| 27You must not curse God, nor may you curse a leader of your people. |
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כזאֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א תְקַלֵּ֑ל וְנָשִׂ֥יא בְעַמְּךָ֖ לֹ֥א תָאֹֽר: |
| אֱלֹהִים לֹא תְקַלֵּל - You must not curse God. This is the prohibition against blaspheming God, and also the prohibition against cursing a judge. |
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אֱלֹהִים לֹא תְקַלֵּל.
הֲרֵי זוֹ אַזְהָרָה לְבִרְכַּת הַשֵּׁם וְאַזְהָרָה לְקִלְלַת דַּיָּן (סנהדרין ס"ו):
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| 28You must not delay your tax of newly-ripened first fruits, nor your terumah. You must present to Me the firstborn of your sons. |
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כחמְלֵאָֽתְךָ֥ וְדִמְעֲךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְאַחֵ֑ר בְּכ֥וֹר בָּנֶ֖יךָ תִּתֶּן־לִֽי: |
| מְלֵאָֽתְךָ - means: the obligation placed upon you when your produce becomes fully (תִּתְמַלֵּא) ripe, and that is separating the first fruits. |
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מְלֵאָֽתְךָ.
חוֹבָה הַמֻּטֶּלֶת עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא תְבוּאָתְךָ לְהִתְבַּשֵּׁל, וְהֵם בִּכּוּרִים:
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| וְדִמְעֲךָ - this refers to terumah, but I do not know what is the relationship between the term דֶּמַע and terumah. |
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וְדִמְעֲךָ.
הַתְּרוּמָה – וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַהוּ לְשׁוֹן דֶּמַע.
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| לֹא תְאַחֵר - You must not delay - means: do not change the order of their separation by deferring that which should be separated earlier or bringing forward that which should be separated later; i.e., he must not separate terumah before separating the first fruits, or the tithe before terumah. |
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לֹא תְאַחֵר.
לֹא תְשַׁנֶּה סֵדֶר הַפְרָשָׁתָן לְאַחֵר אֶת הַמֻּקְדָּם וּלְהַקְדִּים אֶת הַמְאֻחָר, שֶׁלֹּא יַקְדִּים תְּרוּמָה לְבִכּוּרִים וּמַעֲשֵׂר לִתְרוּמָה (מכילתא):
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| בְּכוֹר בָּנֶיךָ תִּתֶּן־לִֽי - You must present to Me the firstborn of your sons - by redeeming him from the priest with five sela’im. Now, did Scripture not already command about this elsewhere? The only reason why it is written here is in order to juxtapose to it the next verse: “You must do likewise with your work-bulls and your flocks.” Just as one redeems the firstborn son of a human after 30 days, as it says: “you must redeem it from the age of a month,” so, too, one cares for the firstborn of small livestock for 30 days and afterward gives it to the priest. |
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בְּכוֹר בָּנֶיךָ תִּתֶּן־לִֽי.
לִפְדּוֹתוֹ בְחָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים מִן הַכֹּהֵן; וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר צִוָּה עָלָיו בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר? אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לִסְמֹךְ לוֹ כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְשֹׁרְךָ – מַה בְּכוֹר אָדָם לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם פּוֹדֵהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּפְדוּיָו מִבֶּן חֹדֶשׁ תִּפְדֶה (במדבר י"ח), אַף בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה דַּקָּה מְטַפֵּל בּוֹ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וְאֲחַר כַּךְ נוֹתְנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן (בכורות כ"ו):
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| 29You must do likewise with your work-bulls and your flocks: it must remain with its mother for seven days; on the eighth day you must give it to Me. |
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כטכֵּֽן־תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְשֹֽׁרְךָ֖ לְצֹאנֶ֑ךָ שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה עִם־אִמּ֔וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֖י תִּתְּנוֹ־לִֽי: |
| שִׁבְעַת יָמִים יִֽהְיֶה עִם־אִמּוֹ - It must remain with its mother for seven days. This is a warning to the priest, that if he wishes to sacrifice the animal early, he may not do so before the animal’s eighth day, because it is then short of the required time for it to be suitable as a sacrifice. |
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שִׁבְעַת יָמִים יִֽהְיֶה עִם־אִמּוֹ.
