Devarim (Deuteronomy): Ki Teitzei > Ch 24

Don’t take millstones for collateral

• One shall not take the lower or the upper millstone as security [for a loan], because he is taking a life as security.

Kidnapping is punishable by death

• If a man is discovered kidnapping any person from among his brothers, of the children of Israel, and treats him as a slave and sells him that thief shall die, so that you shall clear out the evil from among you.

Treat tzara’ath according to instructions given to Levite priests

• Be cautious regarding the lesion of tzara'ath, to observe meticulously and you shall according to all that the Levite priests instruct you; as I have commanded them, [so shall you] observe to do.

Remember what the Lord, your G-d, did to Miriam on the way, when you went out of Egypt.

When you lend your fellow [Jew] any item, you shall not enter his home to take his security.

• You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you are extending the loan shall bring the security to you outside. And if he is a poor man, you shall not lie down [to sleep] with his security. You shall return the security to him by sunset, so that he may lie down [to sleep] in his garment, and he will bless you, and it will be counted for you as merit before the Lord, your G-d.

You shall not withhold wages of a poor worker

• You shall not withhold the wages of a poor or destitute hired worker, of your brothers or of your strangers who are in your land within your cities. You shall give him his wage on his day and not let the sun set over it, for he is poor, and he risks his life for it, so that he should not cry out to the Lord against you, so that there should be sin upon you.

Fathers should not be put to death because of sons, and vice versa

• Fathers shall not be put to death because of sons, nor shall sons be put to death because of fathers; each man shall be put to death for his own transgression.

You shall not pervert the judgment of a stranger or an orphan, and you shall not take a widow's garment as security [for a loan].

When collecting harvest, leave some of it for the poor

• You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord, your G-d, redeemed you from there; therefore, I command you to do this thing. When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to take it; it shall be [left] for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord, your G-d, will bless you in all that you do. When you beat your olive tree, you shall not deglorify it [by picking all its fruit] after you; it shall be [left] for the stranger, the orphan and the widow. When you pick the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean after you: it shall be [left] for the stranger, the orphan and the widow. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt: therefore, I command you to do this thing.

Research & Analysis

• Remember what the Lord, your G-d, did to Miriam on the way, when you went out of Egypt. See Bamidbar Ch12