Lifnei Iver
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Based on the pasuk "Lifnei Iver Lo TIten Michshol" - "Before a blind person one should not place a stumbling block,"[1] chazal understand that there is a prohibition to cause another Jew to violate a prohibition of the Torah.[2]
Practical Examples
- For example, one who borrows and pays back with interest, besides for other transgressions of interest, the borrower is in violation of Lifnei Iver.[3]
- Regarding leaving a commercial website or a vending machine on during Shabbat in a place where non-religious Jews may use it, see Minchat Yitzchak 5:14, Shevet HaLevi 8:40(1), 10:57, Chelket Yacov 70, VeYan Shmuel 8:11, Rabbi Shmuel Pinchasi (VeDaber Davar 6:12, pg 148), Maareh habezek 5:37, and Darkei David 2:38.
- Right before Shabbat it is forbidden to get in a taxi if the driver is Jewish if there’s not enough time for him to get home before Shabbat after he drops you off.[4]
- It is forbidden for a minyan to daven in a room that they know a Jew will turn off the lights after they're finished. Even though he's doing it on his own, he wouldn't have done so if they didn't daven there.[5]
Non-religious Jews
- There are poskim who are lenient regarding the rabbinic form of lifnei iver for a non-religious Jew specifically if he is going to violate the prohibition intentionally.[6] This does not apply to the biblical cases of lifnei iver.[7]
