מ"ד מותר לאבדו ביד לא יהא ממונו חמור מגופו ומ"ד אסור לאבדו דלמא הוה ליה זרעא מעליא וכתיב (איוב כז, יז) יכין רשע וצדיק ילבש:
whereas the other one said that it is forbidden to destroy it directly. The one who stated that it is permitted to destroy it directly [maintains that an offence against] the property of an informer could surely not be worse than [one against] his body,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which may be incapacitated to any extent for the sake of public safety; v. A.Z. 26b, also Sanh. 74a and supra p. 703.
');"><sup>9</sup></span> whereas the one who held that it is forbidden to destroy it maintains that the informer might perhaps have good children, as written, He, the wicked, may prepare it but the just shall put it on.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXVII, 17. [The words 'the wicked' do not occur in the Massoretic texts. It is more than probable that it is an explanatory gloss inserted by the Talmud; v. marginal glosses and cf. Sanh. (Sonc. ed.) p. 698, n. 8.]
');"><sup>10</sup></span>
Sefer HaChinukh
And the opinion of Rambam, may his memory be blessed, that he wrote (Mishneh Torah, Laws of One Who Injures a Person or Property 8:10-11) about the law of an informer is thus: "Once he said, 'Behold, I am informing about the body or money of x' - and even if it is negligent money - behold, this one has permitted himself for death. And we warn him and say to him, 'Do not inform.' If he was brazen-faced and said, 'No, rather I will inform' - it is a commandment to kill him, and whoever is first to kill him, merits. [If] the informer did that which he plotted and informed, it appears to me that it is forbidden to kill him; unless he is established as an informer, lest he inform [on] others." To here is the language of the rabbi. He required a warning for one who is not established as an informer and that he accept the warning. And for the one who is established as an informer, it appears from his words, that he does not need a warning. And an informer may not say, "Because x was afflicting me, I am informing [on] him to the gentiles" - as this does not exempt him from his punishment. But it is permitted for the community to inform to the gentiles about one who is afflicting the community. And so did Rambam, may his memory be blessed, write (Mishneh Torah, Laws of One Who Injures a Person or Property 8:11). And it is forbidden to destroy the money of an informer, on account of [An evildoer] "Prepares but the righteous one wears" (Job 27:17). And so is it concluded in the chapter [entitled] HaGozel (Bava Kamma 119a).
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