| 1And these are the ordinances that you shall set before them. |
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אוְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּשִׂ֖ים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם: |
| And these are the ordinances. Wherever it says, “these” [in the Torah,] it [(this word) is used to] separate from what has been stated previously. [Where it says,] “And these,” [it means that] it is adding to what has been previously stated (Tanchuma Mishpatim 3). [Thus] just as what has been previously stated [namely the Ten Commandments,] were from Sinai, these too were from Sinai. Now why was the section dealing with laws juxtaposed to the section dealing with the altar? To tell you that you shall place the Sanhedrin adjacent to the Beth Hamikdash (other editions: the altar). — [From Mechilta] |
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וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים.
כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֵלֶּה" פָּסַל אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, "וְאֵלֶּה" מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, מָה הָרִאשׁוֹנִים מִסִּינַי, אַף אֵלּוּ מִסִּינַי; וְלָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָּרָשַׁת דִּינִין לְפָרָשַׁת מִזְבֵּחַ? לוֹמַר לְךָ, שֶׁתָּשִׂים סַנְהֶדְרִין אֵצֶל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (מכילתא):
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| that you shall set before them. The Holy One, blessed is He, said to Moses: Do not think of saying, “I will teach them the chapter or the law [both terms seemingly refer to the Oral Torah] two or three times until they know it well, as it was taught, but I will not trouble myself to enable them to understand the reasons for the matter and its explanation.” Therefore, it is said: “you shall set before them,” like a table, set [with food] and prepared to eat from, [placed] before someone. — [From Mechilta, Eruvin 54b] |
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אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם.
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: לֹא תַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ לוֹמַר, אֶשְׁנֶה לָהֶם הַפֶּרֶק וְהַהֲלָכָה ב' אוֹ ג' פְּעָמִים, עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא סְדוּרָה בְּפִיהֶם כְּמִשְׁנָתָהּ, וְאֵינִי מַטְרִיחַ עַצְמִי לַהֲבִינָם טַעֲמֵי הַדָּבָר וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם – כְּשֻׁלְחָן הֶעָרוּךְ וּמוּכָן לֶאֱכֹל לִפְנֵי הָאָדָם (שם):
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| before them. But not before gentiles. Even if you know that they [gentiles] judge a certain law similarly to the laws of Israel, do not bring it to their courts, for one who brings Jewish lawsuits before gentiles profanes the [Divine] Name and honors the name of idols to praise them (other editions: to give them importance), as it is said: “For not like our Rock [God] is their rock, but [yet] our enemies judge [us]” (Deut. 32:31). When [we let] our enemies judge [us], this is testimony to [our] esteem of their deity. — [From Tanchuma 3] |
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לִפְנֵיהֶֽם.
וְלֹא לִפְנֵי גוֹיִם, וַאֲפִלּוּ יָדַעְתָּ בְדִין אֶחָד שֶׁהֵם דָּנִין אוֹתוֹ כְּדִינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אַל תְּבִיאֵהוּ בְעַרְכָּאוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁהַמֵּבִיא דִּינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי גוֹיִם, מְחַלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם וּמְיַקֵּר שֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה לְהַשְׁבִּיחָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי לֹא כְצוּרֵנוּ צוּרָם וְאֹיְבֵינוּ פְּלִילִים (דברים ל"ב) – כְּשֶׁאוֹיְבֵינוּ פְּלִילִים זֶהוּ עֵדוּת לְעִלּוּי יִרְאָתָם (תנחומא):
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| 2Should you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall work [for] six years, and in the seventh [year], he shall go out to freedom without charge. |
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בכִּ֤י תִקְנֶה֙ עֶ֣בֶד עִבְרִ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים יַֽעֲבֹ֑ד וּבַ֨שְּׁבִעִ֔ת יֵצֵ֥א לַֽחָפְשִׁ֖י חִנָּֽם: |
| Should you buy a Hebrew slave. A slave who is himself a Hebrew. Or perhaps it means only a slave of a Hebrew, a Canaanite [servant] whom you bought from a Hebrew. And concerning him, he [the Torah] says, “he shall work [for] six years.” How [then] can I apply the [law in the following] verse, “and you shall bequeath them” (Lev. 25:46)? [Does this verse apply] concerning one [a servant] purchased from a non-Jew, but one [a servant] purchased from an Israelite goes free after six years? Therefore, the Torah states: “Should your brother, a Hebrew man… be sold to you, [he shall serve you for six years]” (Deut. 15:12). [This is the clarification that] I [God] said this only regarding your brother. — [From Mechilta] |
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כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד עִבְרִי.
עֶבֶד שֶׁהוּא עִבְרִי; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עַבְדּוֹ שֶׁל עִבְרִי – עֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי שֶׁלְּקַחְתּוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל – וְעָלָיו הוּא אוֹמֵר שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים יַעֲבֹד? וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם אֹתָם (ויקרא כ"ה), בְּלָקוּחַ מִן הַגּוֹי, אֲבָל בְּלָקוּחַ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יֵצֵא בְּשֵׁשׁ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כִּי יִמָּכֵר לְךָ אָחִיךָ הָעִבְרִי (דברים ט"ו), לֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֶלָּא בְאָחִיךָ:
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| Should you buy. from the hand of the court, who sold him [into servitude] because of his theft, as it is said: “If he has no [money], he shall be sold for his theft” (Exod. 22:2). Or perhaps it refers only to one who sold oneself [into servitude] because of poverty, but if the court sold him, he does not go free after six [years]? When he [the Torah] says: “And if your brother becomes impoverished beside you and is sold to you” (Lev. 25:39), one who sells oneself because of poverty is mentioned [here]. So [to avoid repetition,] how do I apply “Should you buy?” [By understanding that this is] concerning one sold by the court. |
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כִּי תִקְנֶה.
מִיַּד בֵּית דִּין שֶׁמְּכָרוּהוּ בִגְנֵבָתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אִם אֵין לוֹ וְנִמְכַּר בִּגְנֵבָתוֹ, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּמוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ מִפְּנֵי דָּחְקוֹ, אֲבָל מְכָרוּהוּ בֵית דִּין לֹא יֵצֵא בְשֵׁשׁ? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ וְנִמְכַּר לָךְ (ויקרא כ"ה), הֲרֵי מוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ מִפְּנֵי דָּחְקוֹ אָמוּר, וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם כִּי תִקְנֶה? בְּנִמְכַּר בְּבֵית דִּין:
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| to freedom. Heb. לַחָפְשִׁי, to freedom. |
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לַֽחָפְשִׁי.
לְחֵרוּת:
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| 3If he comes [in] alone, he shall go out alone; if he is a married man, his wife shall go out with him. |
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גאִם־בְּגַפּ֥וֹ יָבֹ֖א בְּגַפּ֣וֹ יֵצֵ֑א אִם־בַּ֤עַל אִשָּׁה֙ ה֔וּא וְיָֽצְאָ֥ה אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ: |
| If he comes [in] alone. Heb. בְּגַפּוֹ, meaning that he was not married, as the Targum renders: אִם בִּלְחוֹדוֹהִי. The expression בְּגַפּוֹ means “with his skirt,” [i.e., the skirt of his cloak, meaning] that he came only as he was, alone within his clothing, in the skirt of his garment. |
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אִם־בְּגַפּוֹ יָבֹא.
שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה נָשׂוּי אִשָּׁה, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ אִם בִּלְחוֹדוֹהִי, וּלְשׁוֹן בְּגַפּוֹ – בִּכְנָפוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא בָּא אֶלָּא כְּמוֹת שֶׁהוּא, יְחִידִי, בְּתוֹךְ לְבוּשׁוֹ – בִּכְנַף בִּגְדוֹ:
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| he shall go out alone. [This] tells [us] that if he was not married at first, his master may not give him a Canaanite maidservant from whom to beget slaves. — [From Kid. 20a] |
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בְּגַפּוֹ יֵצֵא.
מַגִּיד שֶׁאִם לֹא הָיָה נָשׂוּי מִתְּחִלָּה, אֵין רַבּוֹ מוֹסֵר לוֹ שִׁפְחָה כְנַעֲנִית לְהוֹלִיד מִמֶּנָּה עֲבָדִים (קידושין כ'):
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| if he is a married man. [Lit., if he is someone’s husband, meaning] an Israelite [woman]. — [From Mechilta] |
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אִם־בַּעַל אִשָּׁה הוּא.
יִשְׂרְאֵלִית:
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| his wife shall go out with him. Now who brought her in that she should go out? Rather, the text informs us that whoever purchases a Hebrew slave is [also] responsible for supporting his wife and his children. [From Mechilta, Kid. 22a] |
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וְיָֽצְאָה אִשְׁתּוֹ עִמּֽוֹ.
וְכִי מִי הִכְנִיסָהּ שֶׁתֵּצֵא? אֶלָּא מַגִּיד הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהַקּוֹנֶה עֶבֶד עִבְרִי חַיָּב בִּמְזוֹנוֹת אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו (שם כ"ב):
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| 4If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. |
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דאִם־אֲדֹנָיו֙ יִתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אִשָּׁ֔ה וְיָֽלְדָה־לּ֥וֹ בָנִ֖ים א֣וֹ בָנ֑וֹת הָֽאִשָּׁ֣ה וִֽילָדֶ֗יהָ תִּֽהְיֶה֙ לַֽאדֹנֶ֔יהָ וְה֖וּא יֵצֵ֥א בְגַפּֽוֹ: |
| If his master gives him a wife. From here we deduce that his master has the option to give him [the slave] a Canaanite maidservant [in order] to beget slaves from her. Or, perhaps this means only an Israelite woman? Therefore, Scripture says: “The woman and her children shall belong to her master.” Thus, He is speaking only about a Canaanite woman, for a Hebrew woman she, too, goes free after six [years], and even before six [years], when she develops signs [of puberty], she goes free, as it is said: “your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman [that one shall serve you for six years]” (Deut. 15:12). [This] teaches [us] that a Hebrew [maidservant] also goes free after six [years]. — [From Mechilta, Kid. 14b] |
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אִם־אֲדֹנָיו יִתֶּן־לוֹ אִשָּׁה.
מִכָּאן שֶׁהָרְשׁוּת בְּיַד רַבּוֹ לִמְסֹר לוֹ שִׁפְחָה כְנַעֲנִית לְהוֹלִיד מִמֶּנָּה עֲבָדִים. אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְיִשְׂרְאֵלִית? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר הָאִשָּׁה וִילָדֶיהָ תִּהְיֶה לַאדֹנֶיהָ, הָא אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא בִּכְנַעֲנִית, שֶׁהֲרֵי הָעִבְרִיָּה אַף הִיא יוֹצְאָה בְשֵׁשׁ – וַאֲפִלּוּ לִפְנֵי שֵׁשׁ אִם הֵבִיאָה סִימָנִין יוֹצְאָה – שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָחִיךָ הָעִבְרִי אוֹ הָעִבְרִיָּה (דברים ט"ו), מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאַף הָעִבְרִיָּה יוֹצְאָה בְשֵׁשׁ (מכילתא):
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| 5But if the slave says, "I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go free," |
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הוְאִם־אָמֹ֤ר יֹאמַר֙ הָעֶ֔בֶד אָהַ֨בְתִּי֙ אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֔י אֶת־אִשְׁתִּ֖י וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑י לֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א חָפְשִֽׁי: |
| my wife. [This refers to] the maidservant. |
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אֶת־אִשְׁתִּי.
הַשִּׁפְחָה:
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| 6his master shall bring him to the judges, and he shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. |
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ווְהִגִּישׁ֤וֹ אֲדֹנָיו֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהִגִּישׁוֹ֙ אֶל־הַדֶּ֔לֶת א֖וֹ אֶל־הַמְּזוּזָ֑ה וְרָצַ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֤יו אֶת־אָזְנוֹ֙ בַּמַּרְצֵ֔עַ וַֽעֲבָד֖וֹ לְעֹלָֽם: |
| to the judges. Heb. אֶל-הָאֱלֹהִים, to the court to consult his sellers, for they sold him [the slave] to him [to his master]. — [From Mechilta] |
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אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים.
לְבֵית דִּין; צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּמָּלֵךְ בְּמוֹכְרָיו שֶׁמְּכָרוּהוּ לוֹ (שם):
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| to the door or to the doorpost. I might think that the doorpost is [a] qualified [place] on which to bore [the servant’s ear]. Therefore, Scripture says: “and you shall thrust it into his ear and into the door” (Deut. 15:17), [meaning] “into the door,” but not “into the doorpost.” What then does or to the doorpost mean? [The text is] comparing the door to the doorpost. Just as the doorpost is upright [i.e., attached to the house; otherwise it is not called a doorpost], so is the door upright. [A detached door may not be used for the ritual of ear boring.]-[From Mechilta, Kid. 22b] |
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אֶל־הַדֶּלֶת אוֹ אֶל־הַמְּזוּזָה.
