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Share(ב) משרשי מצוה זו, לפי שמחשבה רעה היא זו וגורמת לו לאדם תקלות הרבה, שאחר שיקבע במחשבתו לקחת ממנו אותו הדבר שחמד מתוך אותה תאוה רעה לא ישגיח בשום דבר, ואם לא ירצה חברו למכרו יאנס אותו ממנו, ואם יעמד כנגדו אפשר שיהרגנו, כאשר מצינו בנבות שנהרג על כרמו שחמד ממנו אחאב (עיין הלכות גזילה ואבידה פ' א' ה' י''א).
(2) It is from the roots of this commandment that it is since it is a bad thought and causes a person many mishaps. As once he fixes it into his thought to take the thing that he covets from him, that bad desire will not pay attention to anything; and if his fellow will not want to sell it to him, he will take it from him by force. And if he stands up to him, it is possible that he will [even] kill him; as we found (I Kings 21) that Navot was killed for his vineyard that Ahav coveted from him (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Robbery and Lost Property 1:11).
(יא) הַתַּאֲוָה מְבִיאָה לִידֵי חִמּוּד וְהַחִמּוּד מֵבִיא לִידֵי גֵּזֶל. שֶׁאִם לֹא רָצוּ הַבְּעָלִים לִמְכֹּר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִרְבָּה לָהֶם בְּדָמִים וְהִפְצִיר בְּרֵעִים יָבוֹא לִידֵי גֵּזֶל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מיכה ב ב) "וְחָמְדוּ בָּתִּים וְגָזָלוּ". וְאִם עָמְדוּ הַבְּעָלִים בְּפָנָיו לְהַצִּיל מָמוֹנָם אוֹ מְנָעוּהוּ מִלִּגְזל יָבוֹא לִידֵי שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. צֵא וּלְמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂה אַחְאָב וְנָבוֹת:
(11) Desire leads to coveting and coveting leads to robbery. That if owners do not want to sell even if a great deal of money has been offered and pleading by friends, one is lead into robbery as it says, "They coveted houses and stole them (Micah 2:2)." And if the owners stand against them to protect their property or prevent him from theft, he will be moved to shed bled. Go and learn from the example of Achav and Navot.
Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, so that I may have it as a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange; or, if you prefer, I will pay you the price in money.”
But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give up to you what I have inherited from my fathers!”
Ahab went home dispirited and sullen because of the answer that Naboth the Jezreelite had given him: “I will not give up to you what I have inherited from my fathers!” He lay down on his bed and turned away his face, and he would not eat.
His wife Jezebel came to him and asked him, “Why are you so dispirited that you won’t eat?”
So he told her, “I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and proposed to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for money, or if you prefer, I’ll give you another vineyard in exchange’; but he answered, ‘I will not give my vineyard to you.’”
His wife Jezebel said to him, “Now is the time to show yourself king over Israel. Rise and eat something, and be cheerful; I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”
So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who lived in the same town with Naboth.
In the letters she wrote as follows: “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the front of the assembly.
And seat two scoundrels opposite him, and let them testify against him: ‘You have reviled God and king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
His townsmen—the elders and nobles who lived in his town—did as Jezebel had instructed them, just as was written in the letters she had sent them:
They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the front of the assembly.
Then the two scoundrels came and sat down opposite him; and the scoundrels testified against Naboth publicly as follows: “Naboth has reviled God and king.” Then they took him outside the town and stoned him to death.
Word was sent to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Go and take possession of the vineyard which Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for money; for Naboth is no longer alive, he is dead.”
When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab set out for the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to take possession of it.
