| 1When the Lord, your God, cuts off the nations, whose land the Lord, your God, is giving you, and you inherit them, and dwell in their cities and in their houses, |
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אכִּֽי־יַכְרִ֞ית יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ אֶת־אַרְצָ֑ם וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֕ם וְיָֽשַׁבְתָּ֥ בְעָֽרֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְבָֽתֵּיהֶֽם: |
| 2you shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you to possess. |
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בשָׁל֥וֹשׁ עָרִ֖ים תַּבְדִּ֣יל לָ֑ךְ בְּת֣וֹךְ אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ: |
| 3Prepare the road for yourself and divide into three parts the boundary of your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, and it will be for every killer to flee there. |
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גתָּכִ֣ין לְךָ֘ הַדֶּ֒רֶךְ֒ וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־גְּב֣וּל אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַנְחִֽילְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְהָיָ֕ה לָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה כָּל־רֹצֵֽחַ: |
| Prepare for yourself the way. “Refuge! Refuge!” was inscribed at each crossroads [directing the way to the nearest refuge city]. — [Mak . 10b] |
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תָּכִין לְךָ הַדֶּרֶךְ.
"מִקְלָט", "מִקְלָט" הָיָה כָתוּב עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים (מכות י'):
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| and divide into three parts the boundary of your land. so that [the distance] from the beginning of the border to the first refuge city should be the same as the distance from this first city to the second, and so from the second to the third and from the third to the opposite border of Israel. — [Mak. 9b] |
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וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ אֶת־גְּבוּל אַרְצְךָ.
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'):
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| 4And this is the case of the killer who will flee there, so that he may live: Whoever strikes his fellow [to death] unintentionally, whom he did not hate in times past. |
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דוְזֶה֙ דְּבַ֣ר הָֽרֹצֵ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־יָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וָחָ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַכֶּ֤ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֨הוּ֙ בִּבְלִי־דַ֔עַת וְה֛וּא לֹֽא־שׂנֵ֥א ל֖וֹ מִתְּמֹ֥ל שִׁלְשֹֽׁם: |
| 5As when a man goes with his fellow into the forest to chop wood, and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the iron flies off the handle, and it reaches his fellow, and he dies he shall flee to one of these cities, and live. |
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הוַֽאֲשֶׁר֩ יָבֹ֨א אֶת־רֵעֵ֥הוּ בַיַּ֘עַר֘ לַחְטֹ֣ב עֵצִים֒ וְנִדְּחָ֨ה יָד֤וֹ בַגַּרְזֶן֙ לִכְרֹ֣ת הָעֵ֔ץ וְנָשַׁ֤ל הַבַּרְזֶל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ וּמָצָ֥א אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ וָמֵ֑ת ה֗וּא יָנ֛וּס אֶל־אַחַ֥ת הֶֽעָרִֽים־הָאֵ֖לֶּה וָחָֽי: |
| And his hand swings [the ax]. when he was about to let the ax fall on the tree. The Targum renders this as וְתִתְמְרֵיג יְדֵּיּהּ meaning, וְנִשְׁמְטָה יָדוֹ his hand swayed while letting the stroke of the ax fall upon the tree. [Similarly,] the words הַבָּקָר כִּי שָׁמְטוּ (II Sam. 6:6), are rendered in Targum Jonathan as: אֲרֵי מַרְגוּהִי תּוֹרַיָּא “for the oxen swayed.” |
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וְנִדְּחָה יָדוֹ.
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":
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| and the iron flies off the handle. Heb. וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל מִן-הָעֵץ. Some of our Rabbis say that this means that the iron head [of the ax] slipped off its handle, while others say, the ax chipped a splinter of wood off the tree which was being chopped, and it ricocheted, killing [the victim]. — [Mak. 7b] |
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וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל מִן־הָעֵץ.
יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אוֹמְרִים נִשְׁמַט הַבַּרְזֶל מִקַּתּוֹ, וְיֵש מֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים שֶׁיִּשַּׁל הַבַּרְזֶל חֲתִיכָה מִן הָעֵץ הַמִּתְבַּקֵּעַ וְהִיא נִתְּזָה וְהָרְגָה (מכות ז'):
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| 6Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the killer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and he strikes him to death, whereas he was not deserving of death, for he had not hated him in times past. |
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ופֶּן־יִרְדֹּף֩ גֹּאֵ֨ל הַדָּ֜ם אַֽחֲרֵ֣י הָֽרֹצֵ֗חַ כִּ֣י יֵחַם֘ לְבָבוֹ֒ וְהִשִּׂיג֛וֹ כִּֽי־יִרְבֶּ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ וְהִכָּ֣הוּ נָ֑פֶשׁ וְלוֹ֙ אֵ֣ין מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֔וֶת כִּ֠י לֹ֣א שׂנֵ֥א ה֛וּא ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם: |
| Lest the avenger of the blood pursue [the killer]. This is why I am telling you prepare a way for yourself, and [to prepare] many refuge cities. |
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פֶּן־יִרְדֹּף גֹּאֵל הַדָּם.
לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְהָכִין לְךָ דֶּרֶךְ וְעָרֵי מִקְלָט רַבִּים:
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| 7Therefore, I command you, saying, "You shall separate for yourself three cities." |
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זעַל־כֵּ֛ן אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ לֵאמֹ֑ר שָׁל֥שׁ עָרִ֖ים תַּבְדִּ֥יל לָֽךְ: |
| 8And when the Lord, your God, expands your boundary, as He swore to your forefathers, and He gives you all the land of which He spoke to give to your forefathers; |
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חוְאִם־יַרְחִ֞יב יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֶת־גְּבֻ֣לְךָ֔ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וְנָ֤תַן לְךָ֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר לָתֵ֥ת לַֽאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ: |
| And when [the Lord your God] expands [your boundary]. As He swore to give you the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites. |
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וְאִם־יַרְחִיב … כַּֽאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע.
לָתֵת לְךָ אֶרֶץ קֵינִי וּקְנִזִּי וְקַדְמוֹנִי:
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| 9if you will keep all this commandment to perform it, which I command you this day, to love the Lord, your God, and to walk in His ways all the days, you shall add three more cities for yourself, in addition to these three, |
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טכִּֽי־תִשְׁמֹר֩ אֶת־כָּל־הַמִּצְוָ֨ה הַזֹּ֜את לַֽעֲשׂתָ֗הּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י מְצַוְּךָ֘ הַיּוֹם֒ לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ וְלָלֶ֥כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֖יו כָּל־הַיָּמִ֑ים וְיָֽסַפְתָּ֙ לְךָ֥ עוֹד֙ שָׁל֣שׁ עָרִ֔ים עַ֖ל הַשָּׁל֥שׁ הָאֵֽלֶּה: |
| you shall add three more [cities] for yourself. Thus, [altogether you will have] nine: The three on the other side of the Jordan, the three in the land of Canaan, and three more in the future [when God will expand your boundary]. — [Sifrei] |
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וְיָֽסַפְתָּ לְךָ עוֹד שָׁלשׁ.
הֲרֵי תֵשַׁע, שָׁלוֹשׁ שֶׁבְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וְשָׁלוֹשׁ שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן וְשָׁלוֹשׁ לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא (ספרי):
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| 10so that innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land which the Lord, your God, gives you for an inheritance which would deem you guilty of [having shed this] blood. |
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יוְלֹ֤א יִשָּׁפֵךְ֙ דַּ֣ם נָקִ֔י בְּקֶ֣רֶב אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַֽחֲלָ֑ה וְהָיָ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ דָּמִֽים: |
| 11But if a man hates his fellow, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, and strikes him mortally, and he flees to one of these cities, |
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יאוְכִי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה אִישׁ֙ שׂנֵ֣א לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ וְאָ֤רַב לוֹ֙ וְקָ֣ם עָלָ֔יו וְהִכָּ֥הוּ נֶ֖פֶשׁ וָמֵ֑ת וְנָ֕ס אֶל־אַחַ֖ת הֶֽעָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽל: |
| But if a man hates his fellow [and lies in wait for him…]. Through this man’s hatred of his fellow, he comes to “lie in wait for him.” From here our Rabbis derived the maxim: If a man transgresses a minor commandment, he will ultimately transgress a major commandment. [Here,] since he transgressed the command: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart” (Lev. 19:17), he ultimately came to shed blood. This is why it says here, “But if a man hates his fellow,” for it should have written only: “But if a man rises up and lies in wait for his fellow and strikes him mortally.” - [Sifrei] |
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וְכִי־יִֽהְיֶה אִישׁ שׂנֵא לְרֵעֵהוּ.
