Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 23

8You must not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother. You must not despise an Egyptian, for you were a sojourner in his land.   חלֹֽא־תְתַעֵ֣ב אֲדֹמִ֔י כִּ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ ה֑וּא לֹֽא־תְתַעֵ֣ב מִצְרִ֔י כִּי־גֵ֖ר הָיִ֥יתָ בְאַרְצֽוֹ:
לֹֽא־תְתַעֵב אֲדֹמִי - You must not despise an Edomite - utterly, even though it would be fitting for you to despise him, since he went forth to greet you with the sword.   לֹֽא־תְתַעֵב אֲדֹמִי.  לְגַמְרֵי, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָאוּי לְךָ לְתַעֲבוֹ שֶׁיָּצָא בַּחֶרֶב לִקְרָאתֶךָ:
לֹֽא־תְתַעֵב מִצְרִי - You must not despise an Egyptian - totally, even though they threw your male children into the Nile. Why? Since they provided you with hospitality at a time of difficulty. Therefore: –   לֹֽא־תְתַעֵב מִצְרִי.  מִכֹּל וָכֹל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזָּרְקוּ זְכוּרֵיכֶם לַיְאוֹר. מַה טַּעַם? שֶׁהָיוּ לָכֶם אַכְסַנְיָא בִּשְׁעַת הַדְּחָק. לְפִיכָךְ —
9Children who are born to them the third generation after their conversion may enter the assembly of God by marrying born Jews.   טבָּנִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־יִוָּֽלְד֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם דּ֣וֹר שְׁלִישִׁ֑י יָבֹ֥א לָהֶ֖ם בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה:
בָּנִים אֲשֶׁר־יִוָּֽלְדוּ לָהֶם דּוֹר שְׁלִישִׁי וגו' - Children who are born to them the third generation [after their conversion]…. but other nations are permitted to marry immediately after conversion. From this, you learn that causing someone to sin is more harmful to him than killing him. For killing him kills him only in this world, but causing him to sin drives him out of this world and the World to Come. That is why the Edomites, who greeted them with the sword, are not to be utterly despised, and similarly the Egyptians, who drowned them. But Ammon and Moab, who caused them to sin, are totally despised.   בָּנִים אֲשֶׁר־יִוָּֽלְדוּ לָהֶם דּוֹר שְׁלִישִׁי וגו'.  וּשְׁאָר אֻמּוֹת מֻתָּרִים מִיָּד, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁהַמַּחֲטִיא לָאָדָם קָשֶׁה לוֹ מִן הַהוֹרְגוֹ, שֶׁהַהוֹרְגוֹ הוֹרְגוֹ בָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַמַּחֲטִיאוֹ מוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּמִן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, לְפִיכָךְ אֱדוֹם שֶׁקִּדְּמָם בַּחֶרֶב לֹא נִתְעַב, וְכֵן מִצְרַיִם שֶׁטִּבְּעוּם, וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁהֶחֱטִיאוּם נִתְעֲבוּ (ספרי):
10When you go forth as a military camp against your enemies, you must be wary of any evil thing.   יכִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א מַֽחֲנֶ֖ה עַל־אֹֽיְבֶ֑יךָ וְנִ֨שְׁמַרְתָּ֔ מִכֹּ֖ל דָּבָ֥ר רָֽע:
כִּֽי־תֵצֵא וגו' … וְנִשְׁמַרְתָּ - When you go forth…you must be wary. for the accusing angel prosecutes in a dangerous situation.   כִּֽי־תֵצֵא וגו' … וְנִשְׁמַרְתָּ.  שֶׁהַשָּׂטָן מְקַטְרֵג בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה (תלמוד ירושלמי שבת ב'):
11If there be among you a man who becomes ritually defiled due to a nocturnal seminal discharge, he must go outside the camp. He must not enter the camp until,   יאכִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה בְךָ֙ אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה טָה֖וֹר מִקְּרֵה־לָ֑יְלָה וְיָצָא֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה לֹ֥א יָבֹ֖א אֶל־תּ֥וֹךְ הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
מִקְּרֵה־לָיְלָה - A nocturnal seminal discharge. Scripture speaks of what commonly occurs.   מִקְּרֵה־לָיְלָה.  דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהוֹוֶה (ספרי):
