Sifrei on Deuteronomy Sifrei Devarim 148

English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim 17:2) "If there be found in your midst, in one of your cities (lit., "gates") which the L-rd your G-d gives you, a man or a woman who would do what is evil in the eyes of the L-rd your G-d, to break His covenant": "If there be found": by witnesses, it being written (Ibid. 19:15) "By word of two witnesses, or by word of three witnesses, shall a thing be established." This is a prototype for the rule that wherever "there be found" is mentioned, Scripture speaks of ("finding") by two or three witnesses.

2

English · Shraga Silverstein

"in one of your cities": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Ibid. 5) "Then you shall take out that man or that woman who did this evil thing, to your cities (lit., "gates"), I might think, the reference is to the gate (i.e., the beth-din) in which he was judged; it is, therefore, written "gates" (verse 2), "gates" (verse 5). Just as "gates" (2) refers to the city in which they were found and not to the gate (beth-din) in which they were judged, so, "gates" (5) refers to the city in which they were found and not to the gate (beth-din) in which they were judged.

3

English · Shraga Silverstein

"a man or a woman": What is the intent of this? Because we find with a condemned city (viz. Ibid. 13:16) that (only) many who served (idolatry) are (put to death) by the sword, I might think that the same obtains with individuals (who did so); it is, therefore, written

4

English · Shraga Silverstein

(Ibid. 17:5) "Then you shall take out that man or that woman." Because we find that those who were incited are killed by the sword, I might think that the same applies to the inciters; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "the man or the woman and you shall stone them with stones and they shall die." Because we find that a "condemned city" is not declared through (the incitement of) an individual or of women, I might think that they are not liable (to the death penalty); it is, therefore, written (Ibid. 2) "a man or a woman who would do what is evil in the eyes of the L-rd your G-d, to break His covenant."

5

English · Shraga Silverstein

He is called by five names: "banned," "abominated," "hated," "abhorred," "perverse." And the L-rd ascribes five names to him: "evil," "breaker of the covenant," "blasphemer," "angerer," "rebel." And he leads to five things: the defiling of the Temple, the desecration of the Name, the departure of the Shechinah, the defeat of Israel by the sword, and the exile of Israel from their land.

6

English · Shraga Silverstein

This tells me only of one who serves (idolatry). Whence do I derive (the same for) one who bows down to it? From (Ibid. 3) "and he bow down to them, or to the sun, or to the moon, or to the whole host of heaven."

7

English · Shraga Silverstein

"which I did not command" includes (in one interdict) "combining" (any of the above with the L-rd as co-deities).

8

English · Shraga Silverstein

R. Yossi Haglili says: Because it is written (Ibid. 4:19) ("the sun and the moon, etc.) which the L-rd your G-d bequeathed to all the peoples," I might think that He bequeathed them to the nations (to serve them), it is, therefore written (Ibid. 29:25) "gods which they did not know and which He did not bequeath to them (to serve them)."

9

English · Shraga Silverstein

R. Yossi says: Elazar, my son, says three things: (Jeremiah 19:5) "which I did not command" — in the Torah; "and which I did not speak" — to the prophets; "and which never entered My heart" — that a man should sacrifice his son on the altar.

10

English · Shraga Silverstein

Others say: "which I did not command": This refers to the son of Meisha the king of Moav (viz. II Kings 3:27); "and which I did not speak": This refers to the daughter of Yiftach (viz. (Judges 11:31-40); "and which never entered My heart": This refers to Isaac, the son of Abraham (viz. Bereshith 22).

Sifrei Devarim 148

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