יָכוֹל שֶׁתְּהֵא הַמְּזוּזָה כְשֵׁרָה לִרְצֹעַ עָלֶיהָ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְנָתַתָּה בְאָזְנוֹ וּבַדֶּלֶת, בַּדֶּלֶת וְלֹא בַמְּזוּזָה, הָא מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אוֹ אֶל הַמְּזוּזָה? הִקִּישׁ דֶּלֶת לִמְזוּזָה, מַה מְּזוּזָה מֵעוֹמֵד אַף דֶּלֶת מֵעוֹמֵד (שם):
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| and his master shall bore his ear. [I.e.,] the right [ear]. Or perhaps it means the left one? Therefore, the Torah states אֹזֶן “ear,” here and אֹזֶן [elsewhere] for [the purpose of making] a גְזֵרָה שָׁוָה, [which means two places having similar wording, which indicates that the rulings pertaining to one situation also apply to the other]. It is stated here: “and his master shall bore his ear,” and it is stated regarding the mezora [person with the disease of zara’ath]: “the cartilage of the right ear of the one who is becoming pure” (Lev. 14:14). Just as there the right [ear] is specified, here too the right [ear] is meant. Now, why was the ear chosen to be bored out of all the organs of the body? Rabban Jochanan ben Zakkai said: The ear that heard on Mount Sinai, “You shall not steal” (Exod. 20:13) and [then] went and stole, shall be bored. And if [the text is referring to] one who sold himself [into servitude, the reason is that] the ear that heard, “For the children of Israel are slaves to Me” (Lev. 25:55) and [then] went and acquired a master for himself, [this ear] shall be bored. Rabbi Shimon used to interpret this verse [in a beautiful manner] like a bundle of pearls [or a great amount of perfume in this way:]-why were the door and the doorpost singled out from all the fixtures in the house? The Holy One, blessed is He, said: The door and the doorpost were witnesses in Egypt when I passed over the lintel and the two doorposts, and I said, “For the children of Israel are slaves to Me; they are My slaves,” but [they are] not slaves to slaves, and [yet] this one went and acquired for himself a master-[his ear] shall be bored before them [for everyone to see]. — [From Kid. 22b] |
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וְרָצַע אֲדֹנָיו אֶת־אָזְנוֹ בַּמַּרְצֵעַ.
הַיְמָנִית, אוֹ אֵינוֹ, אֶלָּא שֶׁל שְׂמֹאל? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אֹזֶן אֹזֶן לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן וְרָצַע אֲדֹנָיו אֶת אָזְנוֹ, וְנֶאֱמַר בִּמְצֹרָע תְּנוּךְ אֹזֶן הַמִּטַּהֵר הַיְמָנִית (ויקרא י"ד), מַה לְּהַלָּן הַיְמָנִית, אַף כָּאן הַיְמָנִית; וּמָה רָאָה אֹזֶן לֵרָצַע מִכָּל שְׁאָר אֵבָרִים שֶׁבַּגּוּף? אָמַר רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי: אֹזֶן זֹאת שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה עַל הַר סִינַי לֹא תִגְנֹב, וְהָלַךְ וְגָנַב, תֵּרָצַע. וְאִם מוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ, אֹזֶן שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה עַל הַר סִינַי כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים, וְהָלַךְ וְקָנָה אָדוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ, תֵּרָצַע. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הָיָה דּוֹרֵשׁ מִקְרָא זֶה כְּמִין חֹמֶר: מַה נִּשְׁתַּנּוּ דֶּלֶת וּמְזוּזָה מִכָּל כֵּלִים שֶׁבַּבַּיִת? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דֶּלֶת וּמְזוּזָה שֶׁהָיוּ עֵדִים בְּמִצְרַיִם כְּשֶׁפָּסַחְתִּי עַל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְעַל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזוֹת וְאָמַרְתִּי כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים – עֲבָדַי הֵם וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים – וְהָלַךְ זֶה וְקָנָה אָדוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ, יֵרָצַע בִּפְנֵיהֶם (קידושין כ"ב):
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| and he shall serve him forever. Heb. לְעֹלָם, until the Jubilee year [the fiftieth year of the cycle]. Or perhaps it means literally forever, as its apparent meaning? Therefore, the Torah states [in reference to the Jubilee year]: “and each man to his family you shall return” (Lev. 25:10). [This] informs [us] that fifty years are called עֹלָם. But [this does] not [mean] that he must serve him [his master] the entire fifty years, but he must serve him until the Jubilee year, regardless of whether it is near or far off. — [From Mechilta, Kid. 15a] |
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וַֽעֲבָדוֹ לְעֹלָֽם.
עַד הַיּוֹבֵל; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְעוֹלָם כְמַשְׁמָעוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְאִישׁ אֶל מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ תָּשׁוּבוּ (ויקרא כ"ה), מַגִּיד שֶׁחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה קְרוּיִים עוֹלָם; וְלֹא שֶׁיְּהֵא עוֹבְדוֹ כָּל חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה, אֶלָּא עוֹבְדוֹ עַד הַיּוֹבֵל, בֵּין סָמוּךְ בֵּין מֻפְלָג (קידושין ט"ו):
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| 7Now if a man sells his daughter as a maidservant, she shall not go free as the slaves go free. |
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זוְכִֽי־יִמְכֹּ֥ר אִ֛ישׁ אֶת־בִּתּ֖וֹ לְאָמָ֑ה לֹ֥א תֵצֵ֖א כְּצֵ֥את הָֽעֲבָדִֽים: |
| Now if a man sells his daughter as a maidservant. Scripture is referring [here] to a minor girl. I might think that even if she develops signs [of initial puberty, the father may sell her]. [But] you must agree that a kal vachomer [the inference of a major rule from a minor rule] applies here namely if she who is already sold goes free with signs [that is, when she has signs of initial puberty], as it is written: “she shall go out for nothing, without money” (Exod. 21:11), which we interpret as referring to the signs of initial puberty, does it not make sense that she who is not sold [and has initial signs of puberty] should not be sold [at all]? -[From Mechilta, Arachin 29a] [At the moment when a female has two pubic hairs, usually when she is twelve years old, she is no longer considered a minor. She is then called נַעִרָה. She is, however, still under her father’s jurisdiction until six months later, when her breasts have developed to a certain stage. Then she is called בּוֹגֶרֶת, a mature girl. In the case of a Hebrew maidservant, the father may sell her only when she is a minor, not after she has become a נַעִרָה |
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וְכִֽי־יִמְכֹּר אִישׁ אֶת־בִּתּוֹ לְאָמָה.
בִּקְטַנָּה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר; יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ הֵבִיאָה סִימָנִים, אָמַרְתָּ קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמַה מְּכוּרָה קֹדֶם לָכֵן יוֹצְאָה בְסִימָנִין – כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וְיָצְאָה חִנָּם אֵין כָּסֶף, שֶׁאָנוּ דּוֹרְשִׁין אוֹתוֹ לְסִימָנֵי נַעֲרוּת – שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְכוּרָה אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁלֹּא תִמָּכֵר (ערכין כ"ט):
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| she shall not go free as the slaves go free. [I.e.,]-like the emancipation of Canaanite slaves, who go free because of [the loss of] a tooth or an eye. [See below, verses 26, 27.] This one [a Hebrew maidservant], however, will not go free because of [the loss of] a tooth or an eye, but she will work for [her complete] six years or until the Jubilee year or until she develops signs [of initial puberty]. Whichever comes first will be the first [event] to effect her emancipation, and [her master] will reimburse her for the value of her eye or the value of her tooth. Or perhaps this is not so [i.e., the intention of the verse], but “she shall not go free as the [male] slaves go free” [meaning] after six years or in the Jubilee year? Therefore, the Torah states: “Should your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, be sold to you…” (Deut. 15:12). This compares the Hebrew woman to the Hebrew man in regard to all the ways he can be emancipated: just as a Hebrew man goes free following six years [of service] or in the Jubilee year, so too does a Hebrew woman go free following six years [of service] or in the Jubilee year. What then is the meaning of “she shall not go free as the slaves go free?” [This means] she shall not go free with [the loss of] the tips of her limbs, as do the Canaanite slaves. I might think [then] that [only a Hebrew maidservant does not go free due to the loss of the tips of her limbs, but] a Hebrew man does go free with [the loss of] the tips of his limbs. [Therefore, the Torah] compares the Hebrew man to the Hebrew woman: just as the Hebrew woman does not go free with [the loss of] the tips of her limbs, neither does the Hebrew man go free with [the loss of] the tips of his limbs. — [From Mechilta] |
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לֹא תֵצֵא כְּצֵאת הָֽעֲבָדִֽים.
כִּיצִיאַת עֲבָדִים כְּנַעֲנִים שֶׁיּוֹצְאִים בְּשֵׁן וָעַיִן, אֲבָל זוֹ לֹא תֵצֵא בְּשֵׁן וָעַיִן אֶלָּא עוֹבֶדֶת שֵׁשׁ, אוֹ עַד הַיּוֹבֵל, אוֹ עַד שֶׁתָּבִיא סִימָנִין, וְכָל הַקּוֹדֵם קוֹדֵם לְחֵרוּתָהּ, וְנוֹתֵן לָהּ דְּמֵי עֵינָהּ אוֹ דְּמֵי שִׁנָּהּ. אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לֹא תֵצֵא כְּצֵאת הָעֲבָדִים בְּשֵׁשׁ וּבַיּוֹבֵל? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כִּי יִמָּכֵר לְךָ אָחִיךָ הָעִבְרִי אוֹ הָעִבְרִיָּה, מַקִּישׁ עִבְרִיָּה לְעִבְרִי לְכָל יְצִיאוֹתָיו, מָה עִבְרִי יוֹצֵא בְשֵׁשׁ וּבַיּוֹבֵל, אַף עִבְרִיָּה יוֹצְאָה בְשֵׁשׁ וּבַיּוֹבֵל, וּמַהוּ לֹא תֵצֵא כְּצֵאת הָעֲבָדִים? לֹא תֵצֵא בְרָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים כַּעֲבָדִים כְּנַעֲנִיִּים; יָכוֹל הָעִבְרִי יוֹצֵא בְרָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר הָעִבְרִי אוֹ הָעִבְרִיָּה, מַקִּישׁ עִבְרִי לְעִבְרִיָּה, מָה הָעִבְרִיָּה אֵינָהּ יוֹצְאָה בְרָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים, אַף הוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא בְרָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים (מכילתא):
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| 8If she is displeasing to her master, who did not designate her [for himself], then he shall enable her to be redeemed; he shall not rule over her to sell her to another person, when he betrays her. |
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חאִם־רָעָ֞ה בְּעֵינֵ֧י אֲדֹנֶ֛יהָ אֲשֶׁר־ל֥וֹ (כתיב אשר־לא) יְעָדָ֖הּ וְהֶפְדָּ֑הּ לְעַ֥ם נָכְרִ֛י לֹֽא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל לְמָכְרָ֖הּ בְּבִגְדוֹ־בָֽהּ: |
| If she is displeasing to her master. [Meaning] that she does not please him to the extent that he would [want to] marry her. — [From Mechilta] |
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אִם־רָעָה בְּעֵינֵי אֲדֹנֶיהָ.
שֶׁלֹּא נָשְׂאָה חֵן בְּעֵינָיו לְכָנְסָהּ:
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| who did not designate her. For he should have designated her and married her, and the money paid for her purchase is the money of her betrothal. Here Scripture hints that it is a mitzvah [for the master] to perform יִעוּד, designation for marriage, [with the maidservant] and it hints that she would not require any other betrothal. [I.e., neither money nor articles of value would have to be given to the girl’s father in order to marry her. The money the father originally received for selling his daughter now would become the money of betrothal from her master.]-[From Kid. 19b] |
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אשר לֹֽא־יְעָדָהּ.
שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לְיַעֲדָהּ וּלְהַכְנִיסָהּ לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה, וְכֶסֶף קְנִיָּתָהּ הוּא כֶסֶף קִדּוּשֶׁיהָ; וְכָאן רָמַז לְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁמִּצְוָה בְּיִעוּד, וְרָמַז לְךָ שֶׁאֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה קִדּוּשִׁין אֲחֵרִים (קידושין י"ח):
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| he shall enable her to be redeemed. [This means] he [the master] should give her the opportunity to be redeemed and go free, for he too assists in her redemption. Now what is this opportunity that he gives her? That he deducts from her redemption, according to the number of years that she worked for him, as if she had been hired by him [and was not a slave]. How so? Let us say that he bought her for a maneh [one hundred zuz], and she worked for him for two years. We say to him, “You knew that she would ultimately leave at the end of six years. This means that you bought each year’s work for one-sixth of a maneh, and she has worked for you for two years, which equals one-third of a maneh. Accept two-thirds of a maneh [from her, to pay for the remaining four years] and let her leave you.” -[from Kid. 14b] |
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וְהֶפְדָּהּ.
