Chumashחומש

שפטים ושטרים. שׁוֹפְטִים – דַּיָּנִים הַפּוֹסְקִים אֶת הַדִּין, וְשׁוֹטְרִים – הָרוֹדִין אֶת הָעָם אַחַר מִצְוָתָם (שֶׁמַּכִּין וְכוֹפְתִין) בְּמַקֵּל וּבִרְצוּעָה עַד שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו אֶת דִּין הַשּׁוֹפֵט:

שפטים ושטרים JUDGES AND BAILIFFS — שופטים are the judges who pronounce sentence, and שוטרים are those who chastise the people at their (the judges’) order [beating and binding the recalcitrant] with a stick and a strap until he accepts the judge’s sentence (Sanhedrin 16b and Rashi thereon; cf. Sifrei Devarim 144:6).

בכל שעריך. בְּכָל עִיר וָעִיר:

בכל שעריך IN ALL THY GATES — i.e. in each town (Sifrei Devarim 144:3).

לשבטיך. מוּסָב עַל תתן לך – שׁוֹפְטִים וְשׁוֹטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ:

לשבטיך THROUGHOUT THY TRIBES — This is to be connected with תתן לך, thus: judges and bailiffs shall you make yourself for your tribes in all all your cities that the Lord, your God, gives you.

לשבטיך. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיבִין דַּיָּנִין לְכָל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט וּבְכָל עִיר וָעִיר (ספרי; סנהדרין ט"ז):

לשבטיך THROUGHOUT THY TRIBES — This teaches that judges must be appointed for each tribe separately and each city separately (Sifrei Devarim 144:4; Sanhedrin 16b).

ושפטו את העם וגו'. מַנֵּה דַּיָּנִין מֻמְחִים וְצַדִּיקִים לִשְׁפֹּט צֶדֶק (עי' ספרי):

ושפטו את העם וגו׳ AND THEY SHALL JUDGE THE PEOPLE [WITH JUST JUDGMENT] — This means, appoint judges who are expert and righteous to give just judgment (cf. Sifrei Devarim 144:7).

לא תטה משפט. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:

לא תטה משפט means what it literally implies: THOU SHALT NOT PERVERT JUDGMENT.

לא תכיר פנים. אַף בִּשְׁעַת הַטְּעָנוֹת; אַזְהָרָה לַדַּיָּן שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא רַךְ לָזֶה וְקָשֶׁה לָזֶה, אֶחָד עוֹמֵד וְאֶחָד יוֹשֵׁב, לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה זֶה שֶׁהַדַּיָּן מְכַבֵּד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מִסְתַּתְּמִין טַעֲנוֹתָיו:

ולא תכיר פנים AND THOU SHALT NOT RESPECT PERSONS — not even if it be only during the pleadings of the parties. This is an admonition addressed to the judge that he should not be lenient to one and harsh to the other, e.g. letting one stand and the other sit; because as soon as he (the party treated harshly) observes that the judge shows more respect to his fellow his ability to plead is hampered (i.e. he loses self-confidence and cannot present his case with assurance) (cf. Shevuot 30a).

ולא תקח שחד. אֲפִלּוּ לִשְׁפֹּט צֶדֶק (ספרי):

ולא תקח שחד NEITHER TAKE BRIBERY — even if you mean to give a just judgment in favor of the giver (Sifrei Devarim 144:10; cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:8).

כי השחד יעור. מִשֶּׁקִּבֵּל שֹׁחַד מִמֶּנּוּ אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא יַטֶּה אֶת לִבּוֹ אֶצְלוֹ לַהֲפֹךְ בִּזְכוּתוֹ:

כי השחד יעור FOR BRIBERY DOES BLIND — As soon as he (the judge) has accepted a bribe from him (from one of the parties) it is impossible for him not to incline his heart to him trying to find something in his favor (Ketuvot 105b).

דברי צדיקים. דְּבָרִים הַמְצֻדָּקִים – מִשְׁפְּטֵי אֱמֶת:

דברי צדיקם means, the words which have been described by the term “righteous” viz., the judgments of truth uttered on Sinai (cf. Rashi on Exodus 22:8 and Note thereon).

