כ׳
י׳כִּֽי־תִקְרַ֣ב אֶל־עִ֔יר לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם עָלֶ֑יהָ וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֵלֶ֖יהָ לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃
10When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace.coffer it terms of peace Or “call on it to surrender.”
כי תקרב אל עיר. בְּמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בָּעִנְיָן "כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְכָל הֶעָרִים הָרְחֹקֹת וְגוֹ'" (ספרי):
כי תקרב אל עיר WHEN THOU APPROACHEST UNTO A CITY [TO FIGHT AGAINST IT] — Scripture is speaking of a war which is not obligatory upon them (as was the war against the seven nations of Canaan, referred to in v. 16), as it is distinctly stated in this section (v. 15) “Thus thou shalt do unto all the cities which are very far [from thee]” etc. (Sifrei Devarim 199:1).
י״אוְהָיָה֙ אִם־שָׁל֣וֹם תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ וּפָתְחָ֖ה לָ֑ךְ וְהָיָ֞ה כׇּל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצָא־בָ֗הּ יִהְי֥וּ לְךָ֛ לָמַ֖ס וַעֲבָדֽוּךָ׃
11If it responds peaceably and lets you in, all the people present there shall serve you at forced labor.
כל העם הנמצא בה. אֲפִלּוּ אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בָהּ מִשִּׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּיתָ לְהַחֲרִימָם, אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְקַיְּמָם (שם):
כל העם הנמצא בה ALL THE PEOPLE THAT IS FOUND THEREIN [SHALL BE TRIBUTARIES] — all: even if you find in it persons belonging to the seven nations which you have been commanded to exterminate, you are allowed to keep them alive (Sifrei Devarim 200:2).
למס ועבדוך. עַד שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִסִּים וְשִׁעְבּוּד (שם):
למס ועבדוך [ALL THE PEOPLE … SHALL BE] TRIBUTARIES [UNTO THEE], AND THEY SHALL SERVE THEE — You must not accept their surrender until they take upon themselves both the payment of tribute and servitude (one alone is not sufficient) (Sifrei Devarim 200:3).
י״בוְאִם־לֹ֤א תַשְׁלִים֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ וְעָשְׂתָ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְצַרְתָּ֖ עָלֶֽיהָ׃
12If it does not surrender to you, but would join battle with you, you shall lay siege to it;
ואם לא תשלים עמך ועשתה עמך מלחמה. הַכָּתוּב מְבַשֶּׂרְךָ שֶׁאִם לֹא תַשְׁלִים עִמְּךָ סוֹפָהּ לְהִלָּחֵם בְּךָ אִם תַּנִּיחֶנָּה וְתֵלֵךְ (שם):
ואם לא תשלים עמך ועשתה עמך מלחמה — Scripture tells you that if it does not make peace with you it will in the end make war against you (attack you) — if you leave it alone and go away (Sifrei Devarim 200:4). (The translation therefore is: AND IF IT WILL MAKE NO PEACE WITH THEE. IT WILL WAR AGAINST THEE).
וצרת עליה. אַף לְהַרְעִיבָהּ וּלְהַצְמִיאָהּ וְלַהֲמִיתָהּ מִיתַת תַּחֲלוּאִים (שם):
וצרת עליה THEN THOU SHALT BESIEGE IT — This implies that you are entitled even to starve it out, to make it suffer thirst and to kill it (the inhabitants) by mortal diseases (Sifrei Devarim 200:5).
י״גוּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֥ אֶת־כׇּל־זְכוּרָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃
13and when the ETERNAL your God delivers it into your hand, you shall put all its males to the sword.
ונתנה ה' אלהיך בידך. אִם עָשִׂיתָ כָּל הָאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן, סוֹף שֶׁה' נוֹתְנָהּ בְּיָדֶךָ (שם):
ונתנה ה' אלהיך בידך means THEN THE LORD THY GOD WILL GIVE IT INTO THY HANDS — if you have done all that is prescribed in this section the Lord will in the end give it into your hands (Sifrei Devarim 200:6).
