LIFNEI IVER AND BUSINESS ETHICS Written by Yoel Tobin I. THE BASIC CONCEPT Vayikra 19:14 1 You shall not curse a deaf person. You shall not place a stumbling block before a blind person, and you shall fear your God. I am the Lord. ויקרא יט: די )א ת ק לּ ל ח ר שׁ ו ל פ נ י ע וּ ר 'א ת תּ ן מ כ שׁ ל ו י ר את מ א,ה י* א נ י י הוֹ ה 1. How would you interpret the prohibition on placing a "stumbling block" before the "blind"? 2. Are the "blind" limited to people who physically cannot see, or might they also include people who are "blind" in other ways? 3. If "blind" has a broader meaning, what might constitute a "stumbling block" that you cannot place before them? Rashi on Vayikra 19:14 You shall not place a stumbling block before a blind person: Before someone who is blind in a particular matter, do not give him advice that is not appropriate for him. רשי, ויקרא יט: די ולפני עור לא תתן מכשל: לפני הסומא בדבר לא תיתן עצה שאינה הוגנת לו Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Rotseah ushmirat Nefesh 12:14 Similarly, anyone who causes a person who is blind with regard to a certain matter to stumble and gives him improper advice, or who reinforces a transgressor - who is spiritually blind, for he does not see the path of truth, because of the desires of his heart - transgresses a negative commandment, as Leviticus 19:14 states: "Do not place an obstacle in front of a blind man." When a person comes to ask advice from you, give him proper counsel. רמב"ם, משנה תורה, הלכות רוצח ושמירת נפש יב:יד וכן כל המכשיל עור בדבר והשיאו עצה שאינה הוגנת או שחיזק ידי עוברי עבירה שהוא עור ואינו רואה דרך האמת מפני תאות לבו הרי זה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר ולפני עור לא תתן מכשול הבא ליטול ממך עצה תן לו עצה ההוגנת לו 1. How does Rashi interpret the concept of blindness in the pasuk? How does Rambam? 2. Why might the recipient of bad advice be characterized as "blind"? Why does Rambam think that a sinner is "blind"? 1 Some English translations in this source sheet are from Chabad.org, others are by Yoel Tobin 1
II. Applications of Lifnei Iver A. Theft Talmud Bavli, Bava Metzia 5b And Rabbi Yehudah said, "A typical shepherd is not accepted as a witness" [because a thief cannot testify, and a shepherd is presumed to act as a thief by allowing his animals to graze on other people's property].... This is only true if the shepherd is taking care of his own animals, but not if he is taking care of the animals of others [in which case we assume that the grazing does not involve theft.] For if you did not acknowledge that distinction, how could we give our animals to a shepherd? For it is written (Lev. 19:14), "Do not place a stumbling block before the blind." תלמוד בבלי מסכת בבא מציעא ה: ואמר רב יהודה סתם רועה פסול... הא דידיה הא דעלמא דאי לא תימא הכי אנן חיותא לרועה היכי מסרינן והא כתיב (ויקרא יט) לפני עור לא תתן מכשול 1. The Gemara clearly wants us to avoid taking actions that would trigger theft by others. How might the Gemara's concerns be applicable to us today, as consumers, investors or businesspeople? 2. Can you buy goods that you know are stolen? What if you suspect they are stolen, but are not sure? 3. Can you invest money in an enterprise that "steals" from its employees by violating minimum wage or overtime laws? Can you shop there? B. Paying Bribes Devarim 16:19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show favoritism, and you shall not take a bribe. דברים טז:יט "א ת טּ ה מ שׁ פּ ט "א ת כּ יר פּ נ ים ו "א ת קּ ח שׁ ח ד Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Sanhedrin 23:2 Just as the recipient [of a bribe] transgresses a negative commandment; so, too, does the giver, as [Leviticus 19:14] states: Do not place a stumbling block before the blind." רמב"ם, משנה תורה, הלכות סנהדרין כג:ב וכשם שהלוקח עובר בלא תעשה כך הנותן שנאמר ולפני עור לא תתן מכשול C. Loans Talmud Bavli, Bava Metzia 75b Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: He who lends money without witnesses present violates "And you shall not place a stumbling block before the blind." תלמוד בבלי מסכת בבא מציעא עה: אמר רב יהודה אמר רב כל מי שיש לו מעות ומלוה אותן שלא בעדים עובר משום ולפני עור לא תתן מכשול 2
