C2
We are to pay an employee his wages on the same day that he labors or when contractually due.
Category: Commerce
Type: Positive
Form: Explicit
Source dataset: Old Testament
Uniqueness: Unique
Classical commandment: Yes
New Covenant Literal Application
Applies to Person Categories: Everyone
Literal Application: mandated
More explanation about New Covenant Literal Application
The New Covenant Literal Application Code (NCLA) is an interpretive guide used by the authors to indicate which person categories a mitzvah applies to, and at what level of literal compliance.
It combines person categories such as Jewish, K'rov Yisrael, and Gentile, together with male/female distinctions and an application level such as mandated, recommended, optional, or prohibited.
This code reflects the authors' interpretive opinion and is provided for prayerful consideration. On this page, the technical code is summarized into plain language to help new readers understand it more easily.
Detailed codes: GFm - Gentile female, mandated | GMm - Gentile male, mandated | JFm - Jewish female, mandated | JMm - Jewish male, mandated | KFm - K'rovat Yisrael female, mandated | KMm - K'rov Yisrael male, mandated
Bible references
Key NT Scriptures
- Matthew 10:10
Key OT Scriptures
-
Deuteronomy 24:14-15
-
Leviticus 19:13
Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent
Commentary
Rabbi Michael Rudolph
The essence of this Mitzvah is that we must not oppress an employee by withholding or delaying payment of his wages. There are many kinds of employees today in many occupations. Some are day laborers and some are poor and some are not. It is customary to pay a hired man or employee at the end of a specified period of time that may be daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or at the conclusion of a contract, so this Mitzvah should not be interpreted to require that all workers be paid daily. That having been said, Deuteronomy 24:14-15 requires that an employer pay a hired man daily if the man's impoverished condition makes it reasonable and compassionate to do so. The inference of Deuteronomy 14 is that not paying wages to a poor worker in a timely manner is akin to exploiting him, and there are undoubtedly unscrupulous employers who would withhold or delay the payment of wages to a poor worker in order to pressure the worker into giving the employer some kind of advantage. This Mitzvah can, therefore, be construed to have a broader meaning, which is to not exploit an employee's weakness to gain advantage.
Classical commentators
Maimonides, Meir, and HaChinuch advocate literal compliance with the referenced Scriptures.
Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2
Classical sources
Maimonides
Maimonides (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, 12th century) organized all 613 Torah commandments into a structured list. These linked items show where this Law of Messiah commandment overlaps with that classical framework.
Meir of Rothenburg
Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg (13th century, Germany) was a leading Talmudic authority. These reference numbers link this commandment to his halachic rulings.
MN38, MP66
Source and License
Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.
License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0
Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.
Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 1 & 2
Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2