Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations Chapter 4

Chapter 4

א מַדִּיחֵי עִיר מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ נִסְקָלִין אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא עָבְדוּ עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים אֶלָּא הִדִּיחוּ אֶת יוֹשְׁבֵי עִירָם עַד שֶׁעָבְדוּ אוֹתָהּ. וְאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר הַמֻּדָּחִין נֶהֱרָגִין בְּסַיִף וְהוּא שֶׁעָבְדוּ עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים אוֹ שֶׁקִּבְּלוּהָ עֲלֵיהֶם בֶּאֱלוֹהַּ. וְאַזְהָרָה לַמַּדִּיחַ מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לֹא יִשָּׁמַע עַל פִּיךָ:

1 The seducers of a city in Israel, behold them, they are stoned, although they themselves did not worship idolatry but seduced the citizens of their city to worship it; but the seduced people of the city are beheaded by the sword, provided they worshiped idolatry, or made it their god. Whencefrom is the prohibitive precept against a seducer deducted? It is said: "Neither let it be heard out of thy mouth" (Ex. 23.13.)

ב אֵין הָעִיר נַעֲשֵׂית עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מַדִּיחֶיהָ מִתּוֹכָהּ וּמֵאוֹתוֹ הַשֵּׁבֶט שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מִקִּרְבֶּךָ (דברים יג יד) "וַיַּדִּיחוּ אֶת יוֹשְׁבֵי עִירָם". וְעַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מַדִּיחֶיהָ שְׁנַיִם אוֹ יֶתֶר עַל שְׁנַיִם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יד) "יָצְאוּ אֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל וַיַּדִּיחוּ אֶת ישְׁבֵי עִירָם". וְעַד שֶׁיַּדִּיחוּ רֻבָּהּ. וְיִהְיוּ הַמֻּדָּחִין מִמֵּאָה וְעַד רֻבּוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁבֶט. אֲבָל אִם הֻדַּח רֻבּוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁבֶט דָּנִין אוֹתָם כִּיחִידִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג טז) "ישְׁבֵי הָעִיר" לֹא כְּפָר קָטָן וְלֹא כְּרַךְ גָּדוֹל. וְכָל פָּחוֹת מִמֵּאָה כְּפָר קָטָן. וְרֻבּוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁבֶט כְּרַךְ גָּדוֹל. וְכֵן אִם הִדִּיחוּהָ נָשִׁים אוֹ קְטַנִּים אוֹ שֶׁהִדִּיחָהּ יָחִיד אוֹ שֶׁהֻדְּחָה מִעוּטָהּ אוֹ שֶׁהֻדְּחוּ מֵאֲלֵיהֶן אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ מַדִּיחֶיהָ מִחוּצָה לָהּ אֵין דָּנִין בָּהּ דִּין עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת אֶלָּא הֲרֵי הֵן כִּיחִידִים שֶׁעָבְדוּ עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְסוֹקְלִין כָּל מִי שֶׁעָבַד וּמָמוֹנָן לְיוֹרְשֵׁיהֶן כִּשְׁאָר הֲרוּגֵי בֵּית דִּין:

2 No city is pronounced a seduced city unless its seducers be her own citizens, of the same tribe even as it is said: "From the midst of thee, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city" (Deut. 13.14.), numbering two or more than two even as it is said: "Certain base fellows are gone out" (Ibid.), having seduced up to a majority of the citizens, the majority being more than one hundred even to the majority of the tribe, but if an actual majority of the tribe was seduced they are judged as individuals, for it is said: "the inhabitants of their city" (Ibid.) which means neither a village nor a large city, and every place of less than one hundred citizens is a village and of a majority of a tribe is a large city. Likewise, if women or small children seduced it, or it was seduced by an individual person, or only a minority of its citizens was seduced, or they themselves brought about the seduction, or its seducers were outsiders, the law of a seduced city is not applied to it, but they are judged as individuals who worshiped idolatry, and whosoever did transgress is stoned, and their property is inherited by their lawful successors as the law is concerning all upon whom the tribunal pronounces a sentence of death.

ג אֵין דָּנִין עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת אֶלָּא בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁל אֶחָד וְשִׁבְעִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז ה) "וְהוֹצֵאתָ אֶת הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת הָאִשָּׁה הַהִיא אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה אֶל שְׁעָרֶיךָ", יְחִידִים נֶהֱרָגִים בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁל כָּל שַׁעַר וְשַׁעַר וְאֵין הַמְרֻבִּים נֶהֱרָגִין אֶלָּא בְּבֵית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל:

3 A seduced city is not judged by any save by a tribunal of Seventy-One; for, it is said: "Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, who have done this evil thing, unto thy gates" (Deut. 17.5.), herefrom we deduct that individual worshipers of idolatry are sentenced to death by the tribunal of each and every gate, but many are not sentenced to death by any save by the Great Tribunal.