וְיָצָא אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה - He must go outside the camp. This is an active commandment.   וְיָצָא אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה.  זוֹ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה:
לֹא־יָבֹא אֶל־תּוֹךְ הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה - He must not enter the camp. This is a passive commandment. He is forbidden to enter the camp of the Levites, and certainly not the camp of the Divine Presence.   לֹא־יָבֹא אֶל־תּוֹךְ הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה.  זוֹ מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה (שם), וְאָסוּר לִכָּנֵס לְמַחֲנֵה לְוִיָּה, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן לְמַחֲנֵה שְׁכִינָה (עי' פסחים ס"ח):
12in the late afternoon, he immerses himself in the water of a mikveh. When the sun sets, he may enter the camp.   יבוְהָיָ֥ה לִפְנֽוֹת־עֶ֖רֶב יִרְחַ֣ץ בַּמָּ֑יִם וּכְבֹ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ יָבֹ֖א אֶל־תּ֥וֹךְ הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
וְהָיָה לִפְנֽוֹת־עֶרֶב - In the late afternoon. He must immerse close to sundown at the latest, for he does not become rid of ritual defilement until sundown after his immersion.   וְהָיָה לִפְנֽוֹת־עֶרֶב.  סָמוּךְ לְהֶעֱרֵב שִׁמְשׁוֹ יִטְבֹּל, שֶׁאֵינוֹ טָהוֹר בְּלֹא הֶעֱרֵב הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ (עי' ספרי):
13You must have a designated place outside the camp, so that you can go out there to use it as a latrine.   יגוְיָד֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה לְךָ֔ מִח֖וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה וְיָצָ֥אתָ שָׁ֖מָּה חֽוּץ:
וְיָד תִּֽהְיֶה לְךָ - You must have a designated place. The meaning of יָד is as Onkelos translates it: וַאֲתַר “a place,” as in: אִישׁ עַל יָדוֹ “each man in his place.” 1   וְיָד תִּֽהְיֶה לְךָ.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כְּמוֹ אִישׁ עַל יָדוֹ (במדבר ב'):
מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה - Outside the camp - i.e., outside the cloud.   מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה.  חוּץ לֶעָנָן:
14You must keep a spike on your person in addition to your weapons, and when you sit down outside to relieve yourself, you must dig with it, and you must turn back and cover your excrement.   ידוְיָתֵ֛ד תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ עַל־אֲזֵנֶ֑ךָ וְהָיָה֙ בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֣ ח֔וּץ וְחָֽפַרְתָּ֣ה בָ֔הּ וְשַׁבְתָּ֖ וְכִסִּ֥יתָ אֶת־צֵֽאָתֶֽךָ:
עַל־אֲזֵנֶךָ - (lit.) On your weapons - means: besides your other utensils.   עַל־אֲזֵנֶךָ.  לְבַד מִשְּׁאָר כְּלֵי תַּשְׁמִישְׁךָ:
אֲזֵנֶךָ - is equivalent to כְּלֵי זֵינֶךָ “your equipment.”   אֲזֵנֶךָ.  כְּמוֹ כְּלִי זַיִן:
15For God, your God, accompanies you in the midst of your camp, to rescue you and to deliver your enemies before you. Your camp must be holy, so that He not see anything unseemly in you and because of that turn away from you.   טוכִּי֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ | בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַֽחֲנֶ֗ךָ לְהַצִּֽילְךָ֙ וְלָתֵ֤ת אֹֽיְבֶ֨יךָ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה מַחֲנֶ֖יךָ קָד֑וֹשׁ וְלֹֽא־יִרְאֶ֤ה בְךָ֙ עֶרְוַ֣ת דָּבָ֔ר וְשָׁ֖ב מֵאַֽחֲרֶֽיךָ:
וְלֹֽא־יִרְאֶה בְךָ - So that He not see in you - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He – “anything unseemly.”   וְלֹֽא־יִרְאֶה בְךָ.  הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ערות דבר:
16You may not hand over a slave to his master if he seeks refuge with you from his master.   טזלֹֽא־תַסְגִּ֥יר עֶ֖בֶד אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑יו אֲשֶׁר־יִנָּצֵ֥ל אֵלֶ֖יךָ מֵעִ֥ם אֲדֹנָֽיו:
