[Avodah] Love the ger - who?

[Daniel Eidensohn]

Concerning the term ger - is it stranger or proselyte. The language of 
the sources are not always clear. It would seem though that proselyte 
makes more sense in most cases.

Rashi seems to fit both categories.

*Rashi[1] <#_ftn1>(Shemos 22:20): You shall not upset a ger (outsider) – 
*This is referring to upsetting with speech by verbally attacking or 
ridiculing him. This is exressed in (Yishaya 29:26): 26. And I will feed 
those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken 
with their own blood, as with sweet wine…*Nor oppress him - * by 
stealing his money. *For you were outsiders in Egypt - * Therefore if 
you upset him by the way you talk to him he can also upset you and to 
say to you that you also come from gerim (outsiders). Thus the blemish 
you have you shouldn’t use to demean others. The term ger (outsider) 
always indicates a person who was not born in that land but rather came 
from another land to dwell there.

[1] <#_ftnref1>  *רש"י (שמות כב:כ): וגר לא תונה* - אונאת דברים, 
קונטרליי"ר בלעז [לקנטר], כמו (ישעיה מט:כו) והאכלתי את מוניך את בשרם: 
*ולא תלחצנו *- בגזילת ממון: *כי גרים הייתם* - אם הוניתו, אף הוא יכול 
להונותך ולומר לך אף אתה מגרים באת, מום שבך אל תאמר לחברך. כל לשון גר, 
אדם שלא נולד באותה מדינה, אלא בא ממדינה אחרת לגור שם

Ramban also seems to understand Rashi as talking about strangers - 
though you could reasonably argue the other way.

*Ramban[1] <#_ftn1>(Shemos 22:20): Do not wrong the stranger or oppress 
him because you were strangers in the land of Egypt. *There is no reason 
why all strangers [in other lands] should be protected by this command 
just because we were once strangers in Egypt. It is also not 
justification for having to provide strangers in all generations with 
assurance that they won’t be wronged or oppressed because of this 
historical fact. Rashi asserts that this reason that “you were strangers 
in Egypt” is the explanation of why we should not oppress strangers. It 
is a warning against verbally annoying strangers. Rashi understands the 
verse to mean that if you oppress the stranger [by pointing out that he 
is a stranger] - he can also oppress you and say that you also are 
descended from strangers. This is accord with the statement of our Sages 
(44b): Don’t taunt another with a blemish that you yourself have. Ibn 
Ezra explained the verse to mean “Remember that you were once strangers 
as he is now.” Nevertheless these explanations are not sufficient reason 
for the law. It seems to me that the correct explanation of this verse 
is that G‑d is saying, “Don’t wrong a stranger or oppress him and think 
that no one will save him from your hand. Because you know very well 
that when you were strangers in Egypt and I saw how the Egyptians 
oppressed you - I avenged you. That is because I see the tears of those 
who are  oppressed - who have no one to comfort them and the power is on 
the side of their oppressor (Koheles 4:1). I save all men from the hand 
of those who are stronger than they are. Similarly you should not 
oppress the widow and the orphan because I hear their cry. All those who 
can not provide their own security can rely on Me.” In another verse 
(Shemos 23:9) G‑d adds another reason, “Because you know the soul of the 
stranger because you were strangers in Egypt.” In other words you know 
very well that every stranger feels depressed and he sighs and cries and 
his eyes are always directed towards G‑d and G‑d is merciful with him 
just as He was merciful with you. This is written in Shemos (2:23): The 
children of Israel sighed because of their servitude and they cried out 
and their cries went up to G‑d because of their servitude.” In other 
words they were not answered by G‑d because of their merit but because 
He had mercy on them because of their servitude.


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[1] <#_ftnref1>  *רמב"ן (שמות כב:כ): כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים* - לא 
הוכשרו כל הגרים בעבור היותנו גרים בארץ זמן, ואין טעם שיהיו מובטחים לעולם 
בעבור כן. ופירש רש"י כי הוא טעם ללא תונו אותו, יזהיר שלא תונה אותו 
בהונאת דברים, שאם הוניתו אף הוא יכל להונותך ולומר לך אף אתה מגרים באת, 
מום שבך אל תאמר לחברך. ור"א אמר זכור כי גרים הייתם כמוהו. ואין בכל זה 
טעם בעיקר: והנכון בעיני כי יאמר, לא תונה גר ולא תלחצנו ותחשבו שאין לו 
מציל מידך, כי אתה ידעת שהייתם גרים בארץ מצרים וראיתי את הלחץ אשר מצרים 
לוחצים אתכם ועשיתי בהם נקמה, כי אני רואה דמעת העשוקים אשר אין להם מנחם 
ומיד עושקיהם כח, ואני מציל כל אדם מיד חזק ממנו.  וכן האלמנה והיתום לא 
תענו כי אשמע צעקתם, שכל אלה אינם בוטחים בנפשם, ועלי יבטחו. ובפסוק האחר 
[שמות כג:ט] הוסיף טעם ואתם ידעתם את נפש הגר כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים . 
כלומר, ידעתם כי כל גר נפשו שפלה עליו והוא נאנח וצועק ועיניו תמיד אל ה' 
וירחם עליו כאשר רחם עליכם, כמו שכתוב (שמות ב:כג) ויאנחו בני ישראל מן 
העבודה ויצעקו ותעל שועתם אל האלהים מן העבודה. כלומר לא בזכותם רק שרחם 
עליהם מן העבודה:


