LOVING THE STRANGER, LOVING YOUR FELLOW JEW, LOVING GOD

(9) You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the soul of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.

(20) You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

(19) You too must love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

(1) (Exodus 22:20) "And a stranger you shall not afflict and you shall not oppress him": You shall not afflict him with words and you shall not oppress him in money matters. Do not say to him: "Yesterday you worshipped the deity of Nevo, and (the flesh of) swine is still between your teeth, and you would dare contend with me!" And whence is it derived that if you taunt him he can taunt you in return? From "And a stranger you shall not afflict … for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" — whence R. Nathan derived "Do not attribute a blemish of your own to your neighbor." Beloved are the strangers, for in many places you are exhorted concerning them: "And a stranger you shall not afflict", (Devarim 10:19) "And you shall love the stranger", (Exodus 23:9) "And you have known the soul of the stranger."

(4) The love for the convert, who came and embraced the protection beneath the wings of the Shekinah, rests upon two mandatory commandments, one because he is included in the commandment concerning a neighbor, and the other because he is a stranger, and the Torah charged us, saying: "Love ye therefore the stranger" (Deut. 10.19.). He commanded on the love for the stranger as He commanded concerning the love for Himself, saying: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God" (Ibid. 6.5.). The Holy One, blessed is He! loves the strangers Himself, even as it is said: "And (He) loveth the stranger" (Ibid. 10.18).⁴Baba Mezi’a, 59b. G.

(1) To not oppress the convert with words: That we have been prevented from oppressing converts, even with words - and that is one who converted and entered our religion - such that is forbidden to disgrace him even with words, as it is stated (Exodus 22:20), "and you shall not oppress a convert." And even though we are warned about this with Jews and since the one that entered our religion is like any other Jew, Scripture added a warning to us and also redoubled the prohibition for him, as it is written (Leviticus 19:33), "do not oppress" another time; because the issue of oppression is more relevant to a convert than it is to another Jew, as another Jew has redeemers who will redress his insult...

(2) Aside from what we have already written, it is from the roots of the commandment that it is in order to permanently train our negative inclination not to do whatever evil is in our power to do. Therefore we are warned regarding this person who is among us without a full support system, and over whom each and every one of us - with his friends - can exert some power; that we not exclude him from the general sensitivity that we show to everyone among us. And through boundaries such as these we will acquire a soul of higher worth - raised-up and crowned with positive characteristics and worthy of receiving good. And we will fulfill in ourselves the desire of God, may He be blessed, who desires to give benefit.