י״דרַ֣ק הַ֠נָּשִׁ֠ים וְהַטַּ֨ף וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בָעִ֛יר כׇּל־שְׁלָלָ֖הּ תָּבֹ֣ז לָ֑ךְ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ אֶת־שְׁלַ֣ל אֹיְבֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ׃
14You may, however, take as your booty the women, the children, the livestock, and everything in the town—all its spoil—and enjoy the use of the spoil of your enemy, which the ETERNAL your God gives you.
והטף. אַף טַף שֶׁל זְכָרִים, וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם "וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת כָל זְכוּרָהּ"? בַּגְּדוֹלִים (שם):
והטף AND THE LITTLE ONES [… SHALT THOU TAKE UNTO THYSELF] — the male children, too. But how am I to understand (v. 13) “and thou shalt smite every male thereof”? As referring to the male adults (Sifrei Devarim 200:7).
ט״וכֵּ֤ן תַּעֲשֶׂה֙ לְכׇל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים הָרְחֹקֹ֥ת מִמְּךָ֖ מְאֹ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־מֵעָרֵ֥י הַגּֽוֹיִם־הָאֵ֖לֶּה הֵֽנָּה׃
15Thus you shall deal with all towns that lie very far from you, towns that do not belong to nations hereabout.
ט״זרַ֗ק מֵעָרֵ֤י הָֽעַמִּים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָ֑ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּ֖ה כׇּל־נְשָׁמָֽה׃
16In the towns of the latter peoples, however, which the ETERNAL your God is giving you as a heritage, you shall not let a soul remain alive.
י״זכִּֽי־הַחֲרֵ֣ם תַּחֲרִימֵ֗ם הַחִתִּ֤י וְהָאֱמֹרִי֙ הַכְּנַעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
17No, you must proscribedproscribe See Lev. 27.29. them—the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites—as the ETERNAL your God has commanded you,
כאשר צוך. לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַגִּרְגָּשִׁי (שם):
כאשר צוך [BUT THOU SHALT DOOM THEM TO DESTRUCTION: THE HITTITES, … AND THE JEBUSITES,] AS [THE LORD THY GOD] HATH COMMANDED THEE — The words: “as God hath commanded thee” are intended to include the Girgashites (the seventh nation that is not mentioned here) (Sifrei Devarim 201:4).
י״חלְמַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּד֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכֹל֙ תּֽוֹעֲבֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַחֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ {ס}
18lest they lead you into doing all the abhorrent things that they have done for their gods and you stand guilty before the ETERNAL your God.
למען אשר לא ילמדו. הָא אִם עָשׂוּ תְשׁוּבָה וּמִתְגַיְּרִין אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְקַבְּלָם (שם):
למען אשר לא ילמדו [BUT THOU SHALT DOOM THEM TO DESTRUCTION …] THAT THEY TEACH YOU NOT TO DO [AFTER THEIR ABOMINATIONS] — Consequently if they repent of their abominations and wish to become proselytes you are allowed to accept them as such (Sifrei Devarim 202:1).
י״טכִּֽי־תָצ֣וּר אֶל־עִיר֩ יָמִ֨ים רַבִּ֜ים לְֽהִלָּחֵ֧ם עָלֶ֣יהָ לְתׇפְשָׂ֗הּ לֹֽא־תַשְׁחִ֤ית אֶת־עֵצָהּ֙ לִנְדֹּ֤חַ עָלָיו֙ גַּרְזֶ֔ן כִּ֚י מִמֶּ֣נּוּ תֹאכֵ֔ל וְאֹת֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִכְרֹ֑ת כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ עֵ֣ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָבֹ֥א מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃
19When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you must not cut them down. Are trees of the field human to withdraw before you into the besieged city?
ימים. שְׁנַיִם:
ימים [WHEN THOU SHALT BESIEGE A CITY] ימים DAYS — The plural implies at least two days,
רבים. 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:
רבים MANY must imply at least three days (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 15:25). From here they (the Rabbis) derived the law that the siege of a heathen city must not be commenced less than three days before the Sabbath, and it (this verse) teaches you that the opening up (the invitation to make) peace (v. 10) must be repeated two or three days, for so it states, (II Samuel 1:1) “And David abode two days (ימים שנים) in Ziklag” (Sifrei Devarim 200:4; Shabbat 19a). And Scripture is speaking here of a war which is not obligatory upon them (Sifrei Devarim 200:1).
כי האדם עץ השדה. הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דִּלְמָא, שֶׁמָּא הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה לְהִכָּנֵס בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּצוֹר מִפָּנֶיךָ לְהִתְיַסֵּר בְּיִסּוּרֵי רָעָב וְצָמָא כְּאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר? לָמָּה תַּשְׁחִיתֶנּוּ?:
כי האדם עץ השדה FOR IS THE TREE OF THE FIELD A MAN [THAT IT SHOULD BE BESIEGED BY THEE]? — כי has here the meaning of “possibly”, “perhaps” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:5) — is the tree of the field perhaps a man who is able to withdraw within the besieged city from before you, that it should be chastised by the suffering of famine and thirst like the inhabitants of the city? Why should you destroy it?
כ׳רַ֞ק עֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־תֵּדַ֗ע כִּֽי־לֹא־עֵ֤ץ מַאֲכָל֙ ה֔וּא אֹת֥וֹ תַשְׁחִ֖ית וְכָרָ֑תָּ וּבָנִ֣יתָ מָצ֗וֹר עַל־הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֨וא עֹשָׂ֧ה עִמְּךָ֛ מִלְחָמָ֖ה עַ֥ד רִדְתָּֽהּ׃ {פ}
20Only trees that you know do not yield food may be destroyed; you may cut them down for constructing siegeworks against the city that is waging war on you, until it has been reduced.
עד רדתה. לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי, שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּפוּפָה לְךָ:
עד רדתה [AND THOU SHALT BUILD BULWARKS AGAINST THE CITY …] UNTIL רדתה — This (the word רדתה) means “subduing”, [and the meaning is, thou shalt besiege it until] it becomes submissive.
כ״א
א׳כִּי־יִמָּצֵ֣א חָלָ֗ל בָּאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ נֹתֵ֤ן לְךָ֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ נֹפֵ֖ל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖ע מִ֥י הִכָּֽהוּ׃
1If, in the land that the ETERNAL your God is assigning you to possess, someone slain is found lying in the open, the identity of the slayer not being known,
ב׳וְיָצְא֥וּ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְשֹׁפְטֶ֑יךָ וּמָדְדוּ֙ אֶל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר סְבִיבֹ֥ת הֶחָלָֽל׃
2your elders and magistrates shall go out and measure the distances from the corpse to the nearby towns.
ויצאו זקניך. מְיֻחָדִים שֶׁבִּזְקֵנֶיךָ, אֵלּוּ סַנְהֶדְרֵי גְדוֹלָה (סוטה מ"ד):
ויצאו זקניך THEN THE ELDERS [AND THE JUDGES] SHALL GO FORTH — i.e. the distinguished amongst thy elders, these are the Great Sanhedrin (Sotah 44b).
ומדדו. מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֶחָלָל שׁוֹכֵב:
ומדדו AND THEY SHALL MEASURE — from the place where the corpse lies,
אל הערים אשר סביבת החלל. לְכָל צַד וְצַד לֵידַע אֵי זוֹ קְרוֹבָה:
אל הערים אשר סביבת החלל UNTO THE CITIES WHICH ARE ROUND ABOUT HIM THAT IS SLAIN — in every direction, in order to ascertain which is the nearest.
ג׳וְהָיָ֣ה הָעִ֔יר הַקְּרֹבָ֖ה אֶל־הֶחָלָ֑ל וְלָֽקְח֡וּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֜וא עֶגְלַ֣ת בָּקָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־עֻבַּד֙ בָּ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־מָשְׁכָ֖ה בְּעֹֽל׃
3The elders of the town nearest to the corpse shall then take a heifer that has never been worked, which has never pulled in a yoke;
ד׳וְהוֹרִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵעָבֵ֥ד בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁ֥ם אֶת־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה בַּנָּֽחַל׃
4and the elders of that town shall bring the heifer down to an everflowing wadi, which is not tilled or sown. There, in the wadi, they shall break the heifer’s neck.
אל נחל איתן. קָשֶׁה, שֶׁלֹּא נֶעֱבַד:
אל נחל איתן UNTO A VALLEY WHICH IS איתן — which is hard; i.e. one that has never been tilled (Sifrei Devarim 207:2; Sotah 45b).
וערפו. קוֹצֵץ עָרְפָּהּ בְּקוֹפִיץ; אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה תָּבֹא עֶגְלָה בַת שְׁנָתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא עָשְׂתָה פֵרוֹת וְתֵעָרֵף בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פֵרוֹת, לְכַפֵּר עַל הֲרִיגָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחוּהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת (סוטה מ"ו):
וערפו AND THEY SHALL STRIKE OFF [THE HEIFER’S] NECK — i.e. one breaks its neck with a hatchet. The Holy One, blessed be He, says, as it were, Let a heifer which is only one year old and which therefore has brought forth no fruits (no offspring) have its neck broken at a spot (the untilled valley) which has not brought forth fruits, to expiate for the murder of him whom they did not permit further to beget children (Sotah 46a).
ה׳וְנִגְּשׁ֣וּ הַכֹּהֲנִים֮ בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִי֒ כִּ֣י בָ֗ם בָּחַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֖ךְ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעַל־פִּיהֶ֥ם יִהְיֶ֖ה כׇּל־רִ֥יב וְכׇל־נָֽגַע׃
5The priests, sons of Levi, shall come forward; for the ETERNAL your God has chosen them for divine service and to pronounce blessing in the name of GOD, and every lawsuit and case of assaultaassault Cf. 17.8. Or “skin affection”; cf. 24.8. is subject to their ruling.
ו׳וְכֹ֗ל זִקְנֵי֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔וא הַקְּרֹבִ֖ים אֶל־הֶחָלָ֑ל יִרְחֲצוּ֙ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה הָעֲרוּפָ֥ה בַנָּֽחַל׃
6Then all the elders of the town nearest to the corpse shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the wadi.
ז׳וְעָנ֖וּ וְאָמְר֑וּ יָדֵ֗ינוּ לֹ֤א (שפכה) [שָֽׁפְכוּ֙] אֶת־הַדָּ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְעֵינֵ֖ינוּ לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃
7And they shall make this declaration: “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done.
ידינו לא 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:
ידינו לא שפכה [AND THEY SHALL ANSWER AND SAY,] OUR HANDS HAVE NOT SHED [THIS BLOOD] — But would it enter anyone’s mind that the elders of the court are suspect of blood-shedding?! But the meaning of the declaration is: We never saw him and knowingly let him depart without food or escort (if we had seen him we would not have let him depart without these) (Sifrei Devarim 210:2; Sotah 45b). The priests thereupon say (next verse): כפר לעמך ישראל FORGIVE UNTO THY PEOPLE ISRAEL.
ח׳כַּפֵּר֩ לְעַמְּךָ֨ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־פָּדִ֙יתָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאַל־תִּתֵּן֙ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֔י בְּקֶ֖רֶב עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְנִכַּפֵּ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם הַדָּֽם׃
8Absolve, O ETERNAL One, Your people Israel whom You redeemed, and do not let guilt for the blood of the innocent remain among Your people Israel.” And they will be absolved of bloodguilt.
ונכפר להם הדם. הַכָּתוּב מְבַשְּׂרָם, שֶׁמִּשֶּׁעָשׂוּ כֵן יְכֻפַּר לָהֶם הֶעָוֹן (שם):
ונכפר להם הדם AND THE BLOOD SHALL BE PARDONED THEM — Scripture announces to them that when they have done this (the ceremony prescribed) their sin will be forgiven (Sotah 46a).
ט׳וְאַתָּ֗ה תְּבַעֵ֛ר הַדָּ֥ם הַנָּקִ֖י מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־תַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}
9Thus you will remove from your midst guilt for the blood of the innocent, for you will be doing what is right in GOD’s sight.
ואתה תבער. מַגִּיד שֶׁאִם נִמְצָא הַהוֹרֵג אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְעָרְפָה הָעֶגְלָה הֲרֵי זֶה יֵהָרֵג וְהוּא הישר בעיני ה' (סוטה מ"ז; כתובות ל"ז):
ואתה תבער BUT THOU SHALT PUT AWAY [THE GUILT OF INNOCENT BLOOD FROM AMONG YOU] — This teaches that if the murderer is found after the heifer’s neck was broken he must nevertheless be put to death, — and this is what Scripture describes as הישר בעיני ה׳ RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE LORD (cf. Sotah 47b; Ketubot 37b and Tosafot on Ketubot 37b:16.1 ואח"כ נמצא ההורג).