One of the ways in which one’s fear of Heaven must be expressed is in the refusal to show favor towards transgressors. If one sees his fellow violating the Torah he must reproach him, saying, “My brother, what you are doing is not right. Recall that Hashem’s eyes roam over the entire earth, so what will you do on the morning that you are called upon to give a reckoning?” This is a serious obligation incumbent upon everyone who knows how to give rebuke. However, one must be sure to rebuke the sinner in private, not in public. For it is written, hoche’ach tochiach [“you shall surely rebuke”; literally, “rebuking you shall rebuke”]. Note that the verb first appears in an impersonal form and only then in the second person. This is to suggest that one must begin by rebuking the offender in an impersonal manner. Thus one should not immediately say, “What you are doing is not right!” Rather one should comment, as if merely relaying information: “Come and see the consequences of sin; when one commits an iniquity one incurs a terrible punishment. I have heard that doing such-and-such brings detriment to the world as well as to the doer himself. For the punishment he incurs is such-and-such.” In this way perhaps the sinner will realize on his own that he has done wrong and make amends. But if he ignores these words of rebuke and shows no sign of abandoning his transgression, one must rebuke him in the second person, although still in private to avoid humiliating him publicly. One must say to him, “Why did you rebel against Hashem our God by doing such-and-such?”
If the sinner still pays no heed and one knows that humiliating him in public will cause him to desist out of shame, one may do so with impunity until he leaves off sinning. Hashem will not consider the humiliation of the sinner in public to be a sin. The guiding principle is that the wise speak and act appropriately and with forethought so that their reward is not offset by guilt, Heaven forbid. But if one sees that the sinner will not accept rebuke it is better not to rebuke him. Concerning this our Sages have said, “Just as it is a mitzvah to say that which will be heeded, so is it a mitzvah to refrain from saying that which will not be heeded” (Yevamos 65b).
In short, if a person sees that his colleague has fallen into sin and there is something he can do to influence him, he must make the effort. And if Hashem grants him success he will be reckoned a public benefactor or at least one who brought merit to a colleague, the reward for which is very great. This can be seen from the following passage from the Zohar (Parashas Tazria, 45b):
Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yose were traveling along the road when they encountered a man whose face was filled with sores. Rabbi Chiya asked him, “Who are you?” The man replied, “I am a Jew.” They looked at him and saw that his face was red from the sores. Rabbi Yose said, “Surely he is a sinner, otherwise his face would not have been disfigured with these sores. Such afflictions are not called ‘afflictions of love.’ ” Rabbi Chiya said, “This is certainly the case. They would be called afflictions of love only if they were hidden from the view of others. And how do we know that a person must give rebuke in private? This can be learned from the way that the Holy One Blessed is He gives rebuke. Someone who rebukes a colleague out of love must do so in private to spare him public humiliation. Thus public rebuke is not a sign of love. “Similarly, the Holy One Blessed is He first rebukes a person with mercy by striking him in private. If he repents, good and well. If not, He then strikes him openly on his face so that others will look at him and know that he is a sinner and that he is not beloved of his Master.
The man listened to this entire exchange and afterwards said, “Do you say these things about me with a single mind?” Whereupon he approached them, saying, “Surely you are among those who dwell in the house of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai who fear no one. But if you say such things behind my back your words will indict you! How can you speak so openly?” They responded, “Thus is it written of the Torah, ‘She cries at the head of the busiest places, at the entrances of the gates; in the city she utters her words’ (Mishlei 1:21). If we were afraid of you in matters of Torah we would be disgraced before the Holy One Blessed is He.” Then the fellow recited, “Who is a God like You, bearing iniquity and passing over transgression, etc.” (Michah 7:18), and he raised his voice and wept.
