Q&A: Greater is one who causes another to sin — does that mean only intentionally? Or also when you caused him to sin unintentionally?
Greater is one who causes another to sin — does that mean only intentionally? Or also when you caused him to sin unintentionally?
Question
Is it even possible to cause someone else to sin? After all, he can always choose. Only in a situation where his hands are tied and, say, you put non-kosher food into his mouth. But then he is under duress. And maybe in a situation where you hold a gun to his temple—but even in such a case he can still choose!
Answer
You are presenting too binary a picture. An inciter who causes his fellow to sin brings him to sin, even though the one being incited still has free choice. That is why there is a prohibition of “do not place a stumbling block” when you hand a cup of wine to a nazirite, even though he decides of his own choice to drink the wine. See, for example, Column 43, and many others. You can also search the site for “Contributory Guilt,” about situations in which someone bears guilt for another person’s transgression even though it was done by that person’s own choice.