לֹֽא־תַסְגִּיר עֶבֶד - You may not hand over a slave. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: עֶבֶד עַמְמִין – “a slave of gentiles.” Another explanation: It refers even to a Canaanite slave of an Israelite who fled from outside the land to the Land of Israel.   לֹֽא־תַסְגִּיר עֶבֶד.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר — אֲפִלּוּ עֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבָּרַח מִחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (גיטין מ"ה):
17He must reside among you wherever he chooses within any of your cities, where it is good for him. You must not taunt him.   יזעִמְּךָ֞ יֵשֵׁ֣ב בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ בַּמָּק֧וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֛ר בְּאַחַ֥ד שְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ בַּטּ֣וֹב ל֑וֹ לֹ֖א תּוֹנֶֽנּוּ:
18There must be no prostitute among the daughters of Israel, and there must be no male prostitute among the sons of Israel.   יחלֹא־תִֽהְיֶ֥ה קְדֵשָׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה קָדֵ֖שׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה קְדֵשָׁה - There must be no prostitute - i.e., one who is available to all, designated (מְקֻדֶּשֶׁת) and prepared for prostitution.   לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה קְדֵשָׁה.  מֻפְקֶרֶת מְקֻדֶּשֶׁת וּמְזֻמֶּנֶת לִזְנוּת:
וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ - And there must be no male prostitute - i.e., one prepared for homosexual relations. Onkelos translates this verse as: לָא תְהֵא אִתְּתָא מִבְּנַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִגְבַר עַבְדָּא“a woman, a daughter of Israel, must not marry a male slave” – for such a union is akin to prostitution, i.e., illicit relations, since his marriage to her has no validity, for slaves are compared in this respect to donkeys, as it says: שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר “Abraham said to his young men: ‘You stay here with the donkey,’” 2 expounded as: “a nation (עַם) compared to a donkey” – וְלָא יִסַּב גַּבְרָא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּתָא אָמָה “and no man of the sons of Israel may marry a female slave,” for he, too, becomes a male prostitute through her, as all his relations with her are illicit, since his marriage to her has no validity.   וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ.  מְזֻמָּן לְמִשְׁכַּב זְכוּר; וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם "לָא תְהֵא אִתְּתָא מִבְּנָת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִגְבַר עָבֵד", שֶׁאַף זוֹ מֻפְקֶרֶת לִבְעִילַת זְנוּת הִיא, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵין קִדּוּשִׁין תּוֹפְסִין לוֹ בָּהּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי הֻקְּשׁוּ לַחֲמוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר" – עַם הַדּוֹמֶה לַחֲמוֹר, וְלָא יִסַּב גַּבְרָא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּתָא אָמָה, שֶׁאַף הוּא נַעֲשֶׂה קָדֵשׁ עַל יָדָהּ, שֶׁכָּל בְּעִילוֹתָיו בְּעִילוֹת זְנוּת, שֶׁאֵין קִדּוּשִׁין תּוֹפְסִין לוֹ בָּהּ (עי' קידושין ס"ח):
19You may not bring an article used to pay a prostitute’s fee or an article that was used to pay for a dog to the House of God, your God as fulfillment of any sacrificial vow, because both of them are an abomination to God, your God.   יטלֹֽא־תָבִיא֩ אֶתְנַ֨ן זוֹנָ֜ה וּמְחִ֣יר כֶּ֗לֶב בֵּ֛ית יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְכָל־נֶ֑דֶר כִּ֧י תֽוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם:
אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה - A prostitute’s fee - i.e., if he gave her a lamb as her fee, it becomes unfit for offering up as a sacrifice.   אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה.  נָתַן לָהּ טָלֶה בְּאֶתְנַנָּהּ פָּסוּל לְהַקְרָבָה:
וּמְחִיר כֶּלֶב - Or payment for a dog - i.e., he exchanged a sheep for a dog.   וּמְחִיר כֶּלֶב.  הֶחֱלִיף שֶׂה בְכֶלֶב (ספרי; תמורה כ"ט):
גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם - (lit.) Also both of them. This word גַּם is added to include their changed forms, e.g., if the payment was wheat, which was then made into flour.   גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם.  לְרַבּוֹת שִׁנּוּיֵיהֶם, כְּגוֹן חִטִּים וַעֲשָׂאָן סֹלֶת (שם ל'):
20You must not pay interest to your brother, whether interest on money, interest on food, or interest on any other article on which interest is taken.   כלֹֽא־תַשִּׁ֣יךְ לְאָחִ֔יךָ נֶ֥שֶׁךְ כֶּ֖סֶף נֶ֣שֶׁךְ אֹ֑כֶל נֶ֕שֶׁךְ כָּל־דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשָּֽׁךְ:
לֹֽא־תַשִּׁיךְ - You must not pay interest. This is a warning to the borrower, that he not pay interest to the lender. Afterward, there is a warning to the lender: “you must not give him your money on interest.” 3   לֹֽא־תַשִּׁיךְ.  אַזְהָרָה לַלֹּוֶה שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן רִבִּית לַמַּלְוֶה (עי' ספרי) (וְאַחַר כָּךְ אַזְהָרָה לַמַּלְוֶה אֶת כַּסְפְּךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לוֹ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ):
21You may pay interest to a gentile. But you must not pay interest to your brother, in order that God, your God, bless you in all your endeavors in the land that you are entering in order to possess.   כאלַנָּכְרִ֣י תַשִּׁ֔יךְ וּלְאָחִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַשִּׁ֑יךְ לְמַ֨עַן יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בְּכֹל֙ מִשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֔ךָ עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
לַנָּכְרִי תַשִּׁיךְ - You may pay interest to a gentile - Implying: but not to your brother Jew. A passive commandment inferred from an active commandment is considered an active commandment. Thus, whoever transgresses this law violates two passive commandments and one active commandment.   לַנָּכְרִי תַשִּׁיךְ.  וְלֹא לְאָחִיךָ, לָאו הַבָּא מִכְּלַל עֲשֵׂה, עֲשֵׂה, לַעֲבֹר עָלָיו בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוין וַעֲשֵׂה:
22When you make a vow to offer up a sacrifice to God, your God, you must not delay in fulfilling it, for God, your God, will demand it of you, and this delay will be counted as a sin for you.   כבכִּֽי־תִדֹּ֥ר נֶ֨דֶר֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תְאַחֵ֖ר לְשַׁלְּמ֑וֹ כִּֽי־דָר֨שׁ יִדְרְשֶׁ֜נּוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא:
לֹא תְאַחֵר לְשַׁלְּמוֹ - You must not delay in fulfilling it - more than three festivals. Our rabbis 4 derive this from Scripture.   לֹא תְאַחֵר לְשַׁלְּמוֹ.  שְׁלוֹשָׁה רְגָלִים, וּלְמָדוּהוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִן הַמִּקְרָא (ראש השנה ד'):
23If you refrain from making sacrificial vows, you will not accrue any sin.   כגוְכִ֥י תֶחְדַּ֖ל לִנְדֹּ֑ר לֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא:
24Observe and fulfill whatever obligation issues from your lips exactly as you have vowed to God, your God. The same applies to a sacrificial dedication that you have uttered with your mouth.   כדמוֹצָ֥א שְׂפָתֶ֖יךָ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר וְעָשִׂ֑יתָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֜רְתָּ לַֽיהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ נְדָבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ בְּפִֽיךָ:
מוֹצָא שְׂפָתֶיךָ תִּשְׁמֹר - Observe and fulfill whatever issues from your lips. This is stated to add an active commandment to the passive commandment stated in the previous verse.   מוֹצָא שְׂפָתֶיךָ תִּשְׁמֹר.  לִתֵּן עֲשֵׂה עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה (שם ו'):