Why shouldn't you embarrass others?

Answer 1

The Gemara (Bava Metzia, 58b) states that anyone who whitens his fellow's face is considered as if he has killed him. From this Gemara we learn that embarrassing someone is like killing them. In explaining the severity of embarrassing another, the Gemara (Bava Metzia, 59a) states "it is better to throw oneself in a lit furnace than to make someone blush." Many commentaries explain that when one is embarrassed he feels such a strong sense of worthlessness that he is considered dead. Mar Ukva, a great scholar who was considered one of the Princes of the Babylonian exile, was a firm believer in risking ones life in order to keep a fellow from embarrassment...

The Gemara (Ketubot, 67b) relates a very famous story. There was a poor man in Mar Ukva's neighborhood in which he would support by throwing 4 zuzim every day by his front door. One day the poor man decided to see who this generous donor was. That day, Mar Ukva was late returning from the Beis Medresh, while with his wife. When the poor man saw them put money by the door, he ran out to greet them. Mar Ukva and his wife then began to run away, with the poor man chasing after them. In order to avoid the poor man from seeing them, they jumping into a hot oven. The Gemara asks the obvious question: Why did Mar Ukva and his wife put their lives in danger just to avoid the poor man from seeing them? The Gemara then answers that it is better to throw oneself in a furnace than to make someone blush (the poor man would have blushed had he known who had been supporting him).