דברים י״ט

תכין לך הדרך. "מִקְלָט", "מִקְלָט" הָיָה כָתוּב עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים (מכות י'):

Ready the route. Refuge! Refuge! was emblazoned at every fork in the road.

ושלשת את גבול ארצך. שֶׁיְּהֵא מִתְּחִלַּת הַגְּבוּל עַד הָעִיר הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל עָרֵי מִקְלָט כְּשִׁעוּר מַהֲלָךְ שֶׁיֵּשׁ מִמֶּנָּה עַד הַשְּׁנִיָּה וְכֵן מִשְּׁנִיָּה לַשְּׁלִישִׁית וְכֵן מִן הַשְּׁלִישִׁית עַד הַגְּבוּל הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (שם ט'):

Divide the borders of your land into three sections. The distance from the border until the first of the refuge cities should be equivalent to the travelling distance between that city and the second; so, from the second to the third; and so from the third to the opposite border of Eretz Yisroel.

ונדחה ידו. כְּשֶׁבָּא לְהַפִּיל הַגַּרְזֶן עַל הָעֵץ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וְתִתְמְרֵיג יְדֵיהּ", לְשׁוֹן וְנִשְׁמְטָה יָדוֹ לְהַפִּיל מַכַּת הַגַּרְזֶן עַל הָעֵץ, "כִּי שָׁמְטוּ הַבָּקָר" (שמואל ב ו') תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן "אֲרֵי מַרְגוּהִי תּוֹרַיָּא":

And as his hand swung. . .downward. As he lowered the axe over the tree. Targum [Onkelos] renders וְתִתְמְרֵיג יְדֵהּ, meaning “his hand was lowered” to strike a downward blow with the axe onto the tree. “For the cattle lowered it,” Yonasan renders, אֲרֵי מְרַגוּהִי תּוֹרַיָּא .

ונשל הברזל מן העץ. יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אוֹמְרִים נִשְׁמַט הַבַּרְזֶל מִקַּתּוֹ, וְיֵש מֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים שֶׁיִּשַּׁל הַבַּרְזֶל חֲתִיכָה מִן הָעֵץ הַמִּתְבַּקֵּעַ וְהִיא נִתְּזָה וְהָרְגָה (מכות ז'):

The iron flew off the wooden handle. Some Rabbis say that the iron flew off the handle. But some say that the iron loosened a chip from the tree being chipped. This flew off, and caused the death.

פן ירדף גאל הדם. לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְהָכִין לְךָ דֶּרֶךְ וְעָרֵי מִקְלָט רַבִּים:

Lest the blood-redeemer pursue. This is why I am instructing you to ready the route, and [why there are] numerous refuge cites.

ואם ירחיב … כאשר נשבע. לָתֵת לְךָ אֶרֶץ קֵינִי וּקְנִזִּי וְקַדְמוֹנִי:

When [God] expands . . . in accordance with His oath. To give you the land of the Keini, Kenizi, and Kadmoni.

ויספת לך עוד שלש. הֲרֵי תֵשַׁע, שָׁלוֹשׁ שֶׁבְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וְשָׁלוֹשׁ שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן וְשָׁלוֹשׁ לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא (ספרי):

You shall add three more. Making nine — three across the Yardein, three in the land of Canaan, and three in the time destined to come.

וכי יהיה איש שנא לרעהו. עַל יְדֵי שִׂנְאָתוֹ הוּא בָא לִידֵי וארב לו, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ עָבַר אָדָם עַל מִצְוָה קַלָּה, סוֹפוֹ לַעֲבֹר עַל מִצְוָה חֲמוּרָה, לְפִי שֶׁעָבַר עַל לֹא תִשְׂנָא (ויקרא י"ט), סוֹפוֹ לָבֹא לִידֵי שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "וְכִי יִהְיֶה אִישׁ שֹׂנֵא לְרֵעֵהוּ וְגוֹ'", שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב וְכִי יָקוּם אִישׁ וְאָרַב לְרֵעֵהוּ וְהִכָּהוּ נָפֶשׁ (ספרי):

If there is a man who hates his neighbor. Because of his hatred, he will eventually stalk him. From here it is derived that if a man violates a minor offense, he will ultimately commit a grave transgression. Because he violated “Do not hate [your brother],” he ultimately committed murder. This is why it says, “If there is a man who hates his neighbor, etc.” Otherwise, it should have written, “If a man rises up, stalks his neighbor, and wounds him mortally.”

לא תחוס עינך. שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הָרִאשׁוֹן כְּבָר נֶהֱרַג, לָמָּה אָנוּ הוֹרְגִים אֶת זֶה וְנִמְצְאוּ שְׁנֵי יִשְׂרְאֵלִים הֲרוּגִים? (שם):

Do not view him with compassion. Do not say, the first one has already been killed. Why kill this one, and have two dead Jews?

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.”