Rashi, Talmud Bavli Bava Metzia 75b Violates Lifnei Iver: in that the borrower will be tempted to deny the debt רשי, תלמוד בבלי מסכת בבא מציעא עה: עובר משום לפני עור: שעולה על רוחו של לוה לכפור 1. Is this application of lifnei iver fair to the lender? 2. Isn't the lender risking his own money to assist the borrower? Is it really the lender's fault if the borrower decides to cheat him? Hershey H. Friedman & Linda W. Friedman The Financial Meltdown of 2008: The Perspective of Jewish Law 2 Mortgage brokers who counseled poor people to take on mortgages that they would have no way of repaying a few years down the road, and -- because of their own greed -- not even warning customers of the potential dangers, were clearly violating the principle of lifnei iver. Question for Thought: 1. Suppose the mortgage broker provided appropriate advice, but the poor person wanted to take out an inappropriate loan anyway. What should the mortgage broker do in that situation? D. Dangerous Goods or Services Mishnah Avodah Zarah 1:7 We do not sell to them [i.e., to idol worshippers] bears or lions, or anything else that is harmful to the public. We do not build a... stadium with them. Hershey H. Friedman Placing a Stumbling Block Before the Blind Person: An In-Depth Analysis In Talmudic times, wild animals were used in stadiums to kill people for sport. 3 משנה עבודה זרה א:ז אין מוכרין להן דובין ואריות, ולא כל דבר שיש בו ניזקה לרבים. אין בונין עימהן... אסטדיא. Question for Thought: 1. Might facilitating professional boxing matches or professional football games raise somewhat similar ethical or halachic problems, given the brutality of those sports and the serious injuries suffered by some of their participants? 2 http://www.jlaw.com/articles/placingstumbling.html 3 Hebrew text is from mechon-mamre.org, and differs slightly from other versions. 3
Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Rotseah ushmirat Nefesh 12:12, 12:14 Halacha 12 It is forbidden to sell idol worshippers any weaponry. We may not sharpen weapons for them or sell them a knife, chains put on the necks of prisoners, fetters, iron chains, raw Indian iron, bears, lions, or any other object that could cause danger to people at large. One may, however, sell them shields, for these serve only the purpose of defense. Halacha 14 Every article that is forbidden to be sold to an idol worshipper is also forbidden to be sold to a Jewish robber, for by doing so one reinforces a transgressor and causes him to sin. רמב"ם, משנה תורה, הלכות רוצח ושמירת נפש יב:יב, יב:יד יב. אסור למכור לעובדי כוכבים כל כלי המלחמה ואין משחיזין להם את הזיין ואין מוכרין להן לא סכין ולא קולרין ולא כבלים [של ברזל] ולא שלשלאות של ברזל הינדואה ולא דובים ואריות ולא כל דבר שיש בו נזק לרבים אבל מוכרין להן תריסין שאינן אלא להגן: יד. כל שאסור למכור לעובד כוכבים אסור למכור לישראל שהוא ליסטים מפני שנמצא מחזיק יד עוברי עבירה ומכשילו. 1. Is it permissible to own a gun shop? To invest in a corporation that sells weapons? 2. In today's world, can a gun store owner reasonably rely on generally applicable laws (e.g., laws requiring background checks) designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and other dangerous people? 3. What other types of potentially harmful goods or services might raise concerns? Meir Tamari Spiritual & Ethical Issues in the Stories of Sh'mot 4 Giving, selling or even advertising goods that are harmful to physical, mental or spiritual health, either because of the obligation on the buyers not to cause damage to their own bodies or because of their infringing the Torah's commandments [violates lifnei iver]... An example... is the issur against the trade in cigarettes (attributed to Harav Ovadia Yosef). Jewish trade in harmful food or drink, drugs and pornography would similarly seem to transgress Lifnei Iver. 4 http://www.ou.org/torah/tt/5767/chukat67/navi.htm 4