צדק צדק תרדף. הַלֹּךְ אַחַר בֵּית דִּין יָפֶה (ספרי; סנהדרין ל"ב):

צדק צדק תרדף JUSTICE, JUSTICE SHALT THOU PURSUE — go to (search after) a reliable court (Sifrei Devarim 144:14; Sanhedrin 32b).

למען תחיה וירשת. כְּדַאי הוּא מִנּוּי הַדַּיָּנִין הַכְּשֵׁרִים לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְהוֹשִׁיבָן עַל אַדְמָתָן (ספרי):

למען תחיה וירשת [JUSTICE, JUSTICE SHALT THOU PURSUE] THAT THOU MAYEST LIVE, AND INHERIT [THE LAND WHICH THE LORD THY GOD GIVETH THEE] — The appointment of honest judges is sufficient merit to keep Israel in life and to settle them in security in their land (Sifrei Devarim 144:15).

לא תטע לך אשרה. לְחַיְּבוֹ עָלֶיהָ מִשְּׁעַת נְטִיעָתָהּ, וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא עֲבָדָהּ עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה עַל נְטִיעָתָהּ (שם):

לא תטע לך אשרה THOU SHALT NOT PLANT THEE AN ASHERA — This is intended to make one liable to punishment regarding it from the very moment that he plants it (the Ashera); even though he does not worship it he transgresses a negative command by the mere planting of it (Sifrei Devarim 145:1).

לא תטע לך אשרה כל עץ אצל מזבח ה' אלהיך. אַזְהָרָה לְנוֹטֵעַ אִילָן וּלְבוֹנֶה בַיִת בְּהַר הַבַּיִת:

לא תטע לך אשרה כל עץ אצל מזבח ה' אלהיך THOU SHALT NOT PLANT THEE AN ASHERA, ANY TREE NEAR UNTO THE ALTAR OF THE LORD THY GOD — This is a prohibition addressed to one who would plant a tree or build a house on the Temple mount (הר הבית) (Sifrei Devarim 145:1).

ולא תקים לך מצבה. מַצֶּבֶת אֶבֶן אַחַת לְהַקְרִיב עָלֶיהָ אֲפִלּוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם:

ולא תקים לך מצבה NEITHER SHALT THOU RAISE ANY MONUMENT — i.e. a monument of one stone (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 12:3), not even in order to sacrifice on it to Heaven (to God).

אשר שנא. מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים וּמִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה צִוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת, וְאֶת זוֹ שָׂנֵא, כִּי חֹק הָיְתָה לַכְּנַעֲנִיִּים, וְאַעַ"פִּ שֶׁהָיְתָה אֲהוּבָה לוֹ בִּימֵי הָאָבוֹת, עַכְשָׁיו שְׂנֵאָהּ מֵאַחַר שֶׁעֲשָׂאוּהָ אֵלּוּ חֹק לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (עי' שם):

אשר שנא WHICH [THE LORD THY GOD] HATETH — An altar of stones and an altar of earth He has commanded you to make; this, however, He hates, because it was a religious ordinance amongst the Canaanites. And although it was pleasing to Him in the days of our Patriarchs (cf. Genesis 28:18), now He hates it because these (Canaanites) made it an ordinance of an idolatrous character (cf. Sifrei Devarim 146).

לא תזבח … כל דבר רע. אַזְהָרָה לַמְפַגֵּל בַּקֳּדָשִׁים עַ"יְ דִּבּוּר רָע. וְעוֹד נִדְרְשׁוּ בוֹ שְׁאָר דְּרָשׁוֹת בִּשְׁחִיטַת קָדָשִׁים (זבחים ל"ו):

לא תזבח ... כל דבר רע THOU SHALT NOT SACRIFICE [UNTO THE LORD THY GOD ANY OF THE HERD OR FLOCK WHEREIN IS BLEMISH OR] ANY EVIL THING — This is an admonition to one who would make sacrifices abominable through an evil utterance (דבר רע). (See Rashi on Leviticus 7:18; cf. Sifrei Devarim 147:5). Besides this, other Halachas have been derived from it in the Treatise on “The slaughtering of Sacrifices” (Zevachim 36).

לעבר בריתו. אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת אִתְּכֶם שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:

לעבר בריתו TRANSGRESSING HIS COVENANT — i.e. the covenant which He made with you not to practise idolatry.