The view of the Ohr HaChaim is clearly that ger is referring to proselyte

*Ohr HaChaim[1] <#_ftn1>(Shemos 22:20): Do not wrong a ger because you 
were gerim in Egypt. *Rashi explains because the ger can retaliate and 
upset you because you were gerim in Egypt. The Ibn Ezra says that you 
should remember that they are like you used to be. Ramban rejects both 
of these interpretations and says simply that you should know that G‑d 
hears the cries of the poor and the oppressed just as He heard your 
cries in Egypt. The explanation of this verse, based on well known 
facts, is that the Jewish soul is rooted in holiness because they are 
descendants of Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov who are the heritage of G‑d. 
Everyone else has an inferior lot. It is well known that people have no 
concern about the debasement and ridicule of others who are different 
from them from the aspect that the other is inferior in holiness. This 
is the cause of ridiculing others. That is why G‑d commanded them not to 
wrong and oppress gerim. G‑d is saying that the reason that He is 
commanding this is because you should not say that the ger has his 
source in evil or that since he is by nature connected to klipah that he 
is inferior to you. That is because you were gerim in Egypt. This is in 
accord to what I have explained in Bereishis (46:3), That I will make 
you into a great nation there. Also concerning (Shemos 20:2) Which I 
have brought you out of the land of Egypt, I explained that the souls of 
the Jews themselves were connected to klipah. Because of this the ger is 
one of you without any distinction. Since the ger is not spiritually 
inferior to you there is no basis for wronging or oppressing him.**


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[1] <#_ftnref1>  *אור החיים (שמות כב:כ): וגר לא תונה וגו' *כי גרים וגו' 
רש"י ז"ל פירש אף הוא יכול להונותך, כי גרים וגו', ור' אברהם פירש זכור כי 
הייתם כמותו ורמב"ן דחה ב' הדרכים ופירש כי תדעו שאשמע צעקת דלים כאשר שמע 
צעקתך וגו':

 ונראה לומר על פי הקדמה הידועה, כי נשמות בני ישראל הם שורש הקדושה, בני 
אברהם יצחק ויעקב, חבל נחלתו יתברך, וכל זולתם הם חלק רע, ולזה לא יקפידו 
בזלזול אדם שאינו מהם ובאונאתו, לצד שיחשבוהו שפחות הוא מהדרגות הקדושה, 
ומזה יולד ענפי האונאה, לזה כאשר צוה עליהם, לבל יונום ולא ילחצום, אמר 
הטעם שאני מצוך לבל תונהו, שאין לך לומר שהוא בחינת שורש הרע, או כיון שהוא 
מוטבע בבחינת הקליפה הרי נגרע מערכך, כי אתם גרים הייתם במצרים, פירוש על 
דרך מה שפירשתי (בראשית מו ג) בפסוק כי לגוי גדול אשימך שם, ובפסוק אשר 
הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים בפרשת יתרו (שמות כ: ב) שנשמות ישראל עצמם היו טבועים 
בקליפה, ואם כן יהיה גר זה כאחד מכם באין הבדל, ולזה לא תונהו ולא תלחצנו:

The gemora Rashi cites is clearly talking about proselytes

*Bava Metzia[1] <#_ftn1>(59b): *It has been taught: R’ Eleazar HaGadol 
said: Why did the Torah warn in 36 places – while others say in 46 
places – against wronging a convert? It is because he has a strong 
inclination to evil [Rashi Horios 13a]. What is the meaning of the verse 
(Shemos 22:20): “You shall not upset a ger (outsider), nor oppress him; 
for you were gerim (outsiders) in Egypt?" It has been taught: R’ Nosson 
said that one should not ridicule another with the blemish you yourself 
have. This idea is expressed in the folk expression “If someone had a 
family member who was hanged one should not say to him, ‘Hang up this 
fish for me.’”


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[1] <#_ftnref1>  *בבא מציעא (נט:):* תניא, רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר: מפני מה 
הזהירה תורה בשלשים וששה מקומות, ואמרי לה בארבעים וששה מקומות בגר - מפני 
שסורו רע. מאי דכתיב [שמות כב:כ] וגר לא תונה ולא תלחצנו כי גרים הייתם 
בארץ מצרים? [תניא] רבי נתן אומר: מום שבך אל תאמר לחברך, והיינו דאמרי 
אינשי: דזקיף ליה זקיפא בדיותקיה לא נימא ליה לחבריה זקיף ביניתא.

*Sifsei Chachomim seems to be referring to stranger not proselyte
*

*Sifsei Chachomim[1] <#_ftn1>(Shemos 22:20): *The reason given in the 
verse “because you were gerim” only applies to not verbally abusing 
gerim but not for the prohibition of stealing their money. It says 
“because you were gerim” to explain that all Jews were in fact gerim – 
even Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov because the term ger means coming from 
some place else and being an outsider.


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[1] <#_ftnref1>  *שפתי חכמים (שמות כב:כ):* צ) וכי גרים הייתם שב על לא 
תונו לבדו שהוא באונאת דברים אבל אינו סיבה למניעת לא תלחצנו שהוא גזילת 
ממון: ק) בא לפרש שכל ישראל גרים היו אף אברהם יצחק ויעקב דכל לשון גר וכו':