To not destroy fruit trees: That we have been prevented from chopping down trees when we besiege a city to distress the people of the city and to sadden their hearts. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 20:19), “you may not destroy its tree, etc. and you shall not chop it down.” And likewise not to do any damage — such as burning or ripping a garment or breaking a vessel for no reason — entered under this negative commandment And in all of these matters and in all that is similar to them, they, may their memory be blessed, would always say in the Gemara (Kiddushin 32a), “But behold, he is transgressing on account of ‘do not destroy.’” And nonetheless we only administer lashes for one that cuts down a fruit tree, since it is explicit in Scripture. But with other destructions, we [only] give him lashes of rebellion. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars 6:10.)
The root of this commandment is well-known — it is in order to teach our souls to love good and benefit and to cling to it. And through this, good clings to us and we will distance [ourselves] from all bad and destructive things. And this is the way of the pious and people of [proper] action — they love peace and are happy for the good of the creatures and bring them close to Torah, and they do not destroy even a grain of mustard in the world. And they are distressed by all loss and destruction that they see; and if they can prevent it, they will prevent any destruction with all of their strength. But not so are the wicked — the brothers of the destructive spirits. They rejoice in the destruction of the world, and they destroy themselves — [since] in the way that a person measures, so is he measured; which is to say that he clings to it forever, as the matter that is written (Proverbs 17:5), “the one who rejoices in calamity, will not be cleared (of evil).” And the one who desires the good and rejoices in it, “his soul will dwell in the good” forever. This is known and famous.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Kamma 91b) that the Torah only forbade cutting fruit trees when he cuts it down destructively. But it is certainly permitted to cut [them] if he finds a beneficial matter in it, such as the value of the wood became valuable and he wants to sell it; or to remove injury by cutting them, such as [if] it was damaging other trees better than it, or because it was damaging other fields. In all of these angles and in all that is similar to it, it is permissible. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Kamma 91b) that it is permitted to cut any non-fruit bearing tree — even when he does not need [its wood] — and [likewise] any fruit tree that is very old, to the point that it only gives a few fruit, for the sake of which it is not worthwhile to toil [on it]. And they, may their memory be blessed, said with an olive tree, it is permitted to cut anything that produces less than a fourth [of a kav]; and with a palm tree, less than a kav of dates.
And in general, they, may their memory be blessed, forbade to do anything destructive. And they said about anyone who destroys anything out of rage (Shabbat 105a) that he is like one who worships idolatry, as so is the way of the evil impulse: Today it says to him, “Do this”; and if he trusts it, tomorrow, it will say to him, “Go and worship idolatry” — meaning to say that every person is obligated to rebuke his impulse and to conquer his desire to the point that he makes the intellectual soul dominate the desiring soul, until it becomes its maidservant and [the intellect] dominates it forever and ever. However, they brought in the Gemara (Shabbat 105a) stories of a few Sages that showed themselves to be “angry” and they would throw down some food or some thing from their hand, in order to discipline the members of their household and to spur them on [to proper behavior]. Nonetheless they would always supervise themselves, that they not throw down something that would be destroyed by this. And the rest of the details of the commandment are in the second chapter of Bava Batra. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars 7.)
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and destroys fruit trees has violated this negative commandment and is liable for lashes. And for other destruction on other things that are not explicit, we lash him [with] lashes of rebellion.
שֶׁלֹּא לְהַשְׁחִית אִילָנֵי מַאֲכָל – שֶׁנִּמְנַעְנוּ מִלִּכְרֹת הָאִילָנוֹת כְּשֶׁנָּצוּר עַל עִיר כְּדֵי לְהָצֵר לְאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר וּלְהַכְאִיב לִבּוֹתָם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כ יט) לֹא תַשְׁחִית אֶת עֵצָהּ וְגוֹ' וְאוֹתוֹ לֹא תִכְרֹת, וּכְמוֹ כֵן נִכְנָס תַּחַת זֶה הַלָּאו, שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת שׁוּם הֶפְסֵד, כְּגוֹן לִשְׂרֹף, אוֹ לִקְרֹעַ בֶּגֶד אוֹ לְשַׁבֵּר כְּלִי לְבַטָּלָה, וּבְכָל עִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ וּבְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּהֶם הַשְׁחָתָה. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה תָּמִיד בַּגְּמָרָא (קידושין לב, א) וְהָא קָא עָבַר מִשּׁוּם בַּל תַּשְׁחִית, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם אֵין מַלְקִין אֶלָּא בְּקוֹצֵץ אִילָנֵי מַאֲכָל, שֶׁהוּא מְפֹרָשׁ בַּכָּתוּב, אֲבָל בִּשְׁאָר הַהַשְׁחָתוֹת מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת (עי' רמב"ם מלכים ו י).
