To not have mercy upon a poor person in his case: To not have pity in judgment upon the weak and impoverished at the time of the judgment, but rather one must judge the case truthfully. [It should not be] from the angle of pity upon him, but rather [the judge] must treat [all] the same — whether he is rich or impoverished — to force him to pay what he is obligated; as it is stated (Exodus 23:3), “And you shall not favor an impoverished man in his dispute.” And this matter is repeated in another place (Leviticus 19:15), “do not lift up the face of the impoverished.” And the language of Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 4:2 is “Do not say, ‘He is a poor man and since I and this rich man are obliged to sustain him, I shall vindicate him in judgment, so that he can support himself honorably.’ [Hence,] we learn to say, ‘do not lift up the face of the impoverished.’”
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males. And one who transgresses it and [tips] the judgment in pity of the impoverished has violated the commandment of [the] King. But there are no lashes for it, since there is no act [involved] with it.
שֶׁלֹּא לְרַחֵם עַל עָנִי בַּדִּין – שֶׁלֹּא יַחְמֹל הַדַּיָּן עַל הַחַלָּשׁ וְהַדַּל בִּשְׁעַת הַדִּין, אֶלָּא שֶׁיָּדִין דִּינוֹ לַאֲמִתּוֹ, לֹא עַל צַד הַחֶמְלָה עָלָיו, אֲבָל יַשְׁוֶה בֵּין הֶעָשִׁיר וְהַדַּל, לְהַכְרִיחוֹ לִפְרֹעַ מָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג ג) וְדָל לֹא תֶהְדַּר בְּרִיבוֹ. וְנִכְפָּל זֶה הָעִנְיָן בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט טו) לֹא תִשָּׂא פְנֵי דָל. וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרָא (שם) שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר עָנִי הוּא זֶה, וַאֲנִי וְהֶעָשִׁיר חַיָּבִים לְפַרְנְסוֹ, אֲזַכֶּנּוּ וְנִמְצָא מִתְפַּרְנֵס בִּנְקִיּוּת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לֹא תִשָּׂא פְנֵי דָל.
To not have mercy upon a poor person in his case: To not have pity in judgment upon the weak and impoverished at the time of the judgment, but rather one must judge the case truthfully. [It should not be] from the angle of pity upon him, but rather [the judge] must treat [all] the same — whether he is rich or impoverished — to force him to pay what he is obligated; as it is stated (Exodus 23:3), “And you shall not favor an impoverished man in his dispute.” And this matter is repeated in another place (Leviticus 19:15), “do not lift up the face of the impoverished.” And the language of Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 4:2 is “Do not say, ‘He is a poor man and since I and this rich man are obliged to sustain him, I shall vindicate him in judgment, so that he can support himself honorably.’ [Hence,] we learn to say, ‘do not lift up the face of the impoverished.’”
וְשֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה יָדוּעַ, שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל מֵעִיד בְּהַשְׁוָיַת הַדִּין, שֶׁדָּבָר רָאוּי וְכָשֵׁר הוּא.
And the root of this commandment is well-known, as the intellect testifies to equitability in judgment — since it is a fit and proper thing.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְהִשְׁוָה הַדִּין לְחֶמְלָתוֹ עַל הַדַּל, עָבַר עַל מִצְוַת מֶלֶךְ, וְאֵין בָּהּ מַלְקוּת, שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ מַעֲשֶׂה.
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males. And one who transgresses it and [tips] the judgment in pity of the impoverished has violated the commandment of [the] King. But there are no lashes for it, since there is no act [involved] with it.