Sefas Tamim and the Severity of Theft

This week, we continue with translating the Chofetz Chaim’s Sefer entitled, “Sefas Tamim.” Sefas Tamim, from which our foundation takes its name, focuses on the importance of honesty in word and in deed.

“Understand something else clearly; Heaven's law applying to theft is exceedingly severe, to the point where even an indirect cause of a loss to one's fellow Jew, or even less than this (meaning, even a more remote case of loss) is included in the prohibition of theft. This concept is taught in Gemorah Baba Kama (119a) ‘Rebbe Yochanan said: Anyone who steals from his fellow Jew, even if the value of what he steals is only one Peruta (a coin worth about 2 cents) it is as if he has murdered him...’”