In the meantime his sons arrived. The youngest one observed, “Heaven has sent my father assistance.” He continued, “ ‘There is a righteous man who is lost on account of his righteousness, etc.’ (Koheles 7:15). This needs explanation. How can a righteous man be lost on account of his righteousness? “The explanation is this: When sinners are numerous and sin and transgression rampant and there is a single righteous man among them, if he fails to rebuke them he will be punished on their account, even though he is perfectly righteous, never sinning at all. “So it is with my father. He has been held accountable for the iniquities of his townsmen. For although they all behaved brazenly towards him, he failed to rebuke them and refrained from speaking harshly to them to avoid shaming them. This is why he was subjected to these afflictions.” The boy’s father spoke up, “Clearly this is why Holy One Blessed is He punished me. For it was within my power to protest yet I refrained from doing so, shaming them neither in private nor in public.” Then another son spoke up, “[It is stated,] ‘I was mute with silence, I did not speak of the good and my pain was stirred up’ (Tehillim 39:3). That is, I saw that people were going along reprehensible paths, yet I was ‘mute with silence.’ I refrained from rebuking them to their faces and did not ‘speak of the good.’ That is, I did not speak beneficial words to turn them from the path of evil to the path of goodness and integrity. Because of this ‘my pain was stirred up’ — that is, terrible afflictions came upon me openly.” When he finished speaking Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yose went and kissed him, etc.
From this incident we learn that whoever refrains from giving rebuke out of fear of human beings will be put to great shame before the Holy One Blessed is He. Moreover, even if he is personally righteous he will be punished on their account, as I have already mentioned. The refusal to flatter the wicked is a source of life to the one who stands up to them and weakens them. By contrast, if he refrains from doing so he may be certain that afflictions will befall him and he will suffer shame and disgrace when he stands in the great court before the Holy One Blessed is He.
Lift your eyes on High and trust in Hashem, for it is He who breaks the arm of the wicked and tramples their fortifications. Be strong and brave in the face of the wicked and you may be certain that all the host of Heaven will assist you. Muster all your limbs and your three hundred and sixty-five sinews in fury against him to prevent him from bringing his evil plans to fruition. If you do this then on account of the fire that burned within you against the wicked it will be reckoned as if your limbs were offered as a burnt sacrifice upon the altar. Even if there is a risk that one will suffer financial loss on account of a particular evildoer, Heaven forbid, one must do his duty. Hashem has many agents and if a person refrains out of concern about financial loss he will suffer the loss anyway, many times over. For whoever curries favor with an evildoer eventually falls into his hand (Sotah 41b). If a person sees that it is impossible to argue with the one he is rebuking because fortune is smiling upon him, nevertheless, he may not do anything to strengthen or encourage him, nor may he assist him in pursuing his transgressions, Heaven forbid. Even if a person is liable to come to physical harm, Heaven forbid, it is still forbidden for him to give aid or encouragement to the wicked, unless his life is at risk. Rather he must try to remove himself from the situation. Under such circumstances removing oneself is permitted but aiding transgressors is not.
The obligation to give rebuke falls in particular upon the rabbis, scholars and judges of every town. If there is no rabbi, Torah authority or permanent judge, then the obligation falls upon each individual Jew to rebuke his neighbor. Through this he causes himself to be beloved both On High and down below, in fulfillment of the verse, “Rebuke the wise and he will love you” (Mishlei 9:8). He also merits entering the Gate of Love, Amein.
