Glass Houses


"Do not accuse your friend of a flaw that you yourself have."
מום שבך אל תאמר לחברך

Rashi quotes the above phrase from Bava Metzia 59b in reference to Exodus 22:20 —


You shall not abuse a stranger, and you shall not oppress him; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 

וְגֵר לֹא-תוֹנֶה, וְלֹא תִלְחָצֶנּוּ: כִּי-גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם, בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

So I said to my husband: is this a bit like “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones”? And my husband responded, but even if you weren’t a stranger in Egypt, you shouldn’t abuse a stranger.

But I don’t think it’s a good idea for people who live in brick houses to throw stones, do you?

Categories: Jewish, parsha

Ilana-Davita says

Short but to the point. A very important commandment if we consider the number of times it is repeated in the Torah.
Shabbat Shalom!

Leora says

Thanks. I'm going to aim for short in the coming weeks; seems to be better than not posting about the parsha at all (I missed last week because my idea was lengthy...and I had a busy work week).

Mottel says

Well put!
Wishing you a great Shabbos!

Jew Wishes says

Shabbat Shalom! Concise and to the point!

ramblingwoods says

Very well said..not too many people follow that one...

The Jewish Side says

I haven't heard this before: "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones”

You mean cause then they will break the glass?