Shoftim, Aliyah 6 שופטים, שישי

לא תסיג גבול. לְשׁוֹן "נָסֹגוּ אָחוֹר" (ישעיהו מ"ב), שֶׁמַּחֲזִיר סִימַן חֲלֻקַּת הַקַּרְקַע לְאָחוֹר לְתוֹךְ שְׂדֵה חֲבֵרוֹ לְמַעַן הַרְחִיב אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ; וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר "לֹא תִגְזֹל" (ויקרא י"ט), מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לֹא תַסִּיג? לִמֵּד עַל הָעוֹקֵר תְּחוּם חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁעוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין. יָכוֹל אַף בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ? תַּ"לֹ בנחלתך אשר תנחל וגו', בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין, וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם לֹא תִגְזֹל (ספרי):

Do not move back the boundary. The word means the same as “They have retreated rearward.” When one moves the boundary marker rearward, into his neighbor’s property, in order to increase his own. But doesn’t it already say, “Do not steal”? Why, then, does the Torah say, “Do not move back...”? This teaches that someone who overturns his neighbor’s boundary violates two negative commandments. Perhaps this applies outside the land [of Eretz Yisroel] as well? The Torah therefore teaches, “in your hereditary property which you inherit, etc.” In Eretz Yisroel one violates two commandments, but outside [Eretz Yisroel,] one violates only “Do not steal.”

עד אחד. זֶה בָנָה אָב – כָּל עֵד שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שְׁנַיִם אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן פֵּרֵט לְךָ בוֹ אֶחָד (סנהדרין ל'):

One witness. This establishes a source construct: Wherever “witness” is mentioned in the Torah, the reference is to two, unless specified as one.

לכל עון ולכל חטאת. לִהְיוֹת חֲבֵרוֹ נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל עֵדוּתוֹ, לֹא עֹנֶשׁ גּוּף וְלֹא עֹנֶשׁ מָמוֹן, אֲבָל קָם הוּא לִשְׁבוּעָה; אָמַר לַחֲבֵרוֹ תֵּן לִי מָנֶה שֶׁהִלְוִיתִיךָ, אָמַר לוֹ אֵין לְךָ בְיָדִי כְּלוּם וְעֵד אֶחָד מְעִידוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ, חַיָּב לִשָּׁבַע לוֹ (שבועות מ'):

For any sin or transgression. To have his fellow penalized by his testimony, whether by corporal or monetary punishment. However, he may rise up to require him to take an oath. If someone says to his fellow, ‘Repay that which I lent you,’ he replies, ‘I owe you nothing,’ and a single witness testifies that he owes [the money,] he is obligated to take an oath.

על פי שני עדים. וְלֹא שֶׁיִּכְתְּבוּ עֵדוּתָם בְּאִגֶּרֶת וְיִשְׁלְחוּ לְבֵית דִּין, וְלֹא שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד תֻּרְגְּמָן בֵּין הָעֵדִים וּבֵין הַדַּיָּנִים (ספרי):

By the word of two witnesses. But they cannot write their testimony in a letter and send it to the court; nor may a translator stand between the witnesses and the justices.

לענות בו סרה. דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ, שֶׁהוּסַר הָעֵד הַזֶּה מִכָּל הָעֵדוּת הַזֹּאת. כֵּיצַד? שֶׁאָמְרוּ לָהֶם וַהֲלֹא עִמָּנוּ הֱיִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי (מכות ה'):

And bears fallacious testimony against him. The story is utterly untenable, as the witness was dissociated from the entire testimony. How is this? When other witnesses said to them, ‘But weren’t you with us on that day at another location?!’

ועמדו שני האנשים. בְּעֵדִים הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר וְלִמֵּד שֶׁאֵין עֵדוּת בְּנָשִׁים, וְלִמֵּד שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְהָעִיד עֵדוּתָן מֵעוֹמֵד (שבועות ל'):

The two men shall stand. Our passage refers to the witnesses. This teaches that women cannot testify, and that the witnesses must testify while standing.

אשר להם הריב. אֵלּוּ בַעֲלֵי הַדִּין:

Who are involved in the dispute. This refers to the litigants.

לפני ה'. יִהְיֶה דּוֹמֶה לָהֶם כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמְדִין לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים פ"ב) בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט (סנהדרין ו'):

Before Adonoy. It should seem to them, as if they stand before the Omnipresent, as it is said, “He [God] judges in the midst of judges.”

אשר יהיו בימים ההם. יִפְתָּח בְּדוֹרוֹ כִּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּדוֹרוֹ, צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לִנְהֹג בּוֹ כָּבוֹד:

Who are in those days. Yiftach, in his generation, is like Shmuel in his generation — you must treat him reverently.

