Vayikra 5:21 · unit 5

Parashas Vayikra · Passuk 5:21 · Unit 5 of 13

Complete Passuk

נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּיהוָה וְכִחֵשׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ בְּפִקָּדוֹן אוֹ־בִתְשׂוּמֶת יָד אוֹ בְגָזֵל אוֹ עָשַׁק אֶת־עֲמִיתוֹ׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites R’ Akiva.

Core Text
וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּה׳ — לְפִי שֶׁהַמַּפְקִיד מַפְקִיד בְּלֹא שְׁטָר וּבְלֹא עֵדִים וְאֵין יוֹדֵעַ בָּהֶם אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

“And commits a trespass against Hashem” — because the depositor deposits without a document and without witnesses, and only the Holy One knows of them.

In the midrash: R’ Akiva explains why deposit fraud is framed as a trespass against Heaven. A deposit is typically given without written record or witnesses; the only witness is God Himself. Denying it is therefore a betrayal of the One who alone knows the truth.

Type of Learning

Diyuk of “baHashem” — deposit fraud is a sin against God because human proof is often absent.

What Is Learned

The verse frames deposit fraud as a sin against God because human proof is often absent. The depositor relies on the recipient’s honesty and on Heaven’s knowledge; a false denial is therefore a ma’al against Hashem as well as against one’s fellow.