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):
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| 12the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of the blood, that he may die. |
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יבוְשָֽׁלְחוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י עִיר֔וֹ וְלָֽקְח֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מִשָּׁ֑ם וְנָֽתְנ֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ בְּיַ֛ד גֹּאֵ֥ל הַדָּ֖ם וָמֵֽת: |
| 13And you shall not pity him, but you shall abolish [the shedding of] the blood of the innocent from Israel, and it will be good for you. |
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יגלֹֽא־תָח֥וֹס עֵֽינְךָ֖ עָלָ֑יו וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֧ דַם־הַנָּקִ֛י מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְט֥וֹב לָֽךְ: |
| And you shall not pity him. I.e., you should not say, “The first [person] has already been killed; why should we kill this one too and cause two Israelites to be killed?” - [Sifrei] |
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לֹֽא־תָחוֹס עֵֽינְךָ.
שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הָרִאשׁוֹן כְּבָר נֶהֱרַג, לָמָּה אָנוּ הוֹרְגִים אֶת זֶה וְנִמְצְאוּ שְׁנֵי יִשְׂרְאֵלִים הֲרוּגִים? (שם):
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| 14You shall not pull back your neighbor's landmark, which the earlier ones have set as borders in your inheritance, which you will inherit in the land that the Lord, your God gives you, to possess. |
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ידלֹ֤א תַסִּיג֙ גְּב֣וּל רֵֽעֲךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר גָּֽבְל֖וּ רִֽאשֹׁנִ֑ים בְּנַֽחֲלָֽתְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּנְחַ֔ל בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ: |
| You shall not pull back [your neighbor’s] landmark. Heb. לֹא תַסּיג, an expression similar to, “they shall turn back (נָסֹגוּ אָחוֹר)” (Isa. 42:17). [Here therefore, it means] that he moves the boundary-mark of the land backwards into his neighbor’s field, thereby enlarging his own [property]. But has it not already been stated, “You shall not rob” (Lev. 19:13)? Why then, is it stated here: “You shall not pull back [the landmark]?” [The answer is that this verse] teaches that the person who removes his neighbor’s boundary mark transgresses two negative commandments, “You shall not rob (לֹא תִגְזֹל)” and “You shall not pull back [the landmark]” (לֹא תַסִּיג). Now I might think that [this applies] outside Eretz Israel as well. Therefore it says, “in your inheritance, which you will inherit [in the land],” [indicating that] in [only] Eretz Israel one transgresses two negative commandments, whereas outside Eretz Israel, one transgresses only the commandment of “you shall not rob.” - [Sifrei] |
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לֹא תַסִּיג גְּבוּל.
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? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בנחלתך אשר תנחל וגו', בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין, וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם לֹא תִגְזֹל (ספרי):
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| 15One witness shall not rise up against any person for any iniquity or for any sin, regarding any sin that he will sin. By the mouth of two witnesses, or by the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be confirmed. |
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טולֹֽא־יָקוּם֩ עֵ֨ד אֶחָ֜ד בְּאִ֗ישׁ לְכָל־עָוֹן֙ וּלְכָל־חַטָּ֔את בְּכָל־חֵ֖טְא אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶֽחֱטָ֑א עַל־פִּ֣י | שְׁנֵ֣י עֵדִ֗ים א֛וֹ עַל־פִּ֥י שְׁלשָֽׁה־עֵדִ֖ים יָק֥וּם דָּבָֽר: |
| One witness [shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity]. This verse establishes a general principle [i.e., from here it is derived] that wherever the term “witness” (עֵד) appears in the Torah, it means two [witnesses], unless the Torah specifies [that] one witness is meant. — [San. 30a] |
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עֵד אֶחָד.
זֶה בָנָה אָב – כָּל עֵד שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שְׁנַיִם אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן פֵּרֵט לְךָ בוֹ אֶחָד (סנהדרין ל'):
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| for any iniquity, or for any sin. where his testimony would lead to the accused being punished, either with corporal punishment or with monetary punishment. However, one [witness] may rise up to [compel his fellow to take] an oath, as follows: If one says to his fellow, “Give me the maneh [100 zuzim] that I lent you,” and his fellow replies, “I have nothing of yours,” and one witness testifies for him [the plaintiff] that he [the defendant] owes him [the money], [the defendant] is required to swear [that he did not borrow any money]. — [Shev. 40a] |
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לְכָל־עון וּלְכָל־חַטָּאת.