ודרשו השפטים היטב. עַל פִּי הַמְזִמִּין אוֹתָם, שֶׁבּוֹדְקִים וְחוֹקְרִים אֶת הַבָּאִים לַהֲזִימָם בִּדְרִישָׁה וַחֲקִירָה:

The judges shall investigate thoroughly. This is directed at those asserting that the witnesses were conspirators. They shall investigate and interrogate those accusing them of conspiracy, by the prescribed method of investigation and interrogation.

והנה עד שקר העד. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֵד — בִּשְׁנַיִם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:

Behold, the witness testified falsely. Wherever “witness” is mentioned, Scripture refers to two.

כאשר זמם. וְלֹא כַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ הָרְגוּ אֵין נֶהֱרָגִין (מכות ה'):

As he conspired. But not as he did. From here it is derived that if the execution was carried out, the witnesses are not executed.

לעשות לאחיו. מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לאחיו? לִמֵּד עַל זוֹמְמֵי בַת כֹּהֵן נְשׂוּאָה שֶׁאֵינָן בִּשְׂרֵפָה אֶלָּא כְּמִיתַת הַבּוֹעֵל שֶׁהִיא בְחֶנֶק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ"א) "הִיא בָאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵף" – הִיא וְלֹא בוֹעֲלָהּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר כָּאן לאחיו, כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם לַעֲשׂוֹת לְאָחִיו, וְלֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם לַעֲשׂוֹת לַאֲחוֹתוֹ, אֲבָל בְּכָל שְׁאָר מִיתוֹת הִשְׁוָה הַכָּתוּב אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ וְזוֹמְמֵי אִשָּׁה נֶהֱרָגִין כְּזוֹמְמֵי אִישׁ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהֱעִידוּהָ שֶׁהָרְגָה אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, שֶׁחִלְּלָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, נֶהֱרָגִין בְּמִיתָתָהּ, שֶׁלֹּא מִעֵט כָּאן אֲחוֹתוֹ אֶלָּא בְמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְקַיֵּם בָּהֶן הֲזַמָּה כְּמִיתַת הַבּוֹעֵל (ספרי; סנהדרין צ'):

To do to his brother. What does the Torah teach with “to his brother”? It teaches that witnesses who conspired against the daughter of a kohein who was married are not executed by burning, but by the method of execution of the adulterer, which is asphyxiation, as it is said, “She . . . shall be burned by fire” — she, but not the adulterer. This is why “to his brother” is said here — “as he conspired to do to his brother,” but not as he conspired to do to his sister. However, with all the other executions, the Torah likens women to men, and conspirators against a woman are executed as are conspirators against a man. For example, if they testified that she committed murder or desecrated Shabbos, they are executed by the same method as she would have been. For “his sister” is not excluded here except where the punishment for conspiracy may be fulfilled with the adulter’s [type of] execution.

ישמעו ויראו. מִכָּאן שֶׁצְּרִיכִין הַכְרָזָה – אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי נֶהֱרָגִין עַל שֶׁהוּזַמּוּ בְּבֵית דִּין (סנהדרין פ"ט):

Will hear and be fearful. From here we derive that there must be a proclamation, ‘So and so were executed for conspiratorial testimony in court.’

עין בעין. מָמוֹן, וְכֵן שֵׁן בְּשֵׁן וְגוֹ' (ספרי; בבא קמא פ"ד):

Eye for eye. Monetary payment. Similarly, “tooth for tooth, etc.”

כי תצא למלחמה. סָמַךְ הַכָּתוּב יְצִיאַת מִלְחָמָה לְכָאן, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁאֵין מְחֻסַּר אֵבֶר יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה (עי' ספרי); דָּבָר אַחֵר, לוֹמַר לְךָ אִם עָשִׂיתָ מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק, אַתָּה מֻבְטָח שֶׁאִם תֵּצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה אַתָּה נוֹצֵחַ, וְכֵן דָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהילים קי"ט) עָשִׂיתִי מִשְׁפָּט וָצֶדֶק בַּל תַּנִּיחֵנִי לְעוֹשְׁקָי (תנחומא):

When you go to war. Scripture positioned going to war here to teach that anyone lacking a body member is not qualified to go to war. Another interpretation. To teach that if you judge righteously, you will be assured when you go to war, that you will be victorious. Similarly, Dovid said, “I have acted justly and righteously — Do not abandon me to those who would dispossess me.”

על איבך. יִהְיוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּאוֹיְבִים, אַל תְּרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי לֹא יְרַחֲמוּ עָלֶיךָ:

Against your enemy. Consider them enemies. Do not pity them, for they will not pity you.

סוס ורכב. בְּעֵינַי כֻּלָּם כְּסוּס אֶחָד, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שופטים ו') וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת מִדְיָן כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות ט"ו) כִּי בָא סוּס פַּרְעֹה (עי' ספרי):

Horse and chariot. In My eyes, they are all like a single horse. Similarly, it says, “You shall strike down Midian as one man.” Similarly, it says, “When Pharoah’s horse approached.”

