Lifnei Iver

From Halachipedia
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

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

  1. 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]
  2. 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.
  3. 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]

Non-religious Jews

  1. 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.[5] This does not apply to the Biblical cases of lifnei iver.[6]

Links

Related Pages

Sources

  1. Vayikra 19:14
  2. Rambam Sefer HaMitzvot (Lavin 299)
  3. Bava Metsia 75b
  4. Or Letzion (v. 2 p. 153 16:7)
  5. Dagul Mirvava to Shach YD 151:6
  6. Shach 159:3 applies lifnei iver to giving interest to a mumar.