To not listen to one who prophecies in the name of idolatry: That we not listen [to] the prophecy of one who prophecies in the name of idolatry — meaning to say that we not ask him for, and investigate him with, a sign or wonder about his prophecy, as we do with one who prophecies in the name of God. Rather we prevent him from the thing, as is fitting with any criminal or guilty one. And if he persists in his evil, we apply the well-known punishment for which the Torah makes him liable, and that is to kill him with strangulation. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 13:4), “You shall not listen to the words of that prophet.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because error is constantly found with people and their intellects are not strong [enough] to come to the complete truth about things. And [so] the Torah is concerned that maybe the one prophesying in the name of idolatry will seduce a man to his words as a result of the false claims, length of words and argument with the foreigner who speaks lies. And even if he is not seduced by him, maybe he will doubt in his heart to be attracted by some pull in his lies, even for an hour. And even though we know that there is no endurance to his words beyond an hour — since the truth instructs its [own] path and will testify about the words of that prophet that [it is] falsehood in his mouth — nonetheless, the Torah was concerned for us, lest we waste even one hour from all of our days with hesitation about this evil thought.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and listens to the prophet that prophecies in the name of idolatry — for example, he speaks many words with him or asks for a sign or wonder from him — has violated this negative commandment. But there are no lashes for it, as there is no act [involved] with it.
שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמֹעַ מִמִּתְנַבֵּא בְּשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה – שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁמַע נְבוּאַת הַמִּתְנַבֵּא בְּשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁאָלֵהוּ וְנַחְקְרֵהוּ עַל אוֹת אוֹ מוֹפֵת שֶׁיִּתֵּן עַל נְבוּאָתוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂים בְּמִתְנַבֵּא בְּשֵׁם הַשֵּׁם, אֲבָל נִמְנָעֵהוּ מִן הַדָּבָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָאוּי בְּכָל פּוֹשֵׁעַ וְאָשֵׁם, וְאִם יַחֲזִיק בְּרָעָתוֹ נְקַיֵּם בּוֹ הָעֹנֶשׁ הַיָּדוּעַ שֶׁחִיַּבְתּוֹ הַתּוֹרָה, וְהוּא לַהֲמִיתוֹ בְּחֶנֶק, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים יג ד) לֹא תִשְׁמַע אֶל דִּבְרֵי הַנָּבִיא הַהוּא.
To not listen to one who prophecies in the name of idolatry: That we not listen [to] the prophecy of one who prophecies in the name of idolatry — meaning to say that we not ask him for, and investigate him with, a sign or wonder about his prophecy, as we do with one who prophecies in the name of God. Rather we prevent him from the thing, as is fitting with any criminal or guilty one. And if he persists in his evil, we apply the well-known punishment for which the Torah makes him liable, and that is to kill him with strangulation. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 13:4), “You shall not listen to the words of that prophet.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁהַטָּעוּת נִמְצָא אֵצֶל בְּנֵי אָדָם תָּמִיד, וְשִׂכְלָם אֵינֶנּוּ בָּרִיא לָבוֹא עַד תַּכְלִית הָאֱמֶת בִּדְבָרִים, וְתָחוּשׁ הַתּוֹרָה כִּי אוּלַי מִתּוֹךְ הַטְּעָנוֹת הַמַּכְזִיבוֹת וַאֲרִיכוּת הַדִּבּוּר וְהַוִּכּוּחַ עִם הַזֵּד דּוֹבֵר שְׁקָרִים הַמִּתְנַבֵּא בְּשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, יִתְפַּתֶּה הָאָדָם לִדְבָרָיו וְאַף כִּי לֹא יִתְפַּתֶּה אֵלָיו, אוּלַי יְפַקְפֵּק בִּלְבָבוֹ אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת לִהְיוֹת שׁוּם סֶרֶךְ בִּכְזָבָיו, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיָּדַעְנוּ שֶׁאֵין תְּקוּמָה לִדְבָרָיו רַק לְשָׁעָה, כִּי הָאֱמֶת יוֹרֶה דַּרְכּוֹ וְיָעִיד עַל דִּבְרֵי הַנָּבִיא הַהוּא כִּי שֶׁקֶר בְּפִיו, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן חָסָה הַתּוֹרָה עָלֵינוּ לְבַל נְאַבֵּד אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת מִכָּל יָמֵינוּ בְּפִקְפּוּק הַמַּחְשָׁבָה הָרָעָה הַהִיא.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because error is constantly found with people and their intellects are not strong [enough] to come to the complete truth about things. And [so] the Torah is concerned that maybe the one prophesying in the name of idolatry will seduce a man to his words as a result of the false claims, length of words and argument with the foreigner who speaks lies. And even if he is not seduced by him, maybe he will doubt in his heart to be attracted by some pull in his lies, even for an hour. And even though we know that there is no endurance to his words beyond an hour — since the truth instructs its [own] path and will testify about the words of that prophet that [it is] falsehood in his mouth — nonetheless, the Torah was concerned for us, lest we waste even one hour from all of our days with hesitation about this evil thought.
וְדִינֵי הַמִּצְוָה בְּפֶרֶק אַחַד עָשָׂר מִסַּנְהֶדְרִין.
And the laws of the commandment are in the eleventh chapter of Sanhedrin.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְשָׁמַע אֶל הַנָּבִיא הַמִּתְנַבֵּא בְּשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּגוֹן, שֶׁהֶאֱרִיךְ עִמּוֹ בִּדְבָרִים אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁאַל מִמֶּנּוּ אוֹת אוֹ מוֹפֵת עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה, אֲבָל אֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and listens to the prophet that prophecies in the name of idolatry — for example, he speaks many words with him or asks for a sign or wonder from him — has violated this negative commandment. But there are no lashes for it, as there is no act [involved] with it.