י״ח
י״דכִּ֣י ׀ הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ יוֹרֵ֣שׁ אוֹתָ֔ם אֶל־מְעֹנְנִ֥ים וְאֶל־קֹסְמִ֖ים יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ וְאַתָּ֕ה לֹ֣א כֵ֔ן נָ֥תַן לְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
14Those nations that you are about to dispossess do indeed resort to soothsayers and augurs; to you, however, the ETERNAL your God has not assigned the like.
לא כן נתן לך ה' אלהיך. לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל מְעוֹנְנִים וְאֶל קוֹסְמִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִשְׁרָה שְׁכִינָה עַל הַנְּבִיאִים וְאוּרִים וְתֻמִּים:
לא כן נתן לך ה' אלהיך BUT NOT SO HATH THE LORD THY GOD SUFFERED THEE [TO DO] — i.e. to hearken unto מעוננים and קוסמים, for you see, He has made His Divine Presence dwell upon the prophets and upon the “Urim and Thummim” (and these will, if necessary, inform thee of what God has in store for thee).
ט״ונָבִ֨יא מִקִּרְבְּךָ֤ מֵאַחֶ֙יךָ֙ כָּמֹ֔נִי יָקִ֥ים לְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אֵלָ֖יו תִּשְׁמָעֽוּן׃
15From among your own people, the ETERNAL your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself—whom you shall heed.
מקרבך מאחיך כמני. כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי מִקִּרְבְּךָ מֵאַחֶיךָ, יקים לך תַּחְתַּי, וְכֵן מִנָּבִיא לְנָבִיא:
מקרבך מאחיך כמני [THE LORD THY GOD WILL RAISE UP UNTO THEE A PROPHET] FROM THE MIDST OF THEE, OF THY BRETHREN, LIKE UNTO ME — This means: One who is as I am, from your midst, of your brethren, יקים לך WILL HE RAISE UP UNTO THEE in my stead, and so likewise from prophet to prophet throughout all ages.
ט״זכְּכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁאַ֜לְתָּ מֵעִ֨ם יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בְּחֹרֵ֔ב בְּי֥וֹם הַקָּהָ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֣א אֹסֵ֗ף לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶת־קוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔י וְאֶת־הָאֵ֨שׁ הַגְּדֹלָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את לֹֽא־אֶרְאֶ֥ה ע֖וֹד וְלֹ֥א אָמֽוּת׃
16This is just what you asked of the ETERNAL your God at Horeb, on the day of the Assembly, saying, “Let me not hear the voice of the ETERNAL my God any longer or see this wondrous fire anymore, lest I die.”
י״זוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י הֵיטִ֖יבוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽרוּ׃
17Whereupon GOD said to me, “They have done well in speaking thus.
י״חנָבִ֨יא אָקִ֥ים לָהֶ֛ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם כָּמ֑וֹךָ וְנָתַתִּ֤י דְבָרַי֙ בְּפִ֔יו וְדִבֶּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲצַוֶּֽנּוּ׃
18I will raise up for them from among their own people a prophet like yourself, in whose mouth I will put My words and who will speak to them all that I command;
י״טוְהָיָ֗ה הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִשְׁמַע֙ אֶל־דְּבָרַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְדַבֵּ֖ר בִּשְׁמִ֑י אָנֹכִ֖י אֶדְרֹ֥שׁ מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃
19and anybody who fails to heed the words spoken in My name, I Myself will call to account.
כ׳אַ֣ךְ הַנָּבִ֡יא אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָזִיד֩ לְדַבֵּ֨ר דָּבָ֜ר בִּשְׁמִ֗י אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־צִוִּיתִיו֙ לְדַבֵּ֔ר וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יְדַבֵּ֔ר בְּשֵׁ֖ם אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וּמֵ֖ת הַנָּבִ֥יא הַהֽוּא׃
20But any prophet who presumes to speak in My name an oracle that I did not command to be uttered, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet shall die.”
