At the end of פרשת יתרו, Hashem tells משה that the כהנים should not go up to the מזבח on steps. Although they wore מכנסיים under their מעיל, they were still forbidden to go up to the מזבח using steps, because it gave the appearance of exposing to the מזבח parts of the body that are usually covered.
רש"י says that if we must be so careful with our behavior towards the stones of the מזבח, how much more so must we be careful not to act in a way that can cause shame to another Yid.
Question
Don’t we already know that we are not allowed to be disrespectful to another Yid? What does the lesson from the מזבח teach us that we wouldn’t know otherwise?
Answer
The prohibition about the מזבח doesn’t teach us that we should not humiliate a fellow Yid. Rather, it teaches us to what extent we must be careful in this regard. The stones of the מזבח don’t even have the ability to feel. Yet, we must be careful not to behave in a way that might show disrespect, even without intention to do so, and even though the stones themselves don’t feel any shame.
Certainly, then, when it comes to a fellow Yid, who does have the capacity to feel, we must be careful not to even do something that might seem disrespectful, even if there is no actual intent on being disrespectful. And, this is true even if the Yid won’t even know about it, so he won’t actually feel bad.
Further Discussion
Why, indeed, is it forbidden to act in a way that only seems to be disrespectful to the stones that cannot feel? Why, indeed, is it forbidden to be disrespectful to someone if they won’t even know about it, and they won’t feel any shame? (See אות ו in the Sicha)