זוֹ אַזְהָרָה לַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְמַהֵר אֶת קָרְבָּנוֹ לֹא יְמַהֵר קֹדֶם שְׁמֹנָה, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מְחֻסַּר זְמַן:
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| בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי תִּתְּנוֹ־לִֽי - On the eighth day must you give it to Me. I might have thought that it is an obligation to offer up a firstborn animal on that day? However, it says here the word “the eighth day,” and elsewhere it says: “it will be accepted from the eighth day onward.” Now, just as the instance of “the eighth day” in that place declares animals fit for sacrifice from the eighth day onward, so, too, the intention of “the eighth day” mentioned here is that the animal be fit for sacrifice from the eighth day onward. Thus the meaning of the verse is: “on the eighth day you are permitted to give it to Me.” |
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בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי תִּתְּנוֹ־לִֽי.
יָכוֹל יְהֵא חוֹבָה לְבוֹ בַיּוֹם, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן שְׁמִינִי וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן וּמִיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי וָהָלְאָה יֵרָצֶה (ויקרא כ"ב), מַה שְּׁמִינִי הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן לְהַכְשִׁיר מִשְּׁמִינִי וּלְהַלָּן, אַף שְׁמִינִי הָאָמוּר כָּאן לְהַכְשִׁיר מִשְּׁמִינִי וּלְהַלָּן; וְכֵן מַשְׁמָעוֹ: וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לִתְּנוֹ לִי (מכילתא):
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| 30You must be holy people unto Me: you must not eat the flesh of animals that were fatally wounded in the field; you should cast it to the dogs. |
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לוְאַנְשֵׁי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ תִּֽהְי֣וּן לִ֑י וּבָשָׂ֨ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֤ה טְרֵפָה֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ לַכֶּ֖לֶב תַּשְׁלִכ֥וּן אֹתֽוֹ: |
| וְאַנְשֵׁי־קֹדֶשׁ תִּֽהְיוּן לִי - You must be holy people unto Me - i.e., if you are holy and refrain from becoming loathsome by eating carcasses (animals not ritually slaughtered) and fatally wounded animals, you are Mine, but if not, you are not Mine. |
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וְאַנְשֵׁי־קֹדֶשׁ תִּֽהְיוּן לִי.
אִם אַתֶּם קְדוֹשִׁים וּפְרוּשִׁים מִשִּׁקּוּצֵי נְבֵלוֹת וּטְרֵפוֹת הֲרֵי אַתֶּם שֶׁלִּי וְאִם לָאו אֵינְכֶם שֶׁלִּי:
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| וּבָשָׂר בַּשָּׂדֶה טְרֵפָה - (lit.) Flesh of an animal torn in the field. The same law applies even to animals fatally wounded in the house, but Scripture speaks of what usually occurs, for the field is a place where it is common for animals to be mauled by beasts. And similarly we find: “because he found her in the field,” where the law applies irrespective of where the violation took place, and similarly: “a man who becomes ritually defiled due to a nocturnal seminal discharge” – the same law applies to a seminal discharge by day, but Scripture speaks of common occurrences. However, Onkelos translates these words as וּבְשַׂר תְּלִישׁ מִן חֵיוָא חַיָּא, meaning: “flesh that is detached” – due to attack by a wolf or a lion – “from a beast” or animal that are otherwise fit for consumption “while it is alive.” |
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וּבָשָׂר בַּשָּׂדֶה טְרֵפָה.
אַף בַּבַּיִת כֵּן, אֶלָּא שֶׁדִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהוֹוֶה – מָקוֹם שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּהֵמוֹת לִטָּרֵף; וְכֵן כִּי בַשָּׂדֶה מְצָאָהּ (דברים כ"ב), וְכֵן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִהְיֶה טָהוֹר מִקְּרֵה לָיְלָה (שם כ"ג), הוּא הַדִּין לְמִקְרֵה יוֹם, אֶלָּא שֶׁדִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהוֹוֶה. וּבְשַׂר דִּתְלִישׁ מִן חֵיוָא חַיָּא, בָּשָׂר שֶׁנִּתְלַשׁ עַל יְדֵי טְרֵפַת זְאֵב אוֹ אֲרִי מִן חַיָּה כְשֵׁרָה אוֹ מִבְּהֵמָה כְשֵׁרָה בְּחַיֶּיהָ:
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| לַכֶּלֶב תַּשְׁלִכוּן אֹתֽוֹ - You should cast it to the dogs. A non-Jew in this respect is also like a dog in that he may be given this kind of meat. Or perhaps it may be given only to a dog, as the plain sense of the verse implies? Scripture therefore states regarding a carcass: “or you may sell it to a non-Jew,” from which we may apply an a fortiori argument that one may derive any benefit from a mauled animal other than eating. If so, what does Scripture intend to teach us by stating: “to the dogs”? It is to teach you that a dog is held in greater esteem by Scripture than a non-Jew. Scripture further teaches you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not deny the reward due any creature: Because it says: “But among the Israelites no dog will whet its tongue,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said: “Give the dogs their reward for obeying My command.” |
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לַכֶּלֶב תַּשְׁלִכוּן אֹתֽוֹ.
