(Exodus 22 — 21) "Every widow and orphan you shall not

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Mekhilta Tractate Nezikin 18:10

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 25, 2025

(Exodus 22:21) commands: "Every widow and orphan you shall not afflict." The Mekhilta immediately pushes beyond the literal categories. This verse mentions only widows and orphans. But what about other vulnerable people? Are only these two groups protected?

The answer lies in a grammatical detail. The Hebrew phrase "lo ta'anun" — "you shall not afflict them" — contains an extra letter: a final nun that is grammatically unnecessary. Rabbi Yishmael taught that this extra nun implies an extension of plurality — the prohibition covers not just widows and orphans but all people who are vulnerable to affliction.

Rabbi Akiva offered a different explanation for why the Torah mentions widows and orphans specifically. They are the most common victims of affliction. Scripture speaks of the typical case — the instance that occurs most frequently — while intending the principle to apply broadly. Widows and orphans are paradigmatic, not exclusive.

Both rabbis arrive at the same practical conclusion: the prohibition against affliction extends to everyone, not just the two categories named. But they reach this conclusion through different means. Rabbi Yishmael found the expansion in the grammar — an extra letter widening the scope. Rabbi Akiva found it in the Torah's literary method — naming the most common example to represent the whole class. Either way, no one is excluded from the Torah's protection against abuse.

Themes

Wisdom Charity Egypt Exodus Passover

Biblical References

Exodus 22:21

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