אֶחָד מִדַּרְכֵי הַיִּרְאָה הוּא לְבִלְתִּי לָשֵׂאת פָּנִים. כְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה בָּאָדָם שֶׁעוֹבֵר עֲבֵרָה מְחֻיָּב הָרוֹאֶה לְהוֹכִיחוֹ וְלוֹמַר לוֹ: אָחִי, לֹא יָפֶה שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה, כִּי צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת שֶׁעֵינֵי ה' מְשׁוֹטְטִים בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ. וּמַה תַּעֲשֶׂה לְיוֹם בֹּקֶר, אֲשֶׁר מָחָר מֻכְרָח לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן?! זֶהוּ חִיּוּב גָּדוֹל עַל הָאִישׁ הַיּוֹדֵעַ לְהוֹכִיחַ. אָכֵן לֹא יוֹכִיחוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, כִּי אִם בַּנִּסְתָּר. וְעַל זֶה כְּתִיב: הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ. תְּחִלָּה 'הוֹכֵחַ' — בִּלְשׁוֹן נִסְתָּר. רָצָה לוֹמַר, שֶׁיּוֹכִיחֶנּוּ בַּסֵּתֶר, וְאִם לָאו — אֲזַי 'תּוֹכִיחַ' — הוּא לָשׁוֹן נוֹכֵחַ. אָכֵן גַּם כֵּן לֹא בְּנִגְלֶה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְבַיֵּשׁ פָּנָיו בָּרַבִּים, אֶלָּא גַּם כֵּן בְּנִסְתָּר. רַק הַחִלּוּק הוּא, שֶׁבַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹן לֹא יוֹכִיחֶנּוּ בִּלְשׁוֹן נוֹכֵחַ וְלֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ: לֹא יָפֶה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה. אֶלָּא, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה עִנְיַן חֵטְא: כְּשֶׁאָדָם חָטָא, עָנְשׁוֹ גָּדוֹל — דֶּרֶךְ סִפּוּר דְּבָרִים בְּעָלְמָא. וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: הִנֵּה שָׁמַעְתִּי, שֶׁמִּי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה כֵּן — פּוֹגֵם וְנִפְגָם, וְעוֹנְשׁוֹ כָּךְ וְכָךְ.
One of the ways in which one’s fear of Heaven must be expressed is in the refusal to show favor towards transgressors. If one sees his fellow violating the Torah he must reproach him, saying, “My brother, what you are doing is not right. Recall that Hashem’s eyes roam over the entire earth, so what will you do on the morning that you are called upon to give a reckoning?” This is a serious obligation incumbent upon everyone who knows how to give rebuke. However, one must be sure to rebuke the sinner in private, not in public. For it is written, hoche’ach tochiach [“you shall surely rebuke”; literally, “rebuking you shall rebuke”]. Note that the verb first appears in an impersonal form and only then in the second person. This is to suggest that one must begin by rebuking the offender in an impersonal manner. Thus one should not immediately say, “What you are doing is not right!” Rather one should comment, as if merely relaying information: “Come and see the consequences of sin; when one commits an iniquity one incurs a terrible punishment. I have heard that doing such-and-such brings detriment to the world as well as to the doer himself. For the punishment he incurs is such-and-such.” In this way perhaps the sinner will realize on his own that he has done wrong and make amends. But if he ignores these words of rebuke and shows no sign of abandoning his transgression, one must rebuke him in the second person, although still in private to avoid humiliating him publicly. One must say to him, “Why did you rebel against Hashem our God by doing such-and-such?”
