Cursing the Deaf

 Ramban (Vayikra 19:14) THOU SHALT NOT CURSE THE DEAF. “From this verse I know only that one may not curse the deaf. Whence do I know that one may not curse anybody? From the words of Scripture: Of thy people thou shalt not curse. If so, why does it state here ‘the deaf’? It is to teach us that ‘the deaf’ has been singled out by Scripture here because although he is unable to hear and feel hurt, he has the characteristic of being alive, thus exluding from the scope of this prohibition the dead who, though they are like the deaf in their inability to hear and feel hurt, are unlike them in being no longer alive.” This is Rashi’s language, and so it is taught in the Torath Kohanim. But the interpretation of the Gemara is not so. Rather, Scripture first warned against cursing the dignitaries of the people, the judge or ruler, saying, Thou shalt not curse the judges nor curse a ruler of thy people. Then it gave another admonition here against cursing the unfortunate ones of the people, like the deaf, and from them i.e., from both classes of people, the distinguished and the unfortunate we learn by a general proposition that we must not curse anyone of the rest of the people, since from beginning to end from “the ruler” to “the deaf” they are all included in this prohibition. 

Ramban (Vayikra 19:14) THOU SHALT NOT CURSE THE DEAF. According to the plain meaning of Scripture, the verse mentions cursing the deaf in order that we may deduce that if in the case of one who cannot hear and will not become incensed by the curse, the Torah nonetheless admonished against cursing him, how much more so is it prohibited to curse one who hears and feels the insult, and will become hot-tempered because of it! Moreover, Scripture always admonishes against doing that which is frequent, for a person is inclined to curse the deaf and put a stumbling-block before the blind since he does not fear them, because they know not, neither do they understand. Therefore it states here, and thou shalt fear thy G-d, Who sees the secret things. And He added another prohibition against cursing rulers, the prince and the judge, because it is usual for people to curse them in their bed-chamber when in judging him he lets him go forth condemned, and there are many harms that are caused by cursing a prince or a judge, for the masses of people in their foolishness will hate them and will thus be stirred to rise up against them, while in truth the prince and judge establish the land by their justice.