עם רב ממך. בְּעֵינֶיךָ הוּא רַב, אֲבָל בְּעֵינַי אֵינוֹ רַב (שם):

People who outnumber you. In your eyes they are numerous, but in My eyes, they are not numerous.

כקרבכם אל המלחמה. סָמוּךְ לְצֵאתְכֶם מִן הַסְּפָר – מִגְּבוּל אַרְצְכֶם:

As you near the battle. Near your departure from the border settlement at your country’s boundary.

ונגש הכהן. הַמָּשׁוּחַ לְכָךְ, וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא "מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה":

The kohein shall approach. The one annointed for this purpose. He was entitled “The one annointed for warfare.”

ודבר אל העם. בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ (סוטה מ"ב):

And speak to the people. In the sacred Hebrew tongue.

שמע ישראל. אֲפִלּוּ אֵין בָּכֶם זְכוּת אֶלָּא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בִּלְבַד, כְּדַאי אַתֶּם שֶׁיּוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם:

Hear, Yisroel. Even if you have no merit other than the reading of the Shema alone, you are worthy of being saved.

על איביכם. אֵין אֵלּוּ אַחֵיכֶם, שֶׁאִם תִּפְּלוּ בְיָדָם אֵינָם מְרַחֲמִים עֲלֵיכֶם, אֵין זוֹ כְּמִלְחֶמֶת יְהוּדָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב' כ"ח ט"ו) "וַיָּקֻמוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ בַשִּׁבְיָה וְכָל מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם הִלְבִּישׁוּ מִן הַשָּׁלָל וַיַּלְבִּישׁוּם וַיַּנְעִילוּם וַיַּאֲכִילוּם וַיַּשְׁקוּם וַיְסֻכוּם וַיְנַהֲלוּם בַּחֲמֹרִים לְכָל כּוֹשֵׁל וַיְבִיאוּם יְרֵחוֹ עִיר הַתְּמָרִים אֵצֶל אֲחֵיהֶם וַיָּשׁוּבוּ שֹׁמְרוֹן", אֶלָּא עַל אוֹיְבֵיכֶם אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים, לְפִיכָךְ הִתְחַזְּקוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה (ספרי; סוטה מ"ב):

Against your enemies. These are not your brothers. If you fall into their hands, they will be merciless towards you. This is not the same as the war between Yehudah and Yisroel, where it is said, “The men whose names were specified arose and took hold of the captives; All those who were naked, they clothed from the spoils. They clothed them, gave them shoes, fed them, gave them drinks, anointed them with oil, and led on donkeys those who were weak. They brought them to Yereicho, the city of dates, near their brothers. Then they returned to Shomron.” Rather, you are proceeding towards your enemies. Therefore, be strong for the battle.

אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו. אַרְבַּע אַזְהָרוֹת כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה דְבָרִים שֶׁמַּלְכֵי הָאֻמּוֹת עוֹשִׂים, מְגִיפִין בִּתְרִיסֵיהֶם כְּדֵי לְהַקִּישָׁן זֶה לָזֶה כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁמִיעַ קוֹל שֶׁיַּחְפְּזוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁכְּנֶגְדָן וְיָנוּסוּ, וְרוֹמְסִים בְּסוּסֵיהֶם וּמַצְהִילִין אוֹתָם לְהַשְׁמִיעַ קוֹל שַׁעֲטַת פַּרְסוֹת סוּסֵיהֶם, וְצוֹוְחִין בְּקוֹלָם, וְתוֹקְעִין בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וּמִינֵי מַשְׁמִיעֵי קוֹל:

Do not be faint hearted or intimidated; do not panic or be crushed. Four prohibitions, corresponding with the four things the Gentile monarchs do. They fasten their armor plates so that they strike each other and produce a clamor which terrorizes their opponents into fleeing; they tramp heavily with their horses and goad them into a frenzy so that the pounding of the horses’ hoofbeats is heard; they utter screams and blow horns and other noise makers.

אל ירך לבבכם. מִצַּהֲלַת סוּסִים:

Do not be faint hearted. From the horses’ neighing.

אל תיראו. מֵהֲגָפַת הַתְּרִיסִין:

Do not be intimidated. From the fastening of the armor.

ואל תחפזו. מִקּוֹל הַקְּרָנוֹת:

Do not panic. From the noise of the horns.

ואל תערצו. מִקּוֹל הַצְּוָחָה (שם):

Do not be crushed. From the sounds of screaming.