כְּדֵי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כָּךְ יַחֲשֹׁב שֶׁזֶּה שֶׁהוּא חָטָא חֵטְא זֶה, וְאוּלַי יְתַקֵּן. וְאִם אַתָּה רוֹאֶה בּוֹ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹתֵן אֶל לִבּוֹ לַעֲזֹב הַחֵטְא, וַעֲדַיִן אֵינוֹ מַשְׁגִּיחַ בִּדְבָרֶיךָ — אֲזַי 'תּוֹכִיחַ' בִּלְשׁוֹן נוֹכֵחַ, וְתֹאמַר: לָמָּה תַּעֲשֶׂה כָּזֹאת לִמְרֹד בַּה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ?! וְאִם עֲדַיִן אֵינוֹ מַשְׁגִּיחַ לָסוּר מֵרֹעַ מַעֲלָלָיו — אִם יָדוּעַ לוֹ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁיְּבַיְּשֶׁנּוּ בָּרַבִּים יִהְיֶה הַבּוּשָׁה עַל פָּנָיו, וְשׁוּב לֹא יֶחֱטָא — יָכוֹל לְבַיְּשׁוֹ עַד שֶׁיָּשׁוּב וְיַעֲזֹב הַחֵטְא, וְלֹא יַחֲשֹׁב ה' לוֹ עָווֹן לְהַמּוֹכִיחַ, עֲבוּר שֶׁמְּבַיֵּשׁ אֶת הַחוֹטֵא. וְהַכְּלָל: הֶחָכָם יְכַלְכֵּל דְּבָרָיו וְעִנְיָנָיו בְּמִשְׁפָּט וּבְהַשְׂכֵּל, שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא שְׂכָרוֹ בְּהֶפְסֵדוֹ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וּבְאִם הוּא רוֹאֶה שֶׁאֵין רוֹצֶה לְקַבֵּל תּוֹכַחְתּוֹ, אֲזַי טוֹב שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹכִיחוֹ. וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמִּצְוָה לוֹמַר דָּבָר הַנִּשְׁמָע, כָּךְ מִצְוָה שֶׁלֹּא לוֹמַר דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִשְׁמָע.
If the sinner still pays no heed and one knows that humiliating him in public will cause him to desist out of shame, one may do so with impunity until he leaves off sinning. Hashem will not consider the humiliation of the sinner in public to be a sin. The guiding principle is that the wise speak and act appropriately and with forethought so that their reward is not offset by guilt, Heaven forbid. But if one sees that the sinner will not accept rebuke it is better not to rebuke him. Concerning this our Sages have said, “Just as it is a mitzvah to say that which will be heeded, so is it a mitzvah to refrain from saying that which will not be heeded” (Yevamos 65b).
וְהַכְּלָל: הָרוֹאֶה בַּחֲבֵרוֹ אֵיזֶה דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְתֻקָּן, וְנִשְׁתָּרֵשׁ בַּחֵטְא — אִם אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּעֻלָּה לַהֲסִירוֹ מֵחֶטְאוֹ, אוּלַי חֵפֶץ ה' בְּיָדוֹ יַעֲלֶה בְּיָדוֹ לְהַצְלִיחַ, אָז הוּא בִּכְלָל כָּל הַמְזַכֶּה אֶת הָרַבִּים אוֹ הַמְזַכֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ לִדְבַר מִצְוָה, אֲזַי שְׂכָרוֹ כָּפוּל וּמְכֻפָּל. וּרְאָיָה מִזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת תַּזְרִיעַ:
In short, if a person sees that his colleague has fallen into sin and there is something he can do to influence him, he must make the effort. And if Hashem grants him success he will be reckoned a public benefactor or at least one who brought merit to a colleague, the reward for which is very great. This can be seen from the following passage from the Zohar (Parashas Tazria, 45b):
רַבִּי חִיָּא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲוֵי אָזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא. פָּגְעוּ בְּחַד בַּר נַשׁ וְאַנְפּוֹי הֲוָה מָלֵא מַכְתְּשִׁין. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּא: מַאן אַנְתְּ? אָמַר לֵיהּ: יְהוּדָאִי אֲנָא. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: אִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ, וַחֲמֵי אַנְפּוֹי סוּמָקִין בְּאִנּוּן מַכְתְּשִׁין (רָצָה לוֹמַר: פָּנָיו הָיָה כִּמְצֹרָע). בְּוַדַּאי חַטָּאָה הוּא, דְּאִי לָאו הָכֵי — לָא אִתְרְשִׁימוּ אַנְפּוֹי בְּאִלֵּין מַרְעִין בִּישִׁין, וְיִסּוּרִין כְּאִלֵּין לָא מִקְרֵי יִסּוּרִים שֶׁל אַהֲבָה. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא: הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּיִסּוּרִים שֶׁל אַהֲבָה לֹא מִקְרֵי אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהֵם מְכֻסִּים מֵרְאִיַּת שְׁאָר בְּנֵי אָדָם. וּמִנַּלַן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת תּוֹכַחַת הָאָדָם הָכֵי? נִלְמָד מִתּוֹכָחוֹת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דְּמָאן דְּאוֹכַח לְחַבְרֵיהּ בְּאַהֲבָה — בָּעֵי לְאוֹכְחָא יֵתֵיהּ בְּסִתְרָא כְּדֵי דְּלָא לִכְסֹף אוֹתוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא. הָא תּוֹכָחָה זוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא אֵינוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲבָה. כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹכַח לְבַר נַשׁ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא וּמָחֵי לֵיהּ בְּסִתְרָא. אִי הֲדָר בֵּיהּ — מוּטָב, וְאִי לָאו — מָחֵי לֵיהּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי בְּגִין דְּאִסְתַּכְּלוּן בֵּיהּ וְיִנְדְּעוּן דְּהוּא חַטָּאָה, וְלָאו רְחִימָא דְּמָרֵיהּ אִיהוּ.
Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yose were traveling along the road when they encountered a man whose face was filled with sores. Rabbi Chiya asked him, “Who are you?” The man replied, “I am a Jew.” They looked at him and saw that his face was red from the sores. Rabbi Yose said, “Surely he is a sinner, otherwise his face would not have been disfigured with these sores. Such afflictions are not called ‘afflictions of love.’ ” Rabbi Chiya said, “This is certainly the case. They would be called afflictions of love only if they were hidden from the view of others. And how do we know that a person must give rebuke in private? This can be learned from the way that the Holy One Blessed is He gives rebuke. Someone who rebukes a colleague out of love must do so in private to spare him public humiliation. Thus public rebuke is not a sign of love. “Similarly, the Holy One Blessed is He first rebukes a person with mercy by striking him in private. If he repents, good and well. If not, He then strikes him openly on his face so that others will look at him and know that he is a sinner and that he is not beloved of his Master.
וְהַאי גַּבְרָא הֲוֵי שָׁמַע כָּל מִלִּין אִלֵּין. אָמַר לְהוּ גַּבְרָא: בְּקוּטְרָא דְּעֵיטָא חֲדָא וּבְדִבּוּר אֶחָד אַתּוּן אַמְרִין עָלַי דְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה? קָרִיב לְגַבֵּיהוֹן. אָמַר: וַדַּאי אַתּוּן מֵאִנּוּן דְּדִיּוּרְהוֹן הוּא בְּבֵית רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי, דְּלָא דַּחֲלִין מִכֹּלָא. אִי אַתּוּן אַמְרִין מִלֵּי אֲבַתְרָאִי — הַנֵּי מִלִּין יְקַטְרְגוּ לְכוּן, אֵיךְ מִלַּיְּכוּ הָכֵי בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא! (רָצָה לוֹמַר, שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם הָאִישׁ: אִי יָבוֹא הַמִּשְׁפָּט לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה קָטֵגוֹרְיָא עִמָּכֶם עַל שֶׁאַתֶּם מְבַיְּשִׁים אוֹתִי בְּגָלוּי, אַף שֶׁאֲנִי חוֹטֵא גָּדוֹל.) אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: בְּאוֹרַיְתָא הָכֵי כָּתוּב, דִּכְתִיב (מִשְׁלֵי א, כא): "בְּרֹאשׁ הֹמִיּוֹת תִּקְרָא, בְּפִתְחֵי שְׁעָרִים בָּעִיר אֲמָרֶיהָ תֹאמֵר" — אִי בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְתָא אֲנַן דַּחֲלִין מִקַּמָּךְ הָא נִשְׁתַּכַּח בְּכִסּוּפָא קַמֵּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. פָּתַח הַאי גַּבְרָא וְאָמַר: מִי אֵל כָּמוֹךָ, נוֹשֵׂא עָווֹן וְעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע וְגוֹ'. אָרִים קָלֵיהּ וּבָכִי.
