As per the Zohar’s commentary, as we reach the opening of the window of opportunity on the fortieth day, Yom Kippur, we make reference to the primary sin that brought about the flood for the generation of Noach.
וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חָמָס׃
The earth became corrupt before G-d; the earth was filled with lawlessness.
Rashi comments on this Pasuk, saying וַתִּשָּׁחֵת refers to giluy arayot and idolatry, while וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חָמָס refers to gezel. The Gemara then states:
לֹא נֶחְתַּם גְזַר דִּינָם אֶלָּא עַל הַגֶּזֶל – Their fate was sealed only on account of their sin of robbery (Sanhedrin 108a). Chazal point out the difference between גֶזֶל and חָמָס, in that the former (גֶזֶל) is stealing items worth more than a prutah whereas the latter (חָמָס) is stealing items worth less than a prutah. The people of Noach’s generation would steal in ways that couldn’t be prosecuted in court, much like each person in town taking a nut or two from a vendor in the market before walking away. Technically, no sin of gezel was committed, as the amounts taken were minimal, yet collectively, these actions bankrupted the poor merchant, who was powerless to act because the individual amounts fell below the threshold for theft.
Rabbotai, an obvious question arises from this simplified view of Noach’s generation. Robbery was indeed one of three pervasive sins – alongside giluy arayot and idolatry. Yet, the latter two are cardinal sins for which one must be willing to give up their life rather than commit. Why, then, do Chazal single out gezel as the reason for the flood and total destruction? Was the generation of Noach punished merely for stealing items of minimal value, while the sins of idolatry and immorality were seemingly overlooked?
From here, we learn the severity of the sin of gezel. The Ramban notes that it is a well-known transgression requiring no elaboration, while Rabbeinu Bachya adds that every person instinctively knows that their neighbor’s money does not belong in their own pocket. In their view, this awareness is so self-evident and logical that it requires no special emphasis, making the severity of gezel all the greater. And gezel is not just direct theft of an object or money, it encompasses a lot more than that. It could even involve something as simple as having a friend swipe your card at the Kollel while, in reality, you wait in the doctor’s office for a check-up. Or, on a busy street, stopping next to a car to chat with its driver as a couple of taxis wait behind you and their passengers pay extra because of two green lights they just missed. It also includes earning wages from a workday whose hours you unilaterally shortened by a half-hour because of what you felt the boss owed you after keeping you late the previous day. Parking in someone’s private parking spot is theft, and theft like that is impossible to pay back, unlike the ten shekel you can give each of the taxi passengers if you wanted to. Gezel is closer to each of our hands than we may think!
