Don’t put an obstacle in front of the blind.

שו”ת › Category: Halacha › Don’t put an obstacle in front of the blind.

asked 8 years ago

Shalom Rabbi, what is the definition of ‘before the blind’? If I merely allow a person to commit a crime (for example, renting him a store that I know he will open on Shabbat), is that considered forbidden?

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מיכי Staff answered 8 years ago

I will start by saying that in my opinion this is no different from renting an apartment to someone who violates Shabbat, and I haven’t found anyone who would be wary of this. Although there may be a difference in terms of publicity, and so on. In principle, the prohibition from the Torah is only in the case of a rabbi who is a rabbi, meaning that without you the prohibition cannot be carried out. Therefore, if he could rent another shop, then there is no blind person before me here, but perhaps there is an accomplice here to commit a transgression (which is a rabbinical prohibition). On the other hand, it is not clear that you have to lose in order to take care of him. If you cannot hire someone to watch Shabbat, or perhaps you will not earn the same amount, it is not certain that you should take care of him more than you yourself. Especially if he is a captive baby, in which case there is no prohibition in his action. Although such a rental does involve a Sabbath rent, and care should be taken in the contract to ensure that there is no such component. In my opinion, a reasonable global rent solves the problem. See a summary here: https://tvunah.org/%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%92%D7%95%D7%99/

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יובל replied 8 years ago

Why does the Torah give the example of a blind man rather than a person who does not understand the matter/who allowed himself to be easily tripped up?
Why did the Torah come in the negative way (mitzvah to do) and not in the positive way (mitzvah to do)?

מיכי Staff replied 8 years ago

The Torah deals with physical stumbling, and therefore it is about blindness. The Sages extended this to giving advice that is unfair and stumbling in a transgression. In this regard, blindness is a person who does not understand the matter.
What would you expect them to say positively: that they would save him from stumbling? This is included in ”You shall not stand for the blood of your neighbor”. Or that they would make him do a mitzvot? Perhaps this is included in ”Prove it and prove it”.
In any case, the mitzvah is a prohibition against stumbling. This cannot be said positively. Sometimes there is a positive side and the Torah chooses the negative because the positive is not included in the halakha (it is too high a standard).
On the difference between not and doing, see my article on the sixth root here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwJAdMjYRm7IeFFraktmeVNrNFE/view

יובל גרין replied 8 years ago

Why is the phrase “and you shall not put a stumbling block before the blind” next to “fear your God, I am the LORD” and “you shall not curse the deaf”?

מיכי Staff replied 8 years ago

Simply put, this is because the blind and deaf cannot know who harmed them or cursed them, and therefore their non-harm is threatened by God Himself. One must fear Him, even if not them.