אַף הַגּוֹי כַּכֶּלֶב; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא כֶּלֶב כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בִּנְבֵלָה אוֹ מָכֹר לְנָכְרִי (שם י"ד), קַל וָחֹמֶר לִטְרֵפָה שֶׁמֻּתֶּרֶת בְּכָל הֲנָאוֹת. אִם כֵּן מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר לַכֶּלֶב? לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַכֶּלֶב נִכְבָּד מִמֶּנּוּ, וְלִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַפֵּחַ שְׂכַר כָּל בְּרִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּלְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֶחֱרַץ כֶּלֶב לְשֹׁנוֹ (שמות י"א), אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תְּנוּ לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ (מכילתא):
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| 1You must not accept a false report. You must not join forces with a wicked person by promising to be a corrupt witness on his behalf. |
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אלֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֖א שֵׁ֣מַע שָׁ֑וְא אַל־תָּ֤שֶׁת יָֽדְךָ֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע לִֽהְיֹ֖ת עֵ֥ד חָמָֽס: |
| לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: לָא תְקַבֵּל שְׁמַע דִּשְׁקָר – You must not accept a false report. It is thus an injunction against accepting slander, and also an injunction that a judge not listen to the claims of one litigant before the other litigant arrives. |
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לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לָא תְקַבֵּל שְׁמַע דִשְׁקָר, אַזְהָרָה לִמְקַבֵּל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְלַדַּיָּן שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי בַעַל דִּין עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא בַּעַל דִּין חֲבֵרוֹ (שם):
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| אַל־תָּשֶׁת יָֽדְךָ עִם־רָשָׁע - You must not join forces with a wicked person - i.e., with one making a false claim against his fellow – by promising him to be a corrupt witness for him. |
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אַל־תָּשֶׁת יָֽדְךָ עִם־רָשָׁע.
הַטּוֹעֵן אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ תְּבִיעַת שֶׁקֶר, שֶׁתַּבְטִיחֵהוּ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ עֵד חָמָס:
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| 2You must not follow the majority to do evil, and, in response to the defendant’s question regarding your stance in this case, you may not stray from the truth and follow the incorrect majority view, thereby perverting justice. |
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בלֹא־תִֽהְיֶ֥ה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּ֖ים לְרָעֹ֑ת וְלֹא־תַֽעֲנֶ֣ה עַל־רִ֗ב לִנְטֹ֛ת אַֽחֲרֵ֥י רַבִּ֖ים לְהַטֹּֽת: |
| לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת - You must not follow the majority to do evil. There are a number of interpretations of the sages of Israel on this verse, but they do not fit well with the context of the wording of the verse. They derived from here that the court must not convict a defendant based on a majority of only one judge, and they expounded the end of the verse: אַחֲרֵי רַבִּים לְהַטֹּת (lit.) “you must follow the majority,” that if there are two more judges in favor of conviction than there are in favor of acquittal, decide the case according to them and convict the defendant – and the verse is referring specifically to capital cases. And they expounded the middle of the verse: וְלֹא תַעֲנֶה עַל רִב (lit.) “and you must not speak up about a dispute” as if vocalized עַל רַב “against the chief,” that the other judges must not contradict the most eminent judge of the court, and therefore in capital cases one begins the discussion from the side, i.e., one first asks the lesser among the judges to state their opinion. i.e., to impose a death sentence as a result of there being one more judge in favor of conviction than there are in favor of acquittal; “and you must not speak up against the chief (עַל רַב) to deviate (לִנְטֹת)” from his words; and because the word רִב is written without a י as it is usually written, they expounded it this way as meaning רַב; “you must follow the majority” i.e., but there is a majority that you do follow, and when is this? When there are two more deciding in favor of conviction than there are in favor of acquittal. Also, by inference from the statement “you must not follow the majority to do evil,” I may learn: but be with them to do good. Based on this, our rabbis said: In capital cases, we may reach an acquittal by a majority of just one, but a conviction only by a majority of two. If you are asked about a legal matter, do not respond (לֹא תַעֲנֶה) by turning away (לִנְטֹת) to one side and removing yourself from the dispute (רִב); rather, judge it truthfully. |
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לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת.
