Knowledge is Power G-dly Knowledge is Super Power.
Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, Talmudist, Halachist, codifier of Jewish
Law, physician, philosopher and communal leader, known in the world by
the acronym "Rambam" and to the world at large as "Maimonides," is one
of the most important figures in the history of Torah scholarship. On
his gravestone were inscribed the words, "From Moses to Moses, none
arose as Moses."
Rabbi Moshe was born in Cordoba, Spain, on the 14th of Nissan (the
eve of Passover) of the year 4895 (1135 C.E.) - and passed away in
Egypt, 1204. His father Maimon, was a direct descendant of King David,
and he was a judge in the city's rabbinical court.
The following are the exact words from the Rambam’s magnum opus, 14 volume Yad Hachazaka - “The Mighty Hand”, on the subject of ETHICS & VALUES.
You can scan
the highlighted bold words to get an idea of the pointers, and then, for
more detailed information, read that entire paragraph.
Whenever the prevailing assumption is that an article is stolen, one is forbidden to purchase it.
Similarly, if the majority of a particular substance is stolen, one is
forbidden to purchase it. Therefore, one should not purchase wool, milk
or kids from shepherds. This applies within a settled community. In the
desert, by contrast, one may purchase milk and cheese from them.
To state the general principle: Whenever a shepherd sells an
article that would be noticed by the owner, it may be purchased from the
shepherd. If the owner would not notice it, it is assumed to be stolen and may not be purchased from the shepherd.
Genevah - Chapter Six - Laws 1 & 2.
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The following rule applies. When a person gave money to a colleague to purchase landed property or movable property, and the colleague, left the person’s money in his domain, and went and purchased the object for himself, with his own money. The purchase he performed is (Valid) concluded; (AND) he is, however, considered to be a man of deceit.
Mechirah - Chapter Seven - Law 10.
====================
When a person agrees to a transaction with a verbal commitment alone, it is appropriate for him to keep his word
even though he did not take any money at all, did not make a mark on
the article he desired to purchase, nor leave security. (And legally the
transaction is not considered executed.)
If either the seller or the purchaser retracts, although they are
not liable to receive the adjuration mi shepara, (a curse for backing
out of a deal) they are considered to be faithless, and the spirit of the Sages does not derive satisfaction from them.
Similarly, if a person promised to give a colleague a gift and failed to do so, he is considered to be faithless.
When does the above apply? With regard to a small gift, because the
recipient will depend on the promise that he was given. With regard to a
large gift, by contrast, the giver is not considered to be faithless if
he retracts, because the recipient does not believe that he will give
him these articles until he transfers ownership through a formal kinyan.
(Act of commitment)
Mechirah - Chapter Seven- Law 8 & 9.
=======================================
The punishment for the person who uses false measures is greater than the punishment for licentious sexual behavior, for this is a sin between a person and his colleague, and this is a sin between a person and God.
Whoever denies the mitzvah (commandment) of just measures is
considered as if he denied the exodus from Egypt, which is the first of
God's commandments.
Conversely, one who accepts the mitzvah of just measures is
considered as if he acknowledges the exodus from Egypt, which brought
about all of God's commandments.
Genevah - Chapter Seven - Law 12.
==================================
One may not bury weights in salt so that their weight will be reduced, nor may one heat while measuring a liquid.
This applies even if the measure is very small, for the Torah was concerned with even the slightest deviation from an honest measure, as implied by the mention of a mesurah in Leviticus 19:35. A mesurah is a very tiny measure, merely a thirty-third of a log.
Geneva - Chapter 8 - Law 7
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