The Price of a Pair of Shoes: Vayeishev
Amos 2:6-3:8
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־מִכְרָ֤ם בַּכֶּ֙סֶף֙ צַדִּ֔יק וְאֶבְי֖וֹן בַּֽעֲב֥וּר נַעֲלָֽיִם׃
Thus said Hashem, For three transgressions of Israel, [I have looked away] but for four, I will not pardon them - for their selling a righteous man for money, and a poor man for shoes.
The Haftorah opens with Hashem’s striking declaration: “I am willing to overlook three sins but not the fourth”. This raises the obvious question: What were the first three sins, and how was the fourth sin so egregious that it could no longer be forgiven?
The Malbim explains that the first three sins are the cardinal ones: idolatry, adultery, and murder. These are undoubtedly grave offenses, but the fourth sin, he says, was injustice—selling acquittals for a paltry sum, as little as the cost of a pair of shoes. Why would injustice be the one sin that Hashem could not tolerate?
The cardinal sins, as severe as they are, are also blatant. They are universally recognized as wrong; perpetrators, victims, and society alike are aware of their evil nature. Injustice, on the other hand, tears apart the very fabric of society in ways that are often subtle and insidious. The paltry price paid for acquittals reflects not only a disregard of justice, but a fundamental devaluation of the individual and community.
Hashem could forgive enormous sins that people acknowledged as sins. But He could not forgive the selfishness and moral blindness that led people to treat justice as a commodity to be bought and sold. This cavalier and destructive approach to the foundation of societal integrity was intolerable.
In a world still fraught with conflict and division, the need for justice remains as urgent as ever. The navi Amos reminds us that justice is not only essential for societal harmony but also indispensable in our relationship with Hashem. When we pursue justice, we align ourselves with His will, creating a world where His presence can dwell among us.