אשר לא צויתיו לדבר. אֲבָל צִוִּיתִיו לַחֲבֵרוֹ:
אשר לא צויתיו לדבר [BUT THE PROPHET WHO SHALL PRESUME TO SPEAK A WORD …] WHICH I HAVE NOT COMMANDED HIM TO SPEAK — but which I may have commanded his fellow-prophet to speak (Sanhedrin 89a),
ואשר ידבר בשם אלהים אחרים. אֲפִלּוּ כִוֵּן אֶת הַהֲלָכָה לֶאֱסֹר אֶת הָאָסוּר וּלְהַתִּיר אֶת הַמֻּתָּר (סנהדרין פ"ט):
ואשר ידבר בשם אלהים אחרים OR THAT SHALL SPEAK IN THE NAME OF OTHER GODS — even though he be in exact agreement with the Halacha, — that he forbids what is forbidden, or permits what is permitted, [but does so in the name of other gods] (Sanhedrin 89a),
ומת. בְּחֶנֶק. ג' מִיתָתָן בִּידֵי אָדָם – הַמִּתְנַבֵּא מַה שֶּׁלֹּא שָׁמַע, וּמַה שֶּׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר לוֹ וְנֶאֱמַר לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וְהַמִּתְנַבֵּא בְּשֵׁם עֲ"זָ. אֲבָל הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת נְבוּאָתוֹ וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל דִּבְרֵי נָבִיא וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל דִּבְרֵי עַצְמוֹ – מִיתָתָן בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (פסוק י"ט) אָנֹכִי אֶדְרֹשׁ מֵעִמּוֹ (סנהדרין פ"ט):
ומת HE SHALL DIE — by strangulation. — There are three false prophets who must be put to death by man (by the court): one who prophesies something which he has not heard (was not commanded to prophesy); one who prophesies something that was not spoken unto him but was spoken unto his fellow-prophet, and finally one who prophesies in the name of an idol. But he who suppresses his prophecy (does not utter it as commanded to do), and he who transgresses the words of a prophet, or, being himself a prophet, transgresses his own words — their death is by the Heavenly Judge, for it is said, (v. 19) “I” will require it from him” (Sanhedrin 89a).
כ״אוְכִ֥י תֹאמַ֖ר בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ אֵיכָה֙ נֵדַ֣ע אֶת־הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־דִבְּר֖וֹ יְהֹוָֽה׃
21And should you ask yourselves, “How can we know that the oracle was not spoken by GOD?”—
וכי תאמר בלבבך. עֲתִידִין אַתֶּם לוֹמַר כְּשֶׁיָּבֹא חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן עַזּוּר וּמִתְנַבֵּא "הִנֵּה כְלֵי בֵית ה' מוּשָׁבִים מִבָּבֶלָה עַתָּה מְהֵרָה" (ירמיהו כ"ז), וְיִרְמְיָהוּ עוֹמֵד וְצוֹוֵחַ "אֶל הָעַמֻּדִים וְעַל הַיָּם וְעַל יֶתֶר הַכֵּלִים" שֶׁלֹּא גָּלוּ עִם יְכָנְיָה, "בָּבֶלָה יוּבָאוּ" עִם גָּלוּת צִדְקִיָּהוּ (שם):
וכי תאמר בלבבך AND IF THOU SAY IN THINE HEART [HOW SHALL WE KNOW THE WORD WHICH THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN]? — you will once ask this — when Hananiah the son of Azur (the false prophet) comes and prophesies (Jeremiah 27:16) “Behold, the vessels of the Lord’s house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon”, whilst Jeremiah (the true prophet) stands and proclaims (Jeremiah 27:19—22) “concerning the pillars, and concerning the laver, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels [which remain in this city which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not,…]” which did not go into exile to Babylon with Jeconiah, king of Judah, “they shall be carried to Babylon [and there they shall remain]” together with Zedekiah when he will go into exile (Sifrei Devarim 178:2).