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'):
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| By the mouth of two witnesses [… the matter will be established]. [The expression, “by the mouth” means here that only the direct, verbal testimony suffices,] but they should not write their testimony in a letter and send it to the court, or have an interpreter stand between the witnesses and the judges. - [Sifrei] |
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עַל־פִּי שְׁנֵי עֵדִים.
וְלֹא שֶׁיִּכְתְּבוּ עֵדוּתָם בְּאִגֶּרֶת וְיִשְׁלְחוּ לְבֵית דִּין, וְלֹא שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד תֻּרְגְּמָן בֵּין הָעֵדִים וּבֵין הַדַּיָּנִים (ספרי):
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| 16If a false witness rises up against a man, to bear perverted testimony against him, |
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טזכִּֽי־יָק֥וּם עֵֽד־חָמָ֖ס בְּאִ֑ישׁ לַֽעֲנ֥וֹת בּ֖וֹ סָרָֽה: |
| to bear perverted testimony against him. Heb. סָרָה [That is, he testifies about] a thing which is not so, that this witness is removed (הוּסַר) from the whole testimony [meaning that he could not possibly have been a witness,] such as if [a second set of witnesses] said [to the first set of witnesses], “But weren’t you with us on that day in such and such a place [and not with the defendant, as you claim to have been]?” - [Mak. 5a] |
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לַֽעֲנוֹת בּוֹ סָרָֽה.
דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ, שֶׁהוּסַר הָעֵד הַזֶּה מִכָּל הָעֵדוּת הַזֹּאת. כֵּיצַד? שֶׁאָמְרוּ לָהֶם וַהֲלֹא עִמָּנוּ הֱיִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי (מכות ה'):
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| 17Then the two men between whom the controversy exists shall stand before the Lord, before the kohanim and the judges who will be in those days. |
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יזוְעָֽמְד֧וּ שְׁנֵי־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־לָהֶ֥ם הָרִ֖יב לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה לִפְנֵ֤י הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַשֹּׁ֣פְטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽהְי֖וּ בַּיָּמִ֥ים הָהֵֽם: |
| Then the two men… shall stand. The text is referring to the witnesses, and it teaches us that there is no testimony by women. It also teaches us that witnesses must submit their testimony while standing. — [Shev. 30a] |
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וְעָֽמְדוּ שְׁנֵי־הָֽאֲנָשִׁים.
בְּעֵדִים הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר וְלִמֵּד שֶׁאֵין עֵדוּת בְּנָשִׁים, וְלִמֵּד שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְהָעִיד עֵדוּתָן מֵעוֹמֵד (שבועות ל'):
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| between whom the controversy exists. These are the litigants. |
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אֲשֶׁר־לָהֶם הָרִיב.
אֵלּוּ בַעֲלֵי הַדִּין:
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| before the Lord. It should seem to them as though they are standing before the Omnipresent, as it says: “in the midst of the judges He will judge” (Ps. 82: 1). - [San. 6b] |
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לִפְנֵי ה'.
יִהְיֶה דּוֹמֶה לָהֶם כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמְדִין לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים פ"ב) בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט (סנהדרין ו'):
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| who will be in those days. [Now could one stand in front of those who are not in his day? Rather, it means that] Jephthah [one of the less important judges] in his generation, is [to be considered] as Samuel [the greatest judge] in his generation; you must treat him with respect. |
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אֲשֶׁר־יִֽהְיוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵֽם.
יִפְתָּח בְּדוֹרוֹ כִּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּדוֹרוֹ, צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לִנְהֹג בּוֹ כָּבוֹד:
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| 18And the judges shall inquire thoroughly, and behold, the witness is a false witness; he has testified falsely against his brother; |
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יחוְדָֽרְשׁ֥וּ הַשֹּֽׁפְטִ֖ים הֵיטֵ֑ב וְהִנֵּ֤ה עֵֽד־שֶׁ֨קֶר֙ הָעֵ֔ד שֶׁ֖קֶר עָנָ֥ה בְאָחִֽיו: |
| And the judges shall inquire thoroughly. By means of the testimony of [the new set of witnesses] who rebut them, that they investigate and examine those who come to prove that they [the first pair] are עֵדִים זוֹמְמִין, “plotting witnesses,” by diligent inquiry and examination. |
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וְדָֽרְשׁוּ הַשֹּֽׁפְטִים הֵיטֵב.
עַל פִּי הַמְזִמִּין אוֹתָם, שֶׁבּוֹדְקִים וְחוֹקְרִים אֶת הַבָּאִים לַהֲזִימָם בִּדְרִישָׁה וַחֲקִירָה:
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| and behold, the witness is a false witness. Wherever עֵד, witness, is written, Scripture is speaking of two [witnesses]. — [San. 30a] |
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וְהִנֵּה עֵֽד־שֶׁקֶר הָעֵד.
כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֵד — בִּשְׁנַיִם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
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| 19then you shall do to him as he plotted to do to his brother, and you shall [thus] abolish evil from among you. |
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יטוַֽעֲשִׂ֣יתֶם ל֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר זָמַ֖ם לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת לְאָחִ֑יו וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ הָרָ֖ע מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ: |
| as he plotted. But not as he did. From here [our Rabbis] said that if the first set of witnesses [before being proven false,] already killed the defendant [by their testimony], they are not to be put to death. — [Mak. 5b] |
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר זָמַם.
וְלֹא כַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ הָרְגוּ אֵין נֶהֱרָגִין (מכות ה'):
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| to do to his brother. Why does Scripture state, “to his brother?” To teach, that in the case of witnesses who conspired against a married daughter of a kohen [by accusing her of adultery], that they are not executed with burning [the form of execution to which she would have been subjected], but rather, by strangulation, the form of execution of the adulterer. For it says [regarding such a woman] “she shall be burnt with fire” (Lev. 21:9) -“she,” but not her paramour [who is dispatched by strangulation]; therefore it says here, “to his brother”-“as he plotted to do to his brother,” but not as he plotted to do to his sister. With other crimes, however, Scripture regards women equally with men, and conspiring witnesses against a woman are executed in the same way as those who conspired against a man. For instance, if they testified that a woman killed a person, or that she desecrated the Sabbath [and they are revealed to be false witnesses before she is executed], then they are executed in the form that they intended for her, for Scripture does not exclude his sister [by stating “brother”] except in a case where one may carry out the punishment of the conspiring witnesses by the form of execution of the adulterer [as opposed to the adulteress]. — [Sifrei and San. 90a] |
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לַֽעֲשׂוֹת לְאָחִיו.
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'):
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| 20And those who remain shall listen and fear, and they shall no longer continue to commit any such evil thing among you. |
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כוְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים יִשְׁמְע֣וּ וְיִרָ֑אוּ וְלֹֽא־יֹסִ֨פוּ לַֽעֲשׂ֜וֹת ע֗וֹד כַּדָּבָ֥ר הָרָ֛ע הַזֶּ֖ה בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ: |
| shall listen and fear. From here, [we derive the law] that a public announcement is required: “So-and-so and so-and-so are to be executed because they were proven by the court to be plotting witnesses.” - [San. 89a] [Note that Rashi on Mak. 5a and San. 89a writes that the proclamation is made after the perpetrators have been executed.] |
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יִשְׁמְעוּ וְיִרָאוּ.
מִכָּאן שֶׁצְּרִיכִין הַכְרָזָה – אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי נֶהֱרָגִין עַל שֶׁהוּזַמּוּ בְּבֵית דִּין (סנהדרין פ"ט):
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| 21You shall not have pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. |
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כאוְלֹ֥א תָח֖וֹס עֵינֶ֑ךָ נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּנֶ֗פֶשׁ עַ֤יִן בְּעַ֨יִן֙ שֵׁ֣ן בְּשֵׁ֔ן יָ֥ד בְּיָ֖ד רֶ֥גֶל בְּרָֽגֶל: |
| Eye for eye. i.e., financial compensation; and similarly, “tooth for tooth, etc.” - [Sifrei, B.K. 84] |
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עַיִן בְּעַיִן.
מָמוֹן, וְכֵן שֵׁן בְּשֵׁן וְגוֹ' (ספרי; בבא קמא פ"ד):
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