Chumashחומש

אלהים לא תקלל. הֲרֵי זוֹ אַזְהָרָה לְבִרְכַּת הַשֵּׁם וְאַזְהָרָה לְקִלְלַת דַּיָּן (סנהדרין ס"ו):

אלהים לא תקלל THOU SHALT NOT EXECRATE GOD — Here you have the prohibition of blasphemy (the penalty being stated in Leviticus 24:16) and the prohibition of cursing a judge (who is also termed אלהים, cf. Exodus 22:7) (cf. (Mekhilta and Sanhedrin 66a).

מלאתך. חוֹבָה הַמֻּטֶּלֶת עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא תְבוּאָתְךָ לְהִתְבַּשֵּׁל, וְהֵם בִּכּוּרִים:

מלאתך [THOU SHALT NOT DELAY TO OFFER FROM] THY FULLNESS — The duty which falls upon you as soon as your crop becomes fully ripened: this refers to the first fruits (בכורים).

ודמעך. הַתְּרוּמָה – וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַהוּ לְשׁוֹן דֶּמַע.

ודמעך means THE HEAVE OFFERING, — thus do our Rabbis explain it (cf. Mekhilta), but I do not know what the expression דמע means (i. e. I do not know how it comes to have the meaning of (תרומה).

לא תאחר. לֹא תְשַׁנֶּה סֵדֶר הַפְרָשָׁתָן לְאַחֵר אֶת הַמֻּקְדָּם וּלְהַקְדִּים אֶת הַמְאֻחָר, שֶׁלֹּא יַקְדִּים תְּרוּמָה לְבִכּוּרִים וּמַעֲשֵׂר לִתְרוּמָה (מכילתא):

לא תאחר THOU SHALT NOT DELAY — i. e. thou shalt not alter the prescribed sequence of separating them from the crops, setting aside last what should be first and setting aside first what should be last — i. e. that one should not set aside the heave-offering before the first fruit nor the tithe before the heave-offering (Mekhilta).

בכור בניך תתן לי. 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 וְאַחַ"כָּ נוֹתְנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן (בכורות כ"ו):

בכור בניך תתן לי THE FIRST BORN OF THY SONS SHALT THOU GIVE UNTO ME — by redeeming him from the priest by the payment of five Sela’im. Scripture, it is true, has already given an ordinance concerning him (the firstborn) in another passage (Numbers 18:16), but it is stated here again in order to bring it into juxtaposition with the next verse: “Likewise shalt thou do with that of thine ox”, and to illustrate the latter command by the former. How is it in the case of a human being? He (the father) redeems it after thirty days, for it is said, (Numbers 18:16) “and those that are to be redeemed, from a month old shalt thou redeem”! So, too, has the owner of small cattle to look after it for 30 days and only afterwards must he give it to the priest (cf. Mekhilta and Bekhorot 26b).

שבעת ימים יהיה עם אמו. זוֹ אַזְהָרָה לַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְמַהֵר אֶת קָרְבָּנוֹ לֹא יְמַהֵר קֹדֶם שְׁמֹנָה, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מְחֻסַּר זְמַן:

שבעת ימים יהיה עם אמו SEVEN DAYS IT SHALL BE WITH ITS DAM — This is an admonition for the priest (for the Israelite himself does not sacrifice the firstborn animal) that if he wishes to bring his offering of this at an earlier date (i.e. in the case of the Israelite having given it to him before the thirtieth or fiftieth day) he is not allowed to offer it before it is eight days old because it is then “short in time” (i. e. too young for sacrifice; cf. Leviticus 22:27).

ביום השמיני תתנו לי. 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):

ביום השמיני תתנו לי ON THE EIGHTH DAY THOU SHALT GIVE IT ME — One might think that it is obligatory to offer it on that day! Scripture, however, uses here the words “eighth day” and uses them again later on, (Leviticus 22:27) “and from the eighth day and henceforth it shall be favourably accepted”, in order to suggest an analogy. Now what is the meaning of the “eighth day” mentioned in the latter passage? It intends to declare the first-born fit for sacrifice from the eighth day and henceforth (i. e. it is intended to fix the earliest possible time on which it may be sacrificed). This, too, in the purpose of the word שמיני used here: to declare it fit for sacrifice from the eighth day and henceforth. The text therefore implies: “on the eighth day thou mayest give it to Me” (and not “thou shalt give it to Me”) (Mekhilta).

ואנשי קדש תהיון לי. אִם אַתֶּם קְדוֹשִׁים וּפְרוּשִׁים מִשִּׁקּוּצֵי נְבֵלוֹת וּטְרֵפוֹת הֲרֵי אַתֶּם שֶׁלִּי וְאִם לָאו אֵינְכֶם שֶׁלִּי:

ואנשי קדש תהיון לי AND YE SHALL BE MEN OF HOLINESS UNTO ME — If you will be holy and keep yourselves aloof from the loathsomeness of carrion and Trefa you are Mine, if not you are not Mine (cf. Mekhilta).