כ״באֲשֶׁר֩ יְדַבֵּ֨ר הַנָּבִ֜יא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ וְלֹ֣א יָבֹ֔א ה֣וּא הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־דִבְּר֖וֹ יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּזָדוֹן֙ דִּבְּר֣וֹ הַנָּבִ֔יא לֹ֥א תָג֖וּר מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ {ס}
22if the prophet speaks in GOD’s name and the oracle does not come true, that oracle was not spoken by GOD; the prophet has uttered it presumptuously: do not stand in dread of them.
אשר ידבר הנביא. וְיֹאמַר דָּבָר זֶה עָתִיד לָבֹא עֲלֵיכֶם וְתִרְאוּ שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא, הוא הדבר אשר לא דברו ה' וַהֲרֹג אוֹתוֹ. וְאִם תֹּאמַר זוֹ בְמִתְנַבֵּא עַל הָעֲתִידוֹת, הֲרֵי שֶׁבָּא וְאָמַר עֲשׂוּ כָךְ וְכָךְ וּמִפִּי הַקָּבָּ"ה אֲנִי אוֹמֵר? כְּבָר נִצְטַוּוּ שֶׁאִם בָּא לְהַדִּיחֲךָ מֵאַחַת מִכָּל הַמִּצְווֹת לֹא תִשְׁמַע לוֹ (דברים י"ג) אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מֻמְחֶה הוּא לְךָ שֶׁהוּא צַדִּיק גָּמוּר, כְּגוֹן אֵלִיָּהוּ בְהַר הַכַּרְמֶל שֶׁהִקְרִיב בְּבָמָה בִּשְׁעַת אִסּוּר הַבָּמוֹת, כְּדֵי לִגְדֹּר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַכֹּל לְפִי צֹרֶךְ שָׁעָה וּסְיָג הַפִּרְצָה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר (פסוק ט"ו) אֵלָיו תִּשְׁמָעוּן (סנהדרין פ"ט):
אשר ידבר הנביא WHEN THE PROPHET SPEAKETH [IN THE NAME OF THE LORD] and says, “This thing will once happen to you”, and you will see that it did not happen, הוא הדבר אשר לא דברו ה׳ THAT IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN — and, therefore, slay him. If, however, you say, “But this refers to one who will prophesy about the future. But suppose one comes and says, ‘Do so and so, and I say this by the command of the Holy One blessed be He’? How, then, can we know whether God has spoken this or not?” The reply is: As regards such a case they have already been commanded that if one comes to thrust thee away from one of the divine commandments, לא תשמע לו “then thou shalt not hearken unto him” (Deuteronomy 13:12), unless you are certain that he is a perfectly righteous man, as, for instance. Elijah at the incident on Mount Carmel, who offered sacrifices on a Bamah (an improvised altar) at a time when offering on Bamoth was forbidden, but who did so in order to fence Israel in against idolatry. Thus all depends on the needs of the time and the necessity of taking preventive measures (סיג) against a breach. With reference to such a case it states, (v. 15) “unto him ye shall hearken” (Sanhedrin 89b; Yevamot 90b).
לא תגור ממנו. לֹא תִמְנַע עַצְמְךָ מִלְּלַמֵּד עָלָיו חוֹבָה (ספרי), וְלֹא תִירָא לֵעָנֵשׁ עָלָיו:
לא תגור ממנו THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID OF HIM — i.e. do not refrain from advocating his guilt (Sifrei Devarim 178:3) and do not fear that you may incur punishment on his account (because you have contributed to his death).
י״ט
א׳כִּֽי־יַכְרִ֞ית יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ אֶת־אַרְצָ֑ם וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֕ם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֥ בְעָרֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְבָתֵּיהֶֽם׃
1When the ETERNAL your God has cut down the nations whose land the ETERNAL your God is assigning to you, and you have dispossessed them and settled in their towns and homes,
ב׳שָׁל֥וֹשׁ עָרִ֖ים תַּבְדִּ֣יל לָ֑ךְ בְּת֣וֹךְ אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃
2you shall set aside three cities in the land that the ETERNAL your God is giving you to possess.