The man listened to this entire exchange and afterwards said, “Do you say these things about me with a single mind?” Whereupon he approached them, saying, “Surely you are among those who dwell in the house of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai who fear no one. But if you say such things behind my back your words will indict you! How can you speak so openly?” They responded, “Thus is it written of the Torah, ‘She cries at the head of the busiest places, at the entrances of the gates; in the city she utters her words’ (Mishlei 1:21). If we were afraid of you in matters of Torah we would be disgraced before the Holy One Blessed is He.” Then the fellow recited, “Who is a God like You, bearing iniquity and passing over transgression, etc.” (Michah 7:18), and he raised his voice and wept.
אַדְהָכֵי מַטְיָן בְּנוֹי. אָמַר בְּרֵיהּ זְעֵירָא: סַלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ הָכָא הָכֵי? פָּתַח וְאָמַר: יֵשׁ צַדִּיק אוֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ וְגוֹ'. הַאי צָרִיךְ פֵּרוּשׁ, אֵיךְ יֹאבַד הַצַּדִּיק בְּצִדְקוֹ, אֶלָּא הָעִנְיָן כָּךְ: כְּשֶׁרַבּוּ הַחוֹטְאִים וּמַרְבִּים חֲטָאִים וּפְשָׁעִים, וְצַדִּיק אֶחָד הוּא בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְאֵין מוֹכִיחַ לְהָרְשָׁעִים — הַצַּדִּיק נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל יָדָם אַף שֶׁהוּא צַדִּיק גָּמוּר. וְאֵין חוֹטֵא כְּלָל. וְכֵן אַבָּא דְּאִתְפַּס בְּחוֹבַיְהוּ דִּבְנֵי מָתָא, דַּהֲוֵי כֻּלָּן חֲצוּפִים לְנֶגְדּוֹ, וְהוּא לֹא הֲוֵי מוֹכִיחַ אוֹתָן וְלֹא גָּעַר בְּהוֹן בִּנְזִיפָה לְבַיְּשָׁם — לָכֵן נֶעֱנָשׁ הוּא בַּיִּסּוּרִים הָאֵלֶּה. אָמַר הַאי בַּר נַשׁ, דַּהֲוֵי אָבִיו שֶׁל הַאי יַנּוּקָא: וַדַּאי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַעֲנִישׁ לִי בְּהָא דַּהֲוֵי בְּיָדִי יְכֹלֶת לְמַחָאָה בִּידַיְהוּ, וְלָא עָבְדִית וְלָא אַכְסִיפְנָא לְהוּא בִּטְמִירָא וְלָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא. פָּתַח בְּרֵיהּ אָחֳרָא וְאָמַר: נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דּוּמִיָּה, הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב, וּכְאֵבִי נֶעְכָּר. רָאִיתִי עַמָּא דְּאָזְלִין בְּדַרְכֵי לֹא טוֹבִים — נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דּוּמִיָּה, וְלֹא יִסַּרְתִּי אוֹתָם עַל פְּנֵיהֶם. וְהֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב — דְּבָרִים טוֹבִים, שֶׁמְּסִירִים אֶת הָאָדָם מִדַּרְכֵי הָרָעִים לְדַרְכֵי הַטּוֹבִים וְהַיְשָׁרִים; עַל כֵּן כְּאֵבִי נֶעְכָּר — בָּאִין יִסּוּרִים מְכֹעָרִים בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא. אָתוּ רַבִּי חִיָּא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְּנְשָׁקוּהוּ וְכוּ'.
