## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 122

###### Sifrei Devarim 122:1
[Sifrei Devarim 122:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:1)

(דברים טו יז) **וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת הַמַּרְצֵעַ**, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַקּוֹץ וְאֶת הַזְּכוּכִית וְאֶת הַקְּרוּמִית שֶׁל קָנֶה? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: **וְלָקַחְתָּ**, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: **מַרְצֵעַ**, מַה מַּרְצֵעַ הַמְיֻחָד מִן הַמַּתֶּכֶת – אַף אֵין לִי אֶלָּא מִן הַמַּתֶּכֶת. מִכָּן הָיָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת הֲלָכָה עוֹקֶפֶת הַמִּקְרָא. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה (ויקרא יז יג): ״וְשָׁפַךְ אֶת דָּמוֹ וְכִסָּהוּ בֶּעָפָר״, וַהֲלָכָה אָמְרָה: בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁמְּגַדֵּל צְמָחִים. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה (דברים כד א): ״וְכָתַב לָהּ סֵפֶר כְּרִיתוּת״, וַהֲלָכָה אָמְרָה: בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא בְּתָלוּשׁ. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה: **בַּמַּרְצֵעַ**, וַהֲלָכָה אָמְרָה: בְּכָל דָּבָר. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר (שמות כא ו): ״בַּדֶּלֶת אוֹ בַמְּזוּזָה״ – מְעֻמָּד.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 122**³⁵⁷
1. “And you shall take *the awl*” (Dt. 15:17).
On what basis do I know
to include [among the boring tools]
a thorn, a piece of sharp glass, or a reed-sliver?
For it is said:
“You shall *take*” (Dt. 15:17)—
[any appropriate tool]:
words of R. Yose b. R. Judah.
Rabbi says:
“The *awl*” (Dt. 15:17)—
**since the *awl* is distinguished,**
**in being made of *metal*,**
**I might infer that**
**[the tool used in the piercing]**
**can only be made of metal.**³⁵⁸ 2.
On this basis R. Ishmael would say:³⁵⁹ 122 may have been contributed by scribes who post-date the compilation of Sifre.
in three issues the legal tradition
goes beyond what is specified in Scripture.
[Regarding sacrificial slaughter,] the Torah said:
“And you shall spill out its blood and cover it with dirt” (Lv. 17:12),
while the legal tradition teaches:
**Cover it with anything**
**that causes vegetation to sprout.** ³⁶⁰
[Regarding a document of divorce,] the Torah said:
“And he shall write for her a writ of separation” (Dt. 24:1),
while the legal tradition teaches:
**He may write it on anything**
**that is detached from the earth.**³⁶¹
Finally, the Torah said:
“With an awl” (Ex. 21:6),
while the legal tradition teaches:
**Pierce the ear with anything [sharp enough]**.³⁶², 2.
Rabbi says:
“His owner shall bring him to the door or doorpost” (Ex. 21:6)—
**he should be standing upright**
**[so that his ear is level to the doorpost].**³⁶³ 2.

footnotes:
³⁵⁷ H:166-168; JN1:303-304.
³⁵⁸ // Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin,
³⁵⁹ F: 180-181 notes that the versions of Mechilta Ishmael appearing in Pisqa’
³⁶⁰ =M. Hul. 6:6.
³⁶¹ Cf. M. Git. 2:4.
³⁶² //Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin
³⁶³ // Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin,


###### Sifrei Devarim 122:2
[Sifrei Devarim 122:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:2)

**מַרְצֵעַ**, זֶה מַרְצֵעַ גָּדוֹל.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
. “Awl” (Dt. 15:17)—
this refers to a large awl.


###### Sifrei Devarim 122:3
[Sifrei Devarim 122:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:3)

**וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת הַמַּרְצֵעַ**, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כא ו): ״וְהִגִּישׁוֹ אֲדֹנָיו אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים״, אֵצֶל הַדַּיָּנִים, שֶׁיִּמָּסֵר בַּמּוֹכְרִים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And you shall take the awl” (Dt. 15:17)—
shall I infer that
[the piercing is done] privately,
between the two of them?
The Teaching states:
“Then his owner shall bring him before the *Authority*³⁶⁴ refers to God, although where exegetical necessity dictates, midrashic tradition stipulates that a human court is meant. (‘*elohim;* Ex. 21:6)—
**Here, *Authority* refers *to the judges*** (*dayanim;* e.g., Ex. 22:8),
**who then present him [for sale] to traders.** ³⁶⁵, 2.

footnotes:
³⁶⁴ Normally, ‘elohim
³⁶⁵ = Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin


###### Sifrei Devarim 122:4
[Sifrei Devarim 122:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:4)

**בַּמַּרְצֵעַ** – בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא רוֹשֵׁם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“With an awl” (Ex. 21:6)—
**Anything that makes a mark**.³⁶⁶, 2.

