Reeh 15:9 · unit 4

TT #301 · Parashas Reeh · Sixth Aliyah · Passuk 15:9

The Complete Passuk

הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֡ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֣ה דָבָר֩ עִם־לְבָבְךָ֨ בְלִיַּ֜עַל לֵאמֹ֗ר קָֽרְבָ֣ה שְׁנַֽת־הַשֶּׁ֘בַע֮ שְׁנַ֣ת הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ וְרָעָ֣ה עֵֽינְךָ֗ בְּאָחִ֙יךָ֙ הָֽאֶבְי֔וֹן וְלֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן ל֑וֹ וְקָרָ֤א עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃

Beware lest there be a base thought in your heart, saying, "The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand," and your eye be evil against your needy brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to Hashem against you, and it be sin in you.

Chabad.org — 15:9

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei.

Sefaria — Sifrei

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְקָרָא עָלֶיךָ וגו׳ – יָכוֹל מִצְוָה לִקְרוֹת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְלֹא יִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ; יָכוֹל אִם לֹא יִקְרָא לֹא יִהְיֶה בְּךָ חֵטְא, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְהָיָה בְךָ חֵטְא – מִכׇּל מָקוֹם; אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר וְקָרָא עָלֶיךָ – מְמַהֵר אֲנִי לִפָּרַע עַל יְדֵי הַקּוֹרֵא.

English: "And he cry out against you..." — One might have thought it is a mitzvah for him to cry out; therefore the verse says elsewhere "and he shall not cry out against you." One might have thought that if he does not cry out there is no sin in you; therefore the verse says "and it be sin in you"—in any case. If so, why does it say "and he cry out against you"? I hasten to exact payment through the one who cries out.

On the daf / in context: The cry of the poor accelerates divine retribution, but the sin exists whether or not the cry is uttered.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — the cry accelerates punishment but is not required for liability.

What Is Learned

Withholding charity is a sin whether or not the poor person cries out; when he does cry out, divine retribution is hastened.