אשר לא צויתי. לְעָבְדָם (מגילה ט'):

אשר לא צויתי [AND HATH GONE AND SERVED OTHER GODS … EITHER THE SUN, OR MOON, OR ANY OF THE HOST OF HEAVEN] WHICH I HAVE NOT COMMANDED to worship them (Megillah 9b).

נכון. מְכֻוָּן הָעֵדוּת:

נכון [AND, BEHOLD, IT BE TRUE, AND THE THING BE] CERTAIN — i.e. the evidence of the witnesses is in agreement (מְכֻוָּן‎)

והוצאת את האיש ההוא אל שעריך וגו'. הַמְתַרְגֵּם אֶל שְׁעָרֶיךָ "לִתְרַע בֵּית דִּינָךְ" טוֹעֶה, שֶׁכֵּן שָׁנִינוּ "אֶל שְׁעָרֶיךָ" — זֶה שַׁעַר שֶׁעָבַד בּוֹ, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּדּוֹן בּוֹ? נֶאֱמַר "שְׁעָרֶיךָ" לְמַטָּה וְנֶאֱמַר "שְׁעָרֶיךָ" לְמַעְלָה, מַה שְּׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה שַׁעַר שֶׁעָבַד בּוֹ, אַף שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר לְמַטָּה שַׁעַר שֶׁעָבַד בּוֹ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ "לְקִרְוָיךְ":

והוצאת את האיש ההוא אל שעריך וגו׳ THEN THOU SHALT BRING FORTH THAT MAN [OR THAT WOMAN WHO HAVE DONE THAT EVIL THING] UNTO THY GATES — He who renders אל שעריך in the Targum by לתרע בית דינך, unto the gate of thy court, is in error, for thus we have learned (Sifrei Devarim 148:2; Ketubot 45b): אל שעריך — this means the gate (the city) in which he has worshipped the idol. Or, perhaps this is not so, but it means the gate where he is being judged (the judges sat “at the gate of the city”; cf., e.g., Ruth 4:1 ff.)?! The term שעריך, however, is used below (i.e. here, which is the latter part of this section) and is used above (v. 2), and this suggests an analogy. What is the meaning of שעריך that is mentioned above? Evidently the gate (the city) wherein he served the idol! So, too, does שעריך mentioned below (in our verse) denote the gate in which he served the idol. The correct rendering in the Targum is therefore לקרויך “thou shalt bring him forth unto thy cities” (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 16:18).

שנים עדים או שלשה. אִם מִתְקַיֶּמֶת עֵדוּת בִּשְׁנַיִם לָמָּה פֵּרֵט לְךָ בִשְׁלוֹשָׁה? לְהַקִּישׁ שְׁלוֹשָׁה לִשְׁנַיִם, מַה שְּׁנַיִם עֵדוּת אַחַת אַף שְׁלוֹשָׁה עֵדוּת אַחַת, וְאֵין נַעֲשִׂין זוֹמְמִין עַד שֶׁיִּזֹּמּוּ כֻלָּם (מכות ה'):

שנים עדים או שלשה [BY THE MOUTH OF] TWO WITNESSES OR THREE [WITNESSES, SHALL HE THAT IS WORTHY OF DEATH BE PUT TO DEATH] — But if evidence can be established by two witnesses to what end does it (Scripture) mention to you explicitly that it may be established by three? Scripture does so in order to compare the evidence of three witnesses to that of two (to make the same law apply to both cases). How is it in the case of two? Their evidence forms one testimony; so, too, does the evidence of three (or many) witnesses form one testimony and they cannot be declared “plotting witnesses” unless all of them are proved to be “plotting witnesses” (Makkot 5b).

כי יפלא. כָּל הַפְלָאָה לְשׁוֹן הַבְדָּלָה וּפְרִישָׁה, שֶׁהַדָּבָר נִבְדָּל וּמְכֻסֶּה מִמְּךָ:

כי יפלא IF THERE BE [A THING] TOO HARD [FOR THEE IN JUDGMENT] — The term פלא always denotes separation and being at a distance; it means here that the matter is apart and is hidden from thee.

