10If you approach a city to wage war against it, you must propose peace to it. |
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יכִּֽי־תִקְרַ֣ב אֶל־עִ֔יר לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם עָלֶ֑יהָ וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֵלֶ֖יהָ לְשָׁלֽוֹם: |
כִּֽי־תִקְרַב אֶל־עִיר - If you approach a city. Scripture is speaking about an optional war, as is explicitly stated later in this passage: “You must do likewise to all the cities that are distant….” |
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כִּֽי־תִקְרַב אֶל־עִיר.
בְּמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בָּעִנְיָן "כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְכָל הֶעָרִים הָרְחֹקֹת וְגוֹ'" (ספרי):
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11If it responds to you with peace and opens up its gates to you, all the people found therein must become tributary to you and serve you. |
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יאוְהָיָה֙ אִם־שָׁל֣וֹם תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ וּפָֽתְחָ֖ה לָ֑ךְ וְהָיָ֞ה כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצָא־בָ֗הּ יִֽהְי֥וּ לְךָ֛ לָמַ֖ס וַֽעֲבָדֽוּךָ: |
כָּל־הָעָם הַנִּמְצָא־בָהּ - All the people found therein - i.e., even if you find there members of the seven nations whom you are commanded to exterminate, you are allowed to let them live. |
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כָּל־הָעָם הַנִּמְצָא־בָהּ.
אֲפִלּוּ אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בָהּ מִשִּׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּיתָ לְהַחֲרִימָם, אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְקַיְּמָם (שם):
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לָמַס וַֽעֲבָדֽוּךָ - Must become tributary to you and serve you - i.e., until they accept upon themselves both to pay taxes and to be subservient. |
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לָמַס וַֽעֲבָדֽוּךָ.
עַד שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִסִּים וְשִׁעְבּוּד (שם):
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12If it does not make peace with you, and wages war against you, you must besiege it. |
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יבוְאִם־לֹ֤א תַשְׁלִים֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ וְעָֽשְׂתָ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְצַרְתָּ֖ עָלֶֽיהָ: |
וְאִם־לֹא תַשְׁלִים עִמָּךְ וְעָֽשְׂתָה עִמְּךָ מִלְחָמָה - If it does not make peace with you and wages war against you. Scripture informs you that if the city does not make peace with you, it will eventually wage war against you if you let it alone and leave. |
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וְאִם־לֹא תַשְׁלִים עִמָּךְ וְעָֽשְׂתָה עִמְּךָ מִלְחָמָה.
הַכָּתוּב מְבַשֶּׂרְךָ שֶׁאִם לֹא תַשְׁלִים עִמְּךָ סוֹפָהּ לְהִלָּחֵם בְּךָ אִם תַּנִּיחֶנָּה וְתֵלֵךְ (שם):
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וְצַרְתָּ עָלֶֽיהָ - You must besiege it - even to starve its inhabitants, make them suffer thirst, and kill them by spreading mortal diseases. |
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וְצַרְתָּ עָלֶֽיהָ.
אַף לְהַרְעִיבָהּ וּלְהַצְמִיאָהּ וְלַהֲמִיתָהּ מִיתַת תַּחֲלוּאִים (שם):
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13God, your God, will deliver it into your hands, and you must kill all its males by the sword. |
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יגוּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֥ אֶת־כָּל־זְכוּרָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב: |
וּנְתָנָהּ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ - God, your God, will deliver it into your hands - i.e., if you have done all that is stated here, God will ultimately deliver it into your hand. |
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וּנְתָנָהּ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ.
אִם עָשִׂיתָ כָּל הָאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן, סוֹף שֶׁה' נוֹתְנָהּ בְּיָדֶךָ (שם):
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14However, the women, the children, the animals, and everything that is in the city—all its spoils—you may take for yourself, and you will consume the spoils of your enemies that God, your God, will have given you. |
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ידרַ֣ק הַ֠נָּשִׁ֠ים וְהַטַּ֨ף וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בָעִ֛יר כָּל־שְׁלָלָ֖הּ תָּבֹ֣ז לָ֑ךְ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ אֶת־שְׁלַ֣ל אֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ: |
וְהַטַּף - The children - i.e., even the small male children. And how do I explain: “you must kill all its males”? It refers to the adult males. |
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וְהַטַּף.
