Why the Torah Warns Against Wronging the Convert So Often

"You shall not wrong a convert nor oppress him" (Exodus 22:20). Our Rabbis taught: One who wrongs a convert transgresses three negative commandments, as it is written, "You shall not wrong a convert," and "You shall not wrong him" (Leviticus 19:33), and "You shall not wrong one another," and a convert is included in "one another." And one who oppresses him transgresses three negative commandments, as it is written, "nor oppress him," and "You shall not oppress a convert" (Exodus 23:9), and "You shall not be to him as a creditor" (Exodus 22:24). It is taught: Rabbi Eliezer the Great says, Why did the Torah warn concerning the convert in thirty-six places? Because his inclination is prone to wrong. "For you were converts in the land of Egypt." It is taught: Rabbi Natan says, A defect that is in you, do not ascribe to your fellow. And this is what people say: One who has a hanged man in his family, let him not say to another, "Hang up the fish for me." Our Rabbis taught: "You shall not wrong one another" (Leviticus 25:17) speaks of wronging with words. Or perhaps it speaks only of wronging in money? When it says, "And if you make a sale" (Leviticus 25:14), wronging in money is already stated. How then do I fulfill "You shall not wrong one another"? It speaks of wronging with words. How so? If a man was a penitent, one must not say to him, "Remember your earlier deeds." If he was a child of converts, one must not say to him, "Remember the deeds of your fathers." If he was a convert who came to study Torah, one must not say to him, "Shall the mouth that ate carrion and torn flesh, vermin and creeping things, come to study the Torah that issued from the mouth of the Divine Presence?" If sufferings came upon him, or he was burying his children, one must not say to him as Job's companions said to Job, "Is not your fear of God your foolishness? Recall now, who that was innocent ever perished?" (Job 4:6-7). If donkey drivers were seeking grain, one must not say to them, "Go to so-and-so," knowing that he has never sold any. Rabbi Yehuda says: One must not even make a show of pricing goods when he has no money to buy, for the matter is given over to the heart, and concerning it Scripture says, "and you shall fear" (Leviticus 25:17). Rabbi Yochanan said: Wronging with words is greater than wronging in money, for of this it is said "and you shall fear your God," and of that it is not said "and you shall fear." Rabbi Elazar says: This [words] affects his very person, and that [money] affects his property. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: This [money] can be repaid, and that [words] cannot be repaid. A reciter taught before Rav Nachman: One who whitens his fellow's face in public, it is as though he sheds his blood. He said to him: You have spoken well, for one can see how the red departs and the white comes. Abaye said to Rav Dimi: In the West [the Land of Israel], what are they most careful about? He said to him: About whitening faces. Rav Chanan said: All who descend to Gehinnom come up again, except three who descend and do not come up: one who gives his fellow a bad name, one who whitens his fellow's face in public, and one who consorts with a married woman. Is the one who gives a bad name not the same as one who whitens the face? Even so, since he is habituated to it [the slander persists]. A man should always be careful about wronging his wife, for since her tears are ready, wronging her is grave.