יֵשׁ בְּמִקְרָא זֶה מִדְרְשֵׁי חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבָל אֵין לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא מְיֻשָּׁב בָּהֶן עַל אָפְנָיו. מִכָּאן דָּרְשׁוּ שֶׁאֵין מַטִּין לְחוֹבָה בְּהַכְרָעַת דַּיָּן אֶחָד, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא דָּרְשׁוּ אחרי רבים להטת, שֶׁאִם יֵשׁ שְׁנַיִם מְחַיְּבִין יוֹתֵר עַל הַמְזַכִּין הַטֵּה הַדִּין עַל פִּיהֶם לְחוֹבָה – וּבְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר – וְאֶמְצַע הַמִּקְרָא דָּרְשׁוּ לא תענה על רב – עַל רַב, שֶׁאֵין חוֹלְקִין עַל מֻפְלָא שֶׁבְּבֵית דִּין, לְפִיכָךְ מַתְחִילִין בְּדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת מִן הַצַּד – לַקְּטַנִּים שֶׁבָּהֶם שׁוֹאֲלִין תְּחִלָּה שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ אֶת דַּעְתָּם – וּלְפִי דִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ כָּךְ פִּתְרוֹן הַמִּקְרָא, לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת לְחַיֵּב מִיתָה בִּשְׁבִיל דַּיָּן אֶחָד שֶׁיִּרְבּוּ מְחַיְּבִין עַל הַמְזַכִּין, וְלֹא תַעֲנֶה עַל הָרַב לִנְטוֹת מִדְּבָרָיו – וּלְפִי שֶׁהוּא חָסֵר יוֹ"ד דָּרְשׁוּ בוֹ כֵּן – אחרי רבים להטת, יֵשׁ רַבִּים שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹטֶה אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וְאֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁהֵן שְׁנַיִם הַמַּכְרִיעִין בַּמְחַיְּבִין יוֹתֵר מִן הַמְזַכִּין; וּמִמַּשְׁמָע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי אֲבָל הֱיֵה עִמָּהֶם לְטוֹבָה, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת מַטִּין עַל פִּי אֶחָד לִזְכוּת וְעַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם לְחוֹבָה. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם לָא תִתְמְנַע מִלְּאַלָּפָא מָה דְמִתְבְּעֵי לָךְ (דִבְעֵינָךְ) עַל דִּינָא, וּלְשׁוֹן הָעִבְרִי לְפִי הַתַּרְגּוּם כָּךְ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ לֹא־תַֽעֲנֶה עַל־רִב לִנְטֹת
אִם יִשְׁאָלוּךָ דָּבָר לַמִּשְׁפָּט לֹא תַעֲנֶה לִנְטוֹת לְצַד אֶחָד וּלְסַלֵּק עַצְמְךָ מִן הָרִיב, אֶלָּא הֱוֵי דָן אוֹתוֹ לַאֲמִתּוֹ. וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְיַשְּׁבוֹ עַל אָפְנָיו כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ כָךְ פִּתְרוֹנוֹ:
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| לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת - (lit.)i.e., if you see wicked men perverting justice in a legal case, do not say: Since they are the majority, I will follow them. |
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לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת.
אִם רָאִיתָ רְשָׁעִים מַטִּין מִשְׁפָּט, לֹא תֹאמַר, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּים הֵם הִנְנִי נוֹטֶה אַחֲרֵיהֶם:
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| וְלֹא־תַֽעֲנֶה עַל־רִב לִנְטֹת וגו' - וְלֹא תַעֲנֶה עַל רִב לִנְטֹת וְגוֹ׳. (lit.) “and you must not respond about a dispute to pervert…” – i.e., if the defendant asks you your opinion about that ruling, do not respond to him about the dispute in a manner similar to that wicked majority, thus distorting the truth of the ruling; rather, state the ruling as you deem to be correct and let the majority bear the yoke of responsibility for perverting justice on their necks. |
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וְלֹא־תַֽעֲנֶה עַל־רִב לִנְטֹת וגו'.
וְאִם יִשְׁאָלְךָ הַנִּדּוֹן עַל אוֹתוֹ הַמִּשְׁפָּט, אַל תַּעֲנֶנּוּ עַל הָרִיב דָּבָר הַנּוֹטֶה אַחֲרֵי אוֹתָן רַבִּים לְהַטּוֹת אֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּט מֵאֲמִתּוֹ, אֶלָּא אֱמֹר אֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּט כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא וְקוֹלָר יְהֵא תָלוּי בְּצַוַּאר הָרַבִּים (סנהדרין ז'):
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| 3You must not show deference to a poor man in his lawsuit. |
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גוְדָ֕ל לֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר בְּרִיבֽוֹ: |
| לֹא תֶהְדַּר - means: Do not show him honor by vindicating him in his lawsuit, saying, “He is a poor man; I will decide in his favor to preserve his honor.” |
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לֹא תֶהְדַּר.