In the meantime his sons arrived. The youngest one observed, “Heaven has sent my father assistance.” He continued, “ ‘There is a righteous man who is lost on account of his righteousness, etc.’ (Koheles 7:15). This needs explanation. How can a righteous man be lost on account of his righteousness? “The explanation is this: When sinners are numerous and sin and transgression rampant and there is a single righteous man among them, if he fails to rebuke them he will be punished on their account, even though he is perfectly righteous, never sinning at all. “So it is with my father. He has been held accountable for the iniquities of his townsmen. For although they all behaved brazenly towards him, he failed to rebuke them and refrained from speaking harshly to them to avoid shaming them. This is why he was subjected to these afflictions.” The boy’s father spoke up, “Clearly this is why Holy One Blessed is He punished me. For it was within my power to protest yet I refrained from doing so, shaming them neither in private nor in public.” Then another son spoke up, “[It is stated,] ‘I was mute with silence, I did not speak of the good and my pain was stirred up’ (Tehillim 39:3). That is, I saw that people were going along reprehensible paths, yet I was ‘mute with silence.’ I refrained from rebuking them to their faces and did not ‘speak of the good.’ That is, I did not speak beneficial words to turn them from the path of evil to the path of goodness and integrity. Because of this ‘my pain was stirred up’ — that is, terrible afflictions came upon me openly.” When he finished speaking Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yose went and kissed him, etc.
נִלְמָד מֵהַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל: כָּל הַמִּתְיָרֵא לְהוֹכִיחַ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי הָאָדָם, אָז יִהְיֶה בְּכִסּוּפָא קַמֵּיהּ קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאַף שֶׁהוּא צַדִּיק, נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל יָדוֹ. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לְעֵיל. וּמְקוֹר הַחַיִּים הוּא לְבִלְתִּי לְהַחֲנִיף לְאָדָם רָשָׁע לְמִי שֶׁיַּסְפִּיק בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲמוֹד לְנֶגֶד הָרָשָׁע לְהַתִּישׁ כֹּחָם שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים. וּבְאִם שֶׁיִּדְחֹל מִנְּהוֹן, אֲזַי יִהְיֶה בָּטוּחַ, שֶׁיָּבוֹא עָלָיו יִסּוּרִים וְיַשִּׂיגוּ לוֹ חֶרְפּוֹת וּבוּשׁוֹת בְּבֵי דִּינָא רַבָּא לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.
From this incident we learn that whoever refrains from giving rebuke out of fear of human beings will be put to great shame before the Holy One Blessed is He. Moreover, even if he is personally righteous he will be punished on their account, as I have already mentioned. The refusal to flatter the wicked is a source of life to the one who stands up to them and weakens them. By contrast, if he refrains from doing so he may be certain that afflictions will befall him and he will suffer shame and disgrace when he stands in the great court before the Holy One Blessed is He.
שְׂאוּ לַמָּרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם וּבִטְחוּ אֶל ה', כִּי הוּא מְשַׁבֵּר זְרוֹעַ רָשָׁע וּמְהָרֵס מַצָּב רְשָׁעִים! חֲזַק וֶאֱמַץ לְנֶגֶד הָרָשָׁע, וּבְוַדַּאי כָּל פָּמַלְיָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה יִהְיוּ בְּעֶזְרֶךָ. וְתִרְאֶה לְהִתְאַמֵּץ בְּכָל אֵיבָרֶיךָ וְשס"ה גִּידֶיךָ לְהִתְחַמֵּם כְּנֶגְדּוֹ לְבִלְתִּי צֵאת מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ הָרָעָה אֶל הַפֹּעַל. וְאִם תַּעֲשֶׂה כֵּן, אֲזַי נֶחְשַׁב בְּהִדַּלְּקוּת גּוּפְךָ לְנֶגֶד הָרָשָׁע, כְּאִלּוּ אֵבְרֵי עוֹלָה