To not destroy fruit trees: That we have been prevented from chopping down trees when we besiege a city to distress the people of the city and to sadden their hearts. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 20:19), “you may not destroy its tree, etc. and you shall not chop it down.” And likewise not to do any damage — such as burning or ripping a garment or breaking a vessel for no reason — entered under this negative commandment And in all of these matters and in all that is similar to them, they, may their memory be blessed, would always say in the Gemara (Kiddushin 32a), “But behold, he is transgressing on account of ‘do not destroy.’” And nonetheless we only administer lashes for one that cuts down a fruit tree, since it is explicit in Scripture. But with other destructions, we [only] give him lashes of rebellion. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars 6:10.)
שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה יָדוּעַ, שֶׁהוּא כְּדֵי לְלַמֵּד נַפְשֵׁנוּ לֶאֱהֹב הַטּוֹב וְהַתּוֹעֶלֶת וּלְהִדָּבֵק בּוֹ, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ תִּדְבַּק בָּנוּ הַטּוֹבָה, וְנַרְחִיק מִכָּל דָּבָר רַע וּמִכָּל דְּבַר הַשְׁחָתָה. וְזֶהוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַחֲסִידִים וְאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה, אוֹהֲבִים שָׁלוֹם וּשְׂמֵחִים בְּטוּב הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּמְקָרְבִים אוֹתָן לַתּוֹרָה, וְלֹא יְאַבְּדוּ אֲפִלּוּ גַּרְגֵּר שֶׁל חַרְדָּל בָּעוֹלָם, וְיֵצַר עֲלֵיהֶם בְּכָל אֲבַדּוֹן וְהַשְׁחָתָה שֶׁיִּרְאוּ, וְאִם יוּכְלוּ לְהַצִּיל יַצִּילוּ כָּל דָּבָר מֵהַשְׁחִית בְּכָל כֹּחָם. וְלֹא כֵן הָרְשָׁעִים אֲחֵיהֶם שֶׁל מַזִּיקִים, שְׂמֵחִים בְּהַשְׁחָתַת עוֹלָם, וְהֵמָּה מַשְׁחִיתִים אֶת עַצְמָם, בְּמִדָּה שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד בָּהּ מוֹדְדִין לוֹ. כְּלוֹמַר, בָּהּ הוּא נִדְבָּק לְעוֹלָם, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי יז, ה) שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵיד לֹא יִנָּקֶה. וְהֶחָפֵץ בַּטּוֹב וְשָׂמֵחַ בּוֹ נַפְשׁוֹ בְּטוֹב תָּלִין לְעוֹלָם, זֶה יָדוּעַ וּמְפֻרְסָם.
The root of this commandment is well-known — it is in order to teach our souls to love good and benefit and to cling to it. And through this, good clings to us and we will distance [ourselves] from all bad and destructive things. And this is the way of the pious and people of [proper] action — they love peace and are happy for the good of the creatures and bring them close to Torah, and they do not destroy even a grain of mustard in the world. And they are distressed by all loss and destruction that they see; and if they can prevent it, they will prevent any destruction with all of their strength. But not so are the wicked — the brothers of the destructive spirits. They rejoice in the destruction of the world, and they destroy themselves — [since] in the way that a person measures, so is he measured; which is to say that he clings to it forever, as the matter that is written (Proverbs 17:5), “the one who rejoices in calamity, will not be cleared (of evil).” And the one who desires the good and rejoices in it, “his soul will dwell in the good” forever. This is known and famous.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"ק צא, ב), שֶׁלֹּא אָסְרָה תּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא לָקֹץ אִילָנֵי מַאֲכָל, אֶלָּא בְּקוֹצֵץ אוֹתָם דֶּרֶךְ הַשְׁחָתָה, אֲבָל וַדַּאי מֻתָּר לָקֹץ אִם יִמְצָא בַּדָּבָר תּוֹעֶלֶת, כְּגוֹן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דְּמֵי אוֹתוֹ הָעֵץ יְקָרִים וְזֶה רָצָה לְמָכְרוֹ, אוֹ לְסַלֵּק בִּקְצִיצָתָן נֶזֶק, כְּגוֹן, שֶׁהָיָה מַזִּיק אִילָנוֹת אֲחֵרִים טוֹבִים מִמֶּנּוּ, אוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּזִּיק בִּשְׂדוֹת אֲחֵרִים, בְּכָל צְדָדִין אֵלּוּ וּבְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ מֻתָּר. וְכָל אִילַן סְרָק, אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם) שֶׁמֻּתָּר לָקֹץ וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לוֹ. וְכָל אִילַן מַאֲכָל שֶׁהוּא זָקֵן מְאֹד עַד שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה אֶלָּא מְעַט פֵּרוֹת, שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי לִטְרֹחַ בּוֹ בִּשְׁבִילָן, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, בַּזַּיִת כָּל שֶׁהִיא עוֹשָׂה פָּחוֹת מֵרֹבַע זֵיתִים מֻתָּר לָקֹץ אוֹתָהּ, וּבַדֶּקֶל שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה פָּחוֹת מִקַּב תְּמָרִים.