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Saturday, January 10, 2026

Shemos - HARMFUL REBOUNDS

 

Shemos 2.13 HARMFUL REBOUNDS

ויאמר לרשע למה תכה ריעך - It is interesting to note the use of the word ריעך  here, where seemingly these people were far from being called friends. Rashi notes this and says the victim was not his comrade but  רשע כמותך. Perhaps we may also glean from here that often we fight, hit, insult and hurt those are closest to us because of the safe assumption that it won't really affect anything. We think to ourselves, "They'll come around. We're family. He needs me. She'll bounce back." But similar to the one who raised his hand but did not physically harm his fellow, is deemed a Rasha, the Torah is teaching us that WITHOUT  any apparent damage and with no permanent effects visible, you might think "no harm done". But it is not so. An innocuous invisible damage HAS taken place. And the assailant is called a Rasha even with היזק שאינו ניכר.