(א) שלא להתאוות ממון חברו - שנמנענו לקבע במחשבתנו להתאוות מה שביד אחד מאחינו בני ישראל, לפי שקביעות המחשבה בתאוה על אותו דבר יהיה סבה לעשות תחבולה לקחת אותו ממנו, ואף על פי שאין רצונו למכרו, או על ידי מקח או חליפין או בחזקה, אם לא נוכל בענין אחר. ועל זה נאמר (דברים ה יח) ולא תתאוה בית רעך וגו'. וכתב הרמב''ם זכרונו לברכה (ספר המצוות ל''ת רסו) שאין שני הלאוין שהן לא תחמד שבסדר וישמע יתרו, ולא תתאוה שבסדר זה לאוין כפולין בענין אחד, אבל הם שני ענינים שלאו דלא תחמד ימנענו מלקחת בשום צד, בין בדמים בין שלא בדמים מה שקנו זולתנו אם איננו חפץ למכר אותו דבר, ולאו זה דלא תתאוה ימנענו אפילו התאוה בו בתוך לבנו, כי עם התאוה, יבוא להתחנן לו ולהכביד עליו למכרו או להחליפו לו בכלי אחר על כל פנים. ואף על פי שהאחד מאלו הלאוין מושך את חבירו שנים יחשבו מכל מקום, והרי אתה רואה החלוק שביניהם.
(ב) ואל תתמה לומר ואיך יהיה בידו של אדם, למנוע לבבו מהתאוות אל אוצר כל כלי חמדה שיראה ברשות חבירו, והוא מכלם ריק וריקם? ואיך תביא התורה מניעה במה שאי אפשר לו לאדם לעמד עליו? שזה הדבר אינו כן, ולא יאמרו אותו, זולתי הטפשים הרעים והחטאים בנפשותם, כי האמנם, ביד האדם למנע עצמו ומחשבותיו ותאוותיו מכל מה שירצה, וברשותו ובדעתו להרחיק ולקרב חפצו בכל הדברים כרצונו, ולבו מסור בידו, על כל אשר יחפץ יטנו, והשם אשר לפניו כל תעלומות, חופש כל חדרי בטן, רואה כליות ולב, אין אחת קטנה, או גדולה, טובה או רעה מכל מחשבות האדם, נעלמת ממנו, ולא נסתרת מנגד עיניו, ישיב נקם לעוברי רצונו בלבבם, ונוצר חסד לאלפים לאוהביו המפנים לעבודתו מחשבותם, שאין טוב לאדם כמו המחשבה הטובה והזכה, כי היא ראשית כל המעשים וסופן, וזהו לפי הדומה, ענין לב טוב ששבחו חכמים במסכת אבות (פ''ב מ''ט). והראיה שאלו שני הלאוין שזכרנו חלוקים בענינם ונחשבין לשנים מה שאמרו במכלתא לא תחמד בית רעך, ולהלן הוא אומר ולא תתאוה לחיב על התאוה בפני עצמה ועל החמוד בפני עצמו ושם נאמר מנין שאם נתאוה, סופו לחמד? תלמוד לומר לא תתאוה ולא תחמוד מנין שאם חמד אדם, סופו לגזל? תלמוד לומר (מיכה ב, ב) וחמדו שדות וגזלו.
(ג) שרש מצוה זו ידוע הוא כי הרחקת הגזל מבין בני אדם, היא תועלת הכל, והשכל עד נאמן בדבר. ואין בה אריכות דינין שכל ענינה מבאר בכתוב [ח''מ סימן שנט].
(1) Not to desire the money of your friend: That we were prevented from fixing in our thoughts to desire what is in the hand of one of our brothers, the Children of Israel; since the fixing of the desire for that thing in our heart will become a cause to create machinations to get it from him - even though it is not his will to sell them - by purchase or exchange or, if we cannot [acquire it] in any other way, by force. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 5:18), "you shall not desire the house of your neighbor, etc." And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Mitzvot Lo Taase 266), that the two negative commandments - which are "you shall not covet," which is in the Order of Vayishma Yitro, and "you shall not desire" in this Order - are not repeated negative commandments about one matter. Rather, they are two matters. As the negative commandment of "you shall not covet" will prevent him from taking that which someone besides him acquired, in any way - whether with money or without money - if [the owner] does not want to sell that thing. But this negative commandment of "you shall not desire" will prevent him from even the desire for it in his heart. As with the desire, he will come to supplicate him and to pressure him to sell it or trade it for another vessel, no matter what. And even though one of these negative commandments brings its fellow, they are considered two nonetheless. And behold, you [can] see the difference between them.