מֻנָּחִים עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. וְאַף אִם תִּרְאֶה רָשָׁע, שֶׁבִּגְרָמָא דִּילֵיהּ תּוּכַל לָבוֹא לְהֶזֵּק מָמוֹן, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם תִּרְאֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּעֻלָּתְךָ, כִּי הַרְבֵּה שְׁלוּחִים לַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְאִם תַּחֲרִישׁ לוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל הֶזֵּק מָמוֹנְךָ — מִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא תִּנָּצֵל מֵהַהֶזֵּק בְּכִפְלַיִם, כִּי סוֹף הַחוֹנֵף לָרָשָׁע — סוֹפוֹ לִפֹּל בְּיָדוֹ. וְאִם תִּרְאֶה בְּדַעְתְּךָ, שֶׁלֹּא תּוּכַל לָבוֹא בְּרִיב וּמַצָּה עִם הָרָשָׁע, שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹכִיחַ אוֹתוֹ בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה מְשַׂחֶקֶת לוֹ — מִכָּל מָקוֹם אָסוּר לִתֵּן לְהָרָשָׁע כֹּחַ וְאֹמֶץ וְחִזּוּק לְסַיְּעוֹ לִדְבַר עֲבֵרָה, חָלִילָה וְחַס. וְגַם אֲפִלּוּ בִּמְקוֹם חֲשַׁשׁ נֵזֶק הַגּוּף, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, נִרְאֶה דְּאָסוּר לִתֵּן חִזּוּק וְאִמּוּץ לָרְשָׁעִים, אִם לֹא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת, אָז יִסְתַּלֵּק עַצְמוֹ וְהַשְׁמָטָה שַׁרְיָא. אֲבָל סִיּוּעַ — אָסוּר לְסַיֵּעַ לְעוֹבְרֵי עֲבֵרָה.
Lift your eyes on High and trust in Hashem, for it is He who breaks the arm of the wicked and tramples their fortifications. Be strong and brave in the face of the wicked and you may be certain that all the host of Heaven will assist you. Muster all your limbs and your three hundred and sixty-five sinews in fury against him to prevent him from bringing his evil plans to fruition. If you do this then on account of the fire that burned within you against the wicked it will be reckoned as if your limbs were offered as a burnt sacrifice upon the altar. Even if there is a risk that one will suffer financial loss on account of a particular evildoer, Heaven forbid, one must do his duty. Hashem has many agents and if a person refrains out of concern about financial loss he will suffer the loss anyway, many times over. For whoever curries favor with an evildoer eventually falls into his hand (Sotah 41b). If a person sees that it is impossible to argue with the one he is rebuking because fortune is smiling upon him, nevertheless, he may not do anything to strengthen or encourage him, nor may he assist him in pursuing his transgressions, Heaven forbid. Even if a person is liable to come to physical harm, Heaven forbid, it is still forbidden for him to give aid or encouragement to the wicked, unless his life is at risk. Rather he must try to remove himself from the situation. Under such circumstances removing oneself is permitted but aiding transgressors is not.
וְהַמִּצְוָה שֶׁל 'הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ' הוּא מֻטָּל עַל הָרַבָּנִים גְּאוֹנֵי אֶרֶץ וְעַל דַּיָּנֵי עִיר וָעִיר; וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין שָׁם רַב וּמוֹרֵה צֶדֶק וְדַיָּנִים קְבוּעִים — אֲזַי הַמִּצְוָה מֻטֶּלֶת עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹכִיחַ אִישׁ אָחִיו, וְאָז יִהְיֶה אָהוּב לְמַעְלָה וְאָהוּב לְמַטָּה. וִיקֻיַּם בּוֹ: הוֹכֵחַ לֶחָכָם וְיֶאֱהָבֶךָּ. וְתִזְכֶּה לְשַׁעַר הָאַהֲבָה. אָמֵן.
The obligation to give rebuke falls in particular upon the rabbis, scholars and judges of every town. If there is no rabbi, Torah authority or permanent judge, then the obligation falls upon each individual Jew to rebuke his neighbor. Through this he causes himself to be beloved both On High and down below, in fulfillment of the verse, “Rebuke the wise and he will love you” (Mishlei 9:8). He also merits entering the Gate of Love, Amein.