(17) If anyone kills any human being, he shall be put to death. (18) One who kills a beast shall make restitution for it: life for life. (19) If anyone maims his fellow, as he has done so shall it be done to him: (20) fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The injury he inflicted on another shall be inflicted on him. (21) One who kills a beast shall make restitution for it; but one who kills a human being shall be put to death.
גמ׳ אמאי (שמות כא, כד) עין תחת עין אמר רחמנא אימא עין ממש לא סלקא דעתך דתניא יכול סימא את עינו מסמא את עינו קטע את ידו מקטע את ידו שיבר את רגלו משבר את רגלו ת"ל (ויקרא כד, כא) מכה אדם ומכה בהמה מה מכה בהמה לתשלומין אף מכה אדם לתשלומין
Gemara: Why [only monetary repayment]? The Torah states (Exodus 21:24) "Eye for an eye"! I'll suggest: A literal eye! Don't let that arise in your mind, for it was taught, "[I might think it] possible that one who blinds an eye has his eye blinded, that if he amputates a hand his hand is amputated, that if he breaks a leg his leg is broken. The Torah teaches, (Leviticus 24:21) "Whoever (lethally) strikes a man," "Whoever (lethally) strikes an animal..." Just like the striking of an animal is subject to repayment [monetarily] so too the striking of a human is subject to repayment [monetarily].
(כד) עין. אמר רב סעדיה לא נוכל לפרש זה הפסוק כמשמעו. כי אם אדם הכה עין חבירו וסרה שלישית אור עיניו איך יתכן שיוכה מכה כזאת בלי תוספת ומגרעת. אולי יחשיך אור עינו כולו ויותר קשה הכויה והפצע והחבורה כי אם היו במקום מסוכן אולי ימות ואין הדעת סובלת
Rav Saadia said, this verse cannot be interpreted according to its simple meaning. For if a man hit his fellow's eye and for example took away one third of his vision, how could this blow be retaliated exactly without adding or subtracting. And even more complicated is replicating burns and bruises, for if they were done in a dangerous place perhaps the attacker will die, and this is not logical.
תניא ר"א אומר עין תחת עין ממש ממש סלקא דעתך רבי אליעזר לית ליה ככל הני תנאי אמר רבה לומר שאין שמין אותו כעבד א"ל אביי אלא כמאן כבן חורין בן חורין מי אית ליה דמי אלא אמר רב אשי לומר שאין שמין אותו בניזק אלא במזיק:
It was taught: R. Eliezer said: Eye for eye literally refers to the eye [of the offender]. Literally, you say? Could R. Eliezer be against all those Tannaim [enumerated above]?Raba thereupon said: it only means to say that the injured person would not be valued as if he were a slave.Said Abaye to him: How else could he be valued? As a freeman? Could the bodily value of a freeman be ascertained by itself? — R. Ashi therefore said: It means to say that the valuation will be made not of [the eye of] the injured person but of [that of] the offender.
Rambam, Moreh Nevuchim:
As a general rule, any person who sins against his fellow man is punished by having the same damage inflicted on himself. If the damage is bodily harm, then he suffers bodily harm; if he harmed his fellow monetarily, then he suffers monetary loss… and one who causes the loss of a limb, should loss a limb; "As he has maimed his fellow, so shall be done to him." And do not be troubled by the fact that these punishments are effected in the form of monetary fines, for the intention herein is to provide an explanation for the verses, and not an explanation for the words of the Talmud.
Nevertheless, I have an explanation also for that which the Sages teach in the Talmud; this knowledge can be conveyed only orally.