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Kamma 91b) that the Torah only forbade cutting fruit trees when he cuts it down destructively. But it is certainly permitted to cut [them] if he finds a beneficial matter in it, such as the value of the wood became valuable and he wants to sell it; or to remove injury by cutting them, such as [if] it was damaging other trees better than it, or because it was damaging other fields. In all of these angles and in all that is similar to it, it is permissible. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Kamma 91b) that it is permitted to cut any non-fruit bearing tree — even when he does not need [its wood] — and [likewise] any fruit tree that is very old, to the point that it only gives a few fruit, for the sake of which it is not worthwhile to toil [on it]. And they, may their memory be blessed, said with an olive tree, it is permitted to cut anything that produces less than a fourth [of a kav]; and with a palm tree, less than a kav of dates.
וְדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל אָסְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁל הַשְׁחָתָה, וְהַמַּשְׁחִית שׁוּם דָּבָר מִתּוֹךְ חֵמָה אָמְרוּ עָלָיו (שבת קה, ב) שֶׁהוּא כְּעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁכֵּן דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל יֵצֶר הָרַע, הַיּוֹם אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כֵּן וְאִם יַאֲמִין אוֹתוֹ לְמָחָר יֹאמַר לוֹ לֵךְ עֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁכָּל אָדָם חַיָּב לִגְעֹר בְּיִצְרוֹ וְלִכְבֹּשׁ תַּאֲוָתוֹ עַד שֶׁיַּגְבִּיר נֶפֶשׁ הַמַּשְׂכֶּלֶת עַל נֶפֶשׁ הַמִּתְאַוָּה עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לָהּ לְאָמָה, וְהִיא גְּבֶרֶת לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. וְאָמְנָם הֵבִיאוּ בַּגְּמָרָא (שם) מַעֲשִׂים בִּקְצָת הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁמַּרְאִים עַצְמָן כְּעוּסִים, כְּדֵי לְיַסֵּר בְּנֵי בֵּיתָם וּלְזָרְזָן וּמַשְׁלִיכִין מִיָּדָם שׁוּם מַאֲכָל אוֹ שׁוּם דָּבָר, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הַשְׁגָּחָתָם הָיְתָה בָּהֶם לְעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא יַשְׁלִיכוּ דָּבָר שֶׁיְּהֵא נִשְׁחָת בָּזֶה. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֵי הַמִּצְוָה, בְּבָבָא בָּתְרָא פֶּרֶק שֵׁנִי [ה' מלכים פ"ז].
And in general, they, may their memory be blessed, forbade to do anything destructive. And they said about anyone who destroys anything out of rage (Shabbat 105a) that he is like one who worships idolatry, as so is the way of the evil impulse: Today it says to him, “Do this”; and if he trusts it, tomorrow, it will say to him, “Go and worship idolatry” — meaning to say that every person is obligated to rebuke his impulse and to conquer his desire to the point that he makes the intellectual soul dominate the desiring soul, until it becomes its maidservant and [the intellect] dominates it forever and ever. However, they brought in the Gemara (Shabbat 105a) stories of a few Sages that showed themselves to be “angry” and they would throw down some food or some thing from their hand, in order to discipline the members of their household and to spur them on [to proper behavior]. Nonetheless they would always supervise themselves, that they not throw down something that would be destroyed by this. And the rest of the details of the commandment are in the second chapter of Bava Batra. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars 7.)
וְנוֹהֵג אִסּוּר זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן, בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְהִשְׁחִית אִילָנֵי מַאֲכָל עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה וְחַיָּב מַלְקוּת. וְעַל שְׁאָר הַשְׁחָתָה בְּכָל שְׁאָר דְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָן מְפֹרָשִׁים מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת.
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and destroys fruit trees has violated this negative commandment and is liable for lashes. And for other destruction on other things that are not explicit, we lash him [with] lashes of rebellion.