[Avodah] All transgressions are sins?
Daniel Eidensohn
yadmoshe at 012.net.il
Thu Dec 13 14:20:21 PST 2007
I am looking for a clear source that every transgression of a negative
comandment is a sin which requires teshuva.
In particular I am studying the prohibition of ona'ah - fraud. It is
prohibited for someone to overcharge by a sixth. If he overcharges more
the sale is invalid while if he overcharges less than a sixth it is
assumed that the buyer is mochel - and presumably there is no sin.
Is it necessary to do teshuva for overcharging by a sixth? The halacha
is that if you are overcharged you have a finite amount of time to
complain and then go to court to collect the overcharge. After that time
has passed you can not collect in court. If you don't complain by that
time it would seem to be assumed you are mochel. If you are mochel how
can there be a sin?
Basically I am asking whether there is a group of prohibitions which
when violated do not constitute sins even though they do require
payment. Another example would be damaging another's property. What if
you pay a person $1000 and then smash his window. Have you done a sin
which is manifest in your soul? Or is the Torah simply saying don't do
it and if you do you must pay - but it is not a sin.
Where does it say that violation of every negative commandent
constitutes a sin which causes spiritual degradation that requires
teshuva? Obviously a negative commandemnt means don't do it. But is it a
spiritual blemish?
Daniel Eidensohn
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