# THEFT (secretly and openly)

<div dir="rtl">גְּנֵבָה וּגְזֵלָה</div>

Source: https://ajew.org/reader/sefer-hamidos/1/18


## Segment 1

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מִי שֶׁנִּפְתָּה לִבּוֹ לִגְזֹל וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִתִּיר לְעַצְמוֹ גְּזֵלַת חֲבֵרוֹ, הֲרֵי הוּא מוּכָן לְכָל חֵטְא וְעָוֹן, וְאֵין תַּקָּנָה לַהֲסִירוֹ מִדַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה.

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1. One whose heart is tempted to steal (openly), since he has permitted himself to steal from his fellow, he is poised to commit any sin, and there is no remedy to turn him away from his evil way.


## Segment 2

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בַּעֲווֹן הַגֶּזֶל הַגּוּבַאי עוֹלֶה וְרָעָב הֲוָה וּבְנֵי־אָדָם אוֹכְלִין בְּשַׂר־בְּנֵיהֶם.

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2. Through the sin of stealing, the locusts arise, and there is famine, and people eat the flesh of their children.


## Segment 3

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מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְהַנֶּה אֶת אֲחֵרִים מִמָּמוֹנוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה גַּזְלָנִים בָּאִים עָלָיו.

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3. Someone who does not benefit others with his money, through this robbers come upon him.


## Segment 4

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הַגּוֹזֵל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ שְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה, כְּאִלּוּ נוֹטֵל נִשְׁמָתוֹ וְנִשְׁמַת בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו, וַאֲפִלּוּ גְּרָמָא.

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4. One who steals the worth of a penny from his fellow, it is as if he takes away his soul, and the soul of his sons and daughters, and even (if he stole) indirectly.


## Segment 5

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מִי שֶׁלֹּא חָס עַל מָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא גַּנָּב.

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5. Someone who does not have regard for his friend's money, it is certain that he is a thief.


## Segment 6

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אוֹנָאַת מָמוֹן מֻתָּר לְהַנְאוֹת אֶת עוֹבֵד־אֱלִילִים.

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6. Overpricing is permissible to charge non-Jews.


## Segment 7

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מִי שֶׁקּוֹפֵץ יָדוֹ מִצְּדָקָה, גַּזְלָנִים בָּאִים עָלָיו.

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7. Someone who clenches his hand shut from (giving) charity, robbers come upon him.


## Segment 8

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מִי שֶׁשָּׂם בִּטְחוֹנוֹ עַל הַגּוֹיִים לְסוֹף לוֹקְחִין מִשֶּׁלּוֹ בְּעַל־כָּרְחוֹ.

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8. One who puts his trust in gentiles, in the end they take from him by force.


## Segment 9

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עַל־יְדֵי הַדַּיָּנִים וְהַמְלַמְּדִים שֶׁאֵינָם טוֹבִים גַּם שׁוֹחֲטִים, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה הַשּׂוֹנְאִים אוֹכְלִים פַּרְנָסָתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

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9. Through judges and teachers (of children) that aren't good, also butchers, through this the enemies consume the livelihood of the Jewish people.


## Segment 10

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מִי שֶׁמְּעָרֵב מַשְׁקָיו בְּמַיִם, גַּנָּבִים בָּאִים עָלָיו.

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10. One who dilutes his beverage with water, thieves come upon him. (t.n. This refers to a shopkeeper who has the beverage for sale).


## Segment 11

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מִי שֶׁנּוֹטֵל חֵלֶק מִגְּנֵבָה, לְסוֹף שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה הַדָּבָר.

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11. Someone who takes a portion from a robbery, in the end the matter will be exposed.


## Segment 12

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עִיר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ גַּנָּבִים, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁהָרַב אוֹהֵב שֹׁחַד.

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12. A city in which there are thieves, it is certain that the Rabbi likes bribery.


## Segment 13

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עַל־יְדֵי דְּבָרִים בְּטֵלִים בָּאִים גַּנָּבִים.

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13. Through empty words (conversation), thieves come.


## Segment 14

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מֻתָּר לִגְנֹב דַּעַת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, כְּדֵי לְהַצִּיל נֶפֶשׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל.

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14. It is permissible to deceive others in order to save a Jewish soul.


## Segment 15

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מִי שֶׁמְּבַיֵּשׁ פְּנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ, לְסוֹף שֶׁמֵּקִים עֵדוּת שֶׁקֶר, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּגְזֹל מָמוֹן.

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15. Concerning one who humiliates his friend, in the end he will give false testimony, in order to steal money.


## Segment 16

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מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בִּטָּחוֹן מִנְּעוּרָיו, הוּא נִצּוֹל מִגַּזְלָנִים.

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16. One who has trust (in G-d) from his early years is saved from robbers.


## Segment 17

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עַל־יְדֵי שְׁמִיעַת דִּבְרֵי שְׁטוּת, הַגַּנָּבִים בָּאִים.

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17. Through hearing foolish words, thieves come.


## Segment 18

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עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁקֶר גַּנָּבִים בָּאִים.

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18. Through falsehood, thieves come.


## Segment 19

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עַל־יְדֵי גְּנֵבַת דַּעַת, בָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, חֳלִי הָרֵאָה וְחָזֶה.

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1. Through deception, comes – G-d forbid - sickness of the lungs and chest.


## Segment 20

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עַל־יְדֵי גְּנֵבַת דַּעַת בָּא לִידֵי הִרְהוּרֵי זְנוּת עִם גּוֹיָה.

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2. Through deception, come thoughts of promiscuity with a gentile woman.


## Segment 21

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עַל־יְדֵי גְּנֵבָה מַפְסִיד אֶת הַדַּעַת.

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3. Through theft, one loses cognizance.


## Segment 22

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הַגְּנֵבָה מַזִּיק לָעֵינַיִם.

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4. Theft harms the eyes.


## Segment 23

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עַל־יְדֵי אֲמִירַת תִּקּוּן־חֲצוֹת נִצּוֹל מִגַּנָּבִים.

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5. Through saying Tikkun Chatzot (midnight rectification) one is saved from thieves.


## Segment 24

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מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ צַעַר גִּדּוּל בָּנִים, יִקְרָא בְּכָל יוֹם מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, גַּם עַל־יְדֵי הַקְּרִיאָה נִצּוֹל מֵעֲלִילוֹת שֶׁל גְּזֵלָה.

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6. Someone who has pain raising children should read the (passage in the Torah describing the) Story of Creation (Bereshit, Chapter 1) every day. Also through this reading he is saved from being accused of stealing.