ג׳תָּכִ֣ין לְךָ֮ הַדֶּ֒רֶךְ֒ וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־גְּב֣וּל אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַנְחִֽילְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְהָיָ֕ה לָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה כׇּל־רֹצֵֽחַ׃
3You shall survey the distances, and divide into three parts the territory of the country that the ETERNAL your God has allotted to you, so that any manslayer may have a place to flee to.aany manslayer … place to flee to I.e., regardless of the victim’s gender. As for a female culprit, the case may have been more complex.—
תכין לך הדרך. "מִקְלָט", "מִקְלָט" הָיָה כָתוּב עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים (מכות י'):
תכין לך הדרך THOU SHALT PREPARE THEE A WAY — “Refuge!” "Refuge!" was inscribed at each crossroad (to point the way to the nearest city of refuge) (Makkot 10b).
ושלשת את גבול ארצך. שֶׁיְּהֵא מִתְּחִלַּת הַגְּבוּל עַד הָעִיר הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל עָרֵי מִקְלָט כְּשִׁעוּר מַהֲלָךְ שֶׁיֵּשׁ מִמֶּנָּה עַד הַשְּׁנִיָּה וְכֵן מִשְּׁנִיָּה לַשְּׁלִישִׁית וְכֵן מִן הַשְּׁלִישִׁית עַד הַגְּבוּל הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (שם ט'):
ושלשת את גבול ארצך AND THOU SHALT DIVIDE THE TERRITORY OF THY LAND … INTO THREE PARTS — so that from the point where the boundary begins unto the first city of refuge there should be the same length of journey as there is from it to the second city; and that there should be the same distance from the second to the third and from the third to the other (opposite) boundary of the Land of Israel (Makkot 9b).
ד׳וְזֶה֙ דְּבַ֣ר הָרֹצֵ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־יָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וָחָ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַכֶּ֤ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּבְלִי־דַ֔עַת וְה֛וּא לֹא־שֹׂנֵ֥א ל֖וֹ מִתְּמֹ֥ל שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃
4Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live: one who has slain another unwittingly, without having been an enemy in the past.
ה׳וַאֲשֶׁר֩ יָבֹ֨א אֶת־רֵעֵ֥הוּ בַיַּ֘עַר֮ לַחְטֹ֣ב עֵצִים֒ וְנִדְּחָ֨ה יָד֤וֹ בַגַּרְזֶן֙ לִכְרֹ֣ת הָעֵ֔ץ וְנָשַׁ֤ל הַבַּרְזֶל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ וּמָצָ֥א אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ וָמֵ֑ת ה֗וּא יָנ֛וּס אֶל־אַחַ֥ת הֶעָרִים־הָאֵ֖לֶּה וָחָֽי׃
5For instance, a man goes with another fellow into a grove to cut wood; as his hand swings the ax to cut down a tree, the ax-head flies off the handle and strikes the other so that he dies. That man shall flee to one of these cities and live.—
ונדחה ידו. כְּשֶׁבָּא לְהַפִּיל הַגַּרְזֶן עַל הָעֵץ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וְתִתְמְרֵיג יְדֵיהּ", לְשׁוֹן וְנִשְׁמְטָה יָדוֹ לְהַפִּיל מַכַּת הַגַּרְזֶן עַל הָעֵץ, "כִּי שָׁמְטוּ הַבָּקָר" (שמואל ב ו') תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן "אֲרֵי מַרְגוּהִי תּוֹרַיָּא":
ונדחה ידו AND HIS HAND MOVED (SLIPPED) when he was about to let the axe fall upon the tree. The Targum rendering is ותתמריג ידה, the meaning being, “his hand moved itself to let the stroke of the axe fall upon the tree”. The words (II Samuel 6:6) כי שמטו הבקר are rendered in Targum Jonathan on by: ארי מרגוהי תוריא “for the oxen moved it (the Ark)”
ונשל הברזל מן העץ. יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אוֹמְרִים נִשְׁמַט הַבַּרְזֶל מִקַּתּוֹ, וְיֵש מֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים שֶׁיִּשַּׁל הַבַּרְזֶל חֲתִיכָה מִן הָעֵץ הַמִּתְבַּקֵּעַ וְהִיא נִתְּזָה וְהָרְגָה (מכות ז'):
ונשל הברזל מן העץ — Some of our Rabbis say that this means that the iron (axe) flew off from its handle (העץ); but some of them say that it means that the iron made a splinter of wood fall off from the tree which was being chopped, and it sprang off and killed him (according to this explanation the word העץ in both cases refers to the tree) (Makkot 7b).