יִתֵּן לָהּ מָקוֹם לְהִפָּדוֹת וְלָצֵאת – שֶׁאַף הוּא מְסַיֵּעַ בְּפִדְיוֹנָהּ; וּמַה הוּא מָקוֹם שֶׁנּוֹתֵן לָהּ? שֶׁמְּגָרֵעַ מִפִּדְיוֹנָהּ בְּמִסְפַּר הַשָּׁנִים שֶׁעָשְׂתָה אֶצְלוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הִיא שְׂכוּרָה אֶצְלוֹ. כֵּיצַד? הֲרֵי שֶׁקְּנָאָהּ בְּמָנֶה וְעָשְׂתָה אֶצְלוֹ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ, יוֹדֵעַ הָיִיתָ שֶׁעֲתִידָה לָצֵאת לְסוֹף שֵׁשׁ, נִמְצָא שֶׁקָּנִיתָ עֲבוֹדַת כָּל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה בְּשִׁשִּׁית הַמָּנֶה, וְעָשְׂתָה אֶצְלְךָ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, הֲרֵי שְׁלִישִׁית הַמָּנֶה, טֹל שְׁנֵי שְׁלִישִׁיּוֹת הַמָּנֶה וְתֵצֵא מֵאֶצְלְךָ:
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| to another person. Heb. לְעַם נָכְרִי. [Meaning] that neither the master nor the father has the right to sell her to anyone else. — [from Kid. 18a] |
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לְעַם נָכְרִי לֹֽא־יִמְשֹׁל לְמָכְרָהּ.
שֶׁאֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לְמָכְרָהּ לְאַחֵר לֹא הָאָדוֹן וְלֹא הָאָב (שם):
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| when he betrays her. If he [the master] comes to betray her and not fulfill the commandment of designation, and the father, too, since he betrayed her and sold her to this one. |
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בְּבִגְדוֹ־בָֽהּ.
אִם בָּא לִבְגֹּד בָּהּ, שֶׁלֹּא לְקַיֵּם בָּהּ מִצְוַת יִעוּד, וְכֵן אָבִיהָ מֵאַחַר שֶׁבָּגַד בָּהּ וּמְכָרָהּ לָזֶה:
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| 9And if he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the law of the daughters [of Israel]. |
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טוְאִם־לִבְנ֖וֹ יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה כְּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבָּנ֖וֹת יַֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽהּ: |
| And if he designates her for his son. [I.e., if] the master [chooses her as a wife for his son]. [This] teaches [us] that his son also stands in his [the master’s] place to designate her if his father so desires, and he does not require another betrothal, but he [can] say to her, “Behold, you are designated to me with the money your father received [originally] for your value.” -[From Kid. 18b] |
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וְאִם־לִבְנוֹ יִֽיעָדֶנָּה.
הָאָדוֹן; מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאַף בְּנוֹ קָם תַּחְתָּיו לְיַעֲדָהּ אִם יִרְצֶה אָבִיו, וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְקַדְּשָׁהּ קִדּוּשִׁין אֲחֵרִים, אֶלָּא אוֹמֵר לָהּ הֲרֵי אַתְּ מְיֹעֶדֶת לִי בַּכֶּסֶף שֶׁקִּבֵּל אָבִיךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ:
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| according to the law of the daughters [of Israel]. Meaning sustenance, clothing, and marital relations. — [From Mechilta] |
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כְּמִשְׁפַּט הַבָּנוֹת.
שְׁאֵר כְּסוּת וְעוֹנָה (מכילתא):
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| 10If he takes another [wife] for himself, he shall not diminish her sustenance, her clothing, or her marital relations. |
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יאִם־אַחֶ֖רֶת יִקַּח־ל֑וֹ שְׁאֵרָ֛הּ כְּסוּתָ֥הּ וְעֹֽנָתָ֖הּ לֹ֥א יִגְרָֽע: |
| If he takes another [wife] for himself. in addition to her. — [From Mechilta] |
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אִם־אַחֶרֶת יִקַּח־לוֹ.
עָלֶיהָ:
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| he shall not diminish her sustenance, her clothing, or her marital relations. from the maidservant whom he had already designated. — [From Mechilta] |
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שְׁאֵרָהּ כְּסוּתָהּ וְעֹֽנָתָהּ לֹא יִגְרָֽע.
מִן הָאָמָה שֶׁיָּעַד לוֹ כְבָר:
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| her sustenance. Heb. שְׁאֵרָהּ, [referring to] food. — [From Mechilta, Keth. 47b] |
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שְׁאֵרָהּ.
מְזוֹנוֹת:
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| her clothing. Heb. כְּסוּתָה, lit., her covering As its apparent meaning [namely her clothing]. |
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כְּסוּתָהּ.
כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ.
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| her marital relations. Heb. עֹנָתָה, [meaning physical] intimacy. — [From Mechilta, Keth. 47b] |
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עֹֽנָתָהּ.
תַּשְׁמִישׁ (כתובות מ"ז):
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| 11And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go free without charge, without [payment of] money. |
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יאוְאִ֨ם־שְׁלָשׁ־אֵ֔לֶּה לֹ֥א יַֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה לָ֑הּ וְיָֽצְאָ֥ה חִנָּ֖ם אֵ֥ין כָּֽסֶף: |
| And if he does not do these three things for her. If he does not do any one of these three things for her. Now what are these three things? He should designate her for himself or for his son [as a wife], or he should deduct from the money of her redemption and allow her to go free. But this one [master] designated her neither for himself nor for his son, and she could not afford to redeem herself [even after the deduction]. — [From Mechilta] |
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וְאִם־שְׁלָשׁ־אֵלֶּה לֹא יַֽעֲשֶׂה לָהּ.
אִם אַחַת מִשְּׁלֹשׁ אֵלֶּה לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה לָהּ; וּמָה הֵן הַשָּׁלֹשׁ? יִיעָדֶנָּה לוֹ, אוֹ לִבְנוֹ, אוֹ יְגָרֵעַ מִפִּדְיוֹנָהּ וְתֵצֵא, וְזֶה לֹא יְעָדָהּ, לֹא לוֹ וְלֹא לִבְנוֹ, וְהִיא לֹא הָיָה בְיָדָהּ לִפְדּוֹת אֶת עַצְמָהּ:
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| she shall go free without charge. [The text] adds [another means of] emancipation for this [maidservant] beyond what it provided for male slaves. Now what is this [means of] emancipation? וְיָצְאָה חִנָם informs you that she goes free when she shows [initial] signs [of puberty], and she must stay with him until she develops [these] signs. If six years pass before the appearance of these signs, we have already learned that she goes free, as it is said: “Should your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman [be sold to you, that one] shall serve you for six years” (Deut. 15: 12). What then is the meaning of “she shall go out without charge?” If the signs [of puberty] precede the [end of] six years, she shall go free because of them. Or perhaps it means only that she goes out when she reaches maturity [i.e., at twelve and a half years]? Therefore, Scripture says: “without [payment of] money,” to include her emancipation at maturity. If both of them [i.e., that she goes free “without charge” and “without money”] were not stated, [and “she shall go out without charge” was stated,] I would say that “she shall go out without charge” refers to [her being freed at] maturity. Therefore, both of them were stated, so that the disputant has no opportunity to differ. -[From Mechilta, Kid. 4a] |
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וְיָֽצְאָה חִנָּם.
רִבָּה לָהּ יְצִיאָה לָזוֹ יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁרִבָּה לָעֲבָדִים, וּמַה הִיא הַיְצִיאָה? לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁתֵּצֵא בְסִימָנִין וְתִשְׁהֶה עִמּוֹ עוֹד עַד שֶׁתָּבִיא סִימָנִין, – וְאִם הִגִּיעוּ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים קֹדֶם סִימָנִין, כְּבָר לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁתֵּצֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הָעִבְרִי אוֹ הָעִבְרִיָּה וַעֲבָדְךָ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים (דברים ט"ו) – וּמַהוּ הָאָמוּר כָּאן וְיָצְאָה חִנָּם? שֶׁאִם קָדְמוּ סִימָנִים לְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תֵּצֵא בָהֵן. אוֹ אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר שֶׁתֵּצֵא אֶלָּא בְּבַגְרוּת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אֵין כָּסֶף לְרַבּוֹת יְצִיאַת בַּגְרוּת; וְאִם לֹא נֶאֶמְרוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר וְיָצְאָה חִנָּם זוֹ בַגְרוּת, לְכָךְ נֶאֶמְרוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבַעַל הַדִּין לַחֲלֹק (מכילתא):
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| 12One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. |
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יבמַכֵּ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ וָמֵ֖ת מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת: |
| One who strikes a man so that he dies. Several verses have been written in the section dealing with murderers, and I will explain what I am able to explain [about] why they [these verses] are needed. |
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מַכֵּה אִישׁ וָמֵת.
כַּמָּה כְתוּבִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת רוֹצְחִין, וּמַה שֶּׁבְּיָדִי לְפָרֵשׁ לָמָּה בָאוּ כֻלָּם, אֲפָרֵשׁ:
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| One who strikes a man so that he dies. Why was this said? Because it says: “And if a man strikes down any human being, he shall surely be put to death” (Lev. 24:17), I understand [that even if he deals him] a blow without death. Therefore, the Torah says: “He who strikes a man and he dies,” meaning that he is liable only for a blow causing death. If it said: “He who strikes a man,” and it did not say, “And if a man strikes down any human being,” I would say that one is liable only if one strikes a man. If one strikes a woman or a minor, how do we know [that one is liable]? Therefore, the Torah says: “if [a man] strikes down any human being,” referring even to a minor or even a woman. Also, if it said: “He who strikes a man,” I would understand that even a minor who struck and killed [someone] would be liable. Therefore, the Torah [specifically] says: “if a man strikes down,” but not a minor who strikes [someone] down. Also, “if… strikes down any human being” implies even a nonviable infant. Therefore, the Torah [here] says: “He who strikes a man,” implying one is liable only if one strikes a viable infant, one [who is] capable of becoming a man [i.e., an adult]. -[From Mechilta] |
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מַכֵּה אִישׁ וָמֵת.
לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאִישׁ כִּי יַכֶּה כָּל נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם (ויקרא כ"ד), שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי הַכָּאָה בְלֹא מִיתָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מַכֵּה אִישׁ וָמֵת – אֵינוֹ חַיָּב אֶלָּא בְּהַכָּאָה שֶׁל מִיתָה; וְאִם נֶאֱמַר מַכֵּה אִישׁ וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר וְאִישׁ כִּי יַכֶּה, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר אֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיַּכֶּה אִישׁ, הִכָּה אֶת הָאִשָּׁה וְאֶת הַקָּטָן מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כִּי יַכֶּה כָּל נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם – אֲפִלּוּ קָטָן וַאֲפִלּוּ אִשָּׁה; וְעוֹד, אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר מַכֵּה אִישׁ, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי אֲפִלּוּ קָטָן שֶׁהִכָּה וְהָרַג יְהֵא חַיָּב, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְאִישׁ כִּי יַכֶּה, וְלֹא קָטָן שֶׁהִכָּה; וְעוֹד כִּי יַכֶּה כָּל נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם אֲפִלּוּ נְפָלִים בְּמַשְׁמָע, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר מַכֵּה אִישׁ, אֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיַּכֶּה בֶן קַיָּמָא הָרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ (מכילתא):
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| 13But one who did not stalk [him], but God brought [it] about into his hand, I will make a place for you to which he shall flee. |
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יגוַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א צָדָ֔ה וְהָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים אִנָּ֣ה לְיָד֑וֹ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י לְךָ֙ מָק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנ֖וּס שָֽׁמָּה: |
| But one who did not stalk [him]. He did not lie in wait for him, and he did not intend [to kill him]. -[From Sifrei, Num. 35:22] |
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וַֽאֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה.
לֹא אָרַב לוֹ וְלֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן:
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| stalk. Heb. צָדָה, an expression meaning “lie in wait.” And so does Scripture say: “but you are stalking (צֹדֶה) my soul to take it” (I Sam. 24:12). It is, however, impossible to say that צָדָה is an expression [that is] related to [hunting animals as in the following verse:] “the one who hunted game צַיִד) (הַצָּד ” (Gen. 27:33) [and to render: he did not hunt him down], because in [the expression of] hunting beasts, there is no “hey” in its verb, and the noun related to it is צַיִד, whereas the noun in this case is צְדִיָּה (Num. 35:20), and its verb is צוֹדֶה, but the verb of this one [namely hunting] is צָּד. I say, [therefore,] that this is to be interpreted as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: But he who did not stalk [him]. Menachem, however, classified it (Machbereth Menachem, p. 148) in the grouping along with הַצָּד צַיִד, but I disagree with him. If it is at all possible to classify it in one of the groupings of צד [enumerated by Menachem], we may classify it in the grouping of “on the side (צַד) you shall be borne” (Isa. 66:12); “I shall shoot to the side (צִדָּה) ” (I Sam. 20:20); “And he will speak words against [lit., to the side of] (לְצַד) the Most High” (Dan. 7:25). Here, too, אִשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה means that he did not look sideways (צִדֵּד) to find for him some occasion [lit., side] to kill him. This [interpretation] too is questionable. In any case, it is an expression of stalking. |
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צָדָה.