אַף טַף שֶׁל זְכָרִים, וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם "וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת כָל זְכוּרָהּ"? בַּגְּדוֹלִים (שם):
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15You must do likewise to all the cities that are very distant from you, which are not one of the cities of these nations. |
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טוכֵּ֤ן תַּֽעֲשֶׂה֙ לְכָל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים הָֽרְחֹקֹ֥ת מִמְּךָ֖ מְאֹ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־מֵֽעָרֵ֥י הַגּוֹיִֽם־הָאֵ֖לֶּה הֵֽנָּה: |
16It is only with regard to any of the cities of these peoples, which God, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, that you must not allow any soul to live. |
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טזרַ֗ק מֵֽעָרֵ֤י הָֽעַמִּים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֖ךָ נַֽחֲלָ֑ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּ֖ה כָּל־נְשָׁמָֽה: |
17Rather, you must utterly destroy them—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as God, your God, has commanded you— |
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יזכִּי־הַֽחֲרֵ֣ם תַּֽחֲרִימֵ֗ם הַֽחִתִּ֤י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ: |
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ - As He has commanded you. This includes the Girgashites. |
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ.
לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַגִּרְגָּשִׁי (שם):
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18in order that they not teach you to act in accordance with all their abominations that they have performed for their deities, whereby you would be sinning against God, your God. |
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יחלְמַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּד֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכֹל֙ תּֽוֹעֲבֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽחֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם: |
לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּדוּ - In order that they not teach you - but if they repent and convert, you are allowed to accept them. |
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לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּדוּ.
הָא אִם עָשׂוּ תְשׁוּבָה וּמִתְגַיְּרִין אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְקַבְּלָם (שם):
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19If you besiege a city for many days, to wage war against it in order to capture it, you must not destroy its fruit trees by wielding an ax against them, for since you may eat from them, you must not cut them down. Is the tree of the field a man, who is able to come into the besieged city, fleeing from you? |
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יטכִּֽי־תָצ֣וּר אֶל־עִיר֩ יָמִ֨ים רַבִּ֜ים לְהִלָּחֵ֧ם עָלֶ֣יהָ לְתָפְשָׂ֗הּ לֹֽא־תַשְׁחִ֤ית אֶת־עֵצָהּ֙ לִנְדֹּ֤חַ עָלָיו֙ גַּרְזֶ֔ן כִּ֚י מִמֶּ֣נּוּ תֹאכֵ֔ל וְאֹת֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִכְרֹ֑ת כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ עֵ֣ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָבֹ֥א מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בַּמָּצֽוֹר: |
יָמִים - Days - indicates two. |
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יָמִים.
שְׁנַיִם:
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רַבִּים - רַבִּים – many. indicates three. Based on this, our sages said: One may not lay siege to a city less than three days before the Sabbath. This also teaches that the offer of peace referred to above must be made for two or three days, and similarly it says: “and David stayed in Tziklag for two days.” Scripture is discussing an optional war, in which such offers are made. |
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רַבִּים.
שְׁלוֹשָׁה, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ אֵין צָרִין עַל עַיָּרוֹת שֶׁל גּוֹיִם פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים קֹדֶם לַשַּׁבָּת, וְלִמֵּד שֶׁפּוֹתֵחַ בְּשָׁלוֹם שְׁנַיִם אוֹ שְׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמואל ב א') וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד בְּצִקְלָג יָמִים שְׁנָיִם (ספרי); וּבְמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
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כִּֽי־הָֽאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה - Is the tree of the field a man?. כִּי is used here in the sense of “perhaps”: Is a tree of the field perhaps like a man, who enters the besieged city fleeing from you, that it should be punished by suffering hunger and thirst like the inhabitants of the city? Why then should you destroy it? |
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כִּֽי־הָֽאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה.
הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דִּלְמָא, שֶׁמָּא הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה לְהִכָּנֵס בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּצוֹר מִפָּנֶיךָ לְהִתְיַסֵּר בְּיִסּוּרֵי רָעָב וְצָמָא כְּאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר? לָמָּה תַּשְׁחִיתֶנּוּ?:
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20However, you may destroy and cut down any tree that you know is not a food tree and use its wood to build a blockade against the city that wages war against you, keeping the city besieged until its submission. |
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כרַ֞ק עֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־תֵּדַ֗ע כִּ֣י לֹא־עֵ֤ץ מַֽאֲכָל֙ ה֔וּא אֹת֥וֹ תַשְׁחִ֖ית וְכָרָ֑תָּ וּבָנִ֣יתָ מָצ֗וֹר עַל־הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁר־הִוא֙ עֹשָׂ֧ה עִמְּךָ֛ מִלְחָמָ֖ה עַ֥ד רִדְתָּֽהּ: |
עַד רִדְתָּֽהּ - Until its submission. רִדְתָּהּ is related to רִדּוּי “subjugation”; i.e., until it becomes subservient to you. |
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עַד רִדְתָּֽהּ.
לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי, שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּפוּפָה לְךָ:
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1If a slain person be found lying in the field in the land that God, your God, is giving you to possess, and it is not known who slew him, |
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אכִּֽי־יִמָּצֵ֣א חָלָ֗ל בַּֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ נֹתֵ֤ן לְךָ֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ נֹפֵ֖ל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖ע מִ֥י הִכָּֽהוּ: |
2your elders and judges must go out and measure the distance to the cities surrounding the corpse. |
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בוְיָֽצְא֥וּ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְשֹֽׁפְטֶ֑יךָ וּמָֽדְדוּ֙ אֶל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר סְבִיבֹ֥ת הֶֽחָלָֽל: |
וְיָֽצְאוּ זְקֵנֶיךָ - Your elders must go out - this wording implies the most distinguished among your elders, i.e., the great Sanhedrin. |
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וְיָֽצְאוּ זְקֵנֶיךָ.
מְיֻחָדִים שֶׁבִּזְקֵנֶיךָ, אֵלּוּ סַנְהֶדְרֵי גְדוֹלָה (סוטה מ"ד):
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וּמָֽדְדוּ - And measure - from the spot where the corpse is lying. |
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וּמָֽדְדוּ.
מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֶחָלָל שׁוֹכֵב:
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אֶל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹת הֶֽחָלָֽל - To the cities surrounding the corpse - on all sides, to ascertain which city is closest. |
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אֶל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹת הֶֽחָלָֽל.
לְכָל צַד וְצַד לֵידַע אֵי זוֹ קְרוֹבָה:
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3From the city closest to the corpse, the elders of that city must take a calf with which labor has never been performed and that has never drawn any load with a yoke, |
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גוְהָיָ֣ה הָעִ֔יר הַקְּרֹבָ֖ה אֶל־הֶֽחָלָ֑ל וְלָֽקְח֡וּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֜וא עֶגְלַ֣ת בָּקָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־עֻבַּד֙ בָּ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־מָֽשְׁכָ֖ה בְּעֹֽל: |
4and the elders of that city must bring the calf down to a virgin valley that has never been tilled or sown, and there in the valley, they must decapitate the calf. |
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דוְהוֹרִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵֽעָבֵ֥ד בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁ֥ם אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָ֖ה בַּנָּֽחַל: |
אֶל־נַחַל אֵיתָן - To a virgin valley - i.e., with hard ground, that has never been tilled. |
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אֶל־נַחַל אֵיתָן.
קָשֶׁה, שֶׁלֹּא נֶעֱבַד:
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וְעָֽרְפוּ־ - They must decapitate. They cut the back of its neck with a hatchet. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Let a calf in its first year, which has not produced offspring, come and have its neck broken in a location that produces no yield, to atone for the killing of this person, which prevented him from producing offspring. |
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וְעָֽרְפוּ־.