לֹא תַחֲלֹק לוֹ כָבוֹד לְזַכּוֹתוֹ בַדִּין וְלומַר דַּל הוּא אֲזַכֶּנּוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֶנּוּ:
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| 4If you come across your enemy’s work-bull or donkey going astray, you must return it to him, repeatedly if necessary. |
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דכִּ֣י תִפְגַּ֞ע שׁ֧וֹר אֹֽיִבְךָ֛ א֥וֹ חֲמֹר֖וֹ תֹּעֶ֑ה הָשֵׁ֥ב תְּשִׁיבֶ֖נּוּ לֽוֹ: |
| 5When you see a donkey belonging to a fellow Jew whom you hate, crouching under its load, would you refrain from helping him?! Rather, you must help the person. |
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הכִּֽי־תִרְאֶ֞ה חֲמ֣וֹר שׂנַֽאֲךָ֗ רֹבֵץ֙ תַּ֣חַת מַשָּׂא֔וֹ וְחָֽדַלְתָּ֖ מֵֽעֲזֹ֣ב ל֑וֹ עָזֹ֥ב תַּֽעֲזֹ֖ב עִמּֽוֹ: |
| כִּֽי־תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שׂנַֽאֲךָ וגו' - כִּי here is used in the sense of “perhaps,” which is one of the four meanings for which כִּי is used, and this is the meaning of the verse: Would you see the donkey of someone whom you hate crouching under its load. |
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כִּֽי־תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שׂנַֽאֲךָ וגו'.
הֲרֵי כִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן דִּלְמָא, שֶׁהוּא מֵאַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל שִׁמּוּשֵׁי כִי, וְכֹה פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: שֶׁמָּא תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹרוֹ רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ:
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| וְחָדַלְתָּ מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ - and refrain from helping him? - reading it as a rhetorical question. |
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וְחָדַלְתָּ מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ. בִּתְמִיהָ:
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| עָזֹב תַּֽעֲזֹב עִמּֽוֹ - The root עזב here connotes helping, and similarly we find: עָצוּר וְעָזוּב “saved by a ruler or one who strengthens them”; and similarly: “They fortified (וַיַּעַזְבוּ) Jerusalem up to the wall,” meaning: they filled it with earth so as to help and support the strength of the wall. A similar example of כִּי in the sense stated above is: “כִּי you will say to yourself, ‘These nations are more numerous than me; how will I be able to drive them out?’” – where כִּי means “could you possibly say so?” as a rhetorical question – rather, “You must not fear them.” And the Midrashic explanation of our verse is as our rabbis expounded it: כִּי תִרְאֶה.וְחָדַלְתָּ “If you see…you may refrain,” i.e., sometimes you may refrain and sometimes you must help. How so? In the case of an old man for whom it is beneath his dignity to unload an animal – “you may refrain”; or if the animal belongs to a non-Jew and the burden to a Jew – “you may refrain.” |
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עָזֹב תַּֽעֲזֹב עִמּֽוֹ.
עֲזִיבָה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן עֶזְרָה, וְכֵן עָצוּר וְעָזוּב (דברים ל"ב), וְכֵן וַיַּעַזְבוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עַד הַחוֹמָה (נחמיה ג') – מִלְּאוּהָ עָפָר לַעֲזֹר וּלְסַיֵּעַ אֶת חֹזֶק הַחוֹמָה. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ כִּי תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ רַבִּים הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה מִמֶּנִּי וְגוֹ' (דברים ז'), שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר כֵּן, בִּתְמִיהָ? לֹא תִירָא מֵהֶם. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ כָּךְ דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: כִּי תִרְאֶה וְחָדַלְתָּ, פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה חוֹדֵל, וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹזֵר, הָא כֵיצַד? זָקֵן וְאֵינוֹ לְפִי כְּבוֹדוֹ וְחָדַלְתָּ, אוֹ בֶהֱמַת גוֹי וּמַשָּׂאוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְחָדַלְתָּ (מכילתא):
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| עָזֹב תַּֽעֲזֹב עִמּֽוֹ - You must help him. to unload the burden. Onkelos translates מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ as מִלְּמִשְׁקַל לֵהּ, meaning: “from removing the burden from it.” |
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עָזֹב תַּֽעֲזֹב עִמּֽוֹ.
לְפָרֵק הַמַּשָּׂא; מִלְּמִשְׁקַל לֵיהּ – מִלִּטֹּל מַשָּׂאוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ:
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