To not covet: To not bring up to our thoughts to do a machination to take for ourselves that which is someone else’s of our brothers, as it is stated (Exodus 20:14), “You shall not covet the house of your neighbor, etc.” And they, may their memory be blessed, have already proven (Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael 20:14:3) from a different verse [in which] it is written (Deuteronomy 7:25), “do not covet, etc. and you shall take for yourself,” that the negative commandment of “you shall not covet” is not completed until he acts upon it. And even if he gives money to his fellow for the object [that he coveted], he [still] transgresses the negative commandment of “you shall not covet.” As the negative commandment of “you shall not covet” is not rectified by the giving of money, so long as he took it from him coercively. Such is the true explanation of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed.
It is from the roots of this commandment that since it is a bad thought, it causes a person many mishaps. As once he fixes it into his thought to take the thing that he covets from him, that bad desire will not pay attention to anything; and if his fellow will not want to sell it to him, he will take it from him by force. And if he stands up to him, it is possible that he will [even] kill him; as we found (I Kings 21) that Navot was killed for his vineyard that Ahav coveted from him. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Robbery and Lost Property 1:11.)
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דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, אֵיךְ רָאוּי לְהִתְרַחֵק הַרְבֵּה מִן הַמִּדָּה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת, מְבֹאָרִים בִּמְקוֹמוֹת בַּגְּמָרָא בְּפִזּוּר וּבַמִּדְרָשׁוֹת (ח"ה סוף סימן שנט).
The laws of this commandment [and] how it is fitting to greatly distance oneself from this bad trait are elucidated in scattered places in the Gemara and in the Midrash. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 359 at the end.)
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. But one who transgresses it and covets — even if he does some act with it — is not liable for lashes, as it is something that is given to returning. As behold, even if he took it from him by force, it is [still] given to returning. And nonetheless, behold, he is like one that transgresses the commandment of the King, may He be elevated — and how many are the messengers of the King, may He be elevated, to take His vengeance from him!
שֶׁלֹּא לַחְמֹד – שֶׁלֹּא לְהַעֲלוֹת בְּמַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת תַּחְבּוּלָה לָקַחַת לָנוּ מָה שֶׁהוּא לְזוּלָתֵנוּ מֵאַחֵינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ יד) לֹא תַחְמֹד בֵּית רֵעֶךָ וְגוֹ'. וּכְבָר הוֹכִיחוּ ז"ל (מכילתא יתרו) מִפָּסוּק אַחֵר דִּכְתִיב (דברים ז כה) לֹא תַחְמֹד וְגוֹ' וְלָקַחְתָּ לָךְ. שֶׁאִסּוּר לָאו דְּלֹא תַחְמֹד אֵינוֹ נִגְמָר עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה. וַאֲפִילּוּ נָתַן הַדָּמִים לַחֲבֵרוֹ עַל הַחֵפֶץ, עוֹבֵר גַּם כֵּן עַל לָאו דְּלֹא תַחְמֹד, שֶׁאֵין לָאו דְּלֹא תַחְמֹד נִתְקַן בִּנְתִינַת הַדָּמִים כָּל זְמַן שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הֶכְרֵחַ לְקָחוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, כֵּן הוּא הַפֵּרוּשׁ הָאֲמִתִּי לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל.
To not covet: To not bring up to our thoughts to do a machination to take for ourselves that which is someone else’s of our brothers, as it is stated (Exodus 20:14), “You shall not covet the house of your neighbor, etc.” And they, may their memory be blessed, have already proven (Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael 20:14:3) from a different verse [in which] it is written (Deuteronomy 7:25), “do not covet, etc. and you shall take for yourself,” that the negative commandment of “you shall not covet” is not completed until he acts upon it. And even if he gives money to his fellow for the object [that he coveted], he [still] transgresses the negative commandment of “you shall not covet.” As the negative commandment of “you shall not covet” is not rectified by the giving of money, so long as he took it from him coercively. Such is the true explanation of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי מִצְוָה זוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁמַּחְשָׁבָה רָעָה הִיא זוֹ וְגוֹרֶמֶת לוֹ לָאָדָם תַּקָּלוֹת הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁיִּקְבַּע בְּמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ לָקַחַת מִמֶּנּוּ אוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר שֶׁחָמַד מִתּוֹךְ אוֹתָהּ תַּאֲוָה רָעָה לֹא יַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּשׁוּם דָּבָר, וְאִם לֹא יִרְצֶה חֲבֵרוֹ לְמָכְרוֹ יֶאֱנֹס אוֹתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, וְאִם יַעֲמֹד כְּנֶגְדּוֹ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיַּהַרְגֶנּוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר מָצִינוּ בְּנָבוֹת שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג עַל כַּרְמוֹ שֶׁחָמַד מִמֶּנּוּ אַחְאָב (עיין הלכות גזילה ואבידה פ' א' ה' י"א).
It is from the roots of this commandment that since it is a bad thought, it causes a person many mishaps. As once he fixes it into his thought to take the thing that he covets from him, that bad desire will not pay attention to anything; and if his fellow will not want to sell it to him, he will take it from him by force. And if he stands up to him, it is possible that he will [even] kill him; as we found (I Kings 21) that Navot was killed for his vineyard that Ahav coveted from him. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Robbery and Lost Property 1:11.)
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, אֵיךְ רָאוּי לְהִתְרַחֵק הַרְבֵּה מִן הַמִּדָּה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת, מְבֹאָרִים בִּמְקוֹמוֹת בַּגְּמָרָא בְּפִזּוּר וּבַמִּדְרָשׁוֹת (ח"ה סוף סימן שנט).
The laws of this commandment [and] how it is fitting to greatly distance oneself from this bad trait are elucidated in scattered places in the Gemara and in the Midrash. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 359 at the end.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְחָמַד, וַאֲפִלּוּ עָשָׂה בּוֹ שׁוּם מַעֲשֶׂה אֵינוֹ חַיָּב מַלְקוּת, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר שֶׁנִּתָּן לְהִשָּׁבוֹן, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֲפִלּוּ אֲנָסוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ לְהִשָּׁבוֹן נִתָּן. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הֲרֵי הוּא כְּעוֹבֵר עַל מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ יִתְעַלֶּה, וְכַמָּה שְׁלוּחִים יֵשׁ לַמֶּלֶךְ יִתְעַלֶּה לִטּוֹל נִקְמָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ.
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. But one who transgresses it and covets — even if he does some act with it — is not liable for lashes, as it is something that is given to returning. As behold, even if he took it from him by force, it is [still] given to returning. And nonetheless, behold, he is like one that transgresses the commandment of the King, may He be elevated — and how many are the messengers of the King, may He be elevated, to take His vengeance from him!