Pisqa’ 15258H:189-190; JN2:17-18 1. “If you are bedazzled”59Heb: yipalei; literally: “extraordinary,” “baffling.” Following is the JPS rendering of the first clause of Dt.17:8: “If a case is too baffling for you to decide, be it a controversy over homicide, civil law or assault—matters of dispute in your courts.” The midrashic reading of the verse, presented in my own rendering of Sifre’s text, takes pains to re-signify the verse to make room for characteristic institutions associated with the oral Torah’s institutions of jurisprudence. Cf. Fraade, p.84-85. (Dt.17:8). This teaches that the verse speaks [even] of a judicial appointee of dazzling intellect.60Heb: mufla’. Tannaitic memory recognizes the mufla’ shel bet din as an appointed office (e.g., M. Hor.1:4, T. San.7:1) that should go to the most brilliant judge in the Sanhedrin.
2
מִמְּךָ – זוֹ עֵצָה.
“Beyond your own [capacities]” (Dt.17:8)— of deliberation.
3
דָּבָר – זוֹ הֲלָכָה.
“By an issue” (Dt.17:8)— concerning the oral legal tradition.
4
לַמִּשְׁפָּט – זֶה הַדִּין.
“Of case-law” (Dt.17:8)— that requires adjudication.
“Between judgment and judgment” (Dt.17:8)— whether monetary judgments, capital judgments, or judgments [regarding judicial] lashings.61Heb: dinei makot. I follow RH and Fraade, p. 84 in rendering this phrase. Cf. H:189, “bodily injury law” and JN2:17. “assault.”
“And words” (Dt.17:8)— [declarations of vows] concerning the monetary value of persons, devoted objects, or consecrated gifts (Lv.27:1-34).62`Arachim, kheremim, and heqdeshot denote vows to offer the monetary value of specific persons or objects to the upkeep of the Sanctuary.
“Of conflict” (Dt.17:8)— whether the ordeal of the accused adulteress (Nu.5:12ff.), the rite of the beheaded calf (Dt.21:1-9), or the purification of victims of Scale-disease (Lv.14:1ff.).
10
בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ – זֶה לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה.
“Within your gates (Dt.17:8)— whether Gleanings, the Forgotten Sheaf, or Corner-offerings.63These are agricultural offerings that remain in the fields unharvested for the exclusive benefit of the poor (see Lv.19:19, Dt.24:19, Dt. 26:12).
On this basis they taught: Three courts were there: one at the entrance to the Mount of the Abode; and one at the entrance to the Courtyard; and one in the Chamber of Carved Stone.
They would first reach the one at the entrance to the Mount of the Abode. And [he presiding justice]would announce: Thus have I expounded the matter and thus have my colleagues expounded it. Thus have I studied the matter and thus have my colleagues studied it. If [the judges] had heard a tradition [on the matter], they would declare it. But if not, they would go to the High Court in the Chamber of Carved Stone. From there would Torah go forth to all Israel, as it is said: “From that very place which HASHEM shall choose”64=M. San.11:2; cf. T. San.7:1.(Dt.17:10)
3. “Then shall you arise and ascend” (Dt.17:8)— this explains that the Land of Israel is higher than all other lands, and the Holy Abode is higher than all the Land of Israel.65See Pisqa’ 37.18.
(דברים יז ח) כִּי יִפָּלֵא – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבְּמֻפְלָא הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר.
Pisqa’ 15258H:189-190; JN2:17-18
1. “If you are bedazzled”59Heb: yipalei; literally: “extraordinary,” “baffling.” Following is the JPS rendering of the first clause of Dt.17:8: “If a case is too baffling for you to decide, be it a controversy over homicide, civil law or assault—matters of dispute in your courts.” The midrashic reading of the verse, presented in my own rendering of Sifre’s text, takes pains to re-signify the verse to make room for characteristic institutions associated with the oral Torah’s institutions of jurisprudence. Cf. Fraade, p.84-85. (Dt.17:8).
This teaches that
the verse speaks [even] of a judicial appointee
of dazzling intellect.60Heb: mufla’. Tannaitic memory recognizes the mufla’ shel bet din as an appointed office (e.g., M. Hor.1:4, T. San.7:1) that should go to the most brilliant judge in the Sanhedrin.
מִמְּךָ – זוֹ עֵצָה.
“Beyond your own [capacities]” (Dt.17:8)—
of deliberation.
דָּבָר – זוֹ הֲלָכָה.
“By an issue” (Dt.17:8)—
concerning the oral legal tradition.
לַמִּשְׁפָּט – זֶה הַדִּין.
“Of case-law” (Dt.17:8)—
that requires adjudication.
בֵּין דָּם לְדָם – בֵּין דַּם נִדָּה לְדַם יוֹלֶדֶת לְדַם זִיבָה.
