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Thought for the Day: Transgressing Even Rabbinic Decrees is Called Stealing from HaShem

On June 29, 2014, I started a TftD with this:

I was struck by the following idea at n'ila a few years ago. Ashamnu, bagadnu, ... gazalnu? From global to specific? Rather, I think we can understand all 23 expressions of admission as applying to each and every sin that we commit. Even if this is not p'shat, it gives a perspective on the damage done by every sin, even the "little" ones.

So nine years ago that had been bothering me for "a few years" and it still strikes me each time I say viduy. Looking back at that TftD, it still rings true to me. Moreover, as I wrote then, even though it might not be p'shat in the viduy, it is a good thought and (I hope) that HaShem is giving me an A for effort.

This morning, though, I found a gemara that leads me to believe that this might actually be p'shat! (Notice the copious use of weasel words to keep me free of actual liability.) Chazal (Avoda Zara 36b, fist line, you can't miss it) quotes the prophet Malachi (3:9): בַּמְּאֵרָה֙ אַתֶּ֣ם נֵֽאָרִ֔ים וְאֹתִ֖י אַתֶּ֣ם קֹבְעִ֑ים הַגּ֖וֹי כֻּלּֽוֹ

Rashi explains:  You accept on yourselves (Rabbinic) decrees on pain of two kinds of curses, and then you steal from Me by benefiting from those very prohibitions that you accepted on yourself! So here we have an explicit statement by Chazal that benefiting from a prohibited activity -- even those prohibited by Rabbinic decree -- is called stealing from HaShem!

Two points that make this even more incredible: First, there is no machlokes on this. This gemara is one of those "according to everyone" that comes at the end of the topic to tie up all the loose ends. Second, this gemara was making the point that Rabbinic decrees are not promulgated as eternal decrees unless and until they are accepted by most of the nation. As the expression goes, we have been hoisted by our own petard.

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