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Can someone be religiously observant yet untrustworthy in business? A Gemara (גמרא) in Kiddushin 40a categorizes four types of people: good to God and good to people (tzaddik tov), good to God but bad to people (tzaddik she'eino tov), bad to both (rasha ra - including a ganav), and bad to God but good to people (rasha). The shiur explains that mitzvos bein adam l'chaveiro require not just compliance but genuine caring—the recipient must feel valued, not merely an object of obligation.
The shiur opens with a textual question from Parshas Mishpatim: Why does the Torah (תורה) write "Im kesef talveh es ami" (if you lend money to My people) using the conditional word "im" when lending money is an obligation, not optional? Rashi (רש"י) cites a Mechilta identifying three instances where "im" means "you must" rather than "if," yet the question remains—why not simply omit "im" and write "Kesef talveh" (you must lend)? The inclusion of the word creates confusion rather than clarity. Before addressing this textual issue, Rabbi Zweig confronts a dangerous misconception prevalent in some religious communities: the idea that one can be righteous in observance between man and God while being dishonest or unethical in business dealings. Many rationalize this dichotomy, thinking such a person is "halfway there" or at least deserves partial credit for religious observance. The Gemara (גמרא) in Kiddushin 40a completely dismantles this notion.
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Mishpatim - Shemos 22:24 (Im kesef talveh)
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