ד אֵין אַחַת מֵעָרֵי מִקְלָט נַעֲשֵׂית עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ( (דברים יז ב) "בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ") [בְּאַחַת עָרֶיךָ]. וְלֹא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם נַעֲשֵׂית עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַלְּקָה לִשְׁבָטִים. וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת בַּסְּפָר כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְיַחֲרִיבוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֵין בֵּית דִּין אֶחָד עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלֹשׁ עֲיָרוֹת הַנִּדָּחוֹת זוֹ בְּצַד זוֹ. אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ מְרֻחָקוֹת עוֹשֶׂה:

4 None of the cities of escape is adjudged a seduced city, as it is said: "Within any of thy gates" (Deut. 17.2); nor is Jerusalem adjudged a seduced city as it was not divided among the tribes. A buffer city must not be adjudged a seduced city, lest the idolaters enter through it and destroy Eretz Ysrael. A single tribunal should not adjudge three cities, one alongside the other, seduced cities, but if they be far apart it may be done.

ה אֵין עוֹשִׂין עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת עַד שֶׁיַּדִּיחוּהָ מַדִּיחֶיהָ בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים וְיֹאמְרוּ לָהֶן נֵלֵךְ וְנַעֲבֹד אוֹ נֵלֵךְ וְנִזְבַּח אוֹ נֵלֵךְ וְנַקְטִיר אוֹ נֵלֵךְ וּנְנַסֵּךְ אוֹ נֵלֵךְ וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אוֹ נֵלֵךְ וּנְקַבֵּל בֶּאֱלוֹהַּ וְהֵם שׁוֹמְעִים וְעָבְדוּ אוֹתָהּ דֶּרֶךְ עֲבוֹדָתָהּ אוֹ בְּאַחַת מֵאַרְבַּע עֲבוֹדוֹת אוֹ שֶׁקִּבְּלוּהָ בֵּאלוֹהַּ. עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַיְּמוּ בָּהּ וּבְמַדִּיחֶיהָ כָּל הַתְּנָאִים הָאֵלּוּ הֵיאַךְ עוֹשִׂים לָהֶם, מַתְרִין וּמְעִידִין בְּכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵהֶן שֶׁעָבַד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְסוֹקְלִין אוֹתָם כִּיחִידִים שֶׁעָבְדוּ וּמָמוֹנָם לְיוֹרְשֵׁיהֶם:

5 No city is adjudged a seduced city unless its seducers employed plural language in seducing it, saying to them: "Let us go and we will worship", or: "Let us go and we will offer sacrifices", or: "Let us go and we will burn incense", or: "Let us go and we will compound a drink-offering", or: "Let us go and we will bow down", or: "Let us go and we will accept it as a god", and they heard it, and worshiped it in its proper mode of worship, or in either of the four particular kinds of worship, or accepted it as a god. A city charged with seduction, but the evidence showed that not all of the conditions were substantiated either against its inhabitants or against its seducers, how is it to be treated? A warning is given to each and every one of them, and evidence is taken against each and every one of them individually, and any one of them who did worship idolatry is stoned as an individual who worships idolatry, and their property is inherited by their lawful successors.

