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21:10

כִּֽי־תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל־אֹיְבֶיךָ וּנְתָנוֹ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וְשָׁבִיתָ שִׁבְיֽוֹ׃

If you should go to war against your enemies, and Adonoy, your God, puts them in your hand, and you capture prisoners from them;

If you should go to war against your enemies, and Adonoy, your God, puts them in your hand, and you capture prisoners from them;

Rashi

כי תצא למלחמה. בְּמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁבְּמִלְחֶמֶת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין לוֹמַר וְשָׁבִיתָ שִׁבְיוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר (דברים כ') לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל נְשָׁמָה:

If you should go to war. Optional warfare is Scripture’s subject; for, with regard to the war for Eretz Yisroel, it would be inappropriate to say, “and you capture prisoner from them,” since it has already said, “Do not allow a soul to remain alive.”

ושבית שביו. לְרַבּוֹת כְּנַעֲנִים שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ וְאַעַ"פִּ שֶׁהֵם מִשִׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת (ספרי; סוטה ל"ה):

And you capture prisoners from them. This includes the Canaanites among them, although they are members of the seven nations.

21:11

וְרָאִיתָ בַּשִּׁבְיָה אֵשֶׁת יְפַת־תֹּאַר וְחָשַׁקְתָּ בָהּ וְלָקַחְתָּ לְךָ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

And you see among the prisoners a beautifully formed woman; if you desire her, you may take her as your wife.

And you see among the prisoners a beautifully formed woman; if you desire her, you may take her as your wife.

Rashi

אשת. אֲפִלּוּ אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ:

A wife. Even someone’s wife.

ולקחת לך לאשה. לֹא דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה אֶלָּא כְּנֶגֶד יֵצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁאִם אֵין הַקָּבָּ"ה מַתִּירָהּ יִשָּׂאֶנָּה בְאִסּוּר, אֲבָל אִם נְשָׂאָהּ סוֹפוֹ לִהְיוֹת שׂוֹנְאָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַחֲרָיו "כִּי תִהְיֶיןָ לְאִישׁ וְגוֹ'", וְסוֹפוֹ לְהוֹלִיד מִמֶּנָּה בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה, לְכָךְ נִסְמְכוּ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ (תנחומא):

You may take her as your wife. The Torah speaks only in deference to the wicked inclination, for if the Holy One, blessed is He, would not permit her, he would live with her illicitly. However, if he does marry her, he will ultimately hate her, as it is further said, “If a man has, etc.” And, ultimately, he will father, from her, a wayward, rebellious son. This is why these chapters adjoin one another.

21:12

וַהֲבֵאתָהּ אֶל־תּוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ וְגִלְּחָה אֶת־רֹאשָׁהּ וְעָשְׂתָה אֶת־צִפׇּרְנֶֽיהָ׃

You will bring her into your house and she will shave her head and allow her nails to grow.

You will bring her into your house and she will shave her head and allow her nails to grow.

Rashi

ועשתה את צפרניה. תְּגַדְּלֵם כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּתְנַוֵּל (ספרי; יבמות מ"ח):

And allow her nails to grow. She must allow them to grow so that she becomes ugly.

21:13

וְהֵסִירָה אֶת־שִׂמְלַת שִׁבְיָהּ מֵעָלֶיהָ וְיָֽשְׁבָה בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבָכְתָה אֶת־אָבִיהָ וְאֶת־אִמָּהּ יֶרַח יָמִים וְאַחַר כֵּן תָּבוֹא אֵלֶיהָ וּבְעַלְתָּהּ וְהָיְתָה לְךָ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

She must discard her prisoner’s garb from upon her, and she will remain in your home and weep for her father and her mother a month of days; and afterwards you may come to her and consummate with her, and she will become your wife.

She must discard her prisoner’s garb from upon her, and she will remain in your home and weep for her father and her mother a month of days; and afterwards you may come to her and consummate with her, and she will become your wife.

Rashi

והסירה את שמלת שביה. לְפִי שֶׁהֵם נָאִים, שֶׁהַגּוֹיִם בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם מִתְקַשְּׁטוֹת בַּמִּלְחָמָה בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַזְנוֹת אֲחֵרִים עִמָּהֶם (ספרי):

She must discard her prisoner’s garb. As they are attractive, since the young Gentile women beautify themselves during warfare, to invite promiscuous behaviour with them.

וישבה בביתך. בַּבַּיִת שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ, נִכְנָס וְנִתְקָל בָּהּ, יוֹצֵא וְנִתְקָל בָּה, רוֹאֶה בִּבְכִיָּתָהּ, רוֹאֶה בְּנִוּוּלָהּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּתְגַנֶּה עָלָיו (ספרי):

And she will remain in your home. In the home he makes use of. He enters and stumbles over her, leaves and stumbles over her, notices her weeping and disgrace, so that she becomes repulsive to him.

ובכתה את אביה. כָּל כָּךְ לָמָּה? כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׂמֵחָה וְזוֹ עֲצֵבָה, בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְקַשֶּׁטֶת וְזוֹ מִתְנַוֶּלֶת (שם):

And weep for her father. Why to such an extent? So that the Israelite daughter may be joyous, while this one is melancholy; the Israelite daughter may beautify herself, while this one becomes ugly.

21:14

וְהָיָה אִם־לֹא חָפַצְתָּ בָּהּ וְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ לְנַפְשָׁהּ וּמָכֹר לֹא־תִמְכְּרֶנָּה בַּכָּסֶף לֹא־תִתְעַמֵּר בָּהּ תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר עִנִּיתָֽהּ׃ {ס}        

But it shall come to pass, that if you do not desire her you will send her free, but to sell—you may not sell her for money; you may not exploit her since you have oppressed her.

But it shall come to pass, that if you do not desire her you will send her free, but to sell—you may not sell her for money; you may not exploit her since you have oppressed her.

Rashi

והיה אם לא חפצת בה. הַכָּתוּב מְבַשֶּׂרְךָ שֶׁסּוֹפְךָ לִשְׂנֹאתָהּ (שם):

But it shall come to pass, that if you do not desire her. Scripture informs you that you will ultimately hate her.

לא תתעמר בה. לֹא תִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהּ, בִּלְשׁוֹן פַּרְסִי קוֹרִין לְעַבְדוּת וְשִׁמּוּשׁ "עִימְרָאָה", מִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַ' מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן לָמַדְתִּי כֵן:

You may not exploit her. You may not utilize her. In the Persian language, servitude and utilization is verbalized as imra’ah. From the commentary of R’ Moshe Hadarshan I have learned this.

Texts

  • Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah · License: CC-BY-SA
  • English: Metsudah Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009 · License: CC-BY
  • Hebrew: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · License: PD
  • English: Rashi Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009 · License: CC-BY

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