ובשר בשדה טרפה. 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 עַ"יְ טְרֵפַת זְאֵב אוֹ אֲרִי מִן חַיָּה כְשֵׁרָה אוֹ מִבְּהֵמָה כְשֵׁרָה בְּחַיֶּיהָ:

ובשר בשדה טרפה [NEITHER SHALL YE EAT] ANY FLESH THAT IS TORN IN THE FIELD – The same holds good in case the animal has been torn in the house, only that Scripture speaks of what usually happens mentioning the field because it is the place where it is usual for cattle to be torn. A similar instance is, (Deuteronomy 22:27) “for he found her in the field”, but the same law would apply if he found her elsewhere. Another example is, (Deuteronomy 23:11) “Any man that is unclean by reason of uncleanliness that chanceth him by night”; the same law, however, applies to an uncleanliness that happens by day, but night is mentioned because Scripture speaks of what usually happens (Mekhilta). The Targum renders ובשר בשדה טרפה by ובשר תליש מן חיוא חיא “flesh that is torn off from a living animal”, i. e. flesh that has been torn off through a laceration caused by a wolf or a lion, from a living beast which is permitted to be eaten (e. g., a stag), or from cattle permitted to be eaten.

לכלב תשלכון אתו. אַף הַגּוֹי כַּכֶּלֶב; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא כֶּלֶב כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ? תַּ"לֹ בִּנְבֵלָה אוֹ מָכֹר לְנָכְרִי (שם י"ד), קַ"וָ לִטְרֵפָה שֶׁמֻּתֶּרֶת בְּכָל הֲנָאוֹת. אִם כֵּן מַה תַּ"לֹ לַכֶּלֶב? לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַכֶּלֶב נִכְבָּד מִמֶּנּוּ, וְלִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאֵין הַקָּבָּ"ה מְקַפֵּחַ שְׂכַר כָּל בְּרִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּלְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֶחֱרַץ כֶּלֶב לְשֹׁנוֹ (שמות י"א), אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה תְּנוּ לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ (מכילתא):

לכלב תשלכון אתו YE SHALL CAST IT TO THE DOGS — You may give it to a heathen as well as to the dog. Or, perhaps this is not so, but כלב is to be taken literally? Scripture, however, states with regard to carrion, (Deuteronomy 14:21) “Thou shalt give it to a stranger or sell it unto an alien”, from which it follows by a conclusion à fortiori that you may derive whatever benefit you like from the Trefa (and so you also may give it to heathen). But if this be so, what is the force of Scripture expressly saying “to the dog”? It is to teach you that the dog is to be given preference in this respect and Scripture tells you at the same time that God does not withhold the reward due to any of His creatures. The dog is entitled to reward because it is stated, (Exodus 11:7) “But against the children of Israel shall not a dog move its tongue”, and this happened. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Give it the reward it deserves (Mekhilta).

לא תשא שמע שוא. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לָא תְקַבֵּל שְׁמַע דִשְׁקָר, אַזְהָרָה לִמְקַבֵּל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְלַדַּיָּן שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי בַעַל דִּין עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא בַּעַל דִּין חֲבֵרוֹ (שם):

לא תשא שמע שוא THOU SHALT NOT HEAR A FALSE REPORT — Take it as the Targum renders it: thou shalt not accept (listen to) a false report. This is a prohibition addressed to one who is about to accept a slanderous statement, and it is addressed also to a judge — that he should not hear the pleadings of one party to a suit before the other appears (Mekhilta; Sanhedrin 7b).

אל תשת ידך עם רשע. הַטּוֹעֵן אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ תְּבִיעַת שֶׁקֶר, שֶׁתַּבְטִיחֵהוּ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ עֵד חָמָס:

אל תשת ידך עם רשע SET NOT THINE HAND WITH THE WICKED — with him who makes a false claim against his fellow-man: that you promise him to give evidence for him that will result in wrong being done (להיות עד חמס).‎

לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת. 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: לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת. 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: לא תענה על רב לנטת. אִם יִשְׁאָלוּךָ דָּבָר לַמִּשְׁפָּט לֹא תַעֲנֶה לִנְטוֹת לְצַד אֶחָד וּלְסַלֵּק עַצְמְךָ מִן הָרִיב, אֶלָּא הֱוֵי דָן אוֹתוֹ לַאֲמִתּוֹ.

לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת THOU SHALT NOT FOLLOW THE MANY FOR EVIL — There are Halachic interpretations of this verse given by the Sages of Israel but the wording of the text does not fit in well with them. They derive from here that we must not decide a person’s guilt by a preponderance of one judge. And the end of the verse they explained thus: אחרי רבים להטות — but if the judges who declare the defendant guilty are two more than those who declare him innocent, then decide the matter as they declare — that he is guilty (Sanhedrin 2a). — The verse, they point out, speaks of capital cases. — The middle passage לא תענה על רב, they explained as though it were written על רַב, “thou shalt not speak against the chief of the judges, meaning that one should not give an opinion different from that given by the מופלא of the court (the most eminent among the judges, because this is disrespectful to the Presiding-judge). In consequence of this rule we begin to take the view of those in the side-benches first — we ask the youngest judges to express their opinion first (so that they may not be able to vote against the view expressed by the מופלא). Therefore the exegesis of the verse according to the words of our Rabbis is as follows: “thou shalt not follow a bare majority for evil” — to sentence a man to death on account of the one judge by whom those who condemn him are more in number than those who acquit him; “and thou shalt not speak against the chief inclining away” from his opinion. — They explained this latter phrase thus, because the word which is usually written רִיב is here written without and therefore may be read, אחרי רבים להטות — ;רַב, there is, however, a majority to whose view thou must incline. When is this the case? When there are two who preponderate amongst those who vote for condemnation over and above those who vote for acquittal. For from what is implied in, “thou shalt not follow a bare majority for evil”, I may infer: but thou shall follow it for good. Hence they (the Rabbis) said (i. e. they established the general rule): In capital cases we may decide by a majority of one for acquittal, but only by a majority of at least two to condemn. Onkelos translates the second phrase by: Do not refrain from teaching when you are being asked your opinion in a legal matter. The Hebrew text is to be explained according to the Targum as follows: לא תענה על רב לנטת If you are being asked your opinion in a legal matter do not give your answer just to incline to one particular side and so to withdraw yourself from the dispute, but decide the matter as truth requires. Such are the expositions that have been offered of this verse.

וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְיַשְּׁבוֹ עַל אָפְנָיו כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ כָךְ פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת. אִם רָאִיתָ רְשָׁעִים מַטִּין מִשְׁפָּט, לֹא תֹאמַר, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּים הֵם הִנְנִי נוֹטֶה אַחֲרֵיהֶם:

But I think that if one wishes to explain the verse so that every thing should fit in properly, its exegesis must be as follows: לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת, If you see wicked men wresting judgment do not say: since they are many I will incline after them;

ולא תענה על רב לנטת 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'):

ולא תענה על רב לנטת וגו׳, and if the defendant asks you about that judgment do not give him as a reply concerning the dispute any statement which will incline after that majority, thereby wresting judgment from the truth, but pronounce the decision just as it should be and let the collar hang around the neck of the majority (i. e. if you be outvoted let them bear the responsibility).

לא תהדר. לֹא תַחֲלֹק לוֹ כָבוֹד לְזַכּוֹתוֹ בַדִּין וְלומַר דַּל הוּא אֲזַכֶּנּוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֶנּוּ:

לא תהדר NEITHER SHALT THOU COUNTENANCE [THE INDIGENT IN HIS QUARREL] — You shall not pay regard to him by finding in his favour in the law suit, saying, “He is a poor man; I will find in his favour, and thus show him some measure of respect.”

כי תראה חמור שנאך וגו'. הֲרֵי כִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן דִּלְמָא, שֶׁהוּא מֵאַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל שִׁמּוּשֵׁי כִי, וְכֹה פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: שֶׁמָּא תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹרוֹ רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ וחדלת מעזב לו, בִּתְמִיהָ:

כי תראה חמור שנאך וגו׳ IF THOU SEE THE ASS OF HIM THAT HATETH THEE etc. — כי here has the meaning of “possibly”, “perhaps”, which is one of the four meanings which the word כי serves to express. The sense of the verse is accordingly the following: Can you possibly see his ass crouching beneath his burden and forbear to help him? (The Hebrew word בתמיה in Rashi means “Say this in the intonation of a question”, and is nothing more than our question mark).

עזב תעזב עמו. 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):

עזב תעזב עמו — The root עזב has here the meaning of “helping”. It has a similar meaning in, (Deuteronomy 32:36) “assisted and helped (עזוב)”. Similar also is, (Nehemiah 3:8) “ויעזבו Jerusalem up to the wall” — i. e. they filled it up with earth in order to help and to support the strength of the wall. A similar use of כי is, (Deuteronomy 7:17, 18) כי תאמר בלבבך רבים הגוים האלה וגו׳ which means “Canst thou possibly (כי) speak thus? לא תירא מהם, Do not be afraid of them and speak thus”. Our Rabbis expounded it in a Halachic sense as follows: … כי תראה וחדלת “If thou seest etc. …וחדלת” — there are occasions when you may forbear and there are occasions when you must help. How so? If it is an old man who sees the ass in this condition and it is not compatible with his dignity to intervene, then וחדלת “thou mayest forbear” holds good; or if the animal belongs to a heathen and its burden to an Israelite then, also, וחדלת may be applied (cf. Mekhilta).

עזב תעזב עמו. לְפָרֵק הַמַּשָּׂא; מִלְּמִשְׁקַל לֵיהּ – מִלִּטֹּל מַשָּׂאוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ:

עזב תעזב עמו THOU SHALT SURELY HELP HIM — to unload the burden (Mekhilta). Onkelos also translates it in this sense: מלמשקל ליה which means, [Thou shalt not keep back] from taking the load from off it.