ו׳פֶּן־יִרְדֹּף֩ גֹּאֵ֨ל הַדָּ֜ם אַחֲרֵ֣י הָרֹצֵ֗חַ כִּי־יֵחַם֮ לְבָבוֹ֒ וְהִשִּׂיג֛וֹ כִּֽי־יִרְבֶּ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ וְהִכָּ֣הוּ נָ֑פֶשׁ וְלוֹ֙ אֵ֣ין מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֔וֶת כִּ֠י לֹ֣א שֹׂנֵ֥א ה֛וּא ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃
6Otherwise, when the distance is great, the blood-avenger, pursuing the manslayer in hot anger, may overtake him and strike him down; yet he did not incur the death penalty, since he had never been the other’s enemy.
פן ירדף גאל הדם. לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְהָכִין לְךָ דֶּרֶךְ וְעָרֵי מִקְלָט רַבִּים:
פן ירדף גאל הדם LEST THE AVENGER OF THE BLOOD PURSUE [THE SLAYER] — therefore I tell you to prepare the way for you and [to prepare] many cities of refuge.
ז׳עַל־כֵּ֛ן אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ לֵאמֹ֑ר שָׁלֹ֥שׁ עָרִ֖ים תַּבְדִּ֥יל לָֽךְ׃
7That is why I command you: set aside three cities.
ח׳וְאִם־יַרְחִ֞יב יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־גְּבֻ֣לְךָ֔ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וְנָ֤תַן לְךָ֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר לָתֵ֥ת לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
8And when the ETERNAL your God enlarges your territory, as was sworn to your fathers,bfathers See note at 1.35. and gives you all the land that was promised to be given to your fathers—
ואם ירחיב … כאשר נשבע. לָתֵת לְךָ אֶרֶץ קֵינִי וּקְנִזִּי וְקַדְמוֹנִי:
ואם ירחיב … כאשר נשבע AND IF [THE LORD THY GOD] ENLARGE [THY TERRITORY], AS HE HATH SWORN [UNTO THY FATHERS] to give thee the land of the Kenite, the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite (Sifrei Devarim 184:3).
ט׳כִּֽי־תִשְׁמֹר֩ אֶת־כׇּל־הַמִּצְוָ֨ה הַזֹּ֜את לַעֲשֹׂתָ֗הּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֣י מְצַוְּךָ֮ הַיּוֹם֒ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ וְלָלֶ֥כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֖יו כׇּל־הַיָּמִ֑ים וְיָסַפְתָּ֨ לְךָ֥ עוֹד֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ עָרִ֔ים עַ֖ל הַשָּׁלֹ֥שׁ הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
9if you faithfully observe all this Instruction that I enjoin upon you this day, to love the ETERNAL your God and to walk in God’s ways at all times—then you shall add three more towns to those three.