footnotes:
³⁶⁶ // Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin


###### Sifrei Devarim 122:5
[Sifrei Devarim 122:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:5)

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: וַהֲלֹא יוּדָן בְּרַבִּי הָיָה דוֹרֵשׁ שֶׁאֵין רוֹצְעִים אֶלָּא בְמִילָת, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵין כֹּהֵן נִרְצָע, שֶׁמָּא נַעֲשֶׂה בַּעַל מוּם. אִם בְּמִילָת הוּא נִרְצָע, הֵיאַךְ נַעֲשֶׂה בַּעַל מוּם? אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין רוֹצְעִים אֶלָּא בַּגָּבוֹהַּ שֶׁבָּאֹזֶן. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אַף מִן הַסְּחוּס; שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֵין כֹּהֵן נִרְצָע.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
Said R. Elazar:
doesn’t Yudan, our colleague, expounded that
they only pierce the ear-lobe?
But sages say:
a priest may not be pierced,
lest he become blemished.
If he is pierced through the ear-lobe,
how can he become blemished?
In fact, this teaches that
they may only pierce the upper part of the ear.
**R. Meir says:**
**he may also pierce the cartilage.**
**In any case, R. Meir says:**
**a priest is not to be pierced.**³⁶⁷, 2.

footnotes:
³⁶⁷ // Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin


###### Sifrei Devarim 122:6
[Sifrei Devarim 122:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:6)

**אָזְנוֹ**, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן אָזְנוֹ, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (ויקרא יד יד) אָזְנוֹ, מָה אָזְנוֹ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן יְמָנִית, אַף אָזְנוֹ הָאָמוּר כָּאן יְמָנִית, בַּגָּבוֹהַּ שֶׁבָּאוֹזֶן.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
3. “Drive it through *his ear*” (Dt. 15:17).
**Here *ear* is mentioned,**
**and elsewhere, [in connection with a purification rite,]**
***ear* (Lv. 14:14) is mentioned.**
**Just as *ear* mentioned elsewhere is the right ear,**
***ear* mentioned here is also the right ear—**
**at the upper tip of the ear**.³⁶⁸, 2.

footnotes:
³⁶⁸ // Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin


###### Sifrei Devarim 122:7
[Sifrei Devarim 122:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:7)

**בְּאָזְנוֹ וּבַדֶּלֶת**, יָכוֹל בְּצַד אָזְנוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **בְּאָזְנוֹ וּבַדֶּלֶת**, מַגִּיד שֶׁנּוֹתֵן בָּאֹזֶן עַד שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לַדֶּלֶת.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“Through his ear and the door” (Dt. 15:17).
Is it possible to say that
[the awl must be driven through]
the *side* of his ear?
The Teaching states:
“*Through* his ear and the door” (Dt. 15:17)—
this explains that he drives it
*through* the ear into the door.


###### Sifrei Devarim 122:8
[Sifrei Devarim 122:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:8)

**וְהָיָה לְךָ עֶבֶד עוֹלָם**, כָּל יְמֵי עוֹלָמוֹ שֶׁל אָדוֹן, אֲפִלּוּ נִמְכַּר שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וְאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה לִפְנֵי הַיּוֹבֵל. מִכָּן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: עֶבֶד עִבְרִי עוֹבֵד אֶת הַבֵּן וְאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵד אֶת הַבַּת, נִרְצָע – לֹא אֶת הַבֵּן וְלֹא אֶת הַבַּת. מִנַּיִן לִתֵּן אֶת הָאָמוּר כָּאן לְהַלָּן וְאֶת הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן כָּאן? – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כא ו) עוֹלָם עוֹלָם לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“Thus, he shall be your slave *forever*” (`*olam:* Dt. 15:17)—
as long as the master is [alive] *in his world*” (`*olamo*),
even if he is sold thirty or forty years before the Jubilee.
On this basis you can teach:
**a Hebrew slave serves the son,**
**but he does not serve the daughter.**
**[Once he is] pierced,**
**he serves neither the son nor the daughter**
**[but only the father].**³⁶⁹, 2.
4. How do I know that
the principle taught here
[i.e., that the pierced slave serves only the father]
applies elsewhere,
and the principle taught elsewhere
applies here?
The Teaching states:
[“He will be *your slave] forever*” (Dt. 15:17*)* and
[He will *serve him] forever*” (Ex. 21:6).
This similarity permits an analogical inference
[that the slave has no obligations to the owner’s children].

footnotes:
³⁶⁹ Cf. Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin


###### Sifrei Devarim 122:9
[Sifrei Devarim 122:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/122:9)

**וְאַף לַאֲמָתְךָ תַּעֲשֶׂה כֵּן** – לְהַעֲנִיק. יָכוֹל אַף לָרְצִיעָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כא ה): ״וְאִם אָמֹר יֹאמַר הָעֶבֶד״, הָעֶבֶד וְלֹא הָאָמָה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“You shall do *this* also with your slave-girl” (Dt. 15:17).
You shall provide for her [when she goes free].
Is it possible to say that
she may *also* be pierced?
The Teaching states:
“If the *slave* forcefully declares” (Ex. 21:5)—
the *slave* may be pierced, but not the *slave-girl*!