קוֹצֵץ עָרְפָּהּ בְּקוֹפִיץ; אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תָּבֹא עֶגְלָה בַת שְׁנָתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא עָשְׂתָה פֵרוֹת וְתֵעָרֵף בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פֵרוֹת, לְכַפֵּר עַל הֲרִיגָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחוּהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת (סוטה מ"ו):
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5The Levitic priests must approach, for God, your God, has chosen them to serve Him and to bless the people in the Name of God, and by their mouth must every controversy and every dermal lesion be judged. |
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הוְנִגְּשׁ֣וּ הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֘ בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִי֒ כִּ֣י בָ֗ם בָּחַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֖ךְ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעַל־פִּיהֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה כָּל־רִ֥יב וְכָל־נָֽגַע: |
6All the elders of that city, who were nearest to the corpse, must wash their hands over the calf that was decapitated in the valley, |
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ווְכֹ֗ל זִקְנֵי֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔וא הַקְּרֹבִ֖ים אֶל־הֶֽחָלָ֑ל יִרְחֲצוּ֙ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־הָֽעֶגְלָ֖ה הָֽעֲרוּפָ֥ה בַנָּֽחַל: |
7and must declare their innocence and say, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, for our eyes did not see him leave our city. |
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זוְעָנ֖וּ וְאָֽמְר֑וּ יָדֵ֗ינוּ לֹ֤א שָֽׁפְכוּ֙ (כתיב שפכה֙) אֶת־הַדָּ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְעֵינֵ֖ינוּ לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ: |
יָדֵינוּ לֹא שפכה - Our hands did not shed. Could anyone think that the elders of the court commit bloodshed? This only means: “We did not see him and then let him go off without food and without escort.” The priests then say: “Grant atonement for Your people Israel.” |
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יָדֵינוּ לֹא שפכה.
וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל לֵב שֶׁזִּקְנֵי בֵית דִּין שׁוֹפְכֵי דָמִים הֵם? אֶלָּא לֹא רְאִינוּהוּ וּפְטַרְנוּהוּ בְּלֹא מְזוֹנוֹת וּבְלֹא לְוָיָה (סוטה מ"ה). הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמְרִים כפר לעמך ישראל:
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8Grant atonement for Your people Israel, whom You have redeemed, God, and do not lay the guilt of this innocent blood upon Your people Israel.’ Thus the bloodguilt will be atoned for them. |
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חכַּפֵּר֩ לְעַמְּךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־פָּדִ֨יתָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאַל־תִּתֵּן֙ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֔י בְּקֶ֖רֶב עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְנִכַּפֵּ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם הַדָּֽם: |
וְנִכַּפֵּר לָהֶם הַדָּֽם - The bloodguilt will be atoned for them. Scripture informs them that when they have carried out this procedure, their share in responsibility for the sin will be atoned. |
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וְנִכַּפֵּר לָהֶם הַדָּֽם.
הַכָּתוּב מְבַשְּׂרָם, שֶׁמִּשֶּׁעָשׁוּ כֵן יְכֻפַּר לָהֶם הֶעָוֹן (שם):
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9If the murderer is later found, you must eradicate the guilt of innocent blood from among you by executing him, for you must do what is proper in the eyes of God.” |
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טוְאַתָּ֗ה תְּבַעֵ֛ר הַדָּ֥ם הַנָּקִ֖י מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ כִּי־תַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
וְאַתָּה תְּבַעֵר - You must eradicate. This tells us that if the murderer is found after the calf has been decapitated, he must still be executed, and this is “what is proper in the eyes of God.” |
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וְאַתָּה תְּבַעֵר.
מַגִּיד שֶׁאִם נִמְצָא הַהוֹרֵג אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְעָרְפָה הָעֶגְלָה הֲרֵי זֶה יֵהָרֵג וְהוּא הישר בעיני ה' (סוטה מ"ז; כתובות ל"ז):
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