Jill Jacobs and Noah Leavitt Other People's Money 5 The placement of casinos or advertisements for casinos in low-income neighborhoods violates the biblical precept lifnei iver lo titen michshol -- "do not place a stumbling block before the blind," generally interpreted as a prohibition on tempting a person to do something that she or he knows to be wrong. The addictive nature of gambling makes the placement of casinos among those most in need of money akin to offering drugs or alcohol to someone in recovery. 1. The Tamari article references Jewish trade in "harmful food or drink" as seeming to transgress lifnei iver. Might manufacturing, advertising, or selling sugary sodas or candy bars be prohibited by lifnei iver? What other food or drink items might fall in this category? 2. Does lifnei iver reflect a general ethical principle that it is wrong to help someone harm themselves or others? 3. Is there a point at which not tripping up others becomes overly heavy-handed and intrusive? Consider both the intrusion on the buyer's autonomy, as well as the burden on the seller. III. Possible Limitations on the Scope of Lifnei Iver Talmud Bavli, Nedarim 62b Rav Ashi owned a forest, and then sold it to a house of fire [worshippers]. Ravina said to R. Ashi, "But there is [the verse] (Lev. 19), 'You shall not place a stumbling block before the blind'"? Rav Ashi said to him, "Most trees are used for heating [rather than idol worship]." תלמוד בבלי מסכת נדרים סב: רב אשי הוה ליה ההוא אבא זבניה לבי נורא א"ל רבינא לרב אשי האיכא (ויקרא יט) לפני עור לא תתן מכשול א"ל רוב עצים להסקה ניתנו Question for Thought: 1. This story appears to suggest a potential limitation on the doctrine of lifnei iver. How would you formulate that limitation? 5 http://www.ou.org/torah/tt/5767/chukat67/navi.htm 5
Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 6b How do we know that a person shall not extend a glass of wine to a Nazirite, or a limb from a live animal to non-jews? The Torah says (Lev. 19:14), "And you shall not place a stumbling block before the blind." And behold, here the [Nazirite or non-jew] could take the forbidden food or drink for himself without assistance, and yet [the facilitator nevertheless] violates "You shall not place a stumbling block before the blind"! [No,] we are dealing with a case where the two people are on opposite banks of a river [such that the Nazirite or non-jew needs help to obtain the forbidden item]. תלמוד בבלי מסכת עבודה זרה ו: מנין שלא יושיט אדם כוס של יין לנזיר ואבר מן החי לבני נח ת"ל (ויקרא יט) ולפני עור לא תתן מכשול והא הכא דכי לא יהבינן ליה שקלי איהו וקעבר משום לפני עור לא תתן מכשול הב"ע דקאי בתרי עברי נהרא 1. Does the gemara appear to suggest that the prohibition of lifnei iver does not apply where the sin probably would occur anyway, with or without your assistance? 2. Is there a significant ethical difference between facilitating a bad act that will probably occur anyway, and providing crucial and irreplaceable assistance to such an act? Avraham Tennenbaum, "Cursed is He Who Causes the Blind to Lose Their Way": From Tripping Up a Blind Person to File Sharing on the Internet Economic reality today is so complex, that every commercial act necessarily affects others. Sometimes, it winds up benefiting precisely those people whom we would not want to support. The principle of "lifnei iver" gives a logical direction to the road that should be taken. In order to prevent unsustainable losses, flexible and logical rules were created, and the main one is that someone involved in commerce does not need to delve too deeply into the motives of the other party. This and more. If the commercial act would in any case occur with someone else, then he can take part. Although if he can give up the transaction, that is desirable. אברהם טננבוים, "ארור משגה ע ור בדרך": למן הכשלת עיוור ועד לשיתוף קבצים 6 באינטרנט המציאות הכלכלית כיום היא כה מורכבת, עד שכל פעולה מסחרית משפיעה בהכרח גם על אחרים. לעתים, היא מטיבה דווקא עם מי שלא היינו רוצים לתמוך בהם. הכלל "לפני ע ור" נותן כיוון הגיוני לדרך שיש לילך בה. כדי להימנע מהפסדים שלא ניתן לעמוד בהם, נוצרו כללים גמישים והגיוניים, והעיקר בהם הוא שהעוסק במסחר אינו צריך לחקור יתר על המידה אחר מניעיו של הצד השני. זאת ועוד. אם ממילא תתבצע הפעולה העסקית עם גורם אחר ולא עמו, הוא יכול לקחת חלק בה. אך אם הוא יכול לוותר עליה, רצוי שיוותר עליה. Question for thought: 1. Do the principles suggested in the article strike a reasonable balance between not facilitating evil or destructive acts, on the one hand, and the practicalities of running a business and not intruding into everyone else's affairs, on the other? 6 http://www.mishpat.ac.il/teachers/tennenbaum/hachshala-375.pdf 6