ו וְהֵיאַךְ דִּין עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת. בִּזְמַן שֶׁתִּהְיֶה רְאוּיָה לְהֵעָשׂוֹת עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת. בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל שׁוֹלְחִין וְדוֹרְשִׁין וְחוֹקְרִין עַד שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ בִּרְאָיָה בְּרוּרָה שֶׁהֻדְּחָה כָּל הָעִיר אוֹ רֻבָּהּ וְחָזְרוּ לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים. אַחַר כָּךְ שׁוֹלְחִים לָהֶם שְׁנֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים לְהַזְהִירָם וּלְהַחֲזִירָם. אִם חָזְרוּ וְעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה מוּטָב וְאִם יַעַמְדוּ בְּאִוַּלְתָּן בֵּית דִּין מְצַוִּין לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲלוֹת עֲלֵיהֶן לַצָּבָא וְהֵן צָרִין עֲלֵיהֶם וְעוֹרְכִין עִמָּהֶן מִלְחָמָה עַד שֶׁתִּבָּקַע הָעִיר. כְּשֶׁתִּבָּקַע מִיָּד מַרְבִּין לָהֶם בָּתֵּי דִּינִין וְדָנִים אוֹתָם. כָּל מִי שֶׁבָּאוּ עָלָיו שְׁנֵי עֵדִים שֶׁעָבַד כּוֹכָבִים אַחַר שֶׁהִתְרוּ אוֹתוֹ מַפְרִישִׁין אוֹתוֹ. נִמְצְאוּ כָּל הָעוֹבְדִים מִעוּטָהּ סוֹקְלִין אוֹתָן וּשְׁאָר הָעִיר נִצּוֹל. נִמְצְאוּ רֻבָּהּ מַעֲלִין אוֹתָן לְבֵית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל וְגוֹמְרִין שָׁם דִּינָם וְהוֹרְגִין כָּל אֵלּוּ שֶׁעָבְדוּ בְּסַיִף. וּמַכִּין אֶת כָּל נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ לְפִי חָרֶב טַף וְנָשִׁים אִם הֻדְּחָה כֻּלָּהּ. וְאִם נִמְצְאוּ הָעוֹבְדִים רֻבָּהּ מַכִּים אֶת כָּל הַטַּף וְנָשִׁים שֶׁל עוֹבְדִים לְפִי חָרֶב. וּבֵין שֶׁהֻדְּחָה כֻּלָּהּ בֵּין שֶׁהֻדְּחָה רֻבָּהּ סוֹקְלִין אֶת מַדִּיחֶיהָ וּמְקַבְּצִין כָּל שְׁלָלָהּ אֶל תּוֹךְ רְחוֹבָהּ. אֵין לָהּ רְחוֹב עוֹשִׂין לָהּ רְחוֹב. הָיָה רְחוֹבָהּ חוּצָה לָהּ בּוֹנִין חוֹמָה חוּץ מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לְתוֹכָהּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֶל תּוֹךְ רְחֹבָהּ. וְהוֹרְגִין כָּל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ וְשׂוֹרְפִין אֶת כָּל שְׁלָלָהּ עִם הַמְּדִינָה בָּאֵשׁ. וּשְׂרֵפָתָהּ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יז) "וְשָׂרַפְתָּ בָאֵשׁ אֶת הָעִיר וְאֶת כָּל שְׁלָלָהּ":

6 How is the legal procedure against a seduced city instituted? When the information shows that it really deserves to have a pronouncement of a seduced city made against it, the Great Tribunal appoints a commission who investigate and take evidence until they are convinced by clear testimony that the whole, or a majority of the city was really seduced and turned to the worship of idolatry; thereafter two abecedarians are commissioned to warn them and to bring them back to the fold; if they turn and repent, it is well, but if they hold on to their evil, the tribunal instructs all Israel to wage war against them, and they lay siege and array battle with them until the city is broken open, whenafter courts are established and they are put on trial. Each one against whom two witnesses testified that he worshiped idolatry after he received a warning, is separated. If all those who did worship constitute but a minority of the citizens, they are stoned and the rest of the citizens escape punishment. If it be found that a majority worshiped idolatry, they are all taken before the Great Tribunal, where their trial is finished, and all those who are found guilty of having worshiped idolatry are put to death by the sword. If the whole population of the city worshiped idolatry, all of them, women and children included, are put to death by the edge of the sword. Whether the entire city was seduced, or whether only a majority thereof, its seducers are stoned, and its entire booty is gathered in its main street. If it has no such street, it is mandatory to construct such street. If its street was without its boundary-line, a wall should be constructed beyond it, so as to incorporate it within its boundary-line, even as it is said: "Into the midst of the broad place thereof" (Deut. 13.17). Then, everything that liveth should be put to death, and all of its spoil, together with the property of the whole district should be burned in fire. And it is mandatory to burn it; for, it is said: "And shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof" (Ibid.)

ז נִכְסֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ וְהֵם שְׁאָר יוֹשְׁבֵי הָעִיר שֶׁלֹּא הֻדְּחוּ עִם רֻבָּהּ נִשְׂרָפִין בִּכְלַל שְׁלָלָהּ הוֹאִיל וְיָשְׁבוּ שָׁם מָמוֹנָן אָבַד. וְכָל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מִמֶּנָּה בְּכָל שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֶה אַחַת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יח) "וְלֹא יִדְבַּק בְּיָדְךָ מְאוּמָה מִן הַחֵרֶם":

7 The substance of the righteous therein, who are the rest of the population of the city which was not seduced together with a majority thereof, is burned among its general spoil, because they continued to dwell there their property is forfeited. And, whosoever enjoys aught of the spoil thereof, is lashed, even as it is said: "And there shall cleave nought of the devoted thing to thy hand" (Ibid, 13.18.).

