## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 204

###### Sifrei Devarim 204:1
[Sifrei Devarim 204:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/204:1)

(דברים כ כ) **רַק עֵץ אֲשֶׁר תֵּדַע** – זֶה אִילַן מַאֲכָל.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 204**³⁴⁴
1. “Only, the tree which you know *to have been* useless” (Dt. 20:20)—
a fruit-bearing tree [that no longer bears fruit].

footnotes:
³⁴⁴ H:220; JN2:97.


###### Sifrei Devarim 204:2
[Sifrei Devarim 204:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/204:2)

**כִּי לֹא עֵץ מַאֲכָל הוּא** – זֶה אִילַן סְרָק. אִם סוֹפֵנוּ לְרַבּוֹת אֶת אִילַן מַאֲכָל, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר **עֵץ מַאֲכָל**? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאִילַן סְרָק קוֹדֵם לְאִילַן מַאֲכָל. יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ מְעֻלֶּה בְּדָמִים, וּכְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **אֹתוֹ תַשְׁחִית וְכָרָתָּה**,

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“*Useless* for food” (Dt. 20:20)—
this refers to a barren tree [that has never borne fruit].
If we are ultimately going to include under the rule
a fruit-bearing tree [that no longer bears fruit],
what, then, does the Teaching mean by:
“The tree . . . useless for *food*”? (Dt. 20:20)
This teaches that
[where two trees impede the siege],
the destruction of the barren tree
precedes that of the fruit-bearing tree.
Is it possible to say that
if the barren tree’s [wood] is more valuable
[than the fruit tree’s fruit, it should be spared]—
in accord with the view of R. Elazar b. R. Shimon?
The Teaching states:
“*That* one you may destroy and chop down” (Dt. 20:20)—


###### Sifrei Devarim 204:3
[Sifrei Devarim 204:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/204:3)

עוֹשֶׂה אַתָּה מִמֶּנּוּ תְּיָקִים וּנְדַבְיָאוֹת.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
using the wood for storage-bins or construction.


###### Sifrei Devarim 204:4
[Sifrei Devarim 204:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/204:4)

**וּבָנִיתָ מָצוֹר עַל הָעִיר** – עוֹשֶׂה אַתָּה לָהּ מִינֵי מַטְרְנִיָּאוֹת,

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And you may construct siege-works against the city” (Dt. 20:20)—
by deploying against it various kinds of catapults,


###### Sifrei Devarim 204:5
[Sifrei Devarim 204:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/204:5)

מֵבִיא אַתָּה לָהּ מִינֵי בַּלִּסְטְרָאוֹת.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
and by bringing against it any sort of missile.


###### Sifrei Devarim 204:6
[Sifrei Devarim 204:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/204:6)

**עַד רִדְתָּהּ** – וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּשַׁבָּת.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“*Until* it falls” (Dt. 20:20)—
even on the Sabbath.