כי ה' אלהיכם וגו'. הֵם בָּאִים בְּנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְאַתֶּם בָּאִים בְּנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם. פְּלִשְׁתִּים בָּאוּ בְנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל גָּלְיָת, מֶה הָיָה סוֹפוֹ? נָפַל וְנָפְלוּ עִמּוֹ:

For Adonoy your God. They advance by mortal triumph, whereas you advance by the triumph of the Omnipresent. The Plishtim advanced by the triumph of Golias — what was his end? He fell, and they fell with him.

ההלך עמכם. זֶה מַחֲנֵה הָאָרוֹן (סוטה מ"ב):

Marches with you. This refers to the camp of the sacred ark.

ולא חנכו. וְלֹא דָּר בּוֹ, חִנּוּךְ לְשׁוֹן הַתְחָלָה:

And did not inaugurate it as a dwelling. Did not live in it. חִנּוּךְ denotes inauguration.

ואיש אחר יחנכנו. וְדָבָר שֶׁל עָגְמַת נֶפֶשׁ הוּא זֶה:

And another man will inaugurate it. This is a matter of great anguish.

ולא חללו. לֹא פְּדָאוֹ בַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית, שֶׁהַפֵּרוֹת טְעוּנִין לְאָכְלָן בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם אוֹ לְחַלְּלָן בְּדָמִים וְלֶאֱכֹל הַדָּמִים בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם:

And did not redeem it. Did not redeem it during the fourth year, when the fruit must be eaten in Jerusalem, or redeemed with money, and the money spent for food eaten in Jerusalem.

פן ימות במלחמה. יָשׁוּב פֶּן יָמוּת, שֶׁאִם לֹא יִשְׁמַע לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּהֵן כְּדַאי הוּא שֶׁיָּמוּת (ספרי):

Lest he die in battle. He should return lest he die, for if he does not follow the instructions of the kohein, he deserves to die.

ויספו השטרים. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ויספו? מוֹסִיפִין זֶה עַל דִּבְרֵי הַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן מְדַבֵּר וּמַשְׁמִיעַ מִן שמע ישראל עַד להושיע אתכם, וּמִי הָאִישׁ וְשֵׁנִי וּשְׁלִישִׁי כֹּהֵן מְדַבֵּר וְשׁוֹטֵר מַשְׁמִיעַ, וְזֶה שׁוֹטֵר מְדַבֵּר וְשׁוֹטֵר מַשְׁמִיעַ (סוטה מ"ג):

The officers will further. Why is “further” mentioned here? Because this is to be added to the words of the kohein. The kohein delivers the address and announces from “Hear Yisroel” until “to save you.” “Is there a man,” then the second, and then the third, the kohein addresses and an officer announces. With our passage, an officer addresses and another officer announces.

הירא ורך הלבב. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בְּקִשְׁרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה וְלִרְאוֹת חֶרֶב שְׁלוּפָה; רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר הַיָּרֵא מֵעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ, וּלְכָךְ תָּלְתָה לוֹ תוֹרָה לַחֲזֹר עַל בַּיִת וְכֶרֶם וְאִשָּׁה, לְכַסּוֹת עַל הַחוֹזְרִים בִּשְׁבִיל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדָם שֶׁלֹּא יָבִינוּ שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי עֲבֵרָה, וְהָרוֹאֵהוּ חוֹזֵר אוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא בָּנָה בַיִת אוֹ נָטַע כֶּרֶם אוֹ אֵרַשׂ אִשָּׁה (סוטה מ"ד):

Who is afraid, or faint hearted. R’ Akiva said, as the plain meaning indicates — he cannot maintain himself in the battle mode, where he must face the menacing sword. R’ Yosi Hagalili said, one who is afraid because of his transgressions. The reason the Torah provides the pretext of returning because of one’s house or vineyard or wife is to protect those who return because of their transgressions — so that no one realizes that they are transgressors. Those who notice their return will say, ‘Perhaps he built a house, or planted a vineyard, or took a wife.’

שרי צבאות. שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין זַקָּפִין מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם וּמִלְּאַחֲרֵיהֶם וְכַשִּׁילִין שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל בִּידֵיהֶם וְכָל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לַחֲזֹר הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדוֹ לְקַפֵּחַ אֶת שׁוֹקָיו; זַקָּפִין – בְּנֵי אָדָם עוֹמְדִין בִּקְצֵה הַמַּעֲרָכָה לִזְקֹף אֶת הַנּוֹפְלִים וּלְחַזְּקָם בִּדְבָרִים, שׁוּבוּ אֶל הַמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא תָנוּסוּ, שֶׁתְּחִלַּת נְפִילָה נִיסָה (ספרי; סוטה מ"ד):

Army commanders. To station disciplinary officers at the front and to the rear, carrying iron spears. If anyone attempts to retreat, they are empowered to cut off their legs. “Disciplinary officers,” lit. “those who lift up” — men who are stationed at the edge of the battlefield to “lift up” those who falter, and encourage them by saying, ‘Get back to the battle, do not run away! Running away is the beginning of downfall’!