(2) And do not wonder to say, "And how is it in the hand of a man to prevent his heart from desiring the storehouse of every delightful vessel that he sees in the hand of his fellow, whereas he is totally empty of them; and how does the Torah bring a prevention about that which is impossible for a man to uphold?" As the thing is not like this, and only silly evildoers and those that sin with their souls say it. As truly, it is in the hand of a man to prevent himself and his thoughts and his desires from anything that he wants. And [it is] within his control and his cognizance to distance and to bring close his want for all things according to his will. And his heart is given into his hand; to anything that he wants can he incline it. And God - in front of Whom are all hidden things - 'searches all the rooms of the belly, sees the kidney and the heart.' There is not one from all of the thoughts of man - little or big, good or bad - that is hidden from Him; and it is not covered from His eyes. [Hence] He will bring vengeance upon those that transgress His will in their hearts, and 'safeguards kindness for the thousands [of generations] for those that love Him,' who dedicate their thoughts to His service. As there is nothing as good for a man as good and pure thought, as it is the beginning of all actions, and their end. And this is apparently the matter of the 'good heart,' that the Sages praised in Tractate Avot 2:9. And the proof that these two negative commandments are different in their content and considered two [distinct commandments] is that which they said in Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon bar Yochai 20:14, "'You shall not covet your neighbor's house' (Exodus 20:14), and later it states, 'and you shall not desire,' to make liable for the desire on its own and for the coveting on its own." And there, it [also] says, "From where [do I know] that if he desires, his end will be to covet? [Hence,] we learn to say 'you shall not desire' 'and you shall not covet.' From where [do I know] that if a man coveted, his end will be to steal? [Hence,] we learn to say 'They covet fields, and steal' (Michah 2:2)."
(3) The root of this commandment is known, since distancing theft from among men is useful for all, and the intellect is a trustworthy witness to the thing. And there is no lengthy discussion of [its] laws, as all of its content is elucidated in Scripture (see Tur, Choshen Mishpat 359).
(א) שלא להתאוות ממון חברו - שנמנענו לקבע במחשבתנו להתאוות מה שביד אחד מאחינו בני ישראל, לפי שקביעות המחשבה בתאוה על אותו דבר יהיה סבה לעשות תחבולה לקחת אותו ממנו, ואף על פי שאין רצונו למכרו, או על ידי מקח או חליפין או בחזקה, אם לא נוכל בענין אחר. ועל זה נאמר (דברים ה יח) ולא תתאוה בית רעך וגו'. וכתב הרמב''ם זכרונו לברכה (ספר המצוות ל''ת רסו) שאין שני הלאוין שהן לא תחמד שבסדר וישמע יתרו, ולא תתאוה שבסדר זה לאוין כפולין בענין אחד, אבל הם שני ענינים שלאו דלא תחמד ימנענו מלקחת בשום צד, בין בדמים בין שלא בדמים מה שקנו זולתנו אם איננו חפץ למכר אותו דבר, ולאו זה דלא תתאוה ימנענו אפילו התאוה בו בתוך לבנו, כי עם התאוה, יבוא להתחנן לו ולהכביד עליו למכרו או להחליפו לו בכלי אחר על כל פנים. ואף על פי שהאחד מאלו הלאוין מושך את חבירו שנים יחשבו מכל מקום, והרי אתה רואה החלוק שביניהם.
(ב) ואל תתמה לומר ואיך יהיה בידו של אדם, למנוע לבבו מהתאוות אל אוצר כל כלי חמדה שיראה ברשות חבירו, והוא מכלם ריק וריקם? ואיך תביא התורה מניעה במה שאי אפשר לו לאדם לעמד עליו? שזה הדבר אינו כן, ולא יאמרו אותו, זולתי הטפשים הרעים והחטאים בנפשותם, כי האמנם, ביד האדם למנע עצמו ומחשבותיו ותאוותיו מכל מה שירצה, וברשותו ובדעתו להרחיק ולקרב חפצו בכל הדברים כרצונו, ולבו מסור בידו, על כל אשר יחפץ יטנו, והשם אשר לפניו כל תעלומות, חופש כל חדרי בטן, רואה כליות ולב, אין אחת קטנה, או גדולה, טובה או רעה מכל מחשבות האדם, נעלמת ממנו, ולא נסתרת מנגד עיניו, ישיב נקם לעוברי רצונו בלבבם, ונוצר חסד לאלפים לאוהביו המפנים לעבודתו מחשבותם, שאין טוב לאדם כמו המחשבה הטובה והזכה, כי היא ראשית כל המעשים וסופן, וזהו לפי הדומה, ענין לב טוב ששבחו חכמים במסכת אבות (פ''ב מ''ט). והראיה שאלו שני הלאוין שזכרנו חלוקים בענינם ונחשבין לשנים מה שאמרו במכלתא לא תחמד בית רעך, ולהלן הוא אומר ולא תתאוה לחיב על התאוה בפני עצמה ועל החמוד בפני עצמו ושם נאמר מנין שאם נתאוה, סופו לחמד? תלמוד לומר לא תתאוה ולא תחמוד מנין שאם חמד אדם, סופו לגזל? תלמוד לומר (מיכה ב, ב) וחמדו שדות וגזלו.