“In distinguishing between blood and blood” (Dt.17:8)—
whether menstrual blood,
parturient blood,
or a bloody venereal discharge.
בֵּין דִּין לְדִין – בֵּין דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת לְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת לְדִינֵי מַכּוֹת.
“Between judgment and judgment” (Dt.17:8)—
whether monetary judgments,
capital judgments,
or judgments [regarding judicial] lashings.61Heb: dinei makot. I follow RH and Fraade, p. 84 in rendering this phrase. Cf. H:189, “bodily injury law” and JN2:17. “assault.”
בֵּין נֶגַע לָנֶגַע – בֵּין נִגְעֵי אָדָם לְנִגְעֵי בְגָדִים לְנִגְעֵי בָתִּים.
“Between one plague-sign and another” (Dt.17:8)—
whether those affecting human bodies, clothing, or homes.
דִּבְרֵי – אֵלּוּ עֲרָכִים וַחֲרָמִים וְהֶקְדֵּשׁוֹת.
“And words” (Dt.17:8)—
[declarations of vows]
concerning the monetary value
of persons, devoted objects, or consecrated gifts (Lv.27:1-34).62`Arachim, kheremim, and heqdeshot denote vows to offer the monetary value of specific persons or objects to the upkeep of the Sanctuary.
רִיבוֹת – זוֹ הַשְׁקָיַת סוֹטָה וַעֲרִיפַת עֶגְלָה וְטָהֳרַת מְצוֹרָע.
“Of conflict” (Dt.17:8)—
whether the ordeal of the accused adulteress (Nu.5:12ff.),
the rite of the beheaded calf (Dt.21:1-9),
or the purification of victims of Scale-disease (Lv.14:1ff.).
בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ – זֶה לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה.
“Within your gates (Dt.17:8)—
whether Gleanings, the Forgotten Sheaf, or Corner-offerings.63These are agricultural offerings that remain in the fields unharvested for the exclusive benefit of the poor (see Lv.19:19, Dt.24:19, Dt. 26:12).
וְקַמְתָּ – מִיָּד.
2. “Then shall you arise” (Dt.17:8)—immediately!
וְקַמְתָּ – בְּבֵית דִּין,
“Arise” (Dt.17:8)—in the court.
מִכָּן אָמְרוּ (סנהדרין פי״א מ״ב): שְׁלֹשָׁה בָּתֵּי דִינִים הָיוּ שָׁם, אֶחָד עַל פֶּתַח הַר הַבַּיִת, וְאֶחָד עַל פֶּתַח הָעֲזָרָה, וְאֶחָד בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית.
On this basis they taught:
Three courts were there:
one at the entrance to the Mount of the Abode;
and one at the entrance to the Courtyard;
and one in the Chamber of Carved Stone.
בָּאִים לָזֶה שֶׁל שַׁעַר הַר הַבַּיִת וְאוֹמֵר: ״כָּךְ דָּרַשְׁתִּי וְכָךְ דָּרְשׁוּ חֲבֵרַי, כָּךְ לִמַּדְתִּי וְכָךְ לִמְּדוּ חֲבֵרַי״. אִם שָׁמְעוּ, אָמְרוּ לָהֶם, וְאִם לָאו – בָּאִים לָזֶה שֶׁעַל פֶּתַח הָעֲזָרָה וְאוֹמֵר: ״כָּךְ דָּרַשְׁתִּי וְכָךְ דָּרְשׁוּ חֲבֵרַי, כָּךְ לִמַּדְתִּי וְכָךְ לִמְּדוּ חֲבֵרַי״. אִם שָׁמְעוּ, אָמְרוּ לָהֶם, וְאִם לָאו – אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ בָּאִים לְבֵית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם תּוֹרָה יוֹצְאָה לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה׳.
They would first reach
the one at the entrance to the Mount of the Abode.
And [he presiding justice]would announce:
Thus have I expounded the matter
and thus have my colleagues expounded it.
Thus have I studied the matter
and thus have my colleagues studied it.
If [the judges] had heard a tradition [on the matter],
they would declare it.
But if not, they would go
to the High Court in the Chamber of Carved Stone.
From there would Torah go forth to all Israel,
as it is said:
“From that very place which HASHEM shall choose”64=M. San.11:2; cf. T. San.7:1. (Dt.17:10)
וְקַמְתָּ וְעָלִיתָ, מַגִּיד שֶׁאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּבוֹהָה מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת וּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ גָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
3. “Then shall you arise and ascend” (Dt.17:8)—
this explains that
the Land of Israel is higher than all other lands,
and the Holy Abode is higher than all the Land of Israel.65See Pisqa’ 37.18.