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Sforno on Deuteronomy Chapter 24

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כִּי תוֹעֵבָה הִיא. כִּי זֶה דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא לִנְאֹף, שֶׁיְּגָרֵשׁ אִישׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ לְבַקָּשַׁת הַנּוֹאֵף שֶׁיִּקָּחֶנָּה לְאֵיזֶה זְמַן, וְיָשׁוּב בַּעְלָהּ הָרִאשׁוֹן לְקַחְתָּהּ.

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

כי תועבה היא, because this is a sure recipe leading to legalised adultery, people marrying for short periods of time, and then legally swapping wives by going through phony but legally correct divorce procedures.

מַשַּׁאת מְאוּמָה. אֲפִילּוּ שְׂכַר כָּתֵף וְזוּלָתוֹ, כְּשֶׁזְּקָפָן עָלָיו בְּמִלְוֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בבא מציעא קטו).

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

משאת מאומה, even the slightest indebtedness such as portage, compensating someone for transporting something for a few steps.(as described by Baba Metzia 115)

לֹא יוּמְתוּ אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים. אֲפִלּוּ עַל חֵטְא הַמֶּרֶד בְּמַלְכוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל (מציעא), שֶׁמִּנְהַג הַמְּלָכִים הַקַּדְמוֹנִים הָיָה לְהָרֹג גַּם אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם, שֶׁלֹּא יָקוּמוּ לְשׂוֹנְאִים לַמַּלְכוּת. כְּעִנְיַן ״הָכִינוּ לְבָנָיו מַטְבֵּחַ בַּעֲוֹן אֲבוֹתָם, בַּל יָקֻמוּ וְיָרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וּמָלְאוּ פְנֵי תֵבֵל עָרִים״ (ישעיהו יד:כא). פֵּרוּשׁ ״שׂוֹנְאִים״ כְּמוֹ ״וַיְהִי עָרֶךְ״ (שמואל א כח:יז). מִכָּל מָקוֹם אָסְרָה תוֹרָה לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַהֲרֹג זֶה בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה, בְּחֶמְלַת ה׳ עַל עַמּוֹ. וְזֶה קִיֵּם אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר חָזְקָה הַמַּמְלָכָה בְּיָדוֹ וַיַּהֲרֹג אֶת עֲבָדָיו הַמַּכִּים אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ אָבִיו, וְאֶת בְּנֵי הַמַּכִּים לֹא הֵמִית, כַּכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה בְּסֵפֶר מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ לֵאמֹר לֹא יוּמְתוּ אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים וּבָנִים לֹא יוּמְתוּ עַל אָבוֹת״ (דברי הימים ב כה:ג-ד).

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

לא יומתו אבות על בנים, even if the crime involved was insurrection against the established authority, king, etc. It had been a widely accepted rule that kings would also execute the family members of rebels in order to ensure that the surviving relatives of such executed rebels would not form an active opposition to the king as a result of their grievance. Such matters are referred to in Isaiah 14,21 “prepare a slaughtering block for his sons because of the guilt of their father. Let them not arise to possess the earth! Then the world’s face shall be covered with towns.” The meaning of the word שונאים which I used earlier is to be understood as in Samuel I 28,17 ויהי ערך, “he became a foe.” In any event, the Torah prohibits Jewish kings from killing one person as a substitute for another; this is part of G’d’s pity for members of His people. Amatziah, King of Yehudah, abided by this legislation when he executed the servants who had killed his father but did not touch their children (Chronicles II 25, 3-4)

לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפַּט גֵּר יָתוֹם. בְּעֵת הָרִיב הִזָּהֵר בְּאֵלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִסְתַּתְּמוּ טַעֲנוֹתָם מִפְּנֵי שִׁפְלוּתָם, וּפְתַח פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם בַּמָּקוֹם הָרָאוּי.

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

לא תטה משפט גר ויתום, during strife; be particularly on guard not to be unfair to orphans or proselytes who may be reluctant to speak up on their own behalf so as not to “make waves.” You should go out of your way to argue on their behalf so as to compensate for their feelings of insecurity in facing adversaries. [the verse is directed at the judges. Ed.]

וַיִּפְדְּךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִשָּׁם. שֶׁהִשְׁגִּיחַ עַל שִׁפְלוּתְכֶם וְנִכְנַס עִמָּכֶם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין לִפְדּוֹתְכֶם, כְּאָמְרֹו ״וַיַּרְא אֶת עָנְיֵנוּ וְאֶת עֲמָלֵנוּ וְאֶת לַחֲצֵנוּ״ (דברים כו:ז).

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

ויפדך ה' אלוקיך משם, He took note of your desperate situation and dealt with you over and beyond the requirements of justice in order to be able to redeem you. This has all been documented in 26,7 וירא את ענינו ואת עמלנו ואת לחצנו, “He ‘saw’ our afflictions, our hard labour and our oppression.”

וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ. וְהָיִיתָ צָרִיךְ אָז לְעוֹלֵלוֹת בָּצִיר.

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

וזכרת כי עבד היית, and at that time you were in need of even unripe grapes.

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