(ג) שרש מצוה זו ידוע הוא כי הרחקת הגזל מבין בני אדם, היא תועלת הכל, והשכל עד נאמן בדבר. ואין בה אריכות דינין שכל ענינה מבאר בכתוב [ח''מ סימן שנט].
(1) Not to desire the money of your friend: That we were prevented from fixing in our thoughts to desire what is in the hand of one of our brothers, the Children of Israel; since the fixing of the desire for that thing in our heart will become a cause to create machinations to get it from him - even though it is not his will to sell them - by purchase or exchange or, if we cannot [acquire it] in any other way, by force. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 5:18), "you shall not desire the house of your neighbor, etc." And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Mitzvot Lo Taase 266), that the two negative commandments - which are "you shall not covet," which is in the Order of Vayishma Yitro, and "you shall not desire" in this Order - are not repeated negative commandments about one matter. Rather, they are two matters. As the negative commandment of "you shall not covet" will prevent him from taking that which someone besides him acquired, in any way - whether with money or without money - if [the owner] does not want to sell that thing. But this negative commandment of "you shall not desire" will prevent him from even the desire for it in his heart. As with the desire, he will come to supplicate him and to pressure him to sell it or trade it for another vessel, no matter what. And even though one of these negative commandments brings its fellow, they are considered two nonetheless. And behold, you [can] see the difference between them.
(2) And do not wonder to say, "And how is it in the hand of a man to prevent his heart from desiring the storehouse of every delightful vessel that he sees in the hand of his fellow, whereas he is totally empty of them; and how does the Torah bring a prevention about that which is impossible for a man to uphold?" As the thing is not like this, and only silly evildoers and those that sin with their souls say it. As truly, it is in the hand of a man to prevent himself and his thoughts and his desires from anything that he wants. And [it is] within his control and his cognizance to distance and to bring close his want for all things according to his will. And his heart is given into his hand; to anything that he wants can he incline it. And God - in front of Whom are all hidden things - 'searches all the rooms of the belly, sees the kidney and the heart.' There is not one from all of the thoughts of man - little or big, good or bad - that is hidden from Him; and it is not covered from His eyes. [Hence] He will bring vengeance upon those that transgress His will in their hearts, and 'safeguards kindness for the thousands [of generations] for those that love Him,' who dedicate their thoughts to His service. As there is nothing as good for a man as good and pure thought, as it is the beginning of all actions, and their end. And this is apparently the matter of the 'good heart,' that the Sages praised in Tractate Avot 2:9. And the proof that these two negative commandments are different in their content and considered two [distinct commandments] is that which they said in Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon bar Yochai 20:14, "'You shall not covet your neighbor's house' (Exodus 20:14), and later it states, 'and you shall not desire,' to make liable for the desire on its own and for the coveting on its own." And there, it [also] says, "From where [do I know] that if he desires, his end will be to covet? [Hence,] we learn to say 'you shall not desire' 'and you shall not covet.' From where [do I know] that if a man coveted, his end will be to steal? [Hence,] we learn to say 'They covet fields, and steal' (Michah 2:2)."
(3) The root of this commandment is known, since distancing theft from among men is useful for all, and the intellect is a trustworthy witness to the thing. And there is no lengthy discussion of [its] laws, as all of its content is elucidated in Scripture (see Tur, Choshen Mishpat 359).