בין דם לדם. בֵּין דָּם טָמֵא לְדָם טָהוֹר (נדה י"ט):

בין דם לדם [IF THERE IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THEE IN JUDGMENT] BETWEEN BLOOD AND BLOOD — i.e. between the blood of the menstruous woman that may be unclean blood, and blood that may be clean (Niddah 19a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 152:5),

בין דין לדין. בֵּין דִּין זַכַּאי לְדִין חַיָּב:

בין דין לדין BETWEEN PLEA AND PLEA — i.e. between a verdict of acquittal and a verdict of “guilty”.

בין נגע לנגע. בֵּין נֶגַע טָמֵא לְנֶגַע טָהוֹר:

בין נגע לנגע BETWEEN PLAGUE AND PLAGUE — i.e. between a plague that may be unclean and a plague that may be clean.

דברי ריבת. שֶׁיִּהְיוּ חַכְמֵי הָעִיר חוֹלְקִים בַּדָּבָר, זֶה מְטַמֵּא וְזֶה מְטַהֵר, זֶה מְחַיֵּב וְזֶה מְזַכֶּה:

דברי ריבה BEING THINGS OF STRIFE [WITHIN THY GATES] — i.e. that the scholars of the city (the judges) be of different opinions in that particular matter (cf. Onkelos), the one declaring it unclean, the other clean, the one sentencing, the other acquitting,

וקמת ועלית. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ גָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת (ספרי; סנהדרין פ"ז):

וקמת ועלית THEN SHALT THOU RISE AND GO UP [UNTO THE PLACE WHICH THE LORD THY GOD SHALL CHOOSE] — This (the phrase “go up”) teaches that the Temple (in the vicinity of which the Sanhedrin sat) was situated higher than all other places in Palestine (Sifrei Devarim 152:15; Sanhedrin 87a). (cf. however, Ibn Ezra on Numbers 16:12.)

הכהנים הלוים. הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִשֵּׁבֶט לֵוִי:

הכהנים הלוים [AND THOU SHALT COME UNTO] THE PRIESTS THE LEVITES — i.e. unto the priests, who descend from of the tribe of Levi.

ואל השפט אשר יהיה בימים ההם. וַאֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ כִּשְׁאָר שׁוֹפְטִים שֶׁהָיוּ לְפָנָיו, אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹעַ לוֹ – אֵין לְךָ אֶלָּא שׁוֹפֵט שֶׁבְּיָמֶיךָ (ראש השנה כ"ה):

ואל השפט אשר יהיה בימים ההם [AND THOU SHALT COME UNTO THE PRIESTS …] AND UNTO THE JUDGE THAT SHALL BE IN THOSE DAYS — The last apparently redundant words suggest: and even though he is not as eminent as other judges that have been before him, you must obey him — you have none else but the judge that lives in your days (i.e. you are only concerned with him) (Rosh Hashanah 25b).

ימין ושמאל. אֲפִלּוּ אוֹמֵר לְךָ עַל יָמִין שֶׁהוּא שְׂמֹאל וְעַל שְׂמֹאל שֶׁהוּא יָמִין, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאוֹמֵר לְךָ עַל יָמִין יָמִין וְעַל שְׂמֹאל שְׂמֹאל (ספרי):

ימין ושמאל [THOU SHALT NOT DEPART FROM THE WORD WHICH THEY SHALL TELL THEE] TO THE RIGHT NOR TO THE LEFT, even if he (the judge) tells you about what appears to you to be right that it is left, or about what appears to you to be left that it is right, you have to obey him; how much the more is this so if actually he tells you about what is evidently right that it is right and about what is left that it is left (cf. Sifrei Devarim 154:5).

וכל העם ישמעו. מִכָּאן שֶׁמַּמְתִּינִין לוֹ עַד הָרֶגֶל וּמְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ בָּרֶגֶל (סנהדרין פ"ט):

וכל העם ישמעו AND ALL THE PEOPLE SHALL HEAR [AND FEAR] — From here we derive the law that they wait for him (i.e. defer the execution of a זקן ממרא, an elder who disregards the decision of the Supreme Court, to whom Scripture refers in v. 12 by the words והאיש אשר יעשה בזדון) until the next festival (when all Israel is assembled in Jerusalem) and they put him to death at the season of the festival (Sanhedrin 89a).