the earlier parasha.
‘Had it there simply said: Just stones and just measures: had ‘just’ here also alluded to the weights and measures, it should have said: a just and perfect weight.. a just and perfect measure, since ‘just' could have been part of the description of the object - it therefore teaches, that you should have a perfect and honest weight and measure, to be used in a just manner - from this, our Sages derive (Baba Batra 88:) the obligation of: justice from yours, give him: the seller is to add from his, to that to which the buyer is entitled, to ensure that he will, at the very least, receive that to which he is entitled.
‘’So that your days shall be lengthened on the Land that Hashem, your G-d gives you": Your continued existence as sovereigns on your land, is dependent on the meticulous observance of justice in your business dealings - Hashem demands your faithfulness in this matter, and it is a foundation of your national character.
‘’For an abomination of Hashem your G-d, are all ..who act corruptly": Not only the deed, but the person who performed it - one who merited that Hashem is his G-d - he is an abomination to Hashem, if he calls himself ‘a Jew’, and is not honest and just in his business dealings.
‘That person loses the right to call Hashem, his G-d, because he is an abomination in the eyes of Hashem.
‘’Remember what Amalek did to you.." -
The previous parasha completed the ideal description of the nation of Israel - a people that distances itself from any injustice, from any trace of taking advantage of others.
‘They are imbued with the emunah that Hashem is their G-d only if they are fearful of any injustice against His creations - from this, springs the complete adherence to justice and uprightness in their dealings with others.
‘This obligates him to see his strength and future only by the faithful fulfillment of his destiny.
‘He will persist in this way, in the face of all the nations, till his way shall be the way of all the nations.
‘The absolute opposite of this ideal, is represented by Amalek, who sees his might as the measure of his praise, by vanquishing the weak and the disadvantaged.
‘This is why the Torah juxtaposed the appearance of Amalek, in our parsha, to highlight the contrast, and to teach us the absolute contrast in their visions of the future of mankind - thereby making Israel a partner in the battle of Hashem, against Amalek.’
The centrality of honesty in business relationships, is proven by the teaching of our Sages:(Shabbat 31, ):’In the world to come, one of the questions a person is asked, is נשאת ונתת באמונה?: Did you conduct yourself in business, faithfully?’
The Kli Yakar, in his unique analysis, first asks: ’Why does it say (Mishlei 20:1):’Diverse weights and diverse measures - both are an abomination to the Lord’
Asks the Rav: ’What is the meaning ‘both are an abomination’? - clearly, if both are dishonest, what need is there to say: both..’?
‘Therefore, it is clear that it is referring to one measure being honest, and the other dishonest, yet the ‘honest’ one is also called ‘an abomination’, since it is used to be dishonest when weighing - as if he did not have it, he would be afraid to weigh by the dishonest weight, as all his customers, when they returned home, would find their purchase to be underweight, and when they all called on the Bet Din, the dishonest seller could not answer them, when all of their purchases were underweight - something which is clearly not accidental!
‘What does the seller do? He weighs with the dishonest weight for some, and with the correct weight for the others - then when those he cheated approach the Bet Din, he replies: I sold to many buyers; those who were not cheated, will, when called upon by the seller, testify that their purchases were not lacking.
‘When the Bet Din orders the seller to produce one of his weights to be checked, he will produce the honest one .
‘The honest weight is therefore, what enables the dishonesty, and this is why both are referred to as an abomination, even if one them is not dishonest.
‘This also is the reason for the juxtaposition of the parsha of dishonest weights, and the injunction to: Remember what Amalek did to you, on which Rashi comments:’If you cheat in weights and measures, be concerned that you will bring on yourself, the enemy’.
‘What connection is there between the two? Did Amalek really come upon them because of dishonest weights?
‘The connection is that one uses dishonest weights to cheat his buyers, and he does so by hiding his dishonesty from his customer - at the same time, he also treats the Eye Above, as if He does not see.
‘The way of Hashem, in such cases, is that the evil you conceal, is revealed to the public eye.
‘Therefore, unlike his other comings - which were in stealth - Amalek came here openly, to reveal their dishonesty - as we read in Parashat Beshalach: they doubted Hashem’s providence, and, therefore likely were involved in dishonest dealings, treating the Eye Above, as if He did not see - as the Torah there relates the Israelites' doubts: Is Hashem in our midst, or not, therefore Amalek came, and did battle with them in Refidim.
The Ktav Sofer adds: ’In mitzvot between man and Hashem, if a person does not know that there is a commandment of Hashem governing the matter, he is considered to be שוגג: an inadvertent transgressor, as how can he be punished from something his mind did not comprehend?
‘However, in mitzvot between man and his fellow - such as in matters of weights and measures - had they not been written in the Torah, his mind tells him that - even had the Torah not written then - they are bad, and hateful to Hashem.
‘Such was the case of Cain killing Abel, which, though not expressly forbidden by the Torah at that time, clearly - to man’s mind - was wrongful, and therefore received a severe punishment.’
Sforno expounds: ’You shall not have in your house a measure and a measure - a large one and a small one’- After the parsha mentions the ways to merit that the Shechina should reside in Israel’, the Torah warns that Hashem not only hates the perversion of justice, but also those who possess instruments that are ready to do wrong - and that it is necessary to distance from them, lest His soul be disgusted by us, as it says:’For an abomination of Hashem are all who do this.’
Abarbanel comments: ’We can understand the prohibition against cheating by using dishonest weights and measures, but a person might think that while to so is forbidden, should he wish to do so, he can have them in his house as long as he does not use them - and that there is no transgression in doing so.
‘Therefore the command comes here, that not only is their use forbidden, but it is also forbidden to fashion dishonest weights and measures, and it is also forbidden to have them in his house, so that the instruments of deception do not dwell in his house as- even if he does not use them to measure, that in itself is an abomination in the eyes of Hashem.’
The Panim Yafot adds, on this prohibition:’Rashi comments: ’If you do so, you will have nothing’.
‘This can be expounded by the saying (Baba Batra 88:): More severe is the punishment for dishonest measures, than for עריות: forbidden relations - though both are referred to as abominations - as the gemara in Yoma (86) says that the latter is atoned for by teshuvah and afflictions, whereas the punishment for dishonest weights and measures - you will have nothing - and our Sages (Baba Batra 115.) say: Poverty is more severe than the afflictions of Iyov - therefore the punishment for dishonest weights and measures, is more severe than than for forbidden relations, as they can be atoned for - in the manner we have brought - whereas the former cannot be atoned for by teshuva, as he does not have the ability repay those he cheated - because of his poverty.
A parting gem from Rav Moshe Sternbuch: ’The admonition against having in your house a measure and a measure- a large one and a small one, would seem to allude to those who pass over the two-branched admonition, and instead, act in the way of a measure and a measure - that is, when they come to the bet hamidrash, they conduct themselves as being very pious - having greater yirat shamayim than most - yet in their private lives, indulge in pleasure like one of the masses - conducting themselves in their private lives in a very different measure.
‘It is to these that the Torah alludes, saying : do not have a measure..and a measure - but have the one measure in all that you do, and do not be concerned by those who mock you.
SOURCE: A7: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/414420
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