ויספת לך עוד שלש. הֲרֵי תֵשַׁע, שָׁלוֹשׁ שֶׁבְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וְשָׁלוֹשׁ שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן וְשָׁלוֹשׁ לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא (ספרי):
ויספת לך עוד שלש THEN THOU SHALT ADD THREE [CITIES] MORE FOR THEE — Thus you have nine altogether: the three on the east side of the Jordan, the three in the land of Canaan and three more in the future to come when God will enlarge thy territory (Sifrei Devarim 185:1).
י׳וְלֹ֤א יִשָּׁפֵךְ֙ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֔י בְּקֶ֣רֶב אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָ֑ה וְהָיָ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ דָּמִֽים׃ {פ}
10Thus blood of the innocent will not be shed, bringing bloodguilt upon you in the land that the ETERNAL your God is allotting to you.
י״אוְכִֽי־יִהְיֶ֥ה אִישׁ֙ שֹׂנֵ֣א לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ וְאָ֤רַב לוֹ֙ וְקָ֣ם עָלָ֔יו וְהִכָּ֥הוּ נֶ֖פֶשׁ וָמֵ֑ת וְנָ֕ס אֶל־אַחַ֖ת הֶעָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽל׃
11If, however, [for instance,] a man who is the enemy of another lies in wait for him and sets upon him and strikes a fatal blow and then flees to one of these towns,
וכי יהיה איש שנא לרעהו. עַל יְדֵי שִׂנְאָתוֹ הוּא בָא לִידֵי וארב לו, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ עָבַר אָדָם עַל מִצְוָה קַלָּה, סוֹפוֹ לַעֲבֹר עַל מִצְוָה חֲמוּרָה, לְפִי שֶׁעָבַר עַל לֹא תִשְׂנָא (ויקרא י"ט), סוֹפוֹ לָבֹא לִידֵי שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "וְכִי יִהְיֶה אִישׁ שֹׂנֵא לְרֵעֵהוּ וְגוֹ'", שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב וְכִי יָקוּם אִישׁ וְאָרַב לְרֵעֵהוּ וְהִכָּהוּ נָפֶשׁ (ספרי):
וכי יהיה איש שנא לרעהו BUT IF A MAN HATE HIS FELLOW [AND LIE IN WAIT FOR HIM] — It is through his hatred that he comes to such a point as to “lie in wait for him”. From here they (the Rabbis) derived their statement: If a man transgresses a light command he will in the end transgress a weighty command; — because he transgressed the command (Leviticus 19:17) “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart”, he will in the end come to such a point as to shed blood. It is for this reason that it is stated here, apparently redundantly, “but if a man hate his fellow [and lie in wait for him]”, for it ought to have written only: “But if a man rise up and lie in wait for his fellow and smite him mortally” (Sifrei Devarim 186:2).
י״בוְשָֽׁלְחוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י עִיר֔וֹ וְלָקְח֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מִשָּׁ֑ם וְנָתְנ֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ בְּיַ֛ד גֹּאֵ֥ל הַדָּ֖ם וָמֵֽת׃
12the elders of his town shall have him brought back from there and shall hand him over to the blood-avenger to be put to death;
י״גלֹא־תָח֥וֹס עֵֽינְךָ֖ עָלָ֑יו וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֧ דַֽם־הַנָּקִ֛י מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְט֥וֹב לָֽךְ׃ {ס}
13you must show him no pity. Thus you will purge Israel of the blood of the innocent,cpurge Israel of the blood of the innocent Cf. Num. 35.33–34. and it will go well with you.
לא תחוס עינך. שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הָרִאשׁוֹן כְּבָר נֶהֱרַג, לָמָּה אָנוּ הוֹרְגִים אֶת זֶה וְנִמְצְאוּ שְׁנֵי יִשְׂרְאֵלִים הֲרוּגִים? (שם):
לא תחוס עינך THINE EYE SHALL NOT PITY [HIM] — i.e. that thou shall not say, The first (the one) person has already been killed, why should we kill this also, so that two Israelites will be killed? (Sifrei Devarim 187:7).