ח וְעִיר הַנִּדַּחַת שֶׁהוּזְמוּ עֵדֵיהָ כָּל הַמַּחֲזִיק בִּנְכָסֶיהָ זָכָה וּמֻתָּר לֵהָנוֹת בּוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּזְמוּ. וְלָמָּה זָכָה בָּהּ שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד כְּבָר הִפְקִיר מָמוֹנוֹ מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנִּגְמַר דִּינוֹ. וְאֵינָהּ נִבְנֵית לְעוֹלָם וְכָל הַבּוֹנֶה אוֹתָהּ לוֹקֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יז) "לֹא תִבָּנֶה עוֹד". וּמֻתָּר לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ גִּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לֹא תִבָּנֶה עוֹד לֹא תִבָּנֶה מְדִינָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה:

8 If the witness against a seduced city were impeached, whosoever held possession of any of its property enjoys right of ownership thereto, seeing that there was no testimony to destroy it. But wherefore does one acquire the right of property therein? Because after the testimony was given and sentenced pronounced each and every inhabitant yielded his right to his property and rendered it ownerless. A seduced city is never rebuilt, and whosoever rebuilds it is lashed; for, it is said: "It shall not be built again" (Deut. 13.17.); but in its place it is permitted to lay out gardens and plant vineyards, as the Verse says, "it shall not be built again", which means not to rebuild it as a settlement of people as it was heretofore.

ט שַׁיָּרָא הָעוֹבֶרֶת מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם אִם עָבְרָה בָּעִיר הַנִּדַּחַת וְהֻדְּחָה עִמָּהּ. אִם שָׁהֲתָה שָׁם שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם נֶהֱרָגִין בְּסַיִף וּמָמוֹנָם אָבֵד וְאִם לָאו הֵן בִּסְקִילָה וּמָמוֹנָם לְיוֹרְשֵׁיהֶן:

9 Tourists who chanced to a city which was pronounced a seduced city and joined the rest of the population in the worship of idolatry, if they lived there thirty days prior to the seduction they are put to death by the sword and their property is destroyed, if not they are stoned and their property belongs to their heirs.

י נִכְסֵי אַנְשֵׁי מְדִינָה אַחֶרֶת שֶׁהָיוּ מֻפְקָדִין בְּתוֹכָהּ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶן אַחֲרָיוּת אֵין נִשְׂרָפִין אֶלָּא יַחְזְרוּ לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יז) "שְׁלָלָהּ" וְלֹא שְׁלַל חֲבֵרְתָהּ. נִכְסֵי הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁהֻדְּחוּ שֶׁהָיוּ מֻפְקָדִין בִּמְדִינָה אַחֶרֶת אִם נִקְבְּצוּ עִמָּהּ נִשְׂרָפִין בִּכְלָלָהּ וְאִם לָאו אֵין מְאַבְּדִים אוֹתָם אֶלָּא יִנָּתְנוּ לְיוֹרְשֵׁיהֶם:

10 Property belonging to another district which had been stored in a seduced city, although the inhabitants of the latter assumed responsibility for its loss, is not burned, but returned back to its owners, as it clearly states "the spoil of it", and not the spoil of its neighboring town. Property of the evildoers who were seduced which were stored away in another district, if it can be gathered that day together with its own property, it shall be burned among its spoil, if not, the distance being too far to gather it on the selfsame day, it is not destroyed, but given to their heirs.

יא בְּהֵמָה חֶצְיָהּ שֶׁל עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת וְחֶצְיָהּ שֶׁל עִיר אַחֶרֶת שֶׁהָיְתָה בְּתוֹכָהּ הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲסוּרָה. וְעִסָּה שֶׁהִיא כֵּן מֻתֶּרֶת לְפִי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְחַלְּקָהּ:

11 An animal, half of which was the property of a seduced city and the other half that of another city, is forbidden to be eaten; but dough in a similar state is permitted to be eaten, because it is possible to divide it.

יב בְּהֵמָה שֶׁל עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת שֶׁנִּשְׁחֲטָה אֲסוּרָה בַּהֲנָאָה כְּשׁוֹר הַנִּסְקָל שֶׁנִּשְׁחַט. שְׂעַר הָרֹאשׁ בֵּין שֶׁל אֲנָשִׁים בֵּין שֶׁל נָשִׁים שֶׁבָּהּ מֻתָּר בַּהֲנָאָה אֲבָל שֶׁל פֵּאָה נָכְרִית הֲרֵי הוּא מִכְּלַל שְׁלָלָהּ וְאָסוּר:

12 An animal of a seduced city which was slaughtered is forbidden, and nought thereof must be enjoyed, even when one slaughters an ox which had been adjudged to be stoned. The proceeds of the hair from the head of either man or woman is permitted to be enjoyed; but cut hair is included among the spoil, and must not be enjoyed.