לְשׁוֹן אָרַב, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְאַתָּה צֹדֶה אֶת נַפְשִׁי" (שמואל א כ"ד); וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר צָדָה לְשׁוֹן "הַצָּד צַיִד" (בראשית כ"ז), שֶׁצִּידַת חַיּוֹת אֵין נוֹפֵל ה"א בְּפֹעַל שֶׁלָּהּ, וְשֵׁם דָּבָר בָּהּ צַיִד, וְזֶה שֵׁם דָּבָר בּוֹ צְדִיָּה, וּפֹעַל שֶׁלּוֹ צוֹדֶה, וְזֶה הַפֹּעַל שֶׁלּוֹ צָד. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי פִּתְרוֹנוֹ כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – וּדְלָא כְמַן לֵהּ. וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ בְּחֵלֶק צָד צַיִד, וְאֵין אֲנִי מוֹדֶה לוֹ; וְאִם יֵשׁ לְחַבְּרוֹ בְּאַחַת מִמַּחְלָקוֹת שֶׁל צָד, נְחַבְּרֶנּוּ בְחֵלֶק "עַל צַד תִּנָּשֵׂאוּ" (ישעיהו ס"ו), "צִדָּה אוֹרֶה" (שמואל א כ'), "וּמִלִּין לְצַד עִלָּאָה יְמַלֵּל" (דניאל ז'), אַף כָּאן אֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה – לֹא צִדֵּד לִמְצֹא לוֹ שׁוּם צַד מִיתָה; וְאַף זֶה יֵשׁ לְהַרְהֵר עָלָיו, מִכָּל מָקוֹם לְשׁוֹן אוֹרֵב הוּא:
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| but God brought [it] about into his hand. Heb. אִנָּה, made it ready for his hand, an expression similar to “No harm will be prepared (תְאוּנֶּה) for you” (Ps. 91:10); No wrong shall be prepared (יְאוּנֶּה) (Prov. 12:21); [and] “he is preparing himself (מִתְאַנֶה) against me” (II Kings 5:7), [meaning that] he is preparing himself to find a pretext against me.. |
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וְהָֽאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ.
זִמֵּן לְיָדוֹ, לְשׁוֹן "לֹא תְאֻנֶּה אֵלֶיךָ רָעָה" (תהילים צ"א), "לֹא יְאֻנֶּה לַצַּדִּיק כָּל אָוֶן" (משלי י"ב), "מִתְאַנֶּה הוּא לִי" (מלכים ב ה') – מִזְדַּמֵּן לִמְצֹא לִי עִלָּה:
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| but God brought [it] about into his hand. Now why should this go out from before Him? That is what David said, “As the proverb of the Ancient One says, ‘From the wicked comes forth wickedness’” (I Sam. 24:14). The proverb of the Ancient One is the Torah, which is the proverb of the Holy One, blessed is He, Who is the Ancient One of the world. Now where did the Torah say, “From the wicked comes forth wickedness?” [This refers to:] “but God brought [it] about into his hand.” To what is the text referring? To two people, one who killed unintentionally and one who killed intentionally, but there were no witnesses who would testify to the matter. This one [who killed intentionally] was not executed, and that one [who killed unintentionally] was not exiled [to the refuge cities]. So the Holy One, blessed is He, brings them [both] to one inn. The one who killed intentionally sits under a ladder, and the one who killed unintentionally is ascending the ladder, and he falls on the one who had killed intentionally and kills him, and witnesses testify about him and sentence him to exile. The result is that the one who killed unintentionally is exiled, and the one who killed intentionally was killed. -[From Mechilta, Makkoth 10b] |
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וְהָֽאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ.
וְלָמָּה תֵצֵא זֹאת מִלְּפָנָיו? הוּא שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד "כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מְשַׁל הַקַּדְמֹנִי מֵרְשָׁעִים יֵצֵא רֶשַׁע" (שמואל א כ"ד); וּמְשַׁל הַקַּדְמוֹנִי הִיא הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהִיא מְשַׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא קַדְמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם; וְהֵיכָן אָמְרָה תוֹרָה מֵרְשָׁעִים יֵצֵא רֶשַׁע? וְהָאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ. בַּמֶּה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר? בִּשְׁנֵי בְנֵי אָדָם, אֶחָד הָרַג שׁוֹגֵג וְאֶחָד הָרַג מֵזִיד, וְלֹא הָיוּ עֵדִים בַּדָּבָר שֶׁיָּעִידוּ, זֶה לֹא נֶהֱרַג, וְזֶה לֹא גָלָה, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְזַמְּנָן לְפֻנְדָק אֶחָד, זֶה שֶׁהָרַג בְּמֵזִיד יוֹשֵׁב תַּחַת הַסֻּלָּם וְזֶה שֶׁהָרַג שׁוֹגֵג עוֹלֶה בַּסֻּלָּם וְנוֹפֵל עַל זֶה שֶׁהָרַג בְּמֵזִיד וְהוֹרְגוֹ, וְעֵדִים מְעִידִים עָלָיו וּמְחַיְּבִים אוֹתוֹ לִגְלוֹת, נִמְצָא זֶה שֶׁהָרַג בְּשׁוֹגֵג גּוֹלֶה, וְזֶה שֶׁהָרַג בְּמֵזִיד נֶהֱרָג (מכות י'):
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| I will make a place for you. Even in the desert, where he [the man who has murdered] shall flee, and what place affords him asylum? This is the camp of the Levites. -[From Mechilta, Mak. 12b] |
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וְשַׂמְתִּי לְךָ מָקוֹם.
אַף בַּמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁיָּנוּס שָׁמָּה, וְאֵי זֶה מָקוֹם קוֹלְטוֹ? זֶה מַחֲנֵה לְוִיָּה (מכילתא):
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| 14But if a man plots deliberately against his friend to slay him with cunning, [even] from My altar you shall take him to die. |
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ידוְכִֽי־יָזִ֥ד אִ֛ישׁ עַל־רֵעֵ֖הוּ לְהָרְג֣וֹ בְעָרְמָ֑ה מֵעִ֣ם מִזְבְּחִ֔י תִּקָּחֶ֖נּוּ לָמֽוּת: |
| But if… plots deliberately. Why was this said? Because it said: “One who strikes [a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death]” (verse 12), I [may] understand [this to apply to] a physician [who killed a patient], the agent of the court who killed by [administering] forty lashes, the father who strikes his son, the teacher who disciplines his pupil, and the unintentional [killer]. Therefore, the Torah states: “But if [a man] plots deliberately,” but not the unintentional [killer]; “to slay him with cunning,” but not the agent of the court, the physician, or the one who disciplines his son or his pupil, for although they are intentional [in striking], they do not act with cunning. -[From Mechilta] |
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וְכִֽי־יָזִד.
לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מַכֵּה אִישׁ וְגוֹ' שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי אֲפִלּוּ גּוֹי, וְרוֹפֵא שֶׁהֵמִית וּשְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין שֶׁהֵמִית בְּמַלְקוּת אַרְבָּעִים, וְהָאָב הַמַּכֶּה אֶת בְּנוֹ וְהָרַב הָרוֹדֶה אֶת תַּלְמִידוֹ, וְהַשּׁוֹגֵג, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְכִי יָזִד – וְלֹא שׁוֹגֵג, עַל רֵעֵהוּ – וְלֹא עַל גּוֹי, לְהָרְגוֹ בְעָרְמָה – וְלֹא שְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין וְהָרוֹפֵא וְרוֹדֶה בְנוֹ וְתַלְמִידוֹ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם מְזִידִין אֵין מַעֲרִימִין (מכילתא):
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| [even] from My altar. if he were a kohen and wanted to perform the [sacrificial] service, you shall take him to die. [From Mechilta, Yoma 85a] |
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מֵעִם מִזְבְּחִי.
אִם הָיָה כֹהֵן וְרוֹצֶה לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה תִּקָּחֶנוּ לָמוּת (יומא פ"ה):
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| 15And one who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. |
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טווּמַכֵּ֥ה אָבִ֛יו וְאִמּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת: |
| And one who strikes his father or his mother. Since we learned that one who strikes one’s fellow is liable to make monetary compensation (Exod. 21:18, 19, 24, 25), but he is not liable to death, the text had to state that one who strikes his father is liable to the death penalty, but he is not liable except for a blow that causes a wound. -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 84b] |
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וּמַכֵּה אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ.
לְפִי שֶׁלִּמְּדָנוּ עַל הַחוֹבֵל בַּחֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁהוּא בְתַשְׁלוּמִין וְלֹא בְמִיתָה, הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר עַל הַחוֹבֵל בְּאָבִיו שֶׁהוּא בְמִיתָה, וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב אֶלָּא בְהַכָּאָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ חַבּוּרָה (סנהדרין פ"ה):
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| his father or his mother. Either this one or that one. -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 85b] |
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אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ.
אוֹ זֶה אוֹ זֶה:
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| shall surely be put to death. by strangulation. -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 85b] |
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מוֹת יוּמָֽת.
בְּחֶנֶק (מכילתא):
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| 16And whoever kidnaps a man and sells him, and he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death. |
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טזוְגֹנֵ֨ב אִ֧ישׁ וּמְכָר֛וֹ וְנִמְצָ֥א בְיָד֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת: |
| And whoever kidnaps a man. Why was this said [here since the law of kidnapping is mentioned elsewhere (Ho’il Moshe)]? Since it says (Deut. 24:7): “Should a man be found stealing a person from among his brothers” [meaning from the children of Israel, and he has worked with him and sold him, that thief shall die, and you shall clear away the evil from your midst]. [From here] I know only [that] a man who kidnapped a person [is liable to death]. How do I know if a woman, one of indeterminate sex, or a hermaphrodite kidnap [a person, that they too are liable to death]? Therefore, the Torah states: “And whoever kidnaps a man and sells him…” And since it says here: “And whoever kidnaps a man,” I know only that one who kidnaps a man [is liable to death]. How do I know that if one kidnaps a woman [he is also liable… to death]? Therefore, the Torah states (Deut. 24: 7): “stealing a person.” Therefore, both of them [both verses] were needed; what one [verse] left out the other [verse] filled in [lit., revealed]. -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 85b] |
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וְגֹנֵב אִישׁ וּמְכָרוֹ.
לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי יִמָּצֵא אִישׁ גּוֹנֵב נֶפֶשׁ מֵאֶחָיו (דברים כ"ד), אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אִישׁ שֶׁגָּנַב נֶפֶשׁ, אִשָּׁה אוֹ טֻמְטוּם אוֹ אַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס שֶׁגָּנְבוּ מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְגֹנֵב אִישׁ וּמְכָרוֹ. וּלְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱ' כָּאן וְגֹנֵב אִישׁ, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא גּוֹנֵב אִישׁ, גּוֹנֵב אִשָּׁה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר גֹּנֵב נֶפֶשׁ, לְכָךְ הֻצְרְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם, מַה שֶּׁחִסֵּר זֶה גִּלָּה זֶה (סנהדרין שם):
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| and he is found in his possession. [I.e., this means] that witnesses saw him that he kidnapped him and sold him, and he [the kidnapped man] was found in his hand prior to the sale. -[From Mechilta] |
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וְנִמְצָא בְיָדוֹ.
שֶׁרָאוּהוּ עֵדִים שֶׁגְּנָבוֹ וּמְכָרוֹ, וְנִמְצָא כְבָר בְּיָדוֹ קֹדֶם מְכִירָה (שם):
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| shall surely be put to death. By strangulation. Every death penalty mentioned in the Torah without qualification is strangulation (Mechilta, Sanh. 84b). [God] interrupts the subject [of discussing sins against parents] and writes, “and whoever kidnaps a man” between [the verses] “one who strikes his father or his mother” and “one who curses his father or his mother.” It appears to me that that is [the underlying reason for] the controversy [found in Sanh. 85], that one Tannaic master believes that we are comparing striking [someone] to cursing [i.e., just as one is liable only if one curses a person who keeps the commandments as befits a Jew (see Exod. 22:27), so too is one liable only for striking a person who keeps the commandments, but not for striking a Cuthite], and the other master believes that we do not compare cursing to striking [and thus one would be liable for striking a Cuthite even though he does not keep the commandments]. -[Rashi, referring to Sanh. 85b] |
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מוֹת יוּמָֽת.
בְּחֶנֶק; כָּל מִיתָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַתּוֹרָה סְתָם חֶנֶק הִיא (וְהִפְסִיק הָעִנְיָן וְכָתַב וְגֹנֵב אִישׁ בֵּין מַכֵּה אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ לִמְקַלֵּל אָבִיו, וְנִרְאֶה לִי הַיְנוּ פְּלוּגְתָּא, דְּמַר סָבַר מַקְּשִׁינַן הַכָּאָה לִקְלָלָה וּמַר סָבַר לָא מַקְּשִׁינַן (שם)):
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| 17And one who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. |
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יזוּמְקַלֵּ֥ל אָבִ֛יו וְאִמּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת: |
| And one who curses his father or his mother. Why was this said? Since [Scripture] says: “any man, any man who curses his father [or his mother shall surely be put to death]” (Lev. 20:9). [From there] I know only that if a man curses his father [he is liable to death]. How do I know that if a woman curses her father [she too is liable to death]? Therefore, Scripture says [here]: “And one who curses his father or his mother….” It makes an unqualified statement, meaning whether it is a man or a woman. If so, why does it say, “any man who curses?” [In order] to exclude a minor. -[From Mechilta] |
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וּמְקַלֵּל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ.
לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר אִישׁ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יְקַלֵּל אֶת אָבִיו (ויקרא כ'), אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אִישׁ שֶׁקִּלֵּל אֶת אָבִיו, אִשָּׁה שֶׁקִּלְּלָה אֶת אָבִיהָ מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וּמְקַלֵּל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ סְתָם, בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין אִשָּׁה, אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יְקַלֵּל? לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַקָּטָן (מכילתא):
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| shall surely be put to death. By stoning. Wherever it says: “his blood is upon him,” [it means that he is to be put to death] by stoning. The model for all of them is “with rocks they shall stone them; their blood is upon them” (Lev. 20:27). Regarding the one who curses his father, it says: “his blood is upon him” (Lev. 20:9). -[From Mechilta; Sanh. 66a; Sifra, end of Kedoshim] |
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מוֹת יוּמָֽת.
בִּסְקִילָה; וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר דָּמָיו בּוֹ בִּסְקִילָה, וּבִנְיַן אָב לְכֻלָּם בָּאֶבֶן יִרְגְּמוּ אֹתָם דְּמֵיהֶם בָּם (ויקרא כ'), וּבִמְקַלֵּל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ נֶאֱמַר דָּמָיו בּוֹ:
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| 18And if men quarrel, and one strikes the other with a stone or with a fist, and he does not die but is confined to [his] bed, |
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יחוְכִֽי־יְרִיבֻ֣ן אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְהִכָּה־אִישׁ֙ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ בְּאֶ֖בֶן א֣וֹ בְאֶגְרֹ֑ף וְלֹ֥א יָמ֖וּת וְנָפַ֥ל לְמִשְׁכָּֽב: |
| And if men quarrel. Why was this said? Since it says: “An eye for an eye” (Exod. 21:24), we learn only [that if one assaults his fellow, he must pay] the value of his limbs [which he amputated or rendered permanently useless], but [payment for] idleness and healing we have not [yet] learned. Therefore, this section, [which delineates those payments,] was stated. -[From Mechilta] |
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וְכִֽי־יְרִיבֻן אֲנָשִׁים.
לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן, לֹא לָמַדְנוּ אֶלָּא דְּמֵי אֵבָרָיו אֲבָל שֶׁבֶת וְרִפּוּי לֹא לָמַדְנוּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֶמְרָה פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ:
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| but is confined to [his] bed. Heb. וְנָפַל לְמִשְׁכָּב, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: לְבוּטְלָן, and he falls into idleness, [meaning] into an illness that prevents him from working. |
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וְנָפַל לְמִשְׁכָּֽב.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְיִפֵּל לְבוּטְלָן – לְחֹלִי שֶׁמְּבַטְּלוֹ מִמְּלַאכְתּוֹ:
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| 19if he gets up and walks about outside on his support, the assailant shall be cleared; he shall give only [payment] for his [enforced] idleness, and he shall provide for his cure. |
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יטאִם־יָק֞וּם וְהִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּח֛וּץ עַל־מִשְׁעַנְתּ֖וֹ וְנִקָּ֣ה הַמַּכֶּ֑ה רַ֥ק שִׁבְתּ֛וֹ יִתֵּ֖ן וְרַפֹּ֥א יְרַפֵּֽא: |
| on his support. Heb. עַל-מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ, with his health and his strength. -[From Mechilta]. |
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עַל־מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ.
עַל בֻּרְיוֹ וְכֹחוֹ (מכילתא):
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| the assailant shall be cleared. Now would it enter your mind that one who did not kill should be killed? But rather, [the Torah] teaches you here that they imprison him until it becomes apparent whether this one [the victim] will get well, and this is its meaning: When this one gets up and walks on his support, then the assailant shall be cleared, but before this one [the victim] gets up, the assailant shall not be cleared. -[From Keth. 33b] |
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וְנִקָּה הַמַּכֶּה.
וְכִי תַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג זֶה שֶׁלֹּא הָרַג? אֶלָּא לִמֶּדְךָ כָאן שֶׁחוֹבְשִׁים אוֹתוֹ עַד שֶׁנִּרְאֶה אִם יִתְרַפֵּא זֶה; וְכֵן מַשְׁמָעוֹ: כְּשֶׁקָּם זֶה וְהוֹלֵךְ עַל מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ אָז נִקָּה הַמַּכֶּה, אֲבָל עַד שֶׁלֹּא יָקוּם זֶה לֹא נִקָּה הַמַּכֶּה (כתובות ל"ג):
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| only [payment] for his [enforced] idleness. Heb. שִׁבְתּוֹ, the [enforced] idleness from his work due to the illness. If he cut off his hand or his foot, we assess [payment for] the idleness as if he were a watchman of a cucumber field, because even after [recovery from] the illness, he is not fit for work that requires a hand or foot, and he [the assailant] already gave him as payment for his damage the value of his hand and his foot, as it is said: “a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot” (Exod. 21:24). -[From B.K. 83b, 85b, Tosefta B.K. 9:1] |
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רַק שִׁבְתּוֹ.
בִּטּוּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ מֵחֲמַת הַחֹלִי; אִם קָטַע יָדוֹ אוֹ רַגְלוֹ, רוֹאִין בִּטּוּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ מֵחֲמַת הַחֹלִי כְאִלּוּ שׁוֹמֵר קִשּׁוּאִין, שֶׁהֲרֵי אַף לְאַחַר הַחֹלִי אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לִמְלֶאכֶת יָד וָרֶגֶל, וְהוּא כְבָר נָתַן לוֹ מֵחֲמַת נִזְקוֹ דְּמֵי יָדוֹ וְרַגְלוֹ, שֶׁנֶּ' יָד תַּחַת יָד רֶגֶל תַּחַת רָגֶל:
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| and he shall provide for his cure. As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: and he shall pay the physician’s fee. |
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וְרַפֹּא יְרַפֵּֽא.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – יְשַׁלֵּם שְׂכַר הָרוֹפֵא:
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| 20And should a man strike his manservant or his maidservant with a rod, and [that one] die under his hand, he shall surely be avenged. |
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כוְכִֽי־יַכֶּה֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּ֜וֹ א֤וֹ אֶת־אֲמָתוֹ֙ בַּשֵּׁ֔בֶט וּמֵ֖ת תַּ֣חַת יָד֑וֹ נָקֹ֖ם יִנָּקֵֽם: |
| And should a man strike his manservant or his maidservant. The text is referring to a Canaanite slave, or perhaps it is referring only to a Hebrew [slave]? To clarify this, the Torah says: “because he is his property” (verse 21). Just as his property is his permanent acquisition, so is the slave [in question] one who is his permanent acquisition. Now, was he [the one who kills his slave] not included in “He who strikes a man and he dies” (above, verse 12)? This verse was written [lit., came] to exclude him [the owner of the slave] from the general rule [concerning murder], to be judged with the law of “a day or two days” (verse 21), that if he did not die under his hand but lingered an entire twenty-four-hour period, he is exempt. -[From Mechilta] |
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וְכִֽי־יַכֶּה אִישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּוֹ אוֹ אֶת־אֲמָתוֹ.
בְּעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּעִבְרִי? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כִּי כַסְפּוֹ הוּא, מַה כַּסְפּוֹ קָנוּי לוֹ עוֹלָמִית, אַף עֶבֶד הַקָּנוּי לוֹ עוֹלָמִית; וַהֲרֵי הָיָה בִכְלַל מַכֵּה אִישׁ וָמֵת? אֶלָּא בָא הַכָּתוּב וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל, לִהְיוֹת נָדוֹן בְּדִין יוֹם אוֹ יוֹמַיִם, שֶׁאִם לֹא מֵת תַּחַת יָדוֹ וְשָׁהָה מֵעֵת לְעֵת פָּטוּר (מכילתא):
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| with a rod. The verse refers to [a rod] that has sufficient [weight and strength] to kill [someone]. Or perhaps that is not so, but [the master is liable] even if it [the rod] does not have sufficient [weight and strength] to kill? Therefore, the Torah says concerning an Israelite: “Or if he strikes him with a stone that can be held in the hand, from which he may die” (Num. 35:17). (“Or if he strikes him with a wooden instrument that can be held in the hand, from which he may die”) (Num. 35:18). -[Mizrachi version] Now could the matter not be understood by a kal vachomer [an inference from a major to a minor case], that if [in the case of] an Israelite [victim], [a case] which is treated more stringently, one is not liable unless he struck him [the victim] with an article that has sufficient [weight and strength] to kill and the blow is on an organ which could cause death, how much more should it be so [in the case of] a slave, [a case] which is treated more leniently? -[From Mechilta] |
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בַּשֵּׁבֶט.
כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ כְּדֵי לְהָמִית הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ אֵין בּוֹ כְּדֵי לְהָמִית? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִם בְּאֶבֶן יָד אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בָּהּ הִכָּהוּ (במדבר ל"ה), וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר: מַה יִּשְׂרָאֵל חָמוּר אֵין חַיָּב עָלָיו אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הִכָּהוּ בְדָבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ כְּדֵי לְהָמִית וְעַל אֵבֶר שֶׁהוּא כְדֵי לָמוּת בְּהַכָּאָה זוֹ, עֶבֶד הַקַּל לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן (מכילתא):
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| he shall surely be avenged. [with] death by the sword [decapitation], and so does the Torah say: “a sword avenging the vengeance of the covenant” (Lev. 26:25). -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 52b] |
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נָקֹם יִנָּקֵֽם.
מִיתַת סַיִף, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר חֶרֶב נֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית (ויקרא כ"ו):
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| 21But if he survives for a day or for two days, he shall not be avenged, because he is his property. |
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כאאַ֥ךְ אִם־י֛וֹם א֥וֹ יוֹמַ֖יִם יַֽעֲמֹ֑ד לֹ֣א יֻקַּ֔ם כִּ֥י כַסְפּ֖וֹ הֽוּא: |
| But if he survives for a day or two he shall not be avenged. If one day[’s survival] exempts him [from punishment], then would not [survival of] two days be even more obvious? [Why then, is the word יומים written?] Rather [it must be that we are speaking of] one day which is as two days, and what [kind of day] is that? A full, twenty-four hour period. |
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אַךְ אִם־יוֹם אוֹ יוֹמַיִם יַֽעֲמֹד לֹא יֻקַּם.
אִם עַל יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא פָּטוּר עַל יוֹמַיִם לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן? אֶלָּא יוֹם שֶׁהוּא כְיוֹמַיִם, וְאֵיזֶה? זֶה מֵעֵת לְעֵת (מכילתא):
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| he shall not be avenged, because he is his property. But if someone else struck him, even if he lingered for twenty-four hours before he died, he [the other person] is liable [to incur the death penalty]. |
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לֹא יֻקַּם כִּי כַסְפּוֹ הֽוּא.
הָא אַחֵר שֶׁהִכָּהוּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשָּׁהָה מֵעֵת לְעֵת קֹדֶם שֶׁמֵּת, חַיָּב:
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| 22And should men quarrel and hit a pregnant woman, and she miscarries but there is no fatality, he shall surely be punished, when the woman's husband makes demands of him, and he shall give [restitution] according to the judges' [orders]. |
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כבוְכִֽי־יִנָּצ֣וּ אֲנָשִׁ֗ים וְנָ֨גְפ֜וּ אִשָּׁ֤ה הָרָה֙ וְיָֽצְא֣וּ יְלָדֶ֔יהָ וְלֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶ֖ה אָס֑וֹן עָנ֣וֹשׁ יֵֽעָנֵ֗שׁ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָשִׁ֤ית עָלָיו֙ בַּ֣עַל הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְנָתַ֖ן בִּפְלִלִֽים: |
| And should men quarrel. with one another, and [one] intended to strike his fellow, and [instead] struck a woman. [From Sanh. 79a] |
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וְכִֽי־יִנָּצוּ אֲנָשִׁים.
זֶה עִם זֶה, וְנִתְכַּוֵּן לְהַכּוֹת אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ וְהִכָּה אֶת הָאִשָּׁה:
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| and hit a pregnant woman. Heb. נְגִיפָה וְנָגְפוּ is only an expression of pushing and striking, as [in the following phrases:] “lest you strike תִּגֹף your foot with a stone” (Ps. 91:12); “and before your feet are bruised (יִתְנְַָפוּ)” (Jer. 13:16); “and a stone upon which to dash oneself (נֶגֶף)” (Isa. 8:14). |
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וְנָגְפוּ.
אֵין נְגִיפָה אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן דְּחִיפָה וְהַכָּאָה, כְּמוֹ פֶּן תִּגֹּף בָּאֶבֶן רַגְלֶךָ (תהילים צ"א), בְּטֶרֶם יִתְנַגְּפוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם (ירמיהו י"ג) וּלְאֶבֶן נֶגֶף (ישעיהו ח'):
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| but there is no fatality. with the woman. -[From Sanh. 79a, Jonathan] |
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וְלֹא יִֽהְיֶה אָסוֹן.
בָּאִשָּׁה:
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| he shall surely be punished. to pay the value of the fetuses to the husband. They assess her [for] how much she was valued to be sold in the market, increasing her value because of her pregnancy. -[From B.K. 49a] I. e., the court figures how much she would be worth if sold as a pregnant slave when customers would take into account the prospect of the slaves she would bear, and her value as a slave without the pregnancy. The assailant must pay the difference between these two amounts. -[B.K. 48b, 49a] |
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עָנוֹשׁ יֵֽעָנֵשׁ.
לְשַׁלֵּם דְּמֵי וְלָדוֹת לַבַּעַל; שָׁמִין אוֹתָהּ כַּמָּה הָיְתָה רְאוּיָה לִמָּכֵר בַּשּׁוּק לְהַעֲלוֹת בְּדָמֶיהָ בִּשְׁבִיל הֶרְיוֹנָהּ:
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| he shall surely be punished. Heb. יֵעָנֵשׁ עָנוֹשׁ. They shall collect monetary payment from him, like וְעָנְשׁוּ [in the verse] “And they shall fine (וְעָנְשׁוּ) him one hundred [shekels of] silver” (Deut. 22:19). [From Mechilta] |
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עָנוֹשׁ יֵֽעָנֵשׁ.
יִגְבּוּ מָמוֹן מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּמוֹ וְעָנְשׁוּ אֹתוֹ מֵאָה כֶסֶף (דברים כ"ב):
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| when the woman’s husband makes demands of him. When the husband sues him [the assailant] in court to levy upon him punishment for that. |
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יָשִׁית עָלָיו וגו'.
כְּשֶׁיִּתְבָּעֶנּוּ הַבַּעַל בְּבֵית דִּין לְהָשִׁית עָלָיו עֹנֶשׁ עַל כָּךְ:
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| and he shall give [restitution]. The assailant [shall give] the value of the fetuses. |
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וְנָתַן.
הַמַּכֶּה דְּמֵי וְלָדוֹת:
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| according to the judges. Heb. בִּפְלִלִים, according to the verdict of the judges. -[From Mechilta] |
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בִּפְלִלִֽים.
– עַל פִּי הַדַּיָּנִים (מכילתא):
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| 23But if there is a fatality, you shall give a life for a life, |
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כגוְאִם־אָס֖וֹן יִֽהְיֶ֑ה וְנָֽתַתָּ֥ה נֶ֖פֶשׁ תַּ֥חַת נָֽפֶשׁ: |
| But if there is a fatality. with the woman. |
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וְאִם־אָסוֹן יִֽהְיֶה.
בָּאִשָּׁה:
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| you shall give a life for a life. Our Rabbis differ on this matter. Some say [that he must] actually [give up his] life, and some say [that he must pay] money, but not actually a life, and if one intends to kill one person and kills another, he is exempt from the death penalty and must pay his [the victim’s] heirs his value, as [it would be if] he were sold in the marketplace. -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 79] |
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וְנָֽתַתָּה נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָֽפֶשׁ.
רַבּוֹתֵינוּ חוֹלְקִים בַּדָּבָר, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים נֶפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים מָמוֹן אֲבָל לֹא נֶפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהַמִּתְכַּוֵּן לַהֲרֹג אֶת זֶה וְהָרַג אֶת זֶה פָּטוּר מִמִּיתָה, וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְיוֹרְשָׁיו דָּמָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה נִמְכָּר בַּשּׁוּק (שם):
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| 24an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, |
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כדעַ֚יִן תַּ֣חַת עַ֔יִן שֵׁ֖ן תַּ֣חַת שֵׁ֑ן יָ֚ד תַּ֣חַת יָ֔ד רֶ֖גֶל תַּ֥חַת רָֽגֶל: |
| an eye for an eye. If [a person] blinds his neighbor’s eye, he must give him the value of his eye, [which is] how much his price to be sold in the marketplace has decreased [without the eye]. So is the meaning of all of them [i.e., all the injuries enumerated in the following verses], but not the actual amputation of a limb, as our Rabbis interpreted it in the chapter entitled הַחוֹבֵל, he who assaults. -[From B.K. 83b, 84a] |
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עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן.
סִמֵּא עֵין חֲבֵרוֹ נוֹתֵן לוֹ דְּמֵי עֵינוֹ כַּמָּה שֶׁפָּחֲתוּ דָּמָיו לִמְכֹּר בַּשּׁוּק, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם; וְלֹא נְטִילַת אֵבֶר מַמָּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּפֶרֶק הַחוֹבֵל (בבא קמא דף פ"ג):
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| 25a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise. |
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כהכְּוִיָּה֙ תַּ֣חַת כְּוִיָּ֔ה פֶּ֖צַע תַּ֣חַת פָּ֑צַע חַבּוּרָ֕ה תַּ֖חַת חַבּוּרָֽה: |
| a burn for a burn. Heb. כְּוִיָּה, a burn caused by fire. [Rashi probably alludes to מִכְוַת-אֵשׁ in Lev. 13:24.] Until now [the Torah] spoke of an injury that decreases the value [of the victim], and now of [an injury] that does not decrease the [victim’s] value [as a slave] but causes pain, for instance if he [the assailant] burned him [the victim] on his nails with a spit, they [the judges] compute how much [money] a person like him would be willing to take to endure such pain. -[From B.K. 84a, Mechilta] |
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כְּוִיָּה תַּחַת כְּוִיָּה.
מִכְוַת אֵשׁ; וְעַד עַכְשָׁו דִּבֵּר בְּחַבָּלָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ פְּחַת דָּמִים, וְעַכְשָׁיו בְּשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ פְּחַת דָּמִים אֶלָּא צַעַר, כְּגוֹן כְּוָאוֹ בִשְׁפוּד עַל צִפָּרְנָיו, אוֹמְדִים כַּמָּה אָדָם כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה רוֹצֶה לִטֹּל לִהְיוֹת מִצְטַעֵר כָּךְ (בבא קמא פ"ג):
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| a wound. Heb. פֶּצַע, a wound that bleeds, where he wounded his [victim’s] flesh, navredure in Old French, all according to what it [the wound] is. If it decreases his value, he [the assailant must] pay [for the] damage; if he falls into idleness, he [must] pay for idleness, and for healing, shame, and pain. This verse is superfluous [because there is no difference between a wound and a burn. Whatever damage he inflicts he must pay]. In [the chapter] הַחוֹבֵל (B.K. 84a), our Rabbis interpreted it as making one liable for [the victim’s] pain even where there is [permanent] damage [which he must pay for], because although he pays him [the victim] the value of his hand, we do not exempt him from the [payment compensating for the victim’s] pain, reasoning that since he [the assailant] purchased his [the victim’s] hand [by giving the victim payment for its value], he may amputate it with whatever he wants. We say, however, that he should amputate it with a medication that lessens the pain. However, [if] he cut it off with [an] iron [implement] and caused him pain [he must give the victim compensation]. -[From B.K. 85a] |
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פֶּצַע.
הִיא מַכָּה הַמּוֹצִיאָה דָם, שֶׁפָּצַע אֶת בְּשָׂרוֹ, נבר"ורא בְּלַעַז; הַכֹּל לְפִי מַה שֶּׁהוּא – אִם יֵשׁ בּוֹ פְּחַת דָּמִים, נוֹתֵן נֶזֶק, וְאִם נָפַל לְמִשְׁכָּב, נוֹתֵן שֶׁבֶת וְרִפּוּי וּבֹשֶׁת וְצַעַר; וּמִקְרָא זֶה יָתֵר הוּא, וּבְהַחוֹבֵל דְּרָשׁוּהוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לְחַיֵּב עַל הַצַּעַר אֲפִלּוּ בִמְקוֹם נֶזֶק – שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנּוֹתֵן לוֹ דְּמֵי יָדוֹ, אֵין פּוֹטְרִים אוֹתוֹ מִן הַצַּעַר, לוֹמַר, הוֹאִיל וְקָנָה יָדוֹ יֵשׁ עָלָיו לְחָתְכָהּ בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצֶה, אֶלָּא אוֹמְרִים, יֵשׁ לוֹ לְחָתְכָהּ בְּסַם, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִצְטַעֵר כָּל כָּךְ, וְזֶה חֲתָכָהּ בְּבַרְזֶל וְצִעֲרוֹ:
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| a bruise. Heb. חַבּוּרָה. This is a blow in which blood collects but does not come out. It only reddens the flesh on that spot. The term חַבּוּרָה is equivalent to tache in Old French [meaning] a spot, like “or a leopard its spots (חִבַרְבֻּרֹתָיו) ” (Jer. 13:23). Its Aramaic translation is מַשְׁקוֹפֵי, an expression of beating, batedure in Old French, [meaning] beating, knocking, and so, שְׁדֻפוֹת קָדִּים (Gen. 41:23) [is translated by Onkelos as:] קִדּוּם שְׁקִיפָן, [which means] “beaten by the [east] wind,” and similarly, “on the lintel (עַל הַמַשְׁקוֹף)” (Exod. 12:7), [is given this appellation] because the door bangs against it [the lintel]. [See commentary on Exod. 12:7.] |
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חַבּוּרָה.
הִיא מַכָּה שֶׁהַדָּם נִצְרָר בָּהּ וְאֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא, אֶלָּא שֶׁמַּאֲדִים הַבָּשָׂר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, וּלְשׁוֹן חַבּוּרָה טק"א בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ וְנָמֵר חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָיו (ירמיהו י"ג), וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ מַשְׁקוֹפֵי, לְשׁוֹן חֲבָטָה, בטדו"רא בְּלַעַז, וְכֵן שְׁדוּפוֹת קָדִים (בראשית מ"א), שְׁקִיפָן קִדּוּם – חֲבוּטוֹת בָּרוּחַ, וְכֵן עַל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַדֶּלֶת נוֹקֵשׁ עָלָיו:
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| 26And if a man strikes the eye of his manservant or the eye of his maidservant and destroys it, he shall set him free in return for his eye, |
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כווְכִֽי־יַכֶּ֨ה אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־עֵ֥ין עַבְדּ֛וֹ אֽוֹ־אֶת־עֵ֥ין אֲמָת֖וֹ וְשִֽׁחֲתָ֑הּ לַֽחָפְשִׁ֥י יְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ תַּ֥חַת עֵינֽוֹ: |
| the eye of his manservant. [This refers to] a Canaanite, but a Hebrew [slave] does not go out with [the loss of his] tooth or [his] eye as we have stated on “she shall not go out as the slaves go out” (Exod. 21:7). |
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אֶת־עֵין עַבְדּוֹ.
כְּנַעֲנִי, אֲבָל עִבְרִי אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא בְשֵׁן וְעַיִן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לֹא תֵצֵא כְּצֵאת הָעֲבָדִים:
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| in return for his eye. And so it [the law] is with the twenty-four tips of limbs: [i.e.,] the fingers and toes, the two ears and the nose, and the רֹאֹש הַגְּוִיָה, which is the male organ. Why were [both] a tooth and an eye mentioned [when the Torah could have mentioned only one]? Because if it had mentioned an eye and did not mention a tooth, I would say that just as an eye was created with him [at birth], so [does this apply to] everything that is created with him, but a tooth was not created with him [at birth]. [Therefore, I would say that if the master knocked out his slave’s tooth, the slave would not be freed.] If it mentioned a tooth and did not mention an eye, I would say [that] even [if the master knocked out] a baby tooth, which would be replaced [by the natural growth of another tooth, the slave would be freed]. Therefore, it mentions the eye [which cannot be replaced, to teach us that if the master knocks out a baby tooth, the slave is not freed]. -[From Kid. 24a] |
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תַּחַת עֵינֽוֹ.
וְכֵן בְּכ"ד רָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים: אֶצְבְּעוֹת הַיָּדַיִם וְהָרַגְלַיִם, וּשְׁתֵּי אָזְנַיִם, וְהַחֹטֶם, וְרֹאשׁ הַגְּוִיָּה שֶׁהוּא גִּיד הָאַמָּה. וְלָמָּה נֶאֱמַר שֵׁן וְעַיִן? שֶׁאִם נֶאֱמַר עַיִן וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר שֵׁן, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר מָה עַיִן שֶׁנִּבְרָא עִמּוֹ אַף כָּל שֶׁנִּבְרָא עִמּוֹ, וַהֲרֵי שֵׁן לֹא נִבְרָא עִמּוֹ; וְאִם נֶאֱמַר שֵׁן וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר עַיִן, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר אֲפִלּוּ שֵׁן תִּינוֹק שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ חֲלִיפִין, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר עַיִן (מכילתא):
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| 27and if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or the tooth of his maidservant, he shall set him free in return for his tooth. |
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כזוְאִם־שֵׁ֥ן עַבְדּ֛וֹ אוֹ־שֵׁ֥ן אֲמָת֖וֹ יַפִּ֑יל לַֽחָפְשִׁ֥י יְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ תַּ֥חַת שִׁנּֽוֹ: |
| 28And if a bull gores a man or a woman and [that one] dies, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, and the owner of the bull is clear. |
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כחוְכִֽי־יִגַּ֨ח שׁ֥וֹר אֶת־אִ֛ישׁ א֥וֹ אֶת־אִשָּׁ֖ה וָמֵ֑ת סָק֨וֹל יִסָּקֵ֜ל הַשּׁ֗וֹר וְלֹ֤א יֵֽאָכֵל֙ אֶת־בְּשָׂר֔וֹ וּבַ֥עַל הַשּׁ֖וֹר נָקִֽי: |
| And if a bull gores. [This law refers to] either a bull or any domestic animal, beast, or bird, but the text spoke of what usually occurs [i.e., bulls usually gore]. -[From Mechilta, B.K. 54b] |
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וְכִֽי־יִגַּח שׁוֹר.
אֶחָד שׁוֹר וְאֶחָד כָּל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה וָעוֹף, אֶלָּא שֶׁדִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהֹוֶה (בבא קמא נ"ד):
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| and its flesh shall not be eaten. From the implication of what was stated: “the bull shall surely be stoned,” do I not know that it will become carrion [i.e., meaning not killed according to halachah], and carrion is forbidden to be eaten. For what purpose, then, does the Torah state: “and its flesh shall not be eaten” ? [To inform us] that even if one slaughtered it [according to halachah] after it was sentenced, it is forbidden to be eaten. How do we know that no benefit may be derived from it [this animal sentenced to death]? Therefore, the Torah says: “and the owner of the bull is clean (נָקִי) ”, as one says to his friend, “So-and-so lost his property [lit., was cleaned out (נָקִי) of his property], and he has no benefit at all from it” (B.K. 41a). This is its midrashic meaning. Its simple meaning is as its apparent meaning. Since it says concerning a habitual gorer: “and also its owner shall be put to death,” it had to say that in the case of a tame [bull]: “and the owner of the bull is clean [i.e., clear of any charges].” [The tame bull (תָּם) is the bull that did not gore habitually, but only once or twice. In the case of the bull that killed a person, this bull is put to death, but the owner is clear; i.e., he does not have to pay ransom. Should the bull gore three times, it is called מוּעָד, warned. If the fourth time it gores it kills someone, it is liable to death, and its owner is also liable to death by the hands of Heaven. In order to clear himself of this punishment he must pay ransom, as is delineated in verses 29 and 30.] |
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וְלֹא יֵֽאָכֵל אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ.
מִמַּשְׁמָע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר סָקוֹל יִסָּקֵל הַשּׁוֹר אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא נְבֵלָה וּנְבֵלָה אֲסוּרָה בַּאֲכִילָה? אֶלָּא מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְלֹא יֵאָכֵל אֶת בְּשָׂרוֹ? שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ שְׁחָטוֹ לְאַחַר שֶׁנִּגְמַר דִּינוֹ אָסוּר בַּאֲכִילָה, בַּהֲנָאָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וּבַעַל הַשּׁוֹר נָקִי, כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ יָצָא פְּלוֹנִי נָקִי מִנְּכָסָיו וְאֵין לוֹ בָהֶם הַנָּאָה שֶׁל כְּלוּם, זֶהוּ מִדְרָשׁוֹ (בבא קמא מ"א). וּפְשׁוּטוֹ כְמַשְׁמָעוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּמּוּעָד וְגַם בְּעָלָיו יוּמָת, הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר בַּתָּם וּבַעַל הַשּׁוֹר נָקִי:
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| 29But if it is a [habitually] goring bull since yesterday and the day before yesterday, and its owner had been warned, but he did not guard it, and it puts to death a man or a woman, the bull shall be stoned, and also its owner shall be put to death, |
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כטוְאִ֡ם שׁוֹר֩ נַגָּ֨ח ה֜וּא מִתְּמֹ֣ל שִׁלְשֹׁ֗ם וְהוּעַ֤ד בִּבְעָלָיו֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמְרֶ֔נּוּ וְהֵמִ֥ית אִ֖ישׁ א֣וֹ אִשָּׁ֑ה הַשּׁוֹר֙ יִסָּקֵ֔ל וְגַם־בְּעָלָ֖יו יוּמָֽת: |
| since yesterday and the day before yesterday. This implies [a total of] three gorings. [From Mechilta, B.K. 23b] |
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מִתְּמֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם.
הֲרֵי שָׁלֹשׁ נְגִיחוֹת (מכילתא):
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| and its owner has been warned. Heb. וְהוּעַד, a word denoting a warning in front of witnesses (Mechilta, B.K. 24a), like “The man warned us repeatedly (הָעֵד הֵעִד) ” (Gen. 43:3). |
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וְהוּעַד בִּבְעָלָיו.
לְשׁוֹן הַתְרָאָה בְעֵדִים, כְּמוֹ הָעֵד הֵעִד בָּנוּ הָאִישׁ (בראשית מ"ג):
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| and it puts to death a man, etc.. Since it stated: “if [a bull] gores,” I know only that [the bull is liable to death] if it kills him [its victim] by goring [with its horns]. If it killed him through biting, shoving, or kicking, how do we know [that it must be killed]? Therefore, the Torah states: “and it puts to death,” [implying that in whatever way it kills its victim, the bull is liable to death]. -[based on Mechilta] |
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וְהֵמִית אִישׁ וגו'.
לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי יִגַּח אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שֶׁהֱמִיתוֹ בִנְגִיחָה, הֱמִיתוֹ בִנְשִׁיכָה, דְּחִיפָה, בְּעִיטָה, מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְהֵמִית:
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| and also its owner shall be put to death. By the hands of Heaven [and not through a court]. I might think that it [this verse] means [that he is liable to death] by the hands of man [i.e., through the court]. Therefore, the Torah states: “The assailant shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer” (Num. 35:21), [implying that] for his [act of] murder you [must] kill him, but you do not kill him [i. e., anyone] for his bull’s [act of] murder. -[From Sanh. 15b] |
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וְגַם־בְּעָלָיו יוּמָֽת.
בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם. יָכוֹל בִּידֵי אָדָם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מוֹת יוּמַת הַמַּכֶּה רוֹצֵחַ הוּא, עַל רְצִיחָתוֹ אַתָּה הוֹרְגוֹ וְאִי אַתָּה הוֹרְגוֹ עַל רְצִיחַת שׁוֹרוֹ (סנהדרין ט"ו):
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| 30insofar as ransom shall be levied upon him, he shall give the redemption of his soul according to all that is levied upon him. |
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לאִם־כֹּ֖פֶר יוּשַׁ֣ת עָלָ֑יו וְנָתַן֙ פִּדְיֹ֣ן נַפְשׁ֔וֹ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יוּשַׁ֖ת עָלָֽיו: |
| insofar as ransom shall be levied upon him. Heb. (אִם). This (אִם) is not [meant as a] conditional, but it is like “When (אִם) you lend money” (Exod. 22:24), a word meaning “that.” His sentence is that the court levy ransom upon him. |
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אִם־כֹּפֶר יוּשַׁת עָלָיו.
"אִם" זֶה אֵינוֹ תָלוּי, וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּמוֹ "אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה" – לְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר, זֶה מִשְׁפָּטוֹ שֶׁיָּשִׁיתוּ עָלָיו בֵּית דִּין כֹּפֶר:
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| he shall give the redemption of his soul. [This means] the value of the victim [as a slave]. This is the view of Rabbi Ishmael. Rabbi Akiva says: The value of the damager, [i.e., the owner of the goring bull]. -[From Mechilta] |
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וְנָתַן פִּדְיֹן נַפְשׁוֹ.
דְּמֵי נִזָּק דִּבְרֵי רַ' יִשְׁמָעֵאל, רַ' עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר דְּמֵי מַזִּיק (מכילתא):
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| 31Or if it gores a young boy or a young girl, according to this ordinance shall be done to him. |
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לאאוֹ־בֵ֥ן יִגָּ֖ח אוֹ־בַ֣ת יִגָּ֑ח כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֥ט הַזֶּ֖ה יֵעָ֥שֶׂה לוֹ: |
| Or if it gores a young boy. Heb. בֵן, lit., a son. A son who is a minor. |
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אוֹ־בֵן יִגָּח.
בֵּן שֶׁהוּא קָטָן:
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| or a young girl. Heb. בַת, lit., a daughter who is a minor. Since it says (verse 29): “and it puts to death a man or a woman,” I may think that he (the bull) is liable only for [killing] adults. Therefore, the Torah states: “Or if it gores a young boy, etc.” to make one liable for minors as [for] adults. -[From Mechilta, Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, B.K. 43b, 44a] |
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אוֹ־בַת.
שֶׁהִיא קְטַנָּה; לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהֵמִית אִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה, יָכוֹל אֵינוֹ חַיָּב אֶלָּא עַל הַגְּדוֹלִים, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אוֹ בֵן יִגָּח וְגוֹ', לְחַיֵּב עַל הַקְּטַנִּים כַּגְּדוֹלִים (שם):
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| 32If the bull gores a manservant or a maidservant, he shall give silver [in the amount of] thirty shekels to his master, and the bull shall be stoned. |
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לבאִם־עֶ֛בֶד יִגַּ֥ח הַשּׁ֖וֹר א֣וֹ אָמָ֑ה כֶּ֣סֶף | שְׁלשִׁ֣ים שְׁקָלִ֗ים יִתֵּן֙ לַֽאדֹנָ֔יו וְהַשּׁ֖וֹר יִסָּקֵֽל: |
| …a manservant or a maidservant -. Canaanites. -[From Mechilta] |
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אִם־עֶבֶד אוֹ אָמָה.
כְּנַעֲנִיִּים:
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| thirty shekels. This is a decree of the Scriptures [that the bull’s owner pay thirty shekels] whether he [the dead slave] was worth a thousand zuz or whether he was worth no more than a dinar. The weight of the shekel is four pieces of gold, which equal half an ounce according to the official weight of Cologne. |
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שְׁלשִׁים שְׁקָלִים יִתֵּן.
גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב הוּא, בֵּין שֶׁהוּא שָׁוֶה אֶלֶף זוּז בֵּין שֶׁאֵינוֹ שָׁוֶה אֶלָּא דִּינָר. וְהַשֶּׁקֶל מִשְׁקָלוֹ אַרְבָּעָה זְהוּבִים שֶׁהֵם חֲצִי אֻנְקִיָא לְמִשְׁקָל הַיָּשָׁר שֶׁל קוֹלוֹנְיָ"א:
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| 33And if a person opens a pit, or if a person digs a pit and does not cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it, |
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לגוְכִֽי־יִפְתַּ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ בּ֗וֹר א֠וֹ כִּֽי־יִכְרֶ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ בֹּ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ וְנָֽפַל־שָׁ֥מָּה שּׁ֖וֹר א֥וֹ חֲמֽוֹר: |
| And if a person opens a pit. which was covered, and he uncovered it. |
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וְכִֽי־יִפְתַּח אִישׁ בּוֹר.
שֶׁהָיָה מְכֻסֶּה וְגִלָּהוּ:
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| or if… digs. Why was this stated? If he is liable for opening [a pit that had already been dug], is it not [true that he would be] even more [guilty] for digging [a new pit]? But this is to include a digger [who digs deeper] after a digger, that he is liable. [I.e., if one digs a pit nine handbreadths deep, which is capable of injuring an animal but not killing it, and another digs one handbreadth more, making the open pit capable of killing an animal, the second digger is liable in all cases.] -[From B.K. 51a] |
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אוֹ כִּֽי־יִכְרֶה.
לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? אִם עַל הַפְּתִיחָה חַיָּב עַל הַכְּרִיָּה לֹא כָל שֶׁכֵּן? אֶלָּא לְהָבִיא כוֹרֶה אַחַר כּוֹרֶה שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב (בבא קמא נ"א):
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| and does not cover it. intimating that if he covered it, he is exempt [from paying for any damages that could occur], and the text speaks of one who digs in a public domain. -[From B.K. 55b] |
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וְלֹא יְכַסֶּנּוּ.
הָא אִם כִּסָּהוּ פָּטוּר; וּבְחוֹפֵר בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב:
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| and a bull or a donkey. The same applies to all domestic animals and beasts, for wherever it says: “a bull and a donkey,” we [can] derive [that it applies to all domestic animals] through a גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה, similar wording of שׂוֹר שׁוֹר, [which is] from [the law concerning the] Sabbath, as it is stated: “In order that your bull and your donkey rest” (Exod. 23:12). Just as there [referring to the Sabbath] every domestic animal and beast is like the bull [in reference to the law], for it says elsewhere [regarding the Sabbath] (Deut. 5:14) “[…you shall not perform any kind of work, neither you, nor your son…] and all your animals,” here, too, all animals and beasts are like the bull [in reference to the law]. The bull and the donkey are mentioned only [for us to understand that] for a bull [that falls into a pit the owner is liable] but not for a man [who falls into a pit], and [he is liable for] a donkey but not for utensils. -[From B.K. 53b] |
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שּׁוֹר אוֹ חֲמֽוֹר.
הוּא הַדִּין לְכָל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה, שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שׁוֹר אוֹ חֲמוֹר אָנוּ לְמֵדִין אוֹתוֹ שׁוֹר שׁוֹר מִשַּׁבָּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ שׁוֹרְךָ וַחֲמֹרֶךָ (שמות כ"ג), מַה לְּהַלָּן כָּל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה כְּשׁוֹר – שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר וְכָל בְּהֶמְתֶּךָ (דברים ה') – אַף כָּאן כָּל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה כְּשׁוֹר, וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר אֶלָּא שׁוֹר וְלֹא אָדָם, חֲמוֹר וְלֹא כֵלִים (בבא קמא נ"ג):
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| 34the owner of the pit shall pay; he shall return money to its owner, and the dead body shall be his. |
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לדבַּ֤עַל הַבּוֹר֙ יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם כֶּ֖סֶף יָשִׁ֣יב לִבְעָלָ֑יו וְהַמֵּ֖ת יִֽהְיֶה־לּֽוֹ: |
| the owner of the pit. [This refers to] the creator of the obstacle [i.e., the pit], although the pit is not his, for he made it in a public domain, Scripture made him its owner, insofar as he is liable for its damages. -[From B.K. 29b] |
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בַּעַל הַבּוֹר.
בַּעַל הַתַּקָּלָה; אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין הַבּוֹר שֶׁלּוֹ – שֶׁעֲשָׂאוֹ בִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים – עֲשָׂאוֹ הַכָּתוּב בְּעָלָיו לְהִתְחַיֵּב עָלָיו בִּנְזָקָיו:
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| he shall return money to its owner. Heb. יָשִׁיב. [The word] יָשִׁיב [is written] to include [anything] worth money, even bran. -[From B.K. 7a] (See Exod. 22:4: “the best of his field or the best of his vineyard he shall pay,” which Rashi explains to mean that damages are paid from the best land. Rav Huna the son of Rav Yehoshua in the Talmud (B.K. 7b) solves this apparent discrepancy by concluding that it applies only if the defendant prefers to pay the damages with land, but if he prefers to pay with movable objects, everything is deemed the best, because if it cannot be sold here, it can be sold elsewhere.) [Addendum to Rashi] [It can therefore be easily converted to cash.] |
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כֶּסֶף יָשִׁיב לִבְעָלָיו.
יָשִׁיב לְרַבּוֹת שְׁוֵה כֶסֶף וַאֲפִלּוּ סֻבִּין (שם ז'):
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| and the dead body shall be his -. [The dead animal will belong to] the one [owner] who sustained the damage. They assess the carcass, and he [the owner] takes it for its value, and the damager pays him in addition to it [the carcass] payment for his damage. -[From Mechilta, B.K. 10b] |
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וְהַמֵּת יִֽהְיֶה־לּֽוֹ.
לַנִּזָּק; שָׁמִין אֶת הַנְּבֵלָה וְנוֹטְלָהּ בְּדָמִים וּמְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ הַמַּזִּיק עָלֶיהָ תַשְׁלוּמֵי נִזְקוֹ (בבא קמא י'):
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| 35And if a man's bull strikes his friend's bull and it dies, they shall sell the live bull and divide the money received for it, and they shall also divide the dead body. |
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להוְכִֽי־יִגֹּ֧ף שֽׁוֹר־אִ֛ישׁ אֶת־שׁ֥וֹר רֵעֵ֖הוּ וָמֵ֑ת וּמָ֨כְר֜וּ אֶת־הַשּׁ֤וֹר הַחַי֙ וְחָצ֣וּ אֶת־כַּסְפּ֔וֹ וְגַ֥ם אֶת־הַמֵּ֖ת יֶֽחֱצֽוּן: |
| And if… strikes. Heb. יִגֹּף, shove, either with its horns, or with its feet, or whether he bit him with his teeth All are included in נְגִיפָה, for נְגִיפָה is only an expression of striking. -[From Mechilta] |
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וְכִֽי־יִגֹּף.
יִדְחֹף; בֵּין בְּקַרְנָיו, בֵּין בְּגוּפוֹ, בֵּין בְּרַגְלוֹ, בֵּין שֶׁנְּשָׁכוֹ בְשִׁנָּיו, כֻּלָּן בִּכְלַל נְגִיפָה הֵם, שֶׁאֵין נְגִיפָה אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן מַכָּה:
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| a man’s bull. Heb. שׁוֹר-אִישׁ, a bull [belonging to] a man. |
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שֽׁוֹר־אִישׁ.
שׁוֹר שֶׁל אִישׁ:
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| they shall sell the live bull, etc.. Scripture speaks of [two bulls] of equal value a bull worth two hundred [zuz] that killed a bull worth two hundred [zuz]. Whether the carcass is worth much or worth little, when this one takes half [the value of] the live [bull] and half [the value of] the dead one, the result is that each one sustains half the damage that death inflicted upon him. We learn that the tame [bull] pays half the damage, for from the equal ones [the bulls of equal value] you learn [how it is with] the unequal ones [bulls of unequal value], for the law of the tame bull is to pay half the damage, not more or less. Or perhaps, even if they were unequal when they were alive, Scripture mandates that they sell them both [and divide the proceeds of the sale between them]? [This cannot be true since] if you say that sometimes the damager would gain very much, or sometimes the victim would receive much more than the amount of the complete damage, for half the value of the damaging bull [may] exceed the entire value of the bull that was damaged. If you say that, the [law regarding the] tame bull is more stringent than the [law regarding the] habitual gorer [which is illogical]. You are compelled to say that Scripture is referring only to the ones [bulls] of equal value. It teaches you that the tame bull pays half the damage, and from the [law concerning] equal ones, you learn about the unequal ones, that for the one who is awarded half the damage they [the court] assess the carcass, and the decrease of its value due to the death, [and] he receives half the depreciation and leaves (B.K. 34a). Now why did Scripture state it in this language? To teach [us] that the tame bull pays only with its body, and if it gored and subsequently died, the one [owner] who sustained the damage receives only the carcass, and if it does not equal half his damage, he has a loss. Or if a bull worth a maneh [one hundred zuz] gored a bull worth five hundred zuz, he [the owner] receives only the bull, for the tame bull did not become obligated to obligate its owner to pay from the best of his property (B.K. 16b). |
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וּמָכְרוּ אֶת־הַשּׁוֹר וגו'.
בְּשָׁוִים הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר – שׁוֹר שָׁוֶה מָאתַיִם שֶׁהֵמִית שׁוֹר שָׁוֶה מָאתַיִם – בֵּין שֶׁהַנְּבֵלָה שָׁוָה הַרְבֵּה, בֵּין שֶׁהִיא שָׁוָה מְעַט, כְּשֶׁנּוֹטֵל זֶה חֲצִי הַחַי וַחֲצִי הַמֵּת וְזֶה חֲצִי הַחַי וַחֲצִי הַמֵּת, נִמְצָא כָל אֶחָד מַפְסִיד חֲצִי נֶזֶק שֶׁהִזִּיקָה הַמִּיתָה; לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁהַתָּם מְשַׁלֵּם חֲצִי נֶזֶק, שֶׁמִּן הַשָּׁוִין אַתָּה לָמֵד לְשֶׁאֵינָן שָׁוִין, כִּי דִּין הַתָּם לְשַׁלֵּם חֲצִי נֶזֶק – לֹא פָּחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר. אוֹ יָכוֹל אַף בְּשֶׁאֵינָן שָׁוִין בִּדְמֵיהֶן כְּשֶׁהֵן חַיִּים אָמַר הַכָּתוּב יֶחֱצוּ אֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם? אִם אָמַרְתָּ כֵן, פְּעָמִים שֶׁהַמַּזִּיק מִשְׂתַּכֵּר הַרְבֵּה, כְּשֶׁהַנְּבֵלָה שָׁוָה לִמָּכֵר לְנָכְרִים הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִדְּמֵי שׁוֹר הַמַּזִּיק, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיֹּאמַר הַכָּתוּב שֶׁיְּהֵא הַמַּזִּיק נִשְׂכָּר; אוֹ פְעָמִים שֶׁהַנִּזָּק נוֹטֵל הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִדְּמֵי נֶזֶק שָׁלֵם – שֶׁחֲצִי דְּמֵי שׁוֹר הַמַּזִּיק שָׁוִין יוֹתֵר מִכָּל דְּמֵי שׁוֹר הַנִּזָּק – וְאִם אָמַרְתָּ כֵן, הֲרֵי תָם חָמוּר מִמּוּעָד. עַל כָּרְחֲךָ לֹא דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא בְּשָׁוִין, וְלִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַתָּם מְשַׁלֵּם חֲצִי נֶזֶק, וּמִן הַשָּׁוִין תִּלְמֹד לְשֶׁאֵינָן שָׁוִין, שֶׁהַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּם חֲצִי נִזְקוֹ שָׁמִין לוֹ אֶת הַנְּבֵלָה, וּמַה שֶׁפָּחֲתוּ דָּמָיו בִּשְׁבִיל הַמִּיתָה, נוֹטֵל חֲצִי הַפְּחָת וְהוֹלֵךְ. וְלָמָה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה וְלֹא אָמַר יְשַׁלֵּם חֶצְיוֹ? לְלַמֵּד, שֶׁאֵין הַתָּם מְשַׁלֵּם אֶלָּא מִגּוּפוֹ, וְאִם נָגַח וּמֵת, אֵין נִּזָּק נוֹטֵל אֶלָּא הַנְּבֵלָה, וְאִם אֵינָהּ מַגַּעַת לַחֲצִי נִזְקוֹ יַפְסִיד; אוֹ שׁוֹר שָׁוֶה מָנֶה, שֶׁנָּגַח שׁוֹר שָׁוֶה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת זוּז, אֵינוֹ נוֹטֵל אֶלָּא אֶת הַשּׁוֹר, שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַיֵּב הַתָּם לְחַיֵּב אֶת בְּעָלָיו לְשַׁלֵּם מִן הָעֲלִיָּה (בבא קמא ל"ג):
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| 36Or if it was known that it was a [habitually] goring bull since yesterday and the day before yesterday, and its owner does not watch it, he shall surely pay a bull for a bull, and the dead body shall be his. |
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לוא֣וֹ נוֹדַ֗ע כִּ֠י שׁ֣וֹר נַגָּ֥ח הוּא֙ מִתְּמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמְרֶ֖נּוּ בְּעָלָ֑יו שַׁלֵּ֨ם יְשַׁלֵּ֥ם שׁוֹר֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשּׁ֔וֹר וְהַמֵּ֖ת יִֽהְיֶה־לּֽוֹ: |
| Or if it was known. Or if it was not tame, but it was known that it was a [habitually] goring bull today and from yesterday and the day before yesterday, totaling three gorings. -[From Mechilta, B.K. 23b] |
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אוֹ נוֹדַע.
אוֹ לֹא הָיָה תָם, אֶלָּא נוֹדַע כִּי שׁוֹר נַגָּח הוּא, הַיּוֹם וּמִתְּמוֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם הֲרֵי שָׁלֹשׁ נְגִיחוֹת:
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| he shall surely pay a bull. The complete damage. [Midrash Hagadol from Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai] |
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שַׁלֵּם יְשַׁלֵּם שׁוֹר.
נֶזֶק שָׁלֵם:
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| and the dead body shall be his. [I.e.,] the victim’s, and in addition to that, the damager must complete it until the victim is paid his entire damage [due to him]. -[From B.K. 10b. 53b] |
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וְהַמֵּת יִֽהְיֶה־לּֽוֹ.
לַנִּזָּק; וְעָלָיו יַשְׁלִים הַמַּזִּיק עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּלֵּם נִזָּק כָּל נִזְקוֹ:
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| 37If a man steals a bull or a lamb and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five cattle for the bull or four sheep for the lamb. |
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לזכִּ֤י יִגְנֹֽב־אִישׁ֙ שׁ֣וֹר אוֹ־שֶׂ֔ה וּטְבָח֖וֹ א֣וֹ מְכָר֑וֹ חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה בָקָ֗ר יְשַׁלֵּם֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשּׁ֔וֹר וְאַרְבַּע־צֹ֖אן תַּ֥חַת הַשֶּֽׂה: |
| five cattle, etc.. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said: The Omnipresent was considerate of people’s honor. [For] a bull, which walks with its [own] feet, and the thief was not disgraced by carrying it on his shoulder, he pays fivefold. [For] a lamb, which he [the thief] carries on his shoulder, he pays [only] fourfold because he was disgraced by it. Rabbi Meir said: Come and see how great the power of work is. [For the theft of] a bull, which caused [the owner] to stop working, he [the thief] pays five. [For the theft of] a lamb, which did not cause [the owner] to stop working, [the thief pays] four. -[From Mechilta, B.K. 79b, Tosefta B.K. 7:3] |
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חֲמִשָּׁה בָקָר וגו'.
אָמַר רַ' יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי חָס הַמָּקוֹם עַל כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת – שׁוֹר שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בְּרַגְלָיו וְלֹא נִתְבַּזָּה בּוֹ הַגַּנָּב לְנָשְׂאוֹ עַל כְּתֵפוֹ, מְשַׁלֵּם חֲמִשָּׁה, שֶׂה שֶׁנּוֹשְֹׁאוֹ עַל כְּתֵפוֹ, מְשַׁלֵּם אַרְבָּעָה הוֹאִיל וְנִתְבַּזָּה בוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר בֹּא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה גָדוֹל כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל מְלָאכָה – שׁוֹר שֶׁבִּטְּלוֹ מִמְּלַאכְתּוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה, שֶׂה שֶׁלֹּא בִטְּלוֹ מִמְּלַאכְתּוֹ אַרְבָּעָה (מכילתא, בבא קמא ע"ט):
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| for the bull…for the lamb. Scripture repeated them [i.e., the mentioning of the bull and the lamb] to tell [you] that the rule of fourfold and fivefold payments applies only to a bull and a lamb. [From B.K. 67b] |
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תַּחַת הַשּׁוֹר תַּחַת הַשֶּֽׂה.
שְׁנָאָן הַכָּתוּב, לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין מִדַּת תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה נוֹהֶגֶת אֶלָּא בְּשׁוֹר וְשֶׂה בִּלְבַד (בבא קמא ס"ז):
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