יג פֵּרוֹת הַמְחֻבָּרִין שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ מֻתָּרִין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יז) "תִּקְבֹּץ" (דברים יג יז) "וְשָׂרַפְתָּ" מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחֻסָּר אֶלָּא קִבּוּץ וּשְׂרֵפָה יָצְאוּ פֵּרוֹת הַמְחֻבָּרִין שֶׁהֵן מְחֻסָּרִין תְּלִישָׁה וְקִבּוּץ וּשְׂרֵפָה. וְהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׂעַר הָרֹאשׁ וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר הָאִילָנוֹת עַצְמָן שֶׁהֵן מֻתָּרִים וַהֲרֵי הֵן שֶׁל יוֹרְשֵׁיהֶם. הַהֶקְדֵּשׁוֹת שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ קָדְשֵׁי מִזְבֵּחַ יָמוּתוּ [שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר] זֶבַח רְשָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָה. קָדְשֵׁי בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת יִפָּדוּ וְאַחַר כָּךְ שׂוֹרְפִין אוֹתָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יז) "שְׁלָלָהּ" וְלֹא שְׁלַל שָׁמַיִם:

13 Fruit on the trees therein is permitted; for, it is said: "shalt gather" and "shalt burn" (Deut. 13.17.), such should be destroyed as require only gathering and burning, whereas fruit on the trees require gleaning, gathering and burning. This is also applicable to hair on one's head. Needless to say that the trees themselves are permitted, and are, of course, the property of the heirs. The devoted things therein are dealt with as follows: the devoted animals of the altar should be destroyed; "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination" (Prov. 21. 27.); the devoted things for the repair of the Temple should be redeemed, and thereafter burned, for it says, "Spoil of it" (Deut. 13.17.) but not spoil of heaven.

יד הַבְּכוֹר וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ תְּמִימִים הֲרֵי הֵן קָדְשֵׁי מִזְבֵּחַ וְיָמוּתוּ. וּבַעֲלֵי מוּמִים הֲרֵי הֵן בִּכְלַל בְּהֶמְתָּהּ וְנֶהֱרָגִין. הַתְּרוּמוֹת שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ אִם הִגִּיעוּ לְיַד כֹּהֵן יֵרָקְבוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם נְכָסָיו. וְאִם עֲדַיִן הֵן בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל יִנָּתְנוּ לְכֹהֵן שֶׁל מְדִינָה אַחֶרֶת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן נִכְסֵי שָׁמַיִם וּקְדֻשָּׁתָן קְדֻשַּׁת הַגּוּף:

14 The firstborn and the tithes of animals therein, if they be unblemished they are as devoted things of the altar, and they shall be put to death; the blemished are included in its cattle and must be destroyed as spoil. The heaveoffering therein, if the priest already had taken possession thereof it shall be left to rot away because it is his property, but if it be as yet in the hand of the Israelite, it shall be given to a priest of another territory, because it is property of heaven and the devotion thereon is a bodily devotion.

טו מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְכֶסֶף מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְכִתְבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ יִגָּנְזוּ:

15 Second tithes, the redemption money of second tithes and the sacred writings therein should be treasured away.

טז כָּל הָעוֹשֶׂה דִּין בְּעִיר הַנִּדַּחַת הֲרֵי זֶה כְּמַקְרִיב עוֹלָה כָּלִיל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יז) "כָּלִיל לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ". וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁמְּסַלֵּק חֲרוֹן אַף מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יח) "לְמַעַן יָשׁוּב ה' מֵחֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ". וּמֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּרָכָה וְרַחֲמִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג יח) "וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחַמְךָ וְהִרְבֶּךָ":

16 Whosoever carries out an execution against a seduced city is like one who sacrifices a burnt-offering, even as it is said: "Every whit, unto the Lord thy God" (Deut. 13.17). Moreover, he removes the fierceness of God's anger from among Israel, even as it is said: "That the Lord may turn from the fierceness of His anger" (Ibid. 13.18), and brings upon them blessing and mercy, even as it is said: